Bill C-588: An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act (members of the board)

C-588 Third Session, Fortieth Parliament, 59 Elizabeth II, 2010 HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA BILL C-588 An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act (members of the board) first reading, November 1, 2010 Mr. Martin (Winnipeg Centre) 402080 SUMMARY This enactment amends the Canadian Wheat Board Act to enhance the powers of the elected members of the board. Also available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address:http://www.parl.gc.ca .vis1 {position: absolute;display:block;} .vis2 {position: static;} 3rd Session, 40th Parliament, 59 Elizabeth II, 2010 house of commons of canada BILL C-588 An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act (members of the board) Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: R.S., c. C-24 CANADIAN WHEAT BOARD 1. Subsections 2(4) and (5) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act are replaced by the following: Designating substances as grain products (4) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, designate substances produced by processing or manufacturing wheat, either alone or together with any other material or substance, as wheat products for the purposes of this Act. Designating pooling points (5) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, designate any place in Canada as a pooling point for the purposes of this Act. 2. Subsection 3.02(1) of the Act is replaced by the following: Directors 3.02 (1) Ten directors are elected by produc- ers in accordance with sections 3.06 to 3.08 and the regulations. Two additional directors are appointed by the ten elected directors and two additional directors are appointed by the Minister for the purpose of bringing to the board outside expertise that may not otherwise be available. The president is appointed by the Governor in Council in accordance with section 3.09. 3. Subsection 3.06(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Limitation (2) After the date referred to in section 3.08, the Minister shall not make the recommendation referred to in subsection (1) unless he or she has consulted with the board, including consulting with respect to geographical representation on the board and the staggering of the terms of office of directors, and has received approval from the board. 4. The portion of section 3.07 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Administration of election 3.07 Subject to the regulations, the Corporation shall take any measures that the Minister may, following consultation with and approval from the board, determine for the proper conduct and supervision of an election of directors, including 5. Subsection 3.09(3) of the Act is repealed. 6. Subsection 3.1(1) of the Act is replaced by the following : Remuneration 3.1 (1) The president is paid the remuneration fixed in accordance with paragraph 3.09(2)(b). 7. Subsection 3.11(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Absence or incapacity (2) If the president is absent or unable to act or the office of president is vacant, the Minister may, following consultation with and approval from the board, appoint an interim president. An interim president shall not act for more than 90 days without the approval of the Governor in Council. 8. Subsection 6(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Regulations (2) The Governor in Council may, with approval from the board, make regulations authorizing the Corporation to deduct an amount from any amount it receives in the course of its operations under this Act and to credit the amount so deducted to the contingency fund established under paragraph (1)(c.3). 9. (1) Subsection 18(1) of the Act is replaced by the following: Directions to the Corporation 18. (1) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by order, direct the Corporation with respect to the manner in which any of its operations, powers and duties under this Act shall be conducted, exercised or performed. (2) Subsection 18(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Purchase of wheat only (2) Except as directed by the Governor in Council, and following consultation with the board, the Corporation shall not buy grain other than wheat. 10. Section 29 of the Act is replaced by the following: Inquiries 29. (1) The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, empower the Corporation to make inquiries and investigations to ascertain the availability of delivery and transportation facilities, supplies of grain and all matters connected with the interprovincial or export marketing of grain, and for that purpose empower the Corporation and the directors to exercise the powers of commissioners under Part I of the Inquiries Act. Delivery of grain by other persons (2) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, provide that persons other than producers who have become entitled to grain may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Part, deliver grain to an elevator or railway car and the terms and conditions on which the grain may be so delivered. 11. Section 30 of the Act is replaced by the following: Regulations respecting outside areas 30. Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, apply this Part to grain produced in any area in Canada outside the designated area specified in the regulation and to producers in respect of that grain, and thereafter, until the regulation is revoked, “grain” in this Part means grain produced in the designated area and in the area so specified in the regulation and “producer” means a producer in respect of that grain. 