Open Forum | The Western Producer

Cheaper chemical

Regarding the “Glyphosate imports” letter written by Kyle Cochrane, Oct. 27, 2005. I used Clearout 41 on my farm this year with very good results. Side by side it performed as good, if not better than the name brand products. At half the price, my savings were in excess of $6,000.

His comment that, “we are literally taking money away from our local dealers and transferring it directly to the U.S. economy” does not wash. Where does he think the head offices for all the “name brand” chemical companies are? These are multinational corporations. By buying a cheaper product we are sending less money out of the country.

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I agree with him that local businesses often do support their communities. If the price is comparable I will support the local chemical dealer. However, even the local chemical dealer would not pay twice the price for a car or other product in his hometown as compared to elsewhere.

The Canadian patent on glyphosate ended over 10 years ago. Monsanto and other chemical companies have successfully extended their protection by preventing other glyphosate products from being marketed in Canada. This has been done with the help of government regulations on licensing of new products. This is not a new product. The active ingredient in Clearout 41 is the same as Roundup. Patent protection is given to inventors to encourage “new” development. It should not be extended indefinitely. Once the patent expires it should be possible to import or manufacture it.

Chemical companies, like all corporations, price their product as high as the market will bear. If all farmers were willing to pay $20 per litre for glyphosate, that would be the price. Fortunately they aren’t and already the price of glyphosate from the name brand suppliers has dropped as a result of competition from Clearout 41.

– Phil Simrose,

Mortlach, Sask.

Commitments

In your Dec.1, 2005 issue, it was reported that the Conservative party, “signalled that if they take government after Jan. 23, they may not honour Mitchell’s announcement” of $755 million for grain and oilseed producers.

The Liberals went on a pre-election spending spree, spending billions of taxpayers’ dollars per day. Our concern with this announcement is that weeks after it was made, there are still many unanswered questions regarding who will get the money, on what basis, and how. Agriculture Canada offers no hope for producers to find information on this non-existent program.

Producers are too smart to overlook 12 years of being ignored by this Liberal government. Offering up an ill-planned, insufficient Band-Aid solution in an attempt to buy votes is an insult to farmers who really need long-term solutions.

If the Minister was truly concerned about the plight of Canadian producers, he wouldn’t have cancelled the Conservative party’s proposed debate on the farm income crisis, which would have taken place on the night before this announcement.

What grain and oilseed producers need are better market conditions both at home and abroad, not hollow announcements of more funding that may never reach the farmgate.

To set the record straight, the Conservative party will support initiatives approved by Parliament and will honour commitments made in the budgets.

This includes extension of spring credit advances and advance payments, initiated by Bill C-69; a bill that Conservatives were prepared to support; a bill that the Liberals waited until the 11th hour to introduce in the House, giving it no hope of passing during the 38th Parliament.

The Liberals continue to believe that they are entitled to use Canadians tax dollars for their own Liberal partisan benefit. Canadian producers deserve better.

– Peter MacKay,

MP, Deputy Leader

Conservative Party of Canada, New Glasgow, N.S. and

– Diane Finley, MP,

Official Opposition

Senior Critic for Agriculture,

Simcoe, Ont.

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Ag & election

I have campaigned for agriculture now on a national scale for eight years since my first trip to Victoria by combine harvester in January 1998. They listened, the politicians, but they did not hear ….

We are now listening to all promises proposed by the four main parties. Perhaps because of all the damage done in the last year by the scandal in Ottawa, we voters are not hearing and believing. Why should we? We surely need a government in tune with agriculture and rural needs whoever it will be. …

But as yet on the campaign trail, I have heard no mention of our most precious resource – agriculture.

Put agriculture back on its feet as a priority issue, stop being bullied by our neighbour to the south and stand our ground, and some old-fashioned common sense could creep back into the real necessities and well-being of this lovely country of Canada.

– Nick Parsons,

Farmington, B.C.

Poverty point

When I think back on the blur of 2005 I’ve come to some conclusions and I’ve raised some questions.

