A Saskatchewan farmer who was once a thorn in the side of the federal Liberals now wants to sit in the House of Commons with them.
Rod Flaman of Edenwold, Sask., confirmed in late August that he would seek the Liberal nomination in the riding of Regina-Qu’Appelle. Conservative Andrew Scheer holds the seat.
Flaman is an elected director of the Canadian Wheat Board, representing District 8. He said the board of directors recently agreed that any of them wishing to seek elected office would have to take a leave of absence once the writ is dropped.
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Taking a leave any earlier “could be akin to a resignation” if a nomination comes well ahead of an election, he explained. Flaman’s reasons for running are close to his heart.
“I’m very angry at the federal Conservatives,” he said. “My vision of the Canadian Wheat Board is more aligned with the Liberal vision.”
Describing himself as an idea man, Flaman said he has many suggestions on how the wheat board could be better used to help farmers.
He didn’t always think that way. As a member of the Farmers For Justice in the 1990s, who trucked grain across the United States border without an export permit, Flaman was an ardent supporter of a dual market system and an outspoken critic of the board.
He was among those convicted under customs violations while the Liberals were in power.
Flaman was elected to the board in 2000, vowing to eliminate the board’s single desk marketing authority. But within a year he was mellowing, and two years later he had converted.
The nomination meeting is set for Sept. 20.
