FARMERS who support the Canadian Wheat Board’s barley marketing monopoly have officially been inducted into “the tin foil hat and decoder ring crowd.”
That status, a reference to society’s lunatic fringe, was bestowed on them by federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz.
The statement, made by Ritz during a recent conference call, marks what we hope is the turning point in the debate. The level of discourse can surely only go up from here.
It is the minister’s responsibility to set policy for the CWB, and results from last year’s barley marketing vote indicated that Ritz was right to seek changes from the status quo.
Read Also
Topsy-turvy precipitation this year challenges crop predictions
Rainfall can vary dramatically over a short distance. Precipitation maps can’t catch all the deviations, but they do provide a broad perspective.
However, recent comments by the minister are more likely to belittle and bully than to provide leadership or constructive criticism. The “tin foil hat” comment is the latest example of government arm-twisting. Ritz complained that the CWB and its supporters are getting in the way of what the government calls marketing freedom.
Canadians rely on their politicians to provide vision, set the example for civil debate and ensure that all segments of society are included.
Ritz’s recent verbal attacks do the opposite. They marginalize those who hold different views.
The minister might have good cause to feel frustrated. He has had little luck so far in trying to establish an open barley market, which he believes is in the best interests of western Canadian farmers.
Attempts at change were thwarted when a court ruled that the government cannot eliminate the barley monopoly without legislation in the House of Commons. The government’s appeal of the decision was to be heard Feb. 26, after deadlines for this issue.
The government has two options: It can introduce a bill to the House, as it has said it will do. But ensuing debate would likely take months and the bill would not likely pass before the next federal election is called.
Alternatively, the government can place its hopes on a favourable appeal decision.
Little purpose is served by using a political tactic that involves berating CWB supporters and directors.
The CWB is unlike a typical crown corporation in that 10 of its 15 directors are elected by farmers and it operates under the Canadian Wheat Board Act. The government is wrong to expect CWB directors to behave contrary to obligations outlined in the act.
As a member of Parliament and a cabinet minister, Ritz must ensure the interests of his constituents and those of farmers across the country are looked after.
That is a difficult task, given the wide ranging viewpoints within his portfolio. But diversity and inclusiveness are key tenets of democracy. Those that disagree with the minister deserve the same respect as everybody else.
These democratic principles, along with the courts, exist to help diverse societies sort through exactly these types of controversial problems.
They should be used appropriately to settle differences with mutual respect.
Bruce Dyck, Terry Fries, Barb Glen, D’Arce McMillan and Ken Zacharias collaborate in the writing of Western Producer editorials.