Houdini couldn’t crack the CAIS (Canadian Agricultural Income Stablization) program. It’s just a polical publicity stunt unable and ill designed to actually help the people suffering on the land.

What in the world is wrong with the weather? Did Hurricane Katrina somehow destroy the Canadian grain handling and marketing system?

Farmers always had one eye to the sky, now I’m using both of mine. One doesn’t know what to expect from the heavens.

I don’t think the government is prepared for the mass exodus from agriculture that we all will witness in the near future.

Politicians now seem to be afraid to even mention agriculture during an election campaign. Helping the poor producer is seen to be a liability. The urban crowd is too far removed from the land ….

Did anyone else witness the lights in the sky I witnessed Aug. 9, 2005?

Whatever or whoever they were, I’d love to see them again. They were impressive. To see a blinding white star suddenly move across the sky then shrink to one tenth it’s size then streak across the sky and turn 90 degrees at an amazing speed was in a word stunning.

It gave me a Holy new look at the star of Bethlehem.

– Miles Moore,

Outlook, Sask.

Taxes, taxes

Ralph Goodale and his cohorts do not seem to realize that farmers work off the farm to subsidize their operations and pay income taxes to both levels of government. When farmers work off the farm, they usually must drive long distances and consume lots of gasoline and pay taxes; tire taxes, gasoline taxes and GST. This is done mainly to get money to farm. These taxes were used to pay the bankers.

Now they are being used to support projects in the city. Because of the deception of free trade, farmers borrowed extensively and now must pay interest on an increasing scale because interest rates are being driven up by the central bank.

They now must find ways to pay increased costs with no government help.

What everyone should realize is that there should be no taxation without representation and that it is ludicrous to do away with subsidies in agriculture while keeping this system of money (the principal is created not the interest). Getting rid of tariffs or surcharges is even more ludicrous.

Surcharges on natural gas and oil, for example, would bring the federal government money from foreign sources. It would also drive down domestic prices that in turn would create a more favourable domestic business climate because this country is not just a desert wasteland.

Tariffs mitigate consumption and banking and yet provide excess that could be exported to those in need because we would have sound money.

– Ralph Dawson,

Elmworth, Alta.

Editor:

In your December 1, 2005 issue, it was reported that the Conservative Party, “signalled that if they take government after Jan. 23, they may not honour Mitchell’s announcement” of $755 million for grain and oilseed producers.

Producers are too smart to overlook 12 years of being ignored by this Liberal government. Offering up an ill planned, insufficient band-aid solution in an attempt to buy votes is an insult to farmers who really need long-term solutions.

If the Minister was truly concerned about the plight of Canadian producers, he wouldn’t have cancelled the Conservative Party’s proposed debate on the farm income crisis, which would have taken place on the night before this announcement.

What grain and oilseed producers need are better market conditions both at home and abroad, not hollow announcements of more funding that may never reach the farm gate.

To set the record straight, the Conservative Party will support initiatives approved by Parliament and will honour commitments made in the budgets. This includes extension of Spring Credit Advances and Advance Payments, initiated by Bill C-69; a Bill that Conservatives were prepared to support; a Bill that the Liberals waited until the eleventh hour to introduce in the House, giving it no hope of passing during the 38th Parliament.

The Liberals continue to believe that they are entitled to use Canadians tax dollars for their own Liberal partisan benefit.

Canadian producers deserve better.

– Peter MacKay,

MP, Deputy Leader Conservative Party of Canada, New Glasgow, NS

and

– Diane Finley,

MP, Official Opposition Senior Critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food, Simcoe, Ont.

Taxes, taxes

Ralph Goodale and his cohorts do not seem to realize that farmers work off the farm to subsidize their operations and pay income taxes to both levels of government. When farmers work off the farm, they usually must drive long distances and consume lots of gasoline and pay taxes; tire taxes, gasoline taxes, and GST. This is done mainly to get money to farm.

These taxes were used to pay the bankers. Now they are being used to support projects in the city. Because of the deception of free trade, farmers borrowed extensively and now must pay interest on an increasing scale because interest rates are being driven up by the central bank.

