With 640 acres of crop left to harvest and 100 cows to feed at his
Altario farm, Rick Strankman was ready to get out of jail.
“We’ve still got harvesting to do and feed to move so I’m hoping I can
get that done before winter sets in,” said the central Alberta farmer.
He was one of 13 farmers who chose to go to jail Oct. 31 rather than
pay fines for customs offences in 1996.
Four spent a night in jail and paid their fines to return to their
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farms and off-farm jobs. Another five were released Nov. 7.
A special fund set up by the Western Barley Growers Association paid
the fines. Three had their fines paid from the fund while neighbours
paid those of Vulcan farmers Neil Hyslip and Martin Hall.
Strankman faced 180 days in jail for refusing to pay a fine for taking
756 bushels across the U.S. border without an export permit.
Going to jail was a conscious decision to protest Canadian Wheat Board
policies, but he admits jail was a sobering experience.
“When that door cell closed at 10 o’clock the first night and I heard
the door, I knew that I was there. This wasn’t kidding around.”
He has not changed his mind and is angered that farmers had to take the
issue this far to protest the board monopoly on wheat and barley sales.
The four farmers remaining in jail have had their time reduced.
Jim Chatenay, Ron Duffy, Bill Moore and John Turcato decided to stay in
jail and work off their fines. They will be released between the end of
November and mid-December depending on sentences.
Wheat board director Chatenay, for example, was sentenced to 62 days.
Forty days have already been taken off his time.
In a civil matter such as this, people have the option to work off
their fines with time in jail by doing a variety of tasks for $5.90 an
hour. They may also pay the full fine or perform community service.
The total fines paid were about $17,000, said Morten Paulsen,
spokesperson for the farmers’ group.
“It is clearly a principle for them. They are determined … they want
to send a message to (CWB minister Ralph) Goodale that this issue isn’t
going to go away,” said Paulsen.
“This is just the start of a campaign. It’s not over.”
The barley growers association set up the special fund Oct. 31 and
within a week had $15,000 in trust, said Doug McBain. Cheques arrived
from across Canada with rural and urban addresses.
“There was a lot of public pressure from people wanting to pay the
fines,” said McBain, vice-president of the barley growers.
Another 28 farmers will be in a Regina courthouse Nov. 18 and 19 to
appeal their cases for similar offences.
Meanwhile, the Royal Bank of Canada said it was not handling donations
for the barley growers’ fund, as announced last week.
