This Christmas, instead of seeing pictures of small children with big eyes from foreign lands holding out their hands for aid, we’re seeing images of prairie grain farmers in the same straits.
It’s not a pretty picture, people who are supposed to feed the world reduced to begging.
A headline in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix a few days ago had the premier of Saskatchewan begging the federal government for aid, which is not likely forthcoming any time soon, if at all.
The provincial government could be doing some things to help the situation but that’s another story, and also not likely to happen any time soon.
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I still think that if aid is to come, the whole story of the crisis must be told. Farm leaders and others are doing a good job telling about the farm crisis, but they don’t go far enough and talk about its extent and the domino effect it will have on rural Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
When I was getting the Christmas decorations out the other day, I found a lovely corsage that a friend made for me.
I have a couple of special events I would like to wear it to, but this year it will stay packed away and I will wear a simple gold ribbon instead.
The ribbon symbolizes concern for farm families and solidarity with those who are hurting. It is part of the gold ribbon campaign promoted by the Saskatchewan Women’s Agricultural Network.
Members of the Saskatchewan legislature were also given ribbons when they attended the recent sitting at which farm leaders were invited to the floor of the legislature.
“Our gold ribbon means that this is a time to act,” reads SWAN literature, “a time to make significant policy changes in agriculture. …
“We have chosen a gold ribbon not only to represent the golden fields of harvest but the economic benefits of primary agriculture to all of our country, Canada.
“We ask everyone to offer support, encouragement and neighborly care for all Canadian farm families suffering distress. We ask legislators at the provincial and federal levels to work for more effective legislation to protect our environment, to support a family farm system of agriculture, to support healthy rural communities.”
These “official” ribbons, if they can be called that, are in short supply.
That doesn’t matter. Any gold ribbon will do, the literature says.
“Buy some at your local store and offer one to someone else. Help this campaign to spread. Be a sign of hope.”
