EDMONTON – The wind blew bitterly cold, but about 150 farmers huddled together on the steps of the Alberta legislature to show support for the Canadian Wheat Board.
Wilf Marx of High Prairie, Alta., left another farm meeting in a warm hotel to stand outside in the cold and show his support for the board. He wanted to send a message to the federal and provincial governments that all farmers in Alberta are not opposed to the wheat board’s single desk authority.
“I support the Canadian Wheat Board. I really do see value in what the wheat board does for selling export barley and wheat,” said Marx.
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“As a taxpayer, the provincial government should be neutral on an issue that divides the farm community,” said Marx, who objects to money spent by the Alberta government on its Choice Matters campaign, which advocates an open marketing system for wheat and barley.
As for the upcoming barley-marketing plebiscite and a wheat plebiscite promised by the federal government, Marx wants a clear question asking farmers whether they want to keep the wheat board or not. He said the ballot should not include any middle ground about the possibility of a dual market.
The questions recently announced for the barley vote offer three choices: single desk; open market with a wheat board option and a completely open market.
“Give us a clear vote and go with the majority,” said Marx.
Dave Powley of Sherwood Park, a semi-retired farmer, drove to the rally, organized by the Friends of Canadian Wheat Board and the National Farmers Union, because he still believes the wheat board is the best option for farmers.
“It’s served the farmers well,” said Powley, who is concerned the three-part barley marketing question will not provide a clear answer and leave farmers more divided than ever.
Adrian Measner, former chief executive officer of the wheat board and one of the rally speakers, said the federal government has pitted farmers against each other by holding a vague plebiscite question on the future of barley marketing.
“The next month is going to be very heated. There’s going to be a lot of emotion,” said Measner, who was fired from his position as head of the wheat board before Christmas by federal agriculture Chuck Strahl.
“Now they’ve created all this emotion and it’s going to be hard to move beyond this.”
Rally organizer Lawrence Nicholson said he has spent the winter travelling to meetings and organizing protests because the wheat board is one the last farmer organization left on the Prairies.
“I felt obligated. Not only on his behalf, but on my son’s behalf to come out today to support the wheat board and to show the government there are other people, such as Manitoba’s plebiscite showed, for support for the board,” said Nicholson of Seven Persons, Alta.
“I’m tired of being manipulated by a small group of farmers that have the ear of the federal government and we need to give them a clear, concise message. That was shown here today.”