12. (1) Subsection 33(1.1) of the Act is replaced by the following: Additional payment (1.1) With the approval of the Governor in Council and subject to such terms and conditions as the Governor in Council may prescribe, the Corporation may, following consultation with the board and in addition to any payment authorized by section 32, fix and pay in respect of any pool period a sum per tonne to each producer who has sold and delieved wheat to the Corporation in a railway car during the pool period. (2) Subsection 33(3) of the Act is replaced by the following: Interim payments (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), if the Governor in Council, having regard to a report by the Corporation of the effect on its financial position of an interim payment on account of the distribution of the balance referred to in subsection (2), is of the opinion that an interim payment can be made without loss, the Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, authorize and direct that payment to be made. 13. The portion of section 33.5 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Exemptions 33.5 The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, exempt holders of certificates from the deduction under section 33.1 on the basis of 14. Section 34 of the Act is replaced by the following: Action within a grade 34. In taking any action pursuant to section 32, 33 or 37 in respect of a grade of wheat, the Governor in Council, following consultation with the board, or the Corporation may take that action in respect of any wheat within that grade that has an inherent quality characteristic that distinguishes it from any other wheat within that grade as if the wheat having that inherent quality characteristic were wheat of a different grade. 15. The portion of subsection 37(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Regulations 37. (1) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, 16. The portion of section 38 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Transfer of wheat from one pool period to subsequent pool period 38. The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, authorize the Corporation to adjust its accounts at any time by transferring to the then current pool period all wheat delivered during a preceding pool period and then remaining unsold, and the Corporation shall credit to the accounts for that preceding pool period, and charge against the accounts for the current pool period, such amount as the Governor in Council deems to be a reasonable price for the wheat so transferred, and all wheat so transferred shall, 17. Subsection 40(1) of the Act is replaced by the following: Application to wheat produced outside designated areas 40. (1) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, apply the provisions of this Part in respect of wheat produced in any area in Canada outside the designated area, specified in the regulation. 18. The portion of subsection 41(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Designated wheat 41. (1) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, designate for the purposes of this Part 19. Subsection 44(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Transfer of wheat where repeal (2) Where a regulation made pursuant to paragraph 41(1)(b) or (c) is repealed, the Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, authorize the Corporation to transfer all wheat of any grade or class specified in the regulation delivered during any pool period and remaining unsold at the time of the repeal of the regulation to the pool period that commences at that time for wheat not designated by any regulation made pursuant to subsection 41(1). 20. The portion of section 46 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Regulations 46. The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, make regulations 21. Subsection 47(1) of the Act is replaced by the following: Extension of Parts III and IV to oats and barley 47. (1) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, extend the application of Part III or of Part IV or of both Parts III and IV to oats or to barley or to both oats and barley. 22. Section 47.1 of the Act is replaced by the following: Minister's or member of Parliament’s obligations 47.1 (1) Neither the Minister nor any other minister nor any other member of Parliament shall cause to be introduced in Parliament a bill that would (a) exclude any kind, type, class or grade of wheat or barley, or wheat or barley produced in any area in Canada, from the provisions of Part IV, either in whole or in part, or generally, or for any period, or (b) extend the application of Part III or Part IV or both Parts III and IV to any other grain, unless (c) the Minister, or any other minister or any other member of Parliament, as the case may be, has first consulted with and received the approval of the board regarding the exclusion or extension being proposed, and (d) subject to subsections (2) and (3), the producers of any wheat or barley referred to in paragraph (a), or any other grain, have voted clearly and democratically, by secret ballot, in favour of the exclusion or extension being proposed. Voting process (2) The process for conducting any vote required under paragraph (1)(d) shall be determined by the Minister in consultation with and subject to the approval of the board. Resolution of disagreement (3) Any disagreement between the Minister and the board over the process for conducting a vote may be resolved by reference, by either the Minister or the board, to the Chief Electoral Officer. Question asked (4) The question asked in any vote required under paragraph 47.1(1)(d) shall clearly state how the exclusion or extension being proposed will affect the single desk marketing system of the Corporation, and to that end shall reflect as much as practicable the wording set out in Schedule 2. 23. The portion of section 50 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Establishment or amendment of marketing plan 50. The Governor in Council may, following consultation with and approval from the board, and on the recommendation of the Minister, make an order 24. Subsection 52(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Additional security (2) Where, while an order establishing a marketing plan is in force, the Governor in Council has reason to believe and is of the opinion that any security given by the administrator of that plan pursuant to this section is not sufficient to ensure that all obligations under the plan to producers participating therein will be met, the Governor in Council, following consultation with the board, may, by order, require the administrator to give, within such period as the Governor in Council considers reasonable, such additional security by bond, insurance or otherwise as, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, is sufficient to ensure that those obligations will be met. 25. The portion of section 59 of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following: Regulations 59. The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, make regulations 26. Section 61 of the Act is replaced by the following: Regulations 61. The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, make regulations for any purpose for which regulations may be made under this Act. 27. Subsection 61.1(2) of the Act is replaced by the following: Regulations (2) The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Treasury Board and the Minister made at the request of the Corporation, and following consultation with the board, make any regulations in relation to the Corporation that the Governor in Council considers necessary for the purpose of implementing any provision of the Agreement that pertains to the Corporation. 