As soon as I heard the Conservatives under (Stephen) Harper had a majority government, sort of, I said, “there goes the (Canadian) Wheat Board.”
Was his first announcement about the environment and climate change? Was it about affordable housing?
No, it was about the destruction of the wheat board. Astonishing. It was just what a low-income person in Vancouver wanted to hear, or a lobster fisherman on the East Coast, or a postal worker in Sarnia.
After all, hadn’t they voted Conservative just for that reason? And then we heard a way would be found to circumnavigate a vote made by the majority of farmers to keep the CWB.
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Dictatorship. What would Harper’s reaction be if we claimed we had found a way to circumnavigate the recent election, which has given Harper his much desired power? He would laugh, of course. One cannot overrule a democratic vote, right?
It reminds me of when, in 1995 or 1996, I was talking with a man who raised a cattle breed that I admired. He brought up the fact that certain cattle breeders were sneaking the genetics of other breeds into theirs and still pretending their cattle were of the original breed.
He said, “you can do whatever you want. You just make up a law which allows you to do it.”
All the farmers who say they are pro-wheat board, yet voted Conservative, should have seen this coming. You have yourselves to blame.
Of course, pro-board farmers are dubbed by some as old fuddy-duddies and the anti-board people as bright young go-getters. The old fuddy-duddies were once the bright young go-getters yet understood the power of many and supported the board.
(Agriculture minister) Gerry Ritz was heard to speak of “my farmers.” I’m not his farmer. Is this the lord of the manor and his peasants? Maybe we are returning to that, with land being bought by doctors and dentists who know little about farming or the CWB but expecting “their” farmers to make them a good return every year.
Maybe Ritz will have to say “my doctors” or “my dentists.”
Anti-board people like to talk about free choice. Has free trade been free for us? We’ve been free to give everything away.
I think the foremost question should be: In the destruction of the wheat board, what’s in it for Harper?
Or for failed ostrich farmers?
C.D. Pike,Waseca, Sask.
