I wish to comment on the op-ed in the March 24 edition ofThe Western Producerentitled “Marketing groups serve their members” by Randy Nelson.
In the article, Randy draws a parallel between the Canadian Wheat Board and OPEC, pointing out how OPEC as a marketing group brought the oil prices up (way up), and that the CWB is in a similar position to do the same with its marketing of our wheat and barley.
Well, folks, that night I had a dream. The dream was that I was witnessing a gathering of leaders from those oil-producing countries before OPEC. The leaders were discussing what could be done to bring the price of their oil up from the 10 cent a barrel that Randy mentions.
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Several of the leaders at that gathering explained how a long time ago, the farmers in Western Canada, dissatisfied with the low prices for their grains, decided to form their own marketing group, the CWB. That idea caught on with that gathering. They then proceeded to form their own marketing group, OPEC.
Now the dream fast forwards to the present day: the same gathering, the same leaders (although many new faces by now). The gathering was there to celebrate the resounding success of OPEC.
As the celebration progresses, the talk gets around as to how the originator of the idea of their marketing group, the CWB, is faring.
Sadly, the group is told that the CWB is being buffeted and battered, by its own members and by the present government of its own country. Some of the members want to do their own marketing, and to make matters worse, the leader of their own government is only waiting for a majority in their Parliament to actually destroy the CWB.
To the gathering, this is very sad news indeed, all expressing regret and extending sympathy to the board and sincerely hoping that our CWB will survive as a marketing group. The idea, they all exclaimed, sure does work for the OPEC.
And then I woke up.
Bernard Rostaing,Ohaton, Alta.