They now must find ways to pay increased costs with no government help.

Surcharges on natural gas and oil, for example, would bring the federal Government money from foreign sources. It would also drive down domestic prices that in turn would create a more favourable domestic business climate because this country is not just a desert wasteland.

Tariffs mitigate consumption and banking and yet provide excess that could be exported to those in need because we would have sound money.

– Ralph Dawson,

Elmworth, Alta.

Cheaper chemical

Regarding the “Glyphosate imports” letter written by Kyle Cochrane, October 27, 2005. I used Clearout 41 on my farm this year with very good results. Side by side it performed as good, if not better than the name brand products. At half the price, my savings were in excess of $6000.

Chemical companies, like all corporations, price their product as high as the market will bear. If all farmers were willing to pay $20 per liter for glyphosate that would be the price. Fortunately they aren’t and already the price of glyphosate from the “name brand ” suppliers has dropped as a result of competition from Clearout 41.

It is important that farmers keep the border open to import this and other products. Write your MP and let him or her know how important it is to your bottom line. We know the chemical companies are doing whatever they can to block this opportunity for farmers. Monsanto employees have bribed government officials in Indonesia to ensure they have favorable marketing conditions. It could happen here too…..

– Phil Simrose,

Mortlach, Sask.

Ag & election

‘Campaign Time Again’

I have campaigned for Agriculture now on a National Scale for eight years since my first trip to Victoria by Combine Harvester in January 1998. They listened, The Politicians, but they did not hear as necessary.

We are now listening to all promises proposed by the four main parties. Perhaps because of all the damage done in the last year by the scandal in Ottawa, as we voters are not hearing and believing. Why should we?

We surely need a Government in tune with Agriculture and Rural needs whoever it will be. Perhaps we should consider an old saying ‘better the devil you know than the devil you do not’. Who knows? Ð Nobody!

But as yet on the campaign trail, I have heard nothing of the mention of our most precious resource Ð Agriculture.

Put Agricultural back on its feet as a priority issue, stop being bullied by our neighbour to the south and stand our ground, and some old fashioned common sense could creep back into the real necessities and well being of this lovely country of Canada.

– Nick Parsons,

Farmington, B.C.

Poverty point

When I think back on the blur of 2005 I’ve come to some conclusions and I’ve raised some questions.

Houdini couldn’t crack the CAIS program. It’s just a polical publicity stunt unable and ill designed to actually help the people suffering on the land.

What in the world is wrong with the weather? Did Hurricane Katrina somehow destroy the Canadian grain handling and marketing system? Farmers always had one eye to the sky now I’m using both of mine, one doesn’t know what to expect from the heavens.

I don’t think the government is prepared for the mass exodus from agriculture that we all will witness in the near future.

Politicians now seem to be afraid to even mention Agriculture during an election campaign. Helping the poor producer is seen to be a liability. The urban crowd is too far removed from the land either through lost generations or immigration to care about the people filling their tables.

Did anyone else witness the lights in the sky I witnessed Aug. 9/2005? Whatever or whoever they were I’d love to seem them again. They where impressive. To see a blinding white star suddenly move across the sky then shrink to one tenth it’s size then streak across the sky and turn 90 degrees at an amazing speed was in a word stunning. It gave me a Holy new look at the star of Bethlehem.

– Miles Moore,

Outlook, Sask.

Energy tally

It appears that Elaine Sloan has neglected to do her homework for her sour grapes rant against the NDP (Dec. 15, WP).

She states that Saskatchewan has as much natural resources as Alberta (I assume she mean oil) but the numbers that I looked up show a world of difference. Saskatchewan has about 35 billion barrels of oil underground, of which four to eight billion may be accessible with current technology and only just over one billion barrels can be extracted profitably. Alberta has 60 billion barrels of light crude, one third of which can be profitably pumped out, and it can make money recovering 315 billion of it’s 1.3 trillion barrels of tar sands. The map I saw showed that only one of the three major tar sand deposits in Alberta touches the Saskatchewan border. Saskatchewan has done remarkably well compared to a province 100 times richer in oil.

