REGINA – The head of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities is wanting to see Western concerns addressed by the federal government.
“We've been neglected for 10-plus years in western Canada, and Saskatchewan is in western Canada,” said Bill Huber, SARM President, to reporters following his morning address at the mid-term meetings in Regina.
“And we've got an agriculture industry here that's struggling right now with tariffs and trade, and our farmers are really suffering because of the non-movement of grain, especially canola seed, to China. We've got one of our biggest trading partners just across the 49th parallel that we do have to do business with (the USA). They're the closest and one of our largest trading partners. And we need to see those goods, livestock, beef, cattle, pigs, pork, those things continue to cross that border. So we need those exports.”
Huber said it was also "disappointing to see that there's a $112 million decrease over the next year in agriculture spending” in the budget.
“So, you know, that's not very encouraging when we should be increasing that budget for agriculture, especially in long-term safety net programs. That's where we need it, something that triggers fast, that gets money in the hands of producers within weeks or months, not years.”
News that India was imposing a 30 per cent duty on yellow peas on top of all the other tariffs “just kind of put the icing on the cake, I guess.”
Huber noted relationships has been strained for a number of years with India, but had mended more recently.
“I think our provincial government here has a pretty good working relationship with trade ministers in India. So we're hopeful that those tariffs can be, you know, dealt with a lot easier maybe than the Chinese and American ones.”
Huber was asked by reporters about yesterday’s federal budget. He said he had not had a chance to really review it, but said there were “certainly some concerns, and we had a lot of asks when we were in Ottawa, and the different ministers that we talked with.
“And as we all know, Western Canada has been neglected from the federal government in the last 10 years, and we feel that it's their obligation and it's their turn to step up and support Western Canada and realize how valuable our provinces in the West are to the economy and the GDP of this nation.”
During his morning address to SARM delegates, Huber has spoken on some of the lobbying efforts they have been making in Ottawa. SARM has been in Ottawa twice in the last month — including as part of the provincial delegation with the Ministry of Government Relations seeking federal infrastructure funding. He said to reporters that during his trips to Ottawa infrastructure was a major topic for both of them, and also trade and tariffs.
As for the infrastructure funding that was announced, Huber was asked whether the funding from the budget may address issues such as the need for bridges.
“Well, I haven't read closely enough in it, but as far as I know, I don't think there's much,” Huber said, though he did say they were hopeful there was some funding there.
“But, you know, we need millions of dollars. And we're going to have to try to come up with another plan rather than replacing bridges where we maybe go to large-diameter culverts, you know, or low-level crossings in some instances where we can eliminate some of the bridges. Certainly there's a lot of them that we can't eliminate.
They have to be bridges and structures. But I'm pessimistic whether we're going to get much for bridge funding and infrastructure, at least in this first year.”
The need for bridge refurbishment is great. Huber pointed to the RM of Connaught which has 42 bridges, and a lot of those are in need of great repair.
“There's 1,200 bridges in the province, or over 1,200. And 70-some percent of them need, you know, they've only got a lifespan of 10 years left. So that's the biggest part.
You know, the south and southwest, a lot of those bridges have been replaced with low-level crossings and large-diameter culverts.”
As for the rest of the budget, the deficit is a major concern for members, he said.
“I think, you know, one thing that really concerns us and our members in SARM is a deficit, a continued deficit of $78-some billion, and that's huge. It's going to be a burden on our children and our grandchildren to pay that off in the coming years.”
Huber also wanted to see more funding in Western Canada for agriculture.
"It contributes hugely to the GDP. We need more money for rail services, for highways, for port facilities, not only in Vancouver and Thunder Bay but Churchill, some of these new places that we're looking at exporting. You know, we export to 160 countries out of Saskatchewan around the world, and we've got a valuable product that's really demanded worldwide, and we have to have the infrastructure to get it to our countries on a timely, safe manner.”
Huber was also asked about the political uncertainty in Ottawa with the budget, with swirling rumours about whether the budget will get any support from the Opposition as well as of potential floor-crossings including one that happened on budget day itself.
“Well, you know, I really have no idea what the Liberals or the Conservatives or the NDP are thinking,” Huber said.
“There's a minority government that they have. I don't really know if the Conservatives and the NDP want to force an election. The polls are still indicating that a small lead for the Liberals. So whether the Conservatives want to vote against the budget is questionable. I really couldn't say. But if I was them, I guess I would support the budget, I guess, for now or just not vote on it.”
