Farmer involvement in protests ‘baffling’
It was with great surprise and a bit of consternation that we encountered farm tractors towing heavy field equipment along Highway 3 in southern Alberta through the Crowsnest Pass on Feb. 2 and again on Feb 4.
Until that time, the convoy consisted mostly of highway and smaller trucks. To see farm equipment on the road stopping and slowing traffic with their 14-foot-wide intimidating blades out front, large grain wagons and big square balers behind, was baffling.
As a farmer, I am concerned as to why farmers would be joining in with a protest ostensibly about a cross border trucking regulation. I am unsure of what farmers had to complain about as grain prices are at record highs, transportation of grain is running well and government supports are in place (crop insurance, AgriStability, AgriInvest, etc.).
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Many of us have accessed a Canada Emergency Business Account loan as well with a forgivable portion upon repayment. Every crop in the Saskatchewan Government Crop Planning Guide shows a potential profit for 2022, even with current high fertilizer prices — not the usual prediction!
The biggest problem in the southern Prairies is lack of moisture affecting crops, forage and pastures, which I don’t believe the government has purview over. The beef prices have not rallied quite as strongly as grains, but the product is in high demand with an upward price trend.
‘”What do farmers have to complain about to this extreme extent?” I asked my companion.
Clearly the protest had attracted a wider participation of disgruntled people. After observing the signage it became clear that it was about much more than the vaccine mandates. A clear message of government overthrow was obvious.
As a farmer I am ashamed of these protests. Farmers have many supports and privileges not enjoyed by the wider population: carbon tax rebates on farm fuel, subsidized crop insurance premium, AgriInvest matching money and AgriStability for economic downturns. We enjoy most of these benefits at the pleasure of that population, who by in large have sympathy for farmers and their uncertain livelihoods.
Large million-dollar farm outfits on the highway causing delay, intimidation and discomfort don’t generate commiseration. I am afraid these protests have taken a chunk out of our long-standing public sympathy.
Robert R. Horne,
Swift Current, Sask.
Kenney critic resorts to his own name-calling
Re: the article by Lorne Fitch in your Feb. 24 edition (page 11).
I am not a big fan of Alberta premier Jason Kenney — I’m not even from Alberta — but Mr. Fitch is accusing Mr. Kenney of name calling and resorting to school yard tactics and then proceeds to write a whole article with name calling and thinly veiled sarcasm directed at Jason Kenney.
Remember Mr. Fitch, when you point a finger at someone there are three fingers pointing back at you. Many of your facts are nothing more than your personal opinion.
I have a few questions for you. What’s your answer to the tens of thousands of tons of unrecyclable waste created every year when wind charger vanes are no longer serviceable? Solar panels are only good for about 20 years.
I saw a video of a 640-acre solar panel farm after a tornado demolished it. That resulted in thousands of tons of unrecyclable waste. How about the carbon footprint created when supplying material to make lithium batteries for electric cars? The batteries are not recyclable.
What’s your opinion on anti-oil, anti-pipeline groups blocking, vandalizing and harassing workers, funded by organizations like the Tides Foundation, which receives much of its funds from big oil interests in the U.S.A.? Anyone notice those environmental groups aren’t operating in the U.S.? Of course, stopping pipelines from being built in Canada put billions into the pockets of big oil in the U.S.
There’s very little difference between ecoterrorists and radical environmentalists, and yes, they do blow up things and are not “peaceful.” Just ask the people building pipelines in B.C.
The huge investment opportunities in renewable energy only exist as long as they receive huge government subsidies. The end result is a huge increase in the cost of living with no appreciable reduction in the so-called carbon footprint.
Most people, myself included, believe in conservation and recycling whenever possible but do not believe in taking drastic actions at great expense to the economy which do very little to improve the environment.
Roger Brandl,
Fort St. John, B.C.