REGINA – A confrontation involving placard smashing and verbal harassment unfolded on the front steps of the Saskatchewan legislature Feb. 29.
And that’s even before federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz got there.
Truckloads of people toting “Barley Freedom Now” placards gathered at a rally to hear Ritz announce federal legislation that, if passed, will remove export and malting barley from the Canadian Wheat Board’s exclusive control.
Others came singing a different tune.
“It’s going to damage every farmer in the country,” said Harold Blodgett, who has farmed near Abbey, Sask., for 42 years.
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Blodgett said Ritz plans to do away with the entire wheat board, putting producers in a difficult place.
“I haven’t got a shipload of grain to sell to China,” Blodget said. “There’s no one farmer in the country who’s got that kind of grain, so they’ll be stuck dealing with some big company.”
Blodgett and his fellow wheat board supporters were outnumbered, their “boos” stifled by applause. But their voices were heard.
They spent the afternoon repeatedly squared off in arduous debate.
“If you want to feed it to your chickens go ahead, but don’t tell me what I can do with my own grain,” said one man.
Tensions didn’t amount to anything too serious aside from liberal use of four letter words, the word “communist” and calls to “get with the times.” At one point a rally-goer was forced to separate two angry participants after one punched the other’s pro-CWB sign.
Tom Jackson was an active participant in much of the debate. He left his Killam, Alta., farm at midnight to be at the rally.
Jackson is a delegate for the Alberta Barley Commission, which has supported market choice in the past.
Removing barley from wheat board control will result in financial gain for years to come, he said.
“I’m here fighting for our young farmers,” said Jackson. “So we can have a good source of farmers that can live in freedom.”
And fighting seems to be in line with the federal agriculture minister’s intentions.
“I don’t think anyone looks at this as a ballot question,” Ritz told reporters after the rally.
“But if the Liberals are stupid enough to make it one, then bring it on.”
