For most people, losing a game by a score of 62-38 or 70-30 would be considered a sound
defeat.
But federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl is not prepared to concede defeat following the Manitoba grain marketing plebiscite.
Farmers in the province voted 62 percent to 38 percent in favour of a single desk for barley, and 70 percent to 30 percent in favour of a single desk for wheat.
Manitoba agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk described the result as a clear signal that farmers want to retain the single desk, adding she hopes the federal government gets the message.
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Strahl said he did get a message, but it’s not the one Wowchuk intended.
“I’m kind of encouraged,” Strahl said after the results were announced last week.
He said the level of support for the open market was good considering the voters list and question were deliberately skewed to produce a favourable result for the single desk.
“Close to 40 percent said they want marketing choice in barley,” he said. “With a fair question and a voters list made up only of barley growers, I’m encouraged at the prospects.”
Ballots were distributed to farmers who grew wheat or barley in the past two years, based on crop insurance records. Those not on the list could also sign an affidavit to receive a ballot.
The question gave farmers two choices:
- To maintain the ability to market all wheat, with the continuing exception of feed wheat sold domestically, through the CWB single desk system.
- To remove the single desk marketing system from the CWB and sell all wheat through an open market system.
A similar choice was offered for barley.
Strahl said the questions were biased because the second, or open market, option didn’t say that farmers would continue to have the choice of marketing through the wheat board in an open market environment.
“You will have that choice,” under the federal government’s plan, he said.
As for the voters list, the minister said wheat growers shouldn’t be allowed to vote on barley marketing or vice versa.
Strahl also accused the Manitoba government of engaging in propaganda and trying to sway voters by saying an open market would mean the end of the board, the demise of the port of Churchill and the loss of hundreds of jobs.
“All those scare tactics are just that,” he said. “They’re all nonsense. The board would continue.”
Reaction from farm groups to the Manitoba vote was as expected. The pro-single desk National Farmers Union said it indicates a solid majority of farmers support the existing marketing system and defended the question as fair and clear.
“We think this was a very accurate reflection of the views of farmers,” said NFU president Stewart Wells.
The pro-open market Western Canadian Wheat Growers echoed Strahl’s criticism of the question and voters list and said it was “pleasantly surprised” by the level of support for the open market.
“It’s a very strong minority and we are gaining ground and gaining momentum,” said association president Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel.
