Saturday Mix from The Insomniac
I think I've become a political junkie. January 23rd is coming soon then I can go back to having less of a 1 track mind. So... Angry in the Great White North reports that The Globe Mail has come out [Read More]

Tracked on January 14, 2006 2:06 PM

We haven't heard a lot from the chief of the Wheat Board lately, old Alcock. Perhaps he ran out of hot air a few weeks back and is still trying to re-inflate. He has the ungodly ability to rage on and on saying nothing even remotely truthful until his few minutes on radio or tv are used up and he has skirted around any question asked of him. Perhaps they teach that at Liberal University?. I wonder if he is on the out as well??? One can only hope.

Just to fill in the item - the Liberals are actually running an attack ad based on Harper's making the Wheat Board voluntary.

Unbelievable.

Do you really think that we should let the serfs...I mean farmers have freedom of choice to sell crops?
We must preserve our ways and protect the lands from Genghis Bush

We know that if the Western Farmer got a fair price for their grain they would just spend it on beer and popcorn? Big Brother knows best--

Thank God the Eastern farmers are smart enough to resist spending their money on beer and popcorn, Otherwise the feds would have included them in the Wheat Board years ago as well.

The view from Saskatoon..

I think Harper should take another page out of the Australian play book> If I recall from my time down there, grain farmers may market 25% of the wheat they grow themselves and the Wheat Board gets the rest. The AWB was then privatised and floated on the stock market.

Whats the link?

Or where's the link I should say? I can't find the ad on the liberal website.

Wow, that's another tone deaf notion from the Liberal Party. I guess it's now safe for me to say that they are really that stupid. Do they think they'll pick up western votes with this?

"Only Western farmers must sell to the Wheat Board"

Charter challenge, anyone? That certainly sounds like a violation of the equality clause.

Ontario and Quebec wheat farmers have always had the freedom to sell their own product;
Now Reg Alcock, who is going to lose his seat, promises that farmers, yes farmers, choose the directors, of the wheat board, in Canada, because Reg is scared, of losing his seat, in the House of Commons, in Canada, we're not making this up.

Krydor -- Do they think they will pick up Western votes with this? The answer is no, but they might pick up a few Eastern votes with it -- keep those Westerners in their place.

The ad played last night on tv. Can't remember which of the networks, but that it's only playing here makes sense.

At least the farmers can still vote while they're in jail. And, to boot, while they are incarcerated for selling unregistered wheat, we are protected from them selling more illegal wheat.

Let me be perfectly clear about this, that fundamentally, basic, it's Canadian Values to have fundamentally, basically a Wheat Registry. Yes, Canada is a country of minorities, such as the minority of wheat farmers that have unfettered access to free markets.

Send the lying, thieving, cheating, power-hungry hypocritical Librano cabal to the wilderness on Jan 23.

Kate -- sorry for the OT post here, but you need to see this; I've found your new hunting weapon!

www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/gear/article/0,19912,1123257,00.html

Two words: Yeee-Hahh!

Any bets that if Harper wins (sorry, but I am superstitious and it ain't over til it's over), the softwood lumber dispute will be over within months? Act of respect and the foundation for a better working relationship and all that.

Shirley,

They aren't going to pick up much in the way of any type of vote with this. I don't know who they would even be targeting with such an ad.

Saying "Eastern Voters" is rather vague. Rural voters are well aware of government incompetence regarding renewable resources. Urbanites don't care. Waste of air time.

Charles in his discussion on "Adler Online" describes and defines the "Three F Words" that spell Liberal:

THE THREE 'F' WORDS

Do we want to have a national government that maintains its power
through the relentless pursuit of three "f" words -- fear, falsify
and fraud.

Do we want a government that steals from its own population (that
would be fraud)?

Would changing that be a bad thing?

Do we want a government that constantly and consistently lies (that
would be falsifying information) to its own people, even about
something as simple as whether or not a certain political ad was
running in Quebec?

Would changing that kind of behaviour be dangerous to the country?

Do we want a government that tries to scare its population into
voting for them?