28. The schedule to the Act is renumbered as Schedule 1. 29. The Act is amended by adding, after Schedule 1, the schedule set out in the schedule to this Act. COORDINATING AMENDMENTS 1998, c. 17 30. (1) In this section, “other Act” means An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, being chapter 17 of the Statutes of Canada, 1998. (2) If subsection 12(1) of this Act comes into force before subsection 33(1.1) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by subsection 19(4) of the other Act, then on the day on which subsection 33(1.1) as enacted by that subsection 19(4) comes into force, subsection 33(1.1) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act is replaced by the following: Additional payment (1.1) With the approval of the Governor in Council and subject to such terms and conditions as the Governor in Council may prescribe, the Corporation may, following consultation with the board and in addition to any payment authorized by section 32, fix and pay in respect of any pool period a sum per tonne to each producer who has sold and delivered wheat to the Corporation in a railway car during the pool period. (3) If subsection 12(1) of this Act comes into force on the same day as subsection 33(1.1) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by subsection 19(4) of the other Act, then subsection 33(1.1) as enacted by that subsection 19(4) is deemed to have come into force before subsection 12(1) of this Act. (4) If subsection 12(2) of this Act comes into force before subsection 33(3) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by subsection 19(4) of the other Act, then on the day on which subsection 33(3) as enacted by that subsection 19(4) comes into force, subsection 33(3) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act is replaced by the following: Interim payments (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), if the Governor in Council, having regard to a report by the Corporation of the effect on its financial position of an interim payment on account of the distribution of the balance referred to in subsection (2), is of the opinion that an interim payment can be made without loss, the Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, authorize and direct that payment to be made. (5) If subsection 12(2) of this Act comes into force on the same day as subsection 33(3) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by subsection 19(4) of the other Act, then subsection 33(3) as enacted by that subsection 19(4) is deemed to have come into force before subsection 12(2) of this Act. (6) If section 16 of this Act comes into force before section 38 of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by section 22 of the other Act, then on the day on which section 38 as enacted by that section 22 comes into force, section 38 of the Canadian Wheat Board Act is replaced by the following: Transfer of wheat from one pool period to subsequent pool period 38. The Governor in Council may, following consultation with the board, authorize the Corporation to adjust its accounts at any time by transferring to the then current pool period all wheat delivered during a preceding pool period and then remaining unsold, and the Corporation shall credit to the accounts for that preceding pool period, and charge against the accounts for the current pool period, such amount as the Governor in Council deems to be a reasonable price for the wheat so transferred, and all wheat so transferred shall, (7) If section 16 of this Act comes into force on the same day as section 38 of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by section 22 of the other Act, then section 38 as enacted by that section 22 is deemed to have come into force before section 16 of this Act. (8) If section 21 of this Act comes into force before subsection 47(1) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by section 25 of the other Act, then on the day on which subsection 47(1) as enacted by that section 25 comes into force, subsection 47(1) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act is replaced by the following: Extension of Parts III and IV to oats and barley 47. (1) Following consultation with the board, the Governor in Council may, by regulation, extend the application of Part III or of Part IV or of both Parts III and IV to oats or to barley or to both oats and barley. (9) If section 21 of this Act comes into force on the same day as subsection 47(1) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, as enacted by section 25 of the other Act, then subsection 47(1) as enacted by that section 25 is deemed to have come into force before section 21 of this Act. SCHEDULE (Subsection 28(2)) SCHEDULE 2 (Subsection 47.1(4)) Attention eligible producers: Please select ONE of the following options: Option 1 – OPEN MARKET OPTION: All domestic and export sales of _____ should be removed entirely from the single desk marketing system of the Canadian Wheat Board and placed on the open market. Option 2 – SINGLE DESK OPTION: The Canadian Wheat Board should remain the single desk seller of all ____, with the continuing exception of feed grain sold domestically. Published under authority of the Speaker of the House of CommonsAvailable from:Publishing and Depository ServicesPublic Works and Government Services Canada