Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier says he does not know when regulations for Bill 6, the provincial government's controversial farm safety legislation, will be drafted and made public.
He also says groups and individuals invited to help draft those regulations have largely gotten over their initial opposition to the bill and are now asking how they can help make the law the best it can be.
Carlier made those statements in an interview with the Gazette during the Alberta Farm Animal Care Conference in Olds March 23.
“We had several hundred names (of people and groups interested in sitting on committees to draw up the regulations),” Carlier said.
When asked when those groups would begin meeting, he said, “we're really close. We're kind of pruning a tree here still to get these tables populated and we're looking forward to the next steps to actually get it working.”
Carlier said he wants to find a time when producers aren't so busy. He noted it's calving time for many producers right now.
He was asked when the regulations for the bill will be crafted and made public.
“I was hoping we'd see the draft by fall. But you know what? If it takes more time than that… if we're going to need more time, we're going to need more time. We're going to take whatever time is necessary to get it right,” he said.
After Bill 6 was introduced last fall, Carlier attended a very contentious, bitter, and very packed meeting on the topic at the Cow Palace in Olds.
The Gazette asked if that opposition has died down, or if people in Mountain View County are simply ideologically opposed to his government; no matter what changes might be made to the bill.
“I think there was some of that. I think there were some folks – and perhaps the official Opposition were amongst those – who were stirring up the anxiety,” Carlier said.
“I take my own responsibility for what happened; the communication train pretty much fell off the tracks. And what anxiety was maybe raised out there in the farming communities was not necessary; shouldn't have happened. So I do apologize for that,” he added.
“But you know, going forward, I know we can make this right; I know we can make it for farmers, producers –- and for the workers; that's important obviously, it's worker legislation – and make it work for Alberta; taking the time necessary it takes.
“There (are) a lot of almost conspiracy theories that happened – especially before Christmas. They've all fallen away. We hear extremely little of that criticism. What we hear now are from individual farmers and producers and the commodity groups is ‘what do we need to do to make this right?'”
"I take my own responsibility for what happened; the communication train pretty much fell off the tracks. And what anxiety was maybe raised out there in the farming communities was not necessary; shouldn't have happened. So I do apologize for that." ONEIL CARLIERMINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
