March 20, 2014

68 Questions and no interest from Leader of the NDP

Clearing the agricultural backlog and getting Saskatchewan produce to market remains a top issue for the Saskatchewan Party go ernment! "ast year, Saskatchewan farmers and producers had a record har est, setting a new high mark for our pro ince! #nfortunately, due in part to lack of action by rail carriers, much of this crop remains in bins across the pro ince and is not mo ing to ports for sale around the world! $hat is why the Saskatchewan Party go ernment took action with a committee of Cabinet Ministers and M"%&s to meet with rail carriers, grain shippers, the federal go ernment and producers to try to resol e this issue! '$his is an issue that doesn&t (ust affect farmers, it cuts through main street of e ery town and city in Saskatchewan,) said *reg +rkich, M"% for %rm ,i er-.atrous! '/&m proud that %griculture Minister Stewart and Premier .all ha e been listening to the concerns of producers and ha e been engaged on this issue as early as last summer when signs of a record crop were e ident!) '/t is unfortunate that we ha e not been able to count on the support of the "eader of the 01P opposition Cam +roten,) +rkich added! '2e has risen in the "egislature 34 times with 5uestions and not once has he raised the grain transportation backlog as an issue! /t seems the last time we heard from the 01P on rural matters was when they closed 62 rural hospitals, 1,200 long term care beds and 173 schools across the pro ince! '$o the best of our knowledge, +roten hasn&t made any effort to reach out to the federal go ernment on this issue,) added +rkich! $he Saskatchewan Party go ernment has made the grain backlog a top economic priority and has asked the federal go ernment for emergency legislation ensuring rail carriers honour their obligations to producers! $his should include accountability between grain shippers and railways, ensuring at least 18,000 grain cars are mo ing each week to get Saskatchewan&s record crop to markets as well as an increase in penalties from the current 9100,000 per day to at least 9260,000 per day for railways that don&t meet shipping targets with funds collected going to benefit the producers bearing the costs of the delays!
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