The Alberta government is investigating how a vulgar e-mail came to be sent from a government computer to a website promoting retention of the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk.
A spokesperson for agriculture minister George Groeneveld said the government is determined to get to the bottom of the affair.
“We’re concerned about this and we’re looking into it, and we’ll take whatever action is appropriate, depending on the results of the investigation,” said David Hennig.
The e-mail was sent to the website www.savemycwb.ca on the afternoon of March 14. The internet address at the bottom of the message identifies it as coming from an Alberta Agriculture computer.
Read Also
U.S. loses out on sales of soybean to China
U.S. soybean exporters risk missing out on billions of dollars worth of sales to China this year as trade talks drag on and buyers in the top oilseed importer lock in cargoes from Brazil.
The e-mail is signed by “Amber,” with a return e-mail address provided. A message sent to that address generated no response.
The one-paragraph message calls single desk supporters communists, tells them to go back to school and get a job, accuses them of living off taxpayers and makes crude references to breast feeding.
It concludes by saying: “The day the CWB crumbles … I will seriously laugh my head off at you guys (because) then you’re really screwed.”
Ken Sigurdson, a Manitoba farmer who runs the website, said while he was shocked at the source of the e-mail, he wasn’t surprised by the tone.
“I see this as reflecting the kind of anger that this issue has stirred up among prairie farmers.”
Groeneveld was not available for an interview, but he was quoted in media reports describing the e-mail as “rubbish” and “disgusting.”
Hennig said while the Alberta government supports an end to the single desk, the e-mail does not reflect the government’s position or the type of conduct expected of employees.
He said the investigation will try to determine if the e-mail came from an Alberta Agriculture computer and if it was sent by a department employee.
If a government employee was involved and disciplinary action is required, it may not be made public.
Liberal agriculture critic Hugh MacDonald has asked Groeneveld to apologize on the savemycwb website on behalf of the department and the citizens of Alberta.
“This has brought the CWB debate down to a new low level,” he said in an interview, adding it reflects badly on the department, the government and the province.
MacDonald said he doesn’t believe it reflects the attitude of the majority of Alberta Agriculture employees.