And that would be fear.
-
Capsulize exactly, exactly, exactly (three times for emphasis) what is going on.

The drums you hear in the background of each of the twelve propaganda attack lies are really native war drums summoning up the idea of the false ancient warlike mentality the Liberals would like to attach to Harper.
Subliminally send out a subconscious message "Harper will get us into a war we can't get out of".

This kind of message begs for swift counter measures!

Of interest from the Brandon Sun:

Reg Alcock, Manitoba’s senior Liberal cabinet minister, announced yesterday the Grits will let farmers choose the representatives who sit on the CWB board. When asked what would happen if those farmer-elected directors make participation in the CWB voluntary, Alcock said the Liberals won’t block them.

A good interview with the former New York police chief.

http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/justice/article.jsp?content=20060116_119563_119563

What is wrong with you fellow Westerners?! Humble yourselves, and be grateful Paul Martin and his band of bandits have given you the right to sell to the Wheat Board! He could of just kept the wheat for himself and made lots of $, but NO, instead he let YOU sell it. What a kind King. Let us heap praise on him by voting for the corrupt, venal, arrogant bastards.

Does anyone know where the latest polls can be found?

Or heard what the numbers look like in Dithers riding?

Iron Lady is on the right track. Even though NAFTA and the WTO ruled in Canada's favour in the softwood lumber dispute, the US won't abide by the rulings until a different government of Canada grovels for respect.

This is the week when columnists have to decide where they want to be on election night to be on hand for the post-victory news conference of the winner. Until further notice, I am headed for Calgary.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chantal Hébert's national affairs column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. chebert@thestar.ca.
voy.com

Mary; I hope what you meant to say was:

"until a different government of Canada starts to take its international obligations seriously, starts to take the war on terror seriously, starts to beef up its military, deports and jails known terrorists, supports democracy around the world and treats its best allies and trading partners with respect, and stops pretending that it has the right to hector those that do > in short GROWS UP AND STARTS BEHAVING LIKE AN ADULT AND NOT A SPOILED LITTLE KID"

But I don't think you did. Is this a drive by trolling or will you stick around for the fun?

Re: polls... Damian Penny has links

Angus Reid is

http://www.angus-reid.com/elections%5Fcanada/index.cfm

Latest; CPC 40%; Librano 31% NDP 14% Bloc 10%

Artemis

I meant exactly what I said.

From your message I see you'd favour a "HOW HIGH WOULD YOU LIKE CANADA TO JUMP" relationship with the current 'SCREW INTERNATIONAL LAW' US administration.

Things have got to change for the farmers. For years they have been controlled by this farce of a Wheat Board. We have generations of farmers, now losing everything because they just can't make ends meet. It is so one sided when only a part of the country is forced to have a board that does next to nothing for the wheat farmers!
I just hope Reg is punished by the people who elected him and they send him packing! Artenis, you just made my morning by posting those results! (not the same Mary as above)

Well, we're in trouble now, the whole campaign's sunk. Harper just said, "God bless Canada" in a speech:

http://sinisterthoughts.b ...

What can I say?

God save the Queen.

God keep our land glorious and free!

Stephen Harper has extremely unCanadian values, doesn't he?

Why are we so suddenly at arms about the Wheat Board? It has been around long then a lot of us remember. It is the first NEP to hit Western Canada. Only reason everyone isn't up in arms, it affects the farmers (so we think) and us city folk are so ignorant we ignore it.

Simply put it is Eastern Canada's way of controlling and regulating Western Canada's lifestyle and prosperity.

It all begins at the farm. Fix that and the rest will follow.

cheers
tom

Good one George! "We know that if the Western Farmer got a fair price for their grain they would just spend it on beer and popcorn? Big Brother knows best--"

Posted by George at January 14, 2006 10:30 AM

re: Alcock; On my 'top 3' list of who I would like to see defeated/humilliated on Jan.23, he is tops, next McLellan, then Martin.

The total secrecy and price fixing powers of the CWB have made it a patronage tool for insiders trading in the commodity markets. If we ever get a peek at CWB executive conflicted interest links and internal accounting docs, there will be indictments.

