Conservatives are calling for the federal government to take action against blockades as they take their toll on the Canadian economy.
Foothills MP John Barlow said in this region, the greatest impact is being felt by farmers who are unable to ship grain. It’s costing Canadian farmers $15 million per week in demurrage for the 100-plus ships docked at Prince Rupert and Vancouver awaiting rail cars that aren’t coming, he said.
“In Prince Rupert along they are short 400,000 tonnes of grain, and that was as of Feb. 14, so that number could be higher,” said Barlow.
In addition, it’s cost 1,500 CN and Via rail workers their jobs across the country, and it’s not going to stop there, he said.
“We have certainly heard anywhere from the fertilizer industry, the milling industry, they’re calling us to say, ‘We’re going to have to close this mine, we’re going to be closing this mill,’ and laying off hundred of people,” said Barlow. “There are very real consequences to not doing anything and the collateral damage to this is debilitating."
He said mills across Canada, particularly in Quebec, are running out of wheat, which impacts feed for animals and product to export.
Canada is extremely reliant on its export market and now its reputation as a dependable supplier of commodities is being eroded, he said. Some import countries like Japan or China are forced to find their product elsewhere as their ships are being turned away from overloaded ports.
“The longer these blockades go on, the more devastating it is to Canadian agriculture and our economy as a whole,” said Barlow.
He said the Liberal government needs to made a strong stance against the blockades rather than sitting back and waiting for the situation to resolve itself.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to direct the minister of public safety to make Canada’s critical infrastructure – railways, bridges, highways and terminals – free of movement and protected by the RCMP, he said.
“Give the minister those guidelines to the RCMP so they can move in and remove these blockades,” said Barlow. “We need to send a very clear message to the protestors.”
He said the protestors, though claiming to be protecting Wet'suwet'en First Nations, have only one goal in mind – to shut down Canada’s energy sector.
“This has nothing to do with First Nations rights, this has nothing to do with land title, this is about crippling Canada’s energy economy, and there is collateral damage to what they’re doing and that is to agriculture, manufacturing, forestry,” said Barlow.
On Feb. 19 Trudeau declared the government would work at a long-term solution to the issues over days and months – as long as it takes to resolve the situation. Barlow said it’s the wrong attitude, and swift action needs to be taken.
In the meantime, he said the protestors will continue their actions without understanding their full implications.
“They need to understand they’re dancing on these rail lines but there are farmers who can’t sell their grain, there are rail workers who are losing their jobs, there are farmers in Quebec and Ontario who don’t have propane to heat their barns, there are people and families in the Maritimes who don’t have propane to heat their homes,” said Barlow.
“This isn’t just a Twitter game they’re playing, this is playing with people’s lives and they need to understand what’s at stake here and that this is not a game.
“There are very real consequences.”
