WINNIPEG – Pam McMechan has trouble finding words to describe how it felt to see farmers and their families flock to her Lyleton, Man. farm to help with fall work.
Since July, her husband Andy has been in jail in Brandon for disobeying a court order to surrender his tractor to Canada Customs and for failing to keep the peace, following an incident where he exported barley without a Canadian Wheat Board permit. Pam has been to his court appearances and travels more than 150 kilometres to Brandon twice a week to visit him.
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It has been difficult to keep things together on the farm, along with taking care of two children under age 10. But she said she wasn’t worried about the mounting fall work.
“I’ve learned a long time ago that it doesn’t help to worry,” Pam said. “Andy has always been that way. He’s not a worrier and he’s kind of got me to that way of thinking.”
Work bee
Her faith was rewarded last Sunday when members of Canadian Farmers for Justice, a group that wants to be able to sell wheat and barley outside the Canadian Wheat Board sales monopoly, organized a work bee on the farm.
“I’ve overused the word overwhelming, but I don’t know what other word to use, to know that so many people would come and lend a hand and spend their time here,” Pam said. “And I know people had other things to do. Many people are still trying to combine themselves.”
Supporters worked from 11:30 a.m. until about 8:30 p.m. Estimates of the number who showed up range from 50 to 125.
Andy McMechan has become something of a symbol for the protest group in its attempts to break the wheat board’s sales monopoly. John King of Deloraine, Man. took his grain truck to the farm. He hauled one load of oats, but a late afternoon drizzle prevented four combiners from getting more than about 100 acres done.
The McMechans have 500 acres cropped in Canada, and another section in North Dakota.
Volunteers left no doubt about why they showed up to help.
“We’re all with him because we believe he’s being wrongly held,” said Dave Rutledge, who farms at Gainsborough, Sask.
