As a result of a briefing by the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce, the Saskatchewan Chamber sent a letter to Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Federal Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food; to Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs; and to Hon. David Marit, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Agriculture  urging the two governments to find a solution to the canola situation in China quickly.  Describing canola as “one of our nation’s most important commodities”, the Saskatchewan Chamber, on behalf of 10,000 individual businesses, industry associations and local Chambers of Commerce asked the Ministers to address the issue immediately.

Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce thanked the Yorkton Chamber for the information it provided to the provincial organization about the consequences to the economy a slow resolution to this situation will provoke.  “Yorkton is situated in the heart of canola country”, he said.  “The Yorkton Chamber well understands a drop in the value of canola will have far reaching effects not only on the farming community but that of the local and provincial economies.”
 
“When farmers are strapped for cash, it doesn’t take long for the Yorkton and area business community to feel the pinch,” stated Juanita Polegi, Executive Director of the Yorkton Chamber.  “Hundreds of local farmers seed thousands of acres of canola which, when harvested, is delivered to the local elevators and crush plants. If the elevators and crush plants stop calling for deliveries, it will have a profound negative effect on our famers and the Yorkton and area business community.”

Both the Saskatchewan and Yorkton Chambers of Commerce stand ready offer their assistance to government and producer organizations as they work toward re-establishing cooperation with China.