We must be grateful for our freedoms
There was an excellent, well-reasoned letter in the March 17 issue from Mr. Bill Tverkutes of Taber, Alta. The reference to freedom requiring responsibility and adherence to a democratically elected government is a refreshing reminder for all of us as Canadians.
I, too, am grateful to be part of this country and appreciate the choices it enables us to make. One only need to watch the news to find countries that do not enable individual choice and that go to great lengths to restrict the flow of information to the people.
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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?
We are fortunate to have access to wide-reaching information and have the freedom to formulate those concepts into each of our agricultural operations.
The diversity in thought and practice enables resilient food production capacity and diversity for food security. For this we should all be grateful.
While we have all felt uncomfortable to varying degrees over the last two years, this discomfort is the catalyst for change, and this change will produce a stronger, more resilient country.
Like spring, Mr. Tverkutes’ letter was a welcome sign of better days ahead.
Ross MacDonald
Treaty 4 Territory, Sask.
CFIA corn directive goes off the rails
Re: “Decision to destroy derailed corn raises questions,” (March 17, page 13) and “Burial not only option for derailed corn: CFIA” (March 24, page 14).
Seems to me, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s directives in this type of instance are a bit of overkill and would become more of a deterrent than an incentive to recover any spilled corn.
Anyone salvaging any of the spilled corn in this instance would be cautious about getting any railroad ballast rock or other foreign material — bits of metal or whatever — screened out before use.
The thought that it has to go directly from the site to the end user seems rather out of touch with reality. Of course it would go the most direct route to the end user. The CFIA seems to give the impression end users are not very smart.
I am not a fan of those who sit in an office making directives instead of getting out and getting a bit of dirt on their shoes and understanding the real world.
Les Dunford
Dapp, Alta
Protests were about freedom, not farming
Mr. Horne was writing about farmers with big tractors and other equipment driving on Highway 3 in southern Alberta and taking part in a demonstration (March 10, page 12).
You said you couldn’t see why they were out there as they are not hard done by. This had nothing to do about farming and everything to do about freedom.
Since COVID-19 first showed up in Canada, prime minister Justin Trudeau with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s support is dictating to everyone, saying they must get vaccinated. When it comes to your health, it should be your choice to get vaccinated.
Governments told everyone they had to wear masks, locked down churches and businesses. Health care workers, nurses and other workers not vaccinated were laid off or fired with no severance pay, yet during the last election any MPs not re-elected would get a $100,000 severance. Nurses should have got the $100,000.
About the farmers — if you had half a crop it was not too bad, but if you were down to crop insurance, then you are looking at big loans to put the next crop in. If you take crop insurance at 80 percent, AgriStability at 70 percent, it is not worth much.
Grain prices are up 100 percent, but fertilizer and some chemicals are up 200 to 300 percent, and fuel and parts are up big time.
I can’t believe you are saying grain is moving well — it couldn’t be any worse. Since the flood in British Columbia, it took the railways 1 1/2 months to get rolling.
They were doing not too bad for a month or so, spotting 45 to 50 percent of cars elevators asked for. The last six weeks they spotted only 24 percent.
We have had 50 vessels or more sitting in the harbour all winter waiting to load grain. Farmers will be paying huge demurrage charges. There was only half a crop to move, but they are far behind. Car turnaround should be about 15 days, but some are taking 29 days. If I had a team of 10 donkeys I might be able to get the rail cars back as fast.
Walter Mytz
Mannville, Alta.