The CWB served a purpose, 50 years ago. When the Crow Rate fell by the wayside, so to should have the WCB.

Choice

For Farmers

In the West

In Canada

About friggin time

Good Choice Canada

Syncro

Dyselexia *sigh*

syncro

At the risk of annoying people for going off-topic, here is a link to a globe and mail article that reports that the business model employed by Toronto's Shouldice clinic where Jack Layton had his hernia repair, is one of Harvard Business Schools all-time top 10 case-studies.

here

ie a private hospital that is, and has been for decades, providing excellent, cost-effective care.

In Toronto.

In Canada.

We're not making this up.

Oh, by the way, the wheat board sucks.

Forget the economics, and they're debatable (if they were so fabulous farmers wouldn't risk jail to sell their wheat independently, would they?) it is immoral.

If Canada had something like the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, this would not stand.

Imagine, a Federal Law that an activity when performed in one Province is legal and the same activity performed in another Province is a crime and you will be jailed for it.

This does not give Ontarians and Prairie dwellers equal rights or protection.

This is a troubling piece of Law for a free country if ever their was one.

Canadian Wheat Board ships some of its grain on CSL ships.
Wheat Board goes so does some of PMPMs business.

Paulie wont be happy.

Hey Mary...looks like Artemis didn't stick around for the fun. Maybe Dubyas out trollin' for colon and has him bent over and he's taking it up the a** for all Canadians or maybe he had to run his comment by the US ambassador before posting.

On Jan.24 PMPM will recieve a GG award,"Royal Order of the Boot".

Dear Mr. Jumper;

Thank you for your kind words but in fact I have stuck around. I apologize to the other posters for feeding the trolls but it seemed like the right thing.

I think you just lost. Instead of choosing to debate issues or provide anything meaningful or even quasi-intelligent you went straight to ad-hominem attacts (thats attacking the person).

I especially liked the way you equated me to Jesus dying for your sins although I suspect thats not entirely what you were trying to say,

Besides, gay marriage is legal and I might say promoted by the Libranos (in Canada) GW and I are just dating.. no date has been set yet.

Any time Artemis. I will point out that you have declined to answer Marys' last post...how cum?

Stubblejumper

It does not advance a dicussion by degenerating (perhaps this is your norm?) into crudity and incivility. Vacuous filth does not impress anyone with a functioning mind.

Henry

P.S. Grab a dictionary: look up irony, sarcasm, and mockery

It'll get you banned, too.

No more free speach on SDA?

All I can say is thank-you, thank-you, thank-you for this post.

And a quick response to Mary regarding softwood lumber. In fact the WTO has ruled in favor of the USA not Canada.

Stubblejumper

You seem to have hurt Artemis's feelings but at least you got a reply. I notice Artemis didn't ask Iron Lady if she was just drive-by trolling.
I guess Harper's trolls are acceptable.

Alcock says that now farmers can elect the directors???? Oh goody, how lucky for them! Funny how that was a stupid idea a couple of weeks ago and over the last 50 years!! Sounds a lot like Annie saying that nobody has to pay to register a gun anymore - goody goody. They must be telling the truth - right? But why are rights to our own property so evil??

This blog has a generous comments policy - but it is my property, and just like any private property I reserve the right to evict unwelcome users.

That is not a violation of your free speech. It's my house keeping responsibility.

You are welcome to disagree all you wish, but I am simply reminding you that there are limits to my tolerance of trolling - especially when you have a track record of contributing nothing but.

Exactly Mary. Most of the post are merely backslapping self-congaradulatory consensual fondling of moot points.

Now I have a track record of saying nothing of importance...thanks for the slam.

Artemis:

Sorry – I did not see the “don’t feed the trolls” sign; billy goats can’t read :-)

Stubblejumper:

To Mary’s Point (lest you castigate me for neglecting it)...

