The Financial Post reports in its Saturday edition that according to documents obtained through access to information legislation, it became clear to Ottawa last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might not agree to the grocery code of conduct, which could undermine the project's success. A Canadian Press dispatch to the Post reports that as the months went by, the government made efforts to persuade the two retailers to sign the code of conduct, but it was not successful. The grocers eventually said they could not sign the near-complete code during a House of Commons meeting. "There are ongoing federal efforts to seek commitment from key players, including large retailers like Walmart and Loblaw, to participate in the code," read a briefing note prepared on Sept. 22. The document says participation by some of the largest retailers -- namely Loblaw and Walmart -- is "still to be determined." The code was meant to be voluntary, but it has always been acknowledged that it needs all the major players on board to work, said federal Agriculture and Agri-food Minister Lawrence Macaulay's spokesman Francis Chechile in a statement. Loblaw spokesman Catherine Thomas is optimistic a code can be finalized that everyone can support.