With speculation at last week’s Canadian Federation of Agriculture meeting that president Jack Wilkinson would soon step up, thoughts were turning to his likely successor.
If Wilkinson wins the May contest in Manila, The Philippines to become president of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, will Manitoba turkey producer Bob Friesen be the “hair”-apparent?
Wilkinson, a former air force pilot from northern Ontario, shaves his head. Friesen has long grey hair.
Last week during the convention, a CFA staff member wondered if Friesen’s hair would be long enough to wear in a ponytail. Will the CFA go from bald to ponytail without passing through the square-in-the-back cut?
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Wilkinson, in the final year of his third and last two-year term as president, confirmed last week there are rumors the European Union may run a candidate against him at the IFAP meeting.
It would provide stiff competition, since Wilkinson would be replacing an Australian as president and some in the EU believe the presidency should alternate between Europe and elsewhere.
But it is not always easy to have EU countries show up at the meeting united in backing one candidate.
“I’ll keep campaigning,” said Wilkinson. “We’ll see. There were rumors that Europe would put up a candidate (last time) against Graham Blight. It didn’t happen.”
If he wins in Manila, he would resign his CFA presidency and Friesen, second vice-president, is expected to be elected president by the federation board.
