The Canadian Wheat Board election has sent the board’s producer advisory committee to an early grave.
The committee was slated to disappear when the new board of directors takes office at the end of this year.
But with eight of the 11 advisers taking a leave of absence – or in one case resigning – to run in the directors’ elections, the 22-year-old committee has been effectively laid to rest.
“The board right now does not recognize them as a committee any more,” said CWB spokesperson Deanna Allen.
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That didn’t deter the three remaining members from putting out a press release announcing that Derek Dewar of Hazlet, Sask., would serve as acting chair and Lorne Pattison of Marshall, Sask., vice-chair. The third member is Robert Ponto of Galahad, Alta.
Dewar said in an interview they felt it was important to maintain a public presence so farmers will still have elected representatives to go to with questions or concerns about CWB operations or policies.
“I wouldn’t turn my back on any farmer that had a legitimate concern, and I would expect to have full access to anything in the board that would help a farmer deal with his problem,” he said.
But the eight-year advisory veteran also acknowledged the committee will essentially perform a caretaker function for the next couple of months.
“We’re in place simply to comment on anything that comes by, but as far as breaking new policy ground, it’s obvious that three people aren’t going to be involved in that type of thing,” he said.
If the committee does decide it wants to make a public comment on any issue, the member will probably have to use his own letterhead and fax machine to get the word out.
“If they want to get together and talk amongst themselves, fine, but I don’t think we would sanction any news release because we don’t recognize the committee as actually sitting,” said Allen.
She added the CWB’s commissioners have told the three remaining members they are still interested in hearing any feedback from farmers.
While seven committee members took leaves of absence until Nov. 21 in order to run, Bill Rosher of Smiley, Sask., refused to sign the official leave of absence form, and instead resigned from the committee.
By signing the form, members agree not to disclose “any confidential information obtained during the course of my duties as an advisory committee member” and not to perform any advisory committee member duties, including answering farmers’ questions about CWB operations.
Rosher said he had a number of questions about the form, including exactly what kind of information was covered, who would decide whether the undertaking was breached and what would happen if a breach occurred.
“I had no idea of the ramifications if I went across the line,” he said in an interview, adding that he will still respect the confidentiality of advisory committee meeting minutes and all commercial operations of the CWB.
