The Rural Voice, 1987-04, Page 23middle of amalgamations, takeovers,
and receiverships has often been
evident, while Western dealers have
enjoyed negotiating advantages.
John Kessler at the Ontario Farm
Machinery Board notes that legislative
backing will "take all the guesswork"
out of the board's operations. "I'm
hoping that it will be an improve-
ment, and that it will be to the satis-
faction of Mr. Peart and all these guys
who are at the moment not satisfied."
Kessler, a professional engineer
who spent 10 years designing and
testing machinery for Massey -Fergu-
son, was hired by the agriculttue min-
istry in 1975, when the machinery
board in Ontario (initiated in 1972)
had five members, all farmers (the
board was reconstituted in 1979-80).
"It was through my recommendation
iter on that it was expanded to be a
more representative, co-operative type
board, which basically builds in a
communication network."
In response to ORFEDA's criti-
cism, Kessler says the board "worked
very well, but they (ORFEDA) have
an agenda of their own and they have
tried to make things difficult at times.
But that's all a part of the game."
"They're a lobby group, same as
the OFA, same as the manufacturers'
association, same as the wholesalers'
association. Obviously they have an
agenda that they want to pursue ... I'm
not offering that as a criticism, but as
an explanation. They have elected to
posture in that fashion."
Only once or twice, Kessler says,
has a board decision been taken to
court, and the court has agreed with
the board's recommendation on the
basis that the problem had already
been examined by an expert body.
He also points out that ORFEDA
has continued to sit on the board.
Brent Hamre, general manager
of the Canadian Farm and Industrial
Equipment Institute, says farm equip-
ment manufacturers have generally
found mediation by the board to be "a
very effective way to settle problems
and disputes." But he does express a
reservation about the proposal for farm
equipment legislation from the manu-
facturers' perspective: "I can tell you
that our main concern has been that
the minister, Mr. Riddell, has not seen
fit — at least up until this point — to
include the manufacturing sector's
representative, which would be our
institute and perhaps members of the
wholesalers' association."
"Having said that, we are working
under legislation similar to what I
understand is being purported by
ORFEDA, in other provinces. Our
members do not do business any
differently whether they be working
under legislative regulation or not.
We would suggest that the original
program that was in place and has
been in place for several years here
in Ontario — known as the Ontario
Voluntary Code of Business Practice
— has been a workable formula by
which farmers' interests could be well
protected and we did not see the neces-
sity for the advent of actual legisla-
tion. We will work, of course, under
whatever laws of the province that are
promulgated. We will certainly want
to have an opportunity to give input
before the final bill is passed."
Bill Benson notes that while there
haven't been any meetings between
government and the manufacturers, it
is his understanding that the CFIEI did
see one draft of the proposal, and there
will be an opportunity for input from
the public and the industry, "probably
during the committee stage."
"Initially, there was only agree-
ment between OFA and ORFEDA on
the basic proposals. The manufac-
turers were opposing legislation for
Ontario. We understand now in the
last year or so that manufacturers in
Ontario are saying they don't see them-
selves having any problem meeting
the provisions of the legislation be-
cause they've been meeting those pro-
visions in Western Canada for years."
When the proposal will be made
public isn't known. Benson says he
expects the proposals will be intro-
duced into the legislature shortly after
it reconvenes at the end of April. And
Jack Riddell's announcement of the
package may be made sooner.OLG
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APRIL 1987 21