NEEPAWA, Man. – Four-term Conservative member of Parliament Inky Mark figures his strongest opponents and critics come from within his own party.
The 60-year-old who has owned the northwestern Manitoba riding of Dauphin-Swan River since he took it from the Liberals in 1997 is a rebel inside a Conservative caucus not known for dissent. 
Mark opposes the Conservative campaign to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly, insisting the CWB is good for his farmer constituents.
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He has been vocal in speaking for the two-thirds of farmers he says support the board in his riding.
“I have people tell me that they oppose what the prime minister is doing on the CWB and I tell them, you are not voting for the leader, you are voting for me,” Mark said in an Oct. 2 interview, while campaigning in this town in the south end of this sprawling rural riding. He said his farm population supports the CWB because they are smaller, older and further from the U.S. border.
“I am their voice in Ottawa. I have told them that if the government brings a wheat board bill forward, I will vote against it and I will.”
For his decision to defy the party line, Mark says he has been targeted by other Conservative MPs who have “flooded” the riding over the years with “propaganda” opposing him.
Last year, he complained in the House of Commons that Conservative party officials without his knowledge attached to one of his constituent newsletters material that attacked the wheat board monopoly.
And in 2005, he said the party supported his opponent in the riding nomination race but “the grassroots” of the local party rose up to support him and clinch the nomination.
Liberal candidate Wendy Menzies says voters must recognize that while Mark stands against his party on the issue, he has no influence.
“Despite his words, Mr. Mark has not been able to influence or convince his party. The Liberals will fight the Conservatives on this.”
