CWB choice
The minority Conservative government shouldn’t try to dupe prairie farmers by pretending they are offering them “choice” in their proposed changes to the Canadian Wheat Board.
By giving an ideological choice to the few, they will be destroying the best choice for the many.
The reality is that the CWB cannot operate effectively on behalf of Canadian farmers in an open market. Demolishing the single-desk-selling pillar of the CWB is like tearing the hind leg off a grasshopper and still expecting it to jump.
Read Also
Worrisome drop in grain prices
Prices had been softening for most of the previous month, but heading into the Labour Day long weekend, the price drops were startling.
Now, if they are honestly promoting choice, they should go all the way by offering all farmers a plebiscite with an honest question: CWB or no CWB, for those indeed are the simple choices. It could include a second question about expanding the mandate of the CWB to include other crops as determined by grassroots farmers, not commodity organizations.
I would challenge the government on many fronts regarding their CWB actions: stop acting like you won the election based on a promise to destroy the CWB; set aside your political dogma and act in the best economic interests of farmers; stop playing into the hands of the Americans and agribusiness who are the only ones who will benefit from your plans; stop the despicable antics of closed door meetings with hand-picked farmers, grain industry and business groups with an obvious predetermined assault of the CWB; consult in open, local meetings with farmers where all the facts can be heard; recognize that the CWB already now offers the options farmers are asking for; adhere to the CWB Act that places farmers as its decision makers, not government, let true democracy rule, not manipulation; recognize the eight years of CWB director elections as a continuous measure of farmers’ support for the board; visit the Canadian International Grains Institute, CWB and Canadian Grain Commission in Winnipeg to learn about the mechanics that make these institutions …; and for heavens sake, do all you can to encourage the voice of individual farm women into farm policy discussions – it’s a perspective that’s sadly lacking.
– Noreen Johns,
Allan, Sask.
Fear the vote
With (federal agriculture minister) Chuck Strahl’s announcement of a task force for implementing marketing choice, it becomes more apparent how desperate they are to move as quickly as possible to remove single desk selling.
They know that a plebiscite or the results of farmer voting this fall will once again show majority support for the single desk. The less aware the public is regarding the denial of farmer democratic rights, let alone the results of any voting, the less the political cost of implementing dual marketing in a devious manner.
In 1996, the Alberta government attempted a lawsuit against the board and single desk selling, so it is no surprise that their interests, along with the elements of the old Reform party, are alive and well.
However, I suspect that the real key players lie beyond our borders as the American resolve, to name only one, to get rid of the CWB has been particularly evident since the days of free trade agreement negotiations.
Therefore, anything that draws attention regarding this issue is a very bad thing for the Tories and farmers democratically voting on a clear question would definitely hurt their cause and provide dissenting politicians with more ammunition.
– Boyd Denny,
Saskatoon, Sask.
Archaic offences
Barry Wilson indicates in this article (Ottawa softens cruelty bill, Sept. 7) that the Conservatives had “opposed Liberal proposals for a new bill because of concerns in some agricultural groups that an expanded definition of animal rights would make farmers, hunters and trappers susceptible to harassment from animal rights activists.”
First of all, the Liberal government’s proposal would not give animals rights. It would have applied equally to all animals and closed some loopholes that currently prevent certain animal abusers from being prosecuted.
Secondly, it should be noted that the entire Conservative caucus supported the Liberals’ bill in 2003. In fact, the bill was passed unanimously in the House of Commons a few times in 2003, but held up by the Senate.
And thirdly, the concerns about harassment from animal rights activists is completely unfounded.
Unlike SPCA inspectors who have powers as peace officers and who work closely with their local police force, animal rights groups can only try to bring charges as private prosecutions. There are stringent screening processes in our prosecutorial system that prevent frivolous prosecutions from proceeding.
Animal use industries like farming, hunting, fishing and trapping would have all the same legal protections under the Liberal bill that they currently enjoy.
Bill S-213 makes no changes to the archaic offences that were originally written in 1892. It would be absurd to further entrench 19th century legislation in the 21st century that considers animals as merely property, does not protect stray or wild animals and contains the nonsensical notion “willful neglect.”
– Shelagh MacDonald,
Program Director,
Canadian Federation of Humane Societies,
Ottawa, Ont.
Winter wheat price
Regarding the article headed “Wheat board defends record on winter wheat,” (WP, Aug. 31).
The Canadian Wheat Board, in defense of their performance in marketing of hard red winter wheat, did not explain the large negative basis for both fixed price and daily price contracts.
As an example; on Sept. 1, the Kansas City price closed at $4.85 US (per bushel) for ordinary winter wheat. The CWB fixed price on Sept. 1 was $4.51 Cdn, a negative of 87 cents per bu., before deduction of freight and elevation charges.
The same day, ordinary winter wheat cash price in Great Falls, Montana, was $4.22 US per bu. The winter wheat with the second-largest acreage in Montana is Falcon, which is a lower-quality variety. On the same day, the Portland, Oregon, price for 11.5 percent protein winter wheat was $5.45 to $5.52 US per bu.
These prices, backed off to delivery points in Western Canada, with our lower freight rates, should result in higher prices for western Canadian farmers.
A better explanation of the performance of CWB marketing of winter wheat is the least that growers in Western Canada deserve, if we are forced to deliver our milling wheat to the board.
– Alex Russell,
Chair,
Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission,
Lethbridge, Alta.
Shades of Yalta
According to our latest Ottawa mandarins, an agricultural endeavor must gross $50,000 per annum to not be considered a hobby farm. Some very simple math tells me that in order to fit this criteria, one needs almost 80 head of cows or more than 1,000 acres of number three wheat.
Does the course offered by the folks at the Farm Business Advisory Service and the Agricultural Skills Service have fool/fail proof advice on how to kick start a venture on this scale? Will a skills course banish frost, flood, drought, and disease from the agricultural scene?
The situation reminds me of the 1945 Yalta conference which saw Allied leaders meet to carve up the spoils of war. In planning for the shindig, U.S. president (Franklin) Roosevelt mentioned his support staff would number 35. Winston Churchill, who at the time of his life overworked several secretaries on a daily basis …, believed he would have a similar number.
Somewhere along the way this number ended up being 700 in just the combined American/British delegation. That’s a lot of people to carry the picnic hamper …
When one of these people remarked that there was no lemon peel in his cocktail, overnight a lemon tree loaded with fruit appeared in the hallway. The backdrop to this we must remember is much of Europe in rags and ruins – a testament to the egos of a handful.
What author should one study to analyze our present situation? Adam Smith? Nicolai Kondratief? Or Niccolo Machiavelli?
Canada’s primary producers have been subject to a war of attrition thanks to those entrepreneurs whose philosophy resembles that of Edward Teach. Where are our entrepreneurs that understand the wisdom of Henry Ford and William Jennings Bryan?
– Tom Lamont,
Maidstone, Sask.