Ms. Sloan is also incorrect in her perception of what a Harper government will do for us. Their traditional “big business is right no-matter-what” attitude will only feed the multi-national corporations she is so justly worried about. Farmers will be weaker and more alone than ever.

– Glenn Tait,

Meota, Sask.

Short memory

Surely Mr. Hamon must have written his letter to the editor (published in Dec. 15/05 issue of The Western Producer) with tongue in cheek. If he can remember what he was taught in Kindergarten he should be able to remember what happened less than 20 years ago!

Anyone prepared to exaggerate the claim The Sponsorship fiasco represents the “largest scandal in Canadian history” must either be suffering from selective memory loss of have lived on another planet during the 1980’s!

Does Mr. Hamon know of any Federal or Provincial political party in Canadian history who had more elected members charged, convicted and in some cases sent to jail for having their hands illegally in the public cookie jar than the Devine Conservatives?

Has Mr. Hamon forgotten that it took Liberal Government in Ottawa to clean up the atrocious financial mess left behind by Brian Mulroney? (40 Billion in the last year of his administration alone!)

Has he forgotten that it took an NDP Government in Sask. (together with severe sacrifice by most Saskatchewan citizens) to rescue our Province from the desperate financial mess left behind by Grant Devine? We are still trying to recover from that disastrous experiment!

It’s time Saskatchewan Voters practice a bit of electoral honesty of their own and stop sending those ineffective Conservative Members to Ottawa. Conservative record of financial management in Ottawa and Saskatchewan is deplorable and their record of integrity questionable at best, furthermore, the most important issues facing Canadians today are NOT gun control and the definition of marriage.

Jack Layton and the NDP demonstrated that minority governments can work. Jack has it right when he says “Send more NDP MP’s to Ottawa and they will be able to do even more for the average Canadian”.

I’m confident this election will produce another minority government. Let’s make it clear that we expect all parties to make it work for the next four years!

– David Miner,

Speers, Sask.

Resource riches

The letter by Elaine Sloan in the December 15th Western Producer got me thinking. As Saskatchewan has more resources than any other province I have a plan. Saskatchewan should establish a plan where companies can could develop our resources for three years and not pay royalties. After that three-year period Saskatchewan should implement a royalty structure like Alberta, maybe even a little lower. After that; using figures from a few years ago (before the current oil price increase) Saskatchewan would be collecting more than the $7 Billion Alberta was collecting instead of the $400 Million Saskatchewan collected. Just think of the benefit of that. Presently Saskatchewan’s total budget is less than $7 Billion. We could drastically cut other taxes to further spur economic activity. Wait a minute Ð Saskatchewan tried just that in 1982. In the mid 1980’s so confident in this strategy was Saskatchewan they negotiated an equalization deal that saw a $1.08 clawback for every $1 of oil royalty. Presumably they thought they soon wouldn’t be receiving equalization anyway. Perhaps the government of the day was so convinced they were right that that is the reason Saskatchewan accumulated huge deficits? Even with many years of balanced budgets and low interest rates we are still paying $580 Million interest a year.

I’ve heard quotes that claimed Saskatchewan had more oil than Alberta and then others saying Saskatchewan had no where near as much oil as Alberta. These events of less than 25 years ago show who’s right.

If we don’t learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.

– Jeff Jones,

Duval, Sask.

Xmas continues

A blanket of soft white snow has set the scene for the celebration of Christmas, with the age-old wonderful stories of the birth of Jesus. Hope fills our hearts for a new beginning, as we are reminded of how, on that starry cold night the angels sang, “Peace on Earth, and good will to all”.

But in the political arena the messages we are hearing are not quite that peaceful. However, we should thank God, that in Canada, with all our differences across this vast land, we rarely have used armed violence to resolve an issue on which we may have strong diverse opinions.

Just listening to the two top political parties, as revealed in the opinion polls, with each one suggesting that if they could obtain a majority on January 23rd, it apparently would be like Santa Claus coming to us every day of the next federal term.

