Sharon Nicholson’s travel plans for next week hinged on an Aug. 23 phone call from Dwain Lingenfelter.
At 3 p.m. that day the Bengough Rally Group organizer was still waiting for word on how much the Saskatchewan government would contribute to fly 100 farmers to Ottawa Aug. 30.
After numerous rallies and tractor protests throughout Saskatch-ewan, the farmers believe it’s time to take their message to Parliament Hill. Farmers need help and they need it now, they say.
Lingenfelter, the province’s deputy premier, pledged his government’s support at a rally in front of the legislature Aug. 17.
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“We will work with you diligently every hour of every day until we can arrange an airplane for you to get to Ottawa,” he told a crowd of about 1,000 people.
But that was before the provincial election was called. On Aug. 23 Lingenfelter was canvassing in his Regina Elphinstone riding. He could not be reached for comment on his commitment before Western Producer deadlines.
Nicholson said the cost of chartering a plane was beyond the commercial airfare quote they obtained of $800 per person.
“We’ll have some quick phone calls to make,” to raise money if the government does not help finance the trip, she said.
Federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief has said they shouldn’t bother coming because he won’t be there.
That doesn’t bother Nicholson. She said her group met with Vanclief for 90 minutes earlier this summer and now they’re going to the top.
“We want to meet with (prime minister Jean) ChrŽtien and (finance minister Paul) Martin,” said the farmer from Big Beaver.
The Bengough group wants a payment of $80 per acre to help farmers through the current economic crisis. That resolution was passed at their first rally last winter and forwarded to Ottawa.
Rally organizer Harvey Linnen of Raymore said perhaps a larger contingent will make the trip by train or bus after harvest.
