NFU Women's President Shannon Storey and Transportation Committee Chair Terry Boehm announced at an August 19th news conference that the NFU would cease participating in talks intended to implement Willard Estey's recommendations.
The Winnipeg talks, initiated by transportation Minister David Collenette and facilitated by Arthur Kroeger, began in late May and are set to continue until early September. Kroeger's final report to the Minister is scheduled for the end of September.
In announcing the NFU withdrawal, Storey and Boehm pointed to Estey's farmer-unfriendly recommendations and stated that the railway's complete refusal to negotiate open access and other competitive provisions made it even more likely that the Estey recommendations would lead to costly and negative outcomes for farmers.
While no one in the NFU is surprised that CN and CP would vigorously block changes that would create real competition, it was nevertheless fascinating to watch railway reps. brazenly refuse to negotiate at the Winnipeg Kroeger/Estey talks. Unfortunately, the railways' tactics, accompanied by slick behind-the-scenes lobbying, will likely prove successful.
In a letter to Minister Collenette regarding the NFU pullout, President Cory Ollikka stated: "The railways have steadfastly refused to negotiate open access or other measures that would provide shipper protection or enhance competition. Given, that the railways want to move to a commercial, contractual system-where rates and service would be negotiated-this demonstrated refusal to negotiate is extremely telling."
In a news release, Ollikka stated: "Estey's four most significant recommendations would leave farmers with higher costs and less say in how the system operates. Now the railways are using their economic and political power to ensure that the deal for farmers is even worse. If Willard Estey, Arthur Kroeger, David Collenette, and the railways have their way, farmers will be poorer, less numerous, and less powerful."
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