NO LONGER WORTHY
Re: Winnipeg Free Press letter Nov. 8, Parallels between Bipole, Keystone.
Our former premier is an opportunist.
(Gary) Doer wants it both ways. He gets a plum offering from (prime minister Stephen) Harper and moves on. At one time he was a forest protector and now he is a pipeline proponent.
I think that he should move on, as he is betraying principles that he once stood up for. A position with Keystone could be his future.
As premier of Manitoba, Doer was responsible for initiating the action for safekeeping half of the boreal forest on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, approximately 40,000 sq. kilometers.
Read Also
Agriculture needs to prepare for government spending cuts
As government makes necessary cuts to spending, what can be reduced or restructured in the budgets for agriculture?
As an ambassador, Doer favours the Keystone XL pipeline delivering a product from the Alberta oilsands.
To date, about 715 sq. kilometres of boreal forest in that area have been ravaged by mining operations, and even more will become victimized.
Doer should continue to be chastised. Environmental principles that he once stood for are now disregarded. No longer is he worthy of supporting.
John Fefchak,
Virden, Man.
CLEAR TRACK RECORD
Re: Letter to the editor from Stewart Wells (WP Nov. 13)
Our government stands firmly on the side of hard-working farmers who want to grow and compete in the global economy.
That is why we have worked hard to support a competitive, innovative and growing agricultural sector, and that is why farmers are so supportive of our efforts.
Wells’ letter neglects to address the fact that Canadian farmers have spoken loud and clear in support of our government’s actions to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly, expand market access for top-quality Canadian products, and invest to give farmers the tools they need to succeed in the marketplace.
Thanks to the important changes made by our government, Canadian farmers are thriving.
After last year’s record crop, farm cash receipts and net operating incomes are at all-time highs.
These successes are thanks in part to our government delivering on our commitment to give western Canadian grain farmers the marketing freedom they wanted and deserved.
In addition, the new CWB is in-creasing its capacity to remain a vibrant marketing option for farmers.
Wells is categorically wrong in his claims about the Canadian Wheat Board report.
The CWB is still required to submit an annual report, which is tabled every year in Parliament, in accordance with the Canadian Wheat Board Act. As the CWB now competes on the open market, it has a right to protect commercially sensitive information in this past year’s report.
Our government’s track record of listening to farmers and working on their behalf is clear. Rather than attack the opinions of the overwhelming majority of farmers, Wells and company should get on board and support our government’s efforts to ensure that Canadian farmers to continue to thrive in the global market and grow our economy.
Gerry Ritz,
Agriculture minister
Ottawa, Ont.
ILLEGAL DRAINAGE
Re: The Sask. Farm Stewardship Association’s letter to your paper (WP Oct. 16). I see that it is signed by David Zerr as president.
Fifteen years ago, Zerr was chairman of the Langenburg East Conservation and Development, when the drains were illegally dug to the Manitoba border and into the Assiniboine River.
Eastern Saskatchewan farmers dug these drains against provincial legislation, against an abeyance order from Sask. Water and a moratorium on drainage during an inter-provincial basin study.
These actions have violated downstream property and infrastructure. All stakeholders did not benefit and 15 years later, these drains still have no licence in Saskatchewan or Manitoba.
So, while Zerr and people within his association tell themselves that they know everything about development and managing eco-systems, I only hope they are around to answer their grandchildren when they ask, “Who destroyed the Assiniboine Valley?
Glyn Wileman,
Russell, Man.
MARQUIS WHEAT/LAKER
Charles Saunders developed Marquis wheat in 1904. It appeared to be ideal for Canada’s climate and was tested at the Brandon, Man., and Indian Head, Sask., public research stations.
It was subsequently released to farmers in 1909. Within a decade, 20 million acres of Marquis wheat were planted from Kansas to northern Saskatchewan.
Today, Marquis wheat is considered to be Canadian agriculture’s greatest triumph. Farmers are still benefitting from Marquis genetics because the lineage of many current high quality varieties can be traced back to Marquis.
Approximately 100 years later in 2010, the farmer-elected directors of the Canadian Wheat Board made a decision to move further up the Marquis value chain by investing $65 million in two Great Lakes ships, or lakers, as they are commonly known.
This would complement the farmers’ ownership of the CWB’s hopper car fleet and provide an estimated return on investment of 15 percent.
The lakers had been partly paid for by charging $1 per tonne to the pools. This would have taken three to four years with the profits paid back to the pools over their 30 year life span.
The business venture was derailed by agriculture minister Gerry Ritz when he unilaterally began transforming the farmer owned CWB into a private grain company.
He confiscated the farmer’s hopper cars and the farmers’ laker program. The federal government’s decision to christen the first of two lakers Marquis is an affront to farmers and to the Marquis name.
For a century that name symbolized a triumph for farmers, but sadly, Marquis will now be remembered as something taken from farmers.
Bill Toews,
Kane, Man.
