The farm is an inherently hazardous workplace. Animals are unpredictable, diligence is critical around machinery and mechanized equipment, and workdays are long and labour intensive.
I know the importance of agricultural safety, having grown up on a farm and operated one for many years. Because of my background, the Progressive Conservative (PC) caucus appointed me as its agriculture critic, and today I am deeply concerned about Bill 6 – Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act.
The government introduced the legislation on Nov. 17 and announced it will be in place by Jan. 1. That's only a few weeks from start to finish on new rules that significantly affect one of Alberta's most important industries.
Let me be clear. I am an advocate for farm safety and making farms safer every day, but this legislation is not addressing farm safety in the way that the NDP says. From the beginning, our PC Caucus has supported its safety objectives but criticized the tight timelines for public consultation, and the bill's lack of flexibility to recognize the complexity of our agriculture industry.
Let's start with the timelines. The NDP government only allowed for two weeks of public consultation, and those disastrous sessions are occurring at the same time this legislation is moving through the legislature.
Furthermore, Bill 6 is a one-size-fits-all piece of legislation that treats all businesses the same – from small family farms, to co-operatives, such as Hutterite and Mennonite operations, as well as feedlots, ranches and multi-million-dollar commercial operations.
Although Bill 6 is flawed, I believe Alberta's 86 legislators can work together to improve it. But in order to do so, we need time, and we first need to hear from Albertans. The short debate that's taking place even before the consultations are finished is not the way to draft common-sense legislation. We can – and should – do better.
This government clearly isn't interested in hearing from any farmers about Bill 6. Premier Rachel Notley and her NDP MLAs are addressing this issue from an ideological standpoint. They want to push their ideals on those who actually live and work in the agriculture industry without talking to farmers about what they want.
We recently learned that the NDP's legislative agenda had them pushing through Bill 6 on Dec. 10. They are even rushing through a few of their own chosen amendments, and in doing so, are ignoring those of the PC caucus – and we are trying to make this seemingly inevitable legislation make sense for Alberta's farmers.
I believe education is better than legislation.
Wayne Drysdale is the Progressive Conservative MLA for the riding of Grande Prairie-Wapiti, and is the party's critic for agriculture, forestry and rural development.
See Letter to the Editor on page 12
