In Adrian Ewins’ article in the Feb. 17 edition of theProducer,“Wheat board’s business connections questioned” CWB spokesperson Maureen Fitzhenry takes exception to my blog about the CWB’s purchase of two lakers.
In my commentary I provided some little known facts about the CWB’s business relationship with Mission Terminal in Thunder Bay and the transfer elevator in Trois Rivieres, Que., both owned by Upper Lakes, the CWB’s new partner in the lakers. I also asked questions that many people would ask if given the chance.
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Fitzhenry’s only rebuttal in the article to my comments was “…the laker deal had nothing to do with Measner’s grain handling company.”
Perhaps not, in fact, I didn’t say it did, but it has everything to do with Upper Lakes, the company that owns Measner’s grain handling company. Just saying there’s no connection is not going to take that fact away.
The facts remain: the amount of business that Upper Lakes’ grain group is getting from the CWB has jumped dramatically since Measner was hired.
Rather than “jumping to some pretty serious, unfounded and irresponsible implications” as Fitzhenry says, I’m simply stating facts. I leave it up to others to decide whether there are “implications.”
I leave it up to Fitzhenry to explain it; I expect more from the CWB’s spokesperson than a personal shot at someone asking questions because she doesn’t like the questions. I think farmers deserve answers.
And now the CWB is partnering with Upper Lakes on two lakers. If a private company was doing what the CWB has done and is doing, observers would assume that there is a strategic plan emerging publicly. If there were questions about a close relationship, the parties involved would answer them.
But when it’s the CWB that appears to be executing a strategic plan with someone they have a tight relationship with, the CWB spokesperson diverts attention from valid questions rather than validate what the CWB is doing.
Maureen Fitzhenry appears to see her job as protector of the CWB, even if it means not telling farmers what they deserve to know.
The more she gets indignant and protests that the questions are being asked, without actually answering them, the more attention she draws to the situation. And even more questions arise.
John De Pape, Winnipeg, Man.
