Canada's Political Turmoil Threatens Quota Buyout

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 12/08/2008

A proposed buyout of tobacco quota in Canada is in doubt because opposition parties in Ottawa are poised to topple the conservative government, according to a report in The Brantford Expositor. In August, the federal Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz, announced that the government would pay $1.05 per pound to retire 271 million pounds of tobacco quota. But in an interview on Tuesday, MP, Diane Finley, indicated she was unable to guarantee that the $300million in buyout money would be made available if the Conservatives were replaced by a coalition of opposition parties. "A Conservative government is determined to deliver this money," Finley said. "This money will flow once the province and the [Ontario Flue Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board] decide what to do in terms of dismantling the tobacco quota system. What the socialist-separatist coalition might do in this situation I don't want to speculate. That's why we are pressing so hard on this issue." Enditem