A federal gag order imposed on the Canadian Wheat Board doesn’t prohibit the agency’s directors from expressing their opinion on single desk marketing, says CWB minister Chuck Strahl.
He downplayed the uproar that erupted in prairie farm and political circles following news of the Oct. 5 order, insisting it simply reiterates the board’s existing internal rules.
“That is what the wheat board’s own code of conduct says,” the minister told the House of Commons Oct. 16. “Our order-in-council simply reaffirms that.”
However, while the election code is in effect until Dec. 1, the cabinet order has no expiry date.
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The directive, issued under the authority of Section 18 of the CWB Act, states the board “shall not expend funds, directly or indirectly, on advocating the retention of its monopoly powers, including the expenditure of funds for advertising, publishing or market research.”
It goes on to say the board shall not provide funds to any other organization or individual for the same purpose, something the board says it has not done and had no intention of doing.
Critics said the government is attempting to muzzle free speech and intimidate supporters of single desk marketing, while undermining farmer control of the CWB.
Meanwhile supporters of the government’s plan to move to an open market for wheat and barley said it was time the government put an end to “politicking” by the CWB.
Strahl, who was out of the country when the furore erupted, tried to calm the waters, saying the purpose of the directive is to ensure the board as an organization doesn’t spend money to promote or advocate the single desk and instead focuses all of its attention on selling grain. He rejected any suggestion the government is attempting to limit freedom of speech by any individuals, including CWB directors.
“Nothing in the order prevents a director, including directors who do or do not support the board’s monopoly, from speaking their mind publicly,” he said in an Oct. 15 statement.
Section 18, which gives cabinet the power to direct CWB activities, is rarely used, most notably in 1980 to impose an embargo on sales to the Soviet Union after it invaded Afghanistan.
Board officials say they’re concerned that the cabinet order has no expiry date and is vague in its requirements. For example, they say they’re not sure whether they can continue to talk about the board’s Harvesting Opportunity document, which proposes retaining the single desk and expanding the board’s role.
They’re also concerned the order will prevent the board from playing any role in a possible plebiscite, while the federal government can promote its open market proposal.
CWB chair Ken Ritter called on the government to rescind the order and move quickly to hold a plebiscite on the issue.
“We believe that it is critical that farmers have the benefit of a free and open debate,” he said. “Any restrictions which stifle this debate will not do it justice.”
