Opposition firm against Bill 6

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Enmity and criticism remained steadfast against the controversial Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, after hundreds of agriculture industry workers received what they considered evasive responses to their tailored questions at the Bassano town hall meeting on Dec. 5.
The platform, organized by the opposition Wildrose Party, provided over 500 farmers the opportunity to address their concerns and questions to the NDP Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Oneil Carlier directly.
While many farmers voiced their frustration regarding the lack of communication and misinformation surrounding Bill 6, others spoke out about their rights and worries relating to their livelihood.
“The reality of it is, 98 per cent of all farms in Alberta are family-owned, and we are here today to tell you that we are going to stick together; all of us,” said Aleta Steinbach, whose family has farmed in Alberta for 119 years.
“We deserve the right to choose WCB or private insurance that suits our operation. Rachel Notley said WCB was failing workers and today she wants to saddle the farmers and ranchers with it. Private insurance covers a lot more than WCB. Are we going to legally get the right to choose our best insurance? You say one child is too many to die, and not one person disagrees with you.
“Last year by your records we had 17 agriculture-related deaths. How about all the deaths that are on our highways; 350 last year. That’s the most regulated and policed in our country. How about the 31 poor children that died in government care in Alberta last year? They are just as important as our one agriculture child.”
The bill, which seeks to extend workers compensation and Occupational Health and Safety legislation to paid employees on Alberta farms and ranches raised red flags province-wide resulting in protests and rallies demanding to shelve the bill or kill it entirely.
Farmers and ranchers banded together when the NDP government failed to consult the industry workers on Bill 6.
“I’m here so I can have this open and honest conversation, and we know that you are the experts and all of us want our employees safe at work,” said Carlier, who was praised by Fildebrandt for accepting his invitation to attend the meeting.
“Of course farming and ranching is more than a job, it’s a way of life. Myself, ministers, MLA’s and our premier have all heard from farmers and ranchers who are concerned this bill will divert their way of life. We take those concerns very seriously because that was never the intent of this bill. On behalf of our whole caucus we are sorry. We should’ve provided the details about how we planned to protect ranch and farming families when we first introduced this bill.”
Carlier added that the government is currently working on amendments to the bill, and assured the crowd that the government will consult and collaborate with farmers and ranchers to ensure the regulations make sense. Furthermore, he said that family members and neighbours will still help out around the farm, children will continue to participate in 4-H, and that the bill only pertains to paid farmers. As a response one farmer asked the crowd to raise their hands if they have ever received money from their farm, resulting in most of the hands shooting up into the air. The minister was also asked whether farms could be seized as collateral if they are unable to pay fines associated with the bill, that many farmers said they can’t afford to pay. Stuart Thiessen, feedlot operator of Namaka Farms, attended the meeting and commented on the difficulties of finding answers to comply with the bill.
“I’m very concerned about the lack of communication of both parts, and we have now moved to a point where the rhetoric is loud on both sides, we’re not talking,” he said.
“I have to implement WCB come Jan. 1, and I cannot get answers on how to do this. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I have a farmer who delivers to me and he’s not WCB. Is he now my contractor? Am I going to do like all the other big corporations and say nobody without WCB can come on my site? That really hurts all the little guys that I deal with. I’m tired of fighting.”
Natasha Lausen, whose family’s grain farm is near Strathmore, helped organize a convoy that covered the distance from Strathmore to Bassano. She also echoed the concern of lack of transparency in communication, and said the bill fails to acknowledge the values of rural Alberta and the provisions of Alberta farm services.
“Minister, I was at Okotoks and I believe that you and I can both agree that the citizens who attended this meeting were not shown the utmost respect,” Lausen said to Carlier.
“The meeting was held outdoors in a parking lot in the cold in December. This government has lost the confidence of Alberta’s farmers. This bill is flawed. We deserve clarity. Suspend it now. Please demonstrate accountability in facilitating meaningful discussions with agricultural stakeholders in 2016.”
While Minister Carlier said he would vote with his colleagues in favour of the bill when decisions need to be made, he told the crowd he heard the constituents and will take their concerns back to his government. Also present at the two-and-a-half-hour long town hall meeting were Conservative MP Martin Shields, Wildrose MLA Dave Schneider, Wildrose MLA Rick Strankman, and Shadow Minister of Health Drew Barnes.