Thinking about all those political promises being made by Mr. Harper and Mr. Martin, and being old enough to recall a lot of past political history, I cannot help but to relate to you, dear readers, of some lines written by a very clever, but a rather likeable scam artist, in his autobiography while he served his prison term Ð He cited his “success” in separating his victims from their hard earned cash, with his philosophical approach of “The shinier the hook, the more fish you can catch” Ð Will that work for our politicians?

To be a little more specific, Mr. Harper has promised, among other things, a progressive reduction in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Ð when the GST was first established, it aroused considerable discontent among Canadians, including myself. The Liberals promised to abolish it. They did not. Over the years the GST has been flowing great streams of money into federal coffers. Ð But, with federal cutbacks to health care funding to the provinces, cuts to the Employment Insurance fund, housing and education, the federal government was able to accumulate a surplus over budgetary needs to eliminate the federal deficit, reduce a portion of our national debt, – and apparently now still have a substantial surplus.

The GST should remain as it is, except for those items deemed to be necessary for basic everyday needs. We need to restore funding to social programs, especially health care. And what do you think about having the feds establishing a department, – which would not include vested interests, – to research and educate all Canadians on how to live a healthier lifestyle in order to cut down on our spiraling health costs?

A joyous Christmas to all, with Peace, Health and Happiness throughout the New Year.

– Leo Kurtenbach,

Cudworth, Sask.

Packer probe

Re: Packer probe finds ‘exorbitant’ profits, December 8, 2005 WP.

When I write to the Editor, it is my usual objective to find the humorous side of a subject, for our Creator surely knows that we all need a laugh once in a while. This letter, however, may be devoid of humor, for there is no funny side to the BSE crisis. For the record, I do not own, nor ever have owned, cattle, though I once did my share of our family’s milking, feeding, and manure hauling duties. I do pay my taxes and I do eat beef, but not the prime cuts when they are $40 per kilogram at our local super market.

We note from your report that Mr. Steckle is running for his fifth term in the House of Commons (and a handsome pension at our expense). Bully for him (pardon the weak pun). Your report went on; “As tax dollars flowed to producers, packers just lowered their price to effectively receive that money on their bottom lines.”

My dear Mr. Steckle, this is not rocket science. You and your esteemed colleagues in Ottawa initially chose to give aid money only to those producers who sold cattle and could thus prove their loss due to BSE. This government action forced cattle sales to glut the market and drove down prices. You certainly obtained your proof of loss.

Had the government initially given the money to those who needed to carry their cattle because of the weakened market, the glut would have been avoided and prices would not have dropped nearly so far as resulted from the government’s action. Those who sold into the less depressed market would probably have fared better than they did with the government’s so-called aid.

How much did it cost Canadian taxpayers for Mr. Steckle and his committee to investigate the obvious? Now that they have finished their work, Mr. Steckle is still trying “to figure out a way in future to make sure tax dollars get to the people we are trying to help”. Really!

Just when we begin to think it would be impossible for our Federal Government to set a new record for fouling things up, they surprise us with a new record.

– Allan Liggins,

Coquitlam, B.C.

Dream on

Re: Trade gravy by Jim Pallister, December 1, WP.

Dream on Jim, dream on. Never fear, in the system of your dreams or wishes, as you call them, the gravy is slurped up long before it ever gets to the farmer. Where is the gravy in canola, which the CWB is not involved with?

However, keep writing something for us each week, even if Ken Ritter does not reply. I am sure that your literary works will find their honorable place in history, alongside Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

– Don Budesheim,

Grande Prairie, Alta.

New party

I wish to inform the readers that a new political party is in the process of becoming registered. This party is called the “Western Canada Party” www.westerncanadaparty.com.

This is a federal party which supports western independence and is not in competition with the provincial party “The Western Independence Party of Saskatchewan”.

Due to time limitations in the registration process, the Western Canada Party may not be able to run candidates in the coming federal election. One option open for those interested in the Independence movement is that candidates runs as independents and have their support for the Western Canada Party as part of their platform.