“Grovelling for respect” – respect is earned, and Artemis’s point was that we presently do not qualify.
“Screw international law” – International law derives from the willing cessation of sovereignty in specific instances to better able countries to mutually advance their best interests. I am unwilling to fault them for seeking their best interests within the framework of trade agreements judged by third parties. No agreement is made in isolation (this is the point Artemis is attempting to hammer into hard heads), and the implicit default by Canadian governments on previously understood commonalities justifies their treating us with some degree of contempt. From a historical perspective, the past and present US administrations have acted with admirable restraint.

Though a displaced prairie boy, I was not aware that there was a provincial “opt-out” to the CWB. My prior objection to the CWB was solely ideological, and hence left precious little room to justify the “criminal activity” of farmers selling outside of the board. I can now add an ethical objection, more easily condoning (nay, encouraging!) such behaviour.

Henry

Wade

You're right and the news will surely please Conservatives. Let's wait for the appeal results to see who honours international trade agreements.

Well Henry, I'm not at all aware of any 'admirable restraint' Dubyas' regime has practised toward Canada. What are you suggesting that the USA should be doing to Canada?

Henry

It sounds almost as if you believe it's a privilege to be "treated...with some degree of contempt" by the US administration.

The Bush 43 administration does not believe in being constrained by any law whether it be international or domestic which makes Dubya a superpower dictator.

Stubblejumper

Artemis ran off to wallow in the warmth of a "troll free" Conservative love-in.

Stubblejumper

Sigh - typical left/lib response...ignore central issues and grasp the tangent. Naytheless, I shall reach for my bag of peanuts:

The USA could invade us (for our oil, of course): the cost-benefit scenarios are much better than for Iraq. More seriously, we have a third of the population of Mexico...most Americans don't know we exit - the US puts up with Mexican behaviour if they can pretend a self-interest, and the same is so for us. Weeping and running off with our marbles is NOT a serious option. The one thing that would cause a wholehearted endorsement of the Conservatives by the vast majority of Ontario “movers-and-shakers” is the whiff of Martin repudiating NAFTA.

...and the terminology is "administration" not "regime". The latter is a more appropriate description of successive Liberal governments.

As to your most recent post: do you know no history?! Not constrained? Are you perchance chewing bubble gum while you post?

Mary:

Civility constrains me...

Let’s add a little (more) Bromone to the peanuts: just because someone does not see the world the same way as you – gasp!! – has a different set of opinions and beliefs (will “worldview” set you off?), does not make them evil: GWB (Mr. President, to the polite) is not the antichrist (another pellet for you).

Henry

Stubblejumper - what international law has the US broken? You probably mean the Iraq war. Did you realize that the US and Britain were fighting a low level war with Iraq since the 1991 Gulf war by patrolling the no-fly zone? Almost daily skirmishes were the rule, albeit little of this was reported at the time - out of sight, out of mind, etc.

There was no "international law" that the US broke by invading Iraq. Declaring war on another country is a basic "right" of a sovereign nation. Now you may disagree that it was the right thing to do, but don't put up canards like breaking international law.

Hey Stub and Mary...

Go Away...

Don't Go Away mad...

Just Go Away...!

One would think the leftists would be thankful to the U.S. of A. for the free protection and free research and developement (especially in medicine) so Canada can afford to be a nanny state.

Kate (or whoever asked who that ad was directed at) the ad is directed at the hundreds employed at CWB. In Winnipeg. In Canada.

Frankly, if all Canada has between us and the lawless blood drinking dictator to the south is Stubblejumpers and Mary's mouth, we're in big do do. ;-)

I guess an unarmed civilian population of weapons-phobic pacifists and a non existant military wouldn't offer them the fight the Iraqis are providing. ;-)

Henry

Civility constrains you but verbosity makes you really silly.

Okay, I'll say it: "Children, go to your room and shut the f*ck up." Geesh, meaningful dialogue and debate are one thing, and even a clever joke or play with words, but the crap that the trollers have been spouting is pathetic.

Oh yes, It is Kate's bat and ball so she has every right to do what she wants on HER blog.

Per Ardua, eh

Been saying this one for years now. There's many a good reason why the liberals have never gotten rid of the (Western) 'Canadian' Wheat Board. Chief among these would be its revenues.

