Saskatchewan Wheat Pool has a new democratic structure in place, one that expands the pool’s reach into new territory in Alberta and Manitoba.
But it remains to be seen if that structure will translate into new interest in the pool’s delegate elections.
In recent years, delegates have more often than not been returned by acclamation.
The re-jigging of the electoral map, combined with contentious issues surrounding elevator closures and the pool’s financial straits, might stimulate more participation from the membership.
But even pool president Marvin Wiens said he’s not sure what will happen.
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“There could be more interest because people want to have some more influence in the democratic process, or there could be less because we have had some difficult times with consolidation and some other issues,” he said.
“It could translate either way and I suspect it will vary depending on what the issues are in local areas.”
Nominations opened Jan. 18 and close Feb. 8. Ballots will be mailed to members Feb. 16 and must be returned by March 15.
Joe Cey, a delegate from Wilkie, Sask., fears the disappointing turnout for the recent Canadian Wheat Board elections (41 percent of eligible voters) doesn’t bode well for the pool vote: “I don’t foresee a lot of interest in the new elections.”
That doesn’t necessarily reflect badly on the pool, he said. Rather, it is a symptom of tough times on the farm.
“A lot of it has to do with the constant hammering down of farmers. A lot of policy things have been set aside because guys are just so concerned about getting by month-to-month and year-to-year.”
He said there is also a growing perception, which he doesn’t agree with, that delegates don’t have much say over how the company is run, and that leads to frustration and apathy.
Delegate Kyle Korneychuk of Pelly, Sask., agreed. He said while there is nothing wrong with the pool’s democratic structure, some members feel they haven’t been listened to by senior management on issues like elevator closures.
“So some eventually lose interest in participating.”
But Korneychuk emphasized there are also many members who remain highly involved and committed to the pool and it’s crucial that the company use its renewed democratic process to re-connect with its grassroots.
Wiens said the chance to participate in the democratic process is the most important benefit of pool membership, and encouraged members to vote or consider running for election.
“We want to earn producers’ business and our members’ loyalty,” he said in a News release
news announcing the elections.
The new structure will set up 12 districts and 105 sub-districts, down from 16 and 120 under the old structure.
Wiens said the reduced number of sub-districts reflects the fact that the number of farmers and pool members have been declining.
In the mid-1970s, when the pool last reviewed its democratic structure, there were almost 71,000 farms in Saskatchewan. In1996, there were 57,000.
The number of members in each of the 12 new districts ranges from 5,177 to 6,806.
In order to reflect the fact that the pool now operates elevators in the other prairie provinces, four of the new sub-districts will include territory from both Saskatchewan and Manitoba, one will include territory from both Alberta and Saskatchewan and one will be entirely within Alberta.
However, Wiens said that doesn’t automatically mean the pool’s new delegate body will include anyone from out-of-province.
“I suspect what you’re going to see in the transition period is that it will be Saskatchewan delegates who represent those areas,” he said. Even the sub-district that is entirely in Alberta could be represented by a member who lives in Sask-atchewan and does business in Alberta.
Cey hopes there are delegates from Manitoba or Alberta, but he conceded that might not happen right away.
“At this point I think the people doing business with Sask Pool in Manitoba and Alberta are interested in the business side of things, not the policy side,” he said.
At the time the new districts were set up, the pool had 791 members in Alberta and 307 in Manitoba.
For more information on the election, members can contact their local pool representative, visit the company’s website at www.swp.com or call toll-free 800-752-0795.
