I find (federal agriculture minister Gerry) Ritz’s response to the Canadian Wheat Board elections quite disturbing.
The attitude that, “I didn’t get what I wanted so the results aren’t legitimate,” throws doubt on every election including the election that brought the Conservatives to power.
If voter apathy or “I can’t win so I won’t vote” are criteria for not recognizing the results, then every election from the municipal to the federal level are a waste of time.
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I think the real problem is that Mr. Ritz is the stick in the mud for not realizing that the majority of real farmers support the wheat board. They recognize the benefit we as farmers get from the marketing power of the monopoly.
Mr. Ritz keeps telling us that farmers want to get rid of the CWB. Are we just supposed to take his word on that? Where is his proof? Where is he getting his numbers from?
Here we have a legitimate election that shows that the majority of farmers support the CWB. The numbers prove it, but he won’t recognize the results because it isn’t what he wants to hear.
The people of Saskatchewan have a marketing monopoly for potash. According to both the provincial and federal government, that’s a good thing because Canpotex can control the supply of potash and therefore the price. That is a real benefit to the potash producers.
Why shouldn’t we as farmers have the same benefit? How can a marketing monopoly be good in one instance and not in the other? You can’t have it both ways, Mr. Ritz.
Glen Nunweiler,Kindersley, Sask.