The only figures I've got are from 1999 but show that it was the fifth biggest crown corporation, by revenue at $4.026B after the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, Hydro-Quebec, Canada Post Corp., and only marginally behind Ontario Power Generation Inc.

What's striking about these numbers is not simply that they're huge, it's that they're only half the story. When compared with their respective profits, only Loto-Quebec (6) and Bank of Canada (10) broke the $1B mark. At $3.893B, they were by far the most profitable corporation in Canada, as a percentage of revenue.

Can you think of another corporation with a 96.68% profitability rating? Bear in mind that revenues were down 14 % and profits were down 15.5% from the previous year, making it somewhat BETTER than the previous year.

If anyone has the current numbers, I'd like to see them.

Texas Canuck deftly displays the definition of meaningful dialogue and debate.

Kate:

I am one of the original "Farmers for Justice" who has spent the last 10 years in three levels of court, arguing with appointed judges about our right to sell our grain.
It is very heartening to hear that Eastern Canadians know the issues and also find it unjust that "some farmers are more equal that other farmers" to quote George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Not only are Western farmers restricted from selling their own grain but we must also pay for the administration of Eastern farmers freely selling theirs.
If we are to call it "The Canadian Wheat Board" should not Eastern farmers have a say, an opportunity to vote and a chance to sell five dollar wheat for two dollars?
Shortly after the election, we will file, in Federal Court, an action seeking compensation for abuse of process and malicious prosecution.
More information will be made available at farmersforjustice.com.

Mary:

Touché...every once in a while I indulge - I don't take me too seriously.

Those numbers the general has quoted are truly astonishing. Anyone know of sites tracking CWB numbers over time?

Henry

Norm--good for you and your group--it is time all Canadians have the famous 'equality' that Martin babbles on about. 'the fact is' that the Liberals have used the CWB as a cash cow on the world stage and right here at home. China was subsidized by the Western Farmer with cheap wheat that you guys worked to grow and paid to market.
Keep up the good work--Canadians owe you a great debt for standing up for justice.

Gen Lee,
Very interesting numbers about the CWB. I wonder if those farmers, who think that the wheat board is the best thing since sliced bread, realize just how much of they are paying the CWB to sell their wheat for them? I understand that some are willing to have someone sell their product for them but the fact that western farmers do not have an option is the part that stinks.

Another point is that those rebelious wheat farmers that had the audacity to sell their own product spent more time behind bars than convicted AdScam thiefs.

Is there anyone else out here on this blog that supports marijuana?

Does anyone have any info on the assets of the wheatboard? If I'm not mistaken, on paper the wheatboard is asset rich, which they use as collatoral to borrow money very cheaply (from the gov't, us taxpayers). This is then used to re-invest at much better rates than it is borrowed. A lot of these "assests" are loans to the old Soviet Union (Trudeau's role model), which in the real sense, are pretty well useless.
Morris Dorosh of Agriweek has written quite a bit about this.http://www.agriweek.com/, but I can't find any relevant commentary on the site. Need a subscription it seems. haven't read it for over 3 years, but he had some really good info on the Wheatboard, and their shenanigans

Is there anyone else out here on this blog that supports marijuana?"

You know the classic Canadian story bryce...

A Saskachewan wheat farmer goes to jail for selling wheat to the Americans. In jail the guy with him goes, "eh, oldtimer, whacha in for?" The poor farmer says "I'm in here for selling 30 bushels of wheat." The other dude goes "Whoa, your going to be here for a while oldtimer. I got caught with only 33 grams."

It's what? Little over a decade old? I think I saw it on the CBC.

Softwood lumber... Yes, the WTO did make a ruling in favour of the US, but I suspect the real problem here is NAFTA. The US lumber lobby is scrambling for all the loopholes it can find to delay taking the tarif off finished lumber. Meanwhile, we are shipping raw logs down there. Simple solution, slap a VERY hefty export tax on raw logs effectively stopping the flow of logs... and jobs in US mills. Think they'll wanna talk then? Good thing the Libranos are on top of the situation!

