SASKATOON – Two more Manitoba farmers have been charged with illegally hauling grain into the United States.
Bill Cairns of Tilston and Andy McMechan of Lyleton appeared in provincial court in Winnipeg Jan. 18 to face charges under the Canada Customs Act.
The pair were charged with failing to stop and report to Canada Customs and provide a proper grain export permit.
McMechan’s charges cover all wheat exported between February and June 1994 and barley exported between December 1993 and July 1994.
McMechan and Cairns are jointly charged for shipping wheat between February and May 1994 and barley hauled on Feb. 11, 1994.
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The latest charges are similar to those laid against MacGregor, Man., farmer Dave Sawatzky last year for shipping wheat into the United States without an export permit.
Cairns said he feels he has done nothing illegal since he said he hasn’t had a Canadian Wheat Board permit book for eight years.
The southwestern Manitoba farmer said he chose to bypass the board and haul his grain directly to the United States.
Recent tightening of border regulations have made it difficult to continue shipping to the U.S. without a permit from the Canadian Wheat Board, legally the only selling agency for wheat and barley.
Cairns said he doesn’t feel he should abide by a Canadian law that only governs three prairie provinces.
“I wasn’t challenging them, I simply felt that they’re wrong,” he said.