Everyone has a reason for voting for his or her party of choice. Before blindly voting the same as you always have in the past, why not examine the reasons for or against voting for the independence movement. You cannot expect to see the finished product of independence right in the beginning. In order for independence to be successful, good and decent people need to get involved and informed. May we count on you?

– Laverne Isaac,

Medstead, Sask.

Tax revolt

Education Tax Issue.

The RM’s that are holding back the education tax on agriculture property are not doing so because they have an issue with the school boards. We also appreciate our responsibility to make sure our youth receive the best education possible. The issue that precipitated this action is the totally inequitable burden of education tax on agriculture.

Here are the events that caused us to take such drastic action. First the government gave an 8 percent discount on all property, but didn’t back fill that short fall to the school boards. Then the same government settled on a new contract with teachers, again the school boards have an increase in their costs. Lastly the Foundation Grant (the money the school boards receive from the government) was cut by $300,000. The only way the school boards can balance their budget is to raise the taxes by 30 percent.

As a result a producer in this area now pays about SIX times as much education tax in Saskatchewan as they do on their property in Manitoba. The only difference is the political will in Manitoba to make the tax burden as fair as possible on their rural population. The method of funding education on property in Saskatchewan is regressive, oppressive and discriminatory. No wonder that Saskatchewan is lagging behind the rest of the country in reaching it’s economic potential.

What message are we sending to our children? That it’s all right for a government to discriminate against any sector of society, just because that sector makes up a large portion of the voting population. In a representative democracy all governments have a moral obligation to distribute the burden of taxation fairly and equitably among all of the taxpayers.

Yes this action is outside the law. But when a law no longer meets the needs of all the population then it needs to be changed. After 40 or more years of talk, with no effective solution, all that is left for free thinking people is civil disobedience, i.e. the right of women to vote.

– Glenn R. Blakley,

Tantallon, Sask.

Hidden agenda?

On Friday, November 11, 2005, my wife and I were sitting in the family room watching the 11:00 pm News on CBC. I had been to Remembrance ceremonies that day and we wanted to see the rest of the activities that had taken place across Canada to show our respect for those who gave so much that we may live in a country that is free and democratic.

During the news there was a clip of a convention happening in Vancouver. This convention was picketed by a large group of Senior Citizens, some of whom may be our Veterans we were acknowledging on Remembrance Day. These seniors were outside a posh hotel in Vancouver to picket against private Healthcare. They were picketing because they, like the rest of seniors and a majority of Canadians, want and believe in Public Health care only. The people they were picketing against were Greedy Doctors and the Greedy medical community and others meeting inside to discuss private Health care!

The next part of the news clip should not have surprised me, but it did! There he was in living color, Preston Manning, the former Leader of the Reform Party and Mentor of freshly minted Federal Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper. Manning was speaking to the medical community about how discussions of private healthcare must take place in Ottawa by our federal politicians. The clip ended, at that point I can only surmise what the rest of the speech included. Now I’m not sure about you but this brings up some pretty serious questions in my mind.

Lets look at the past for a minute. Last week Harper, the Leader of the Conservatives, announced it was time to kick the Liberals out of Government because “they no longer can be trusted”. He indicates he wants a Federal election ASAP.

The next day in an interview with Ralph Klein, the Premier of the great Province of Alberta and one of the leading proponents of private healthcare, tells the media he will do whatever the ex-reformer, mentored by Preston Manning, now Conservative Federal Leader Stephen Harper, wants him to do.