There are two key issues with the Wheat Board - 1. the "elections" of directors are 1 farmer with wheat board ticket = 1 vote. However anyone who has ever been on the Prairies knows marginal part-time farmers on small holdings are more numerous than the large farmers who actually produce the bulk of the grain. It should be a vote by bushels produced not by just being a ticket holder. 2. So-called "loans" to African countries, Cuba, and etc. really should be classified as uncollectable - but that would push $billions onto the national debt as Fed Gov't is guarantor.

Norm said:
"I am one of the original "Farmers for Justice" who has spent the last 10 years in three levels of court, arguing with appointed judges about our right to sell our grain.>Not only are Western farmers restricted from selling their own grain but we must also pay for the administration of Eastern farmers freely selling theirs.
If we are to call it "The Canadian Wheat Board" should not Eastern farmers have a say, an opportunity to vote and a chance to sell five dollar wheat for two dollars?"

Ahhhhhh Norm... now there's the rub....you have come up against the very "progressive" legislating that Martin says individual property rights will destroy.....I don't want to appear "unCanadian" by doubting my fearless leader of the single party state but, I have to ask myself; "is this a bad thing?"

BTW: Keep up the fight. I was at your Alberta rally with Ted Morton and the free Alberta team. When CPC form a government we will see the CWB termites who jailed and tortured Andy for 155 days for selling his own grain, brought to justice.

Wow
Reading the trail of comments here is hilarious. The CWB is profitable, steals my grain, takes away my freedom. For all you non farmers adding comments to this trail, which based on the value of your comments is nearly all of you, ask yourself the value of a monopoly. Last time I looked Microsoft will spend billions to ensure its monopoly - why, because its good for business. Unless you have a vested interest in this debate (that is you sell wheat), leave it alone - I for one want the right to choose myself the outcome of the CWB.

Um...question. Didn't a certain Liberal PM station Canadian Troops in certain Canadian cities back in, oh what was it? October 1970? And didn't the Canadian public support the move?

If that's the case, then it's OK for Liberal PMs to use the military in such a fashion but not OK for a Tory PM to do the same?

Does the phrase merde de taureau have significance here? :)

Macker...The Tories did send troops into Winnipeg in 1919 to quell the general strike there and one person was killed in the riot as the authorities tried to arrest the strikers' leadership.

how long does PMPM have to fill up the patronage appointments before he exits.

how many more will be entitled to their entitlements.???

Sorry, Farm Boy, I'm not buying your argument. Firstly, Microsoft is not a monopoly, for example, IBM is four times bigger than them. In modern western civilizations, we have effectively outlawed monopolies, except for the monopoly held by the state. It is in some sense the most natural monopoly, having two city councils is kind of silly. Nevertheless, that does mean that the state monopoly suffers from all the terrible things that befall monopolies imposed by force.

Secondly, because the CWB is a state monopoly organization, it is a matter relevant to all the citizens of the state. It matters not whether or not we are a customer of the CWB, we are stakeholders. If you want to keep the citizens out of your private affairs, shut down the CWB and set up your own private marketing board.

...ask yourself the value of a monopoly.

Farm Boy, a monopoly can work by two methods. Extort a price from the buyer or extort a price from the seller.

We know the buyers have other options in a sea of grain. That leaves the seller, you. Sucker.

There is nothing wrong with having the CWB. That said,any producer of a product should be able to choose whom to sell their product to. If the CWB is such a good deal, then why aren't the eastern grain producers lobbying to be included in it? Prolly cause they've seen how the western producers have been raped, robbed, pillaged (pick one)by the CWB. It's all about choice, it's all about freedom.

Culvert wants to make Sask. a collective farm, on the old soviet union model. Sask MUST be having an election soon after this one. Does anyone think that Culverts right hand politbureau man (Goody two shoes - both red-, with a yellow star up the back)will win his riding in Red Ghina (capitol of Sask,)? I am n complete agreement with all of you posting on the evils of the Wheat Board and my blood still boils when I remember my dad giving his flax crop away because that Communist outfit would not buy it. We have had 'two tier' farmers in this country for years.
The CCF (NDP) LOVE the 'control' feeling so don't expect Jacko to support any move to abolish it.

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