Canadian Wheat Board director Jim Chatenay won’t be punished for going
to jail.
The board won’t take any action against the District 2 director, who
recently spent 23 days in jail. He had refused to pay fines for
violating customs regulations as part of a 1996 protest against the
board’s single desk marketing powers.
CWB chair Ken Ritter delivered the news to Chatenay when he arrived at
the board’s Winnipeg offices last week for his first directors meeting
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since being released from jail Nov. 23.
“I indicated to him that the board would not be taking any disciplinary
action at this time concerning his activities over the last month,”
Ritter said.
The board’s code of conduct says directors must act in the best
interests of the corporation and must ensure their “activities and
actions do not undermine the reputation or integrity” of the agency.
Ritter said the board’s governance committee has not received any
formal complaint from any other director about Chatenay’s activities.
However, he added that the committee could decide on its own to
initiate a formal review of Chatenay’s conduct if he continues with
similar activities.
Chatenay said in an interview from his farm near Red Deer that he was
surprised he won’t be facing any disciplinary action, especially since
he’s gotten in trouble in the past for raising questions in public
about the integrity of CWB financial operations.
“Now, after delivering probably the most severe blow of anybody any
time in the history of the Canadian Wheat Board or of Canadian
history… which is worse?”
He thinks the board is reluctant to take action against him because of
the potential political fallout.
“I think they’re scared to death.”
Chatenay said he’ll continue to fight against the board’s single desk
status, but added that the outcome of the CWB director election could
have an impact on his future activities.
“Am I going to keep fighting by myself? Not likely,” he said.
“If I could get one or two people who would help me out, it would be
better.”