I ask myself the Question, would this mean if Ralph Klein helps Stephen Harper become Prime Minister will he allow Ralph Klein to continue his destructive path to Privatized Healthcare? Does this mean he will ask his old boss, Preston Manning back to Ottawa to take up the challenge to privatize healthcare across Canada, to destroy what Canada’s Greatest Canadian ever (Tommy Douglas) did for all Canadians? The Leader of Canada’s CCF-NDP did for his country, for every man, women and child, for equality in our Healthcare system, not for credit card healthcare for the wealthy. I ask, are the stars lining up for the Conservatives? A Conservative Federal government led by Stephen Harper! A Conservative government in Alberta led by Ralph Klein, who is a proponent of private Healthcare! The retired Reform Leader and mentor of Stephen Harper, Preston Manning, who is already speaking to the medical community about privatization of healthcare. I leave you with these thoughts for you to decide WHO WILL SAVE OUR PRECIOUS HEALTHCARE system? Who can we trust as it’s obvious as the eyes in your head it’s not the Conservative’s no matter who leads them! If you think the Liberals are squeaky clean then ask yourself why Liberal Senator Michael Kirby was a keynote speaker at this same conference.

One has to ask, if you are having trouble operating the farm now how will you be able to afford Healthcare under Harper or Klein for the matter under the Liberals too!

– Moe Kovatch,

Regina, Sask.

Against corruption

Now that the Gomery Report is in we know now for sure that Jean Chrétien was a corrupt leader. The Liberal party was corrupt. The Government of Canada was corrupt. Jean Chrétien knew all about the sponsorship scandal. He overtaxed Canadians and allowed the stealing of taxpayers’ dollars to be passed over to friends of the Liberal government. Those businesses that received these gifts promptly paid tribute directly to the Liberal party of Canada. Paul Martin has recognized this fact and has promised to repay the Government of Canada the thefts from government funds. Too late. How can we ever again reach of level of trust in the people we elect to Parliament.

Judge Gomery’s report does not include all of the fraud and corruption that permeates the Liberal party and the Government of Canada. The selling of influence, the granting of government contracts to Liberal friends without due bidding process has been going on for more than 30 years. Paul Martin gave Judge Gomery a mandate which did not include these facts and it left Paul Martin out of the equation. We know that Paul Martin knew all about the sponsorship scandal. He was there at the first meeting of Cabinet when this program was introduced. As Minister of Finance he had to know and he also knew of much of the corruption that permeates the Government of Canada to this very day. Paul Martin appears to be tarred with the same brush as Jean Chrétien. Most of his staff include those who worked for Jean Chrétien.

No one can say this is the way a government should be run or that all politicians are crooked. They are not. A vote today for Paul Martin is a vote for corruption in government, plain and simple. It is time for the Canadian people to send them a message. Vote them out.

– John I. Fisher,

North Battleford, Sask.

BSE transfer

It was reported that there has been over $6 billion in losses to the beef industry due to BSE, plus there has been the human toll, with some people forced out of business.

After reading the article “CFIA researches BSE” (WP, Sept. 29) I realize that this problem is still not over and it is still costing us money and inconvenience on a daily basis.

I am calling for a public inquiry into how the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency handled and are handling the BSE problem, specifically in their refusal to acknowledge that BSE is not infectious and in not considering that it is caused by environmental stresses.

As we read in the above mentioned article, this nonsense is still continuing. In this research project, the cattle received the BSE by surgically implanting prions directly into the brain. A more credible test would have been to feed these test animals BSE incriminated meal and have the animals contract the disease in this way.

Of course, the researchers know this test has already been carried out several times with no successful transfer.

Thousands of elk and deer have been destroyed along with the livelihoods of many people because Chronic Wasting Disease is somehow mysteriously transferred from animal to animal and lives for years in the environment. In this research project, the CFIA is getting the elk to contract the disease orally.

I ask the CFIA to explain their procedure for this oral transfer. I suspect it is a little more complicated than just feeding BSE incriminated meat meal to the animals. I suspect that high tech procedure has to be done to separate the protein molecule from these magnetized metal attachments. Only by breaking these magnetized metal attachments down into very small particles, are they able to pass through the blood brain barrier into the nervous system. The research test for the elk may also be redundant since it does not come close to trying to duplicate what happens in real life.

In our country we disapprove of people in authority such as teachers or religious leaders taking advantage of weaker people or people not as knowledgeable. High profile groups such as the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the CFIA must also be held accountable and be given due punishment if it is found that they have abused their position of confidence in this important industry.