So, Leroy Larsen, President of Sask Wheat Pool doesn’t like the use of the word “betrayed” being used in the StarPhoenix (front page, Dec. 10). He goes on trying to defend closing 235 elevators in 170 locations.
Thinking maybe “betrayed” was too harsh I rushed to my thesaurus looking for a substitute – “deceive, delude, double-cross, trick” were the alternatives. I think we will stick with “betrayed,” Leroy. It pretty much sums up rural Saskatchewan feelings at the moment.
To charge ahead with Project Horizon by pouring $270 million in concrete while 66 percent of your delegates are looking for alternatives reminds me of my 17 years on a Wheat Pool Committee where the biggest decision we were allowed input in was which end of the office desk the garbage can was to be placed.
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To add further insult to farmers, we have Paul Tellier, President, CN Rail, taking every press opportunity to explain how he would like to work with short-line rail companies, but somehow it is his responsibility to protect the investments SWP is making in concrete terminals as the Pool is his biggest customer. If Mr. Tellier were to check farmers’ cash tickets he would see he is working for farmers as grain companies don’t pay the freight charges!
Add to this the recent implementation of “zone allocation” of rail cars and you have a situation where railways and grain companies can virtually dictate which branch lines, if any, get service because they can allocate most cars to the “efficient” terminals. Talk about foxes in charge of the chickens.
If farmers get any more help from these Chief Executive Officers and industry stakeholders we will find ourselves making weekly rather than monthly trips to Regina and Ottawa for assistance. Maybe we need tough legislation as much as cash to bring these players in line.
– Lorne Sheppard,
Lucky Lake, Sask.
