MLA wasn’t paying attention when government was doing consultations on Farm Workers Act

By Letter to the Editor on September 8, 2017.

I recently received a copy of the government funded glossy brochure from Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes. It was disappointing to see MLA Barnes use his ‘Up-date From Drew – Fall 2017’ to yet again drag out that tired old canard that the Alberta government failed to consult before passing Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm & Ranch Workers Act.

The Alberta government conducted nearly endless consultations for more than a decade prior to Bill 6 coming along.

Mr. Barnes may have been engaged elsewhere at the time, but now that he is paying attention, perhaps he should consult with the various agricultural agencies, boards and commissions that the Alberta government has been engaged with all these years. He would discover all these ag groups have been at the table for years consulting with the Alberta government.

I suggest Mr. Barnes do a little consulting to ascertain the facts and then perhaps he could stop this misinformation campaign. Just because he wasn’t paying attention or didn’t like the outcome doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

This Alberta government has picked up right where the previous government left off and is building on the work already done.

I would invite MLA Barnes and any others to call the Alberta Farmworker Service Centre if they wish to learn more. The number is 1-844-557-3743.

Eric Musekamp

Bow Island

(The writer represents the Farmworkers Union of Alberta)

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