By Austin Davis
With all of the talk about the recent changes to the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), some might say the importance of the railways’ involvement has been overlooked.
That was certainly not the case when Bruce Burrows, vice-president of public and corporate affairs for the Railway Association of Canada took to the podium on Friday afternoon.
“The rail cannot be looked at in isolation,” he stated in his speech.
Burrows was adamant that the railways are not the only link in the chain, but that the chain is large and integrated.
He was addressing the assembled Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association at its annual convention at the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa.
Burrows’ speech came at a critical time, as wheat farmers look towards an open market, where every nuance of the selling and distribution process is being scrutinized.
Burrows touched on the rail supply chain’s necessity for a stable regulatory environment. According to him, a regulatory framework provides an appropriate balance between all participants.
“The balance between farmers and the government is getting better,” Burrows told the Times-Herald. “We’re positive that saner heads will prevail.”
For more on this story, read an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
