No CP article on the Canadian Wheat Board is complete without a) a helpful response from the National Farmers Union, and b) a reminder that the “Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.”
So, that must mean someone else was covering the costs to send their “confidential personal financial data” to Canada Revenue Agency.
(Via)
Pot lickers.
That should affect their currently poor popularity poorly.
In principle, the CWB is a marxist construct anyhooo.
When left to the voting farmers the delegates that support the CWB and single desk marketing are generally elected. Hence, if the farmers that are against the CWB must be in the minority.
Ahh, yes the NFU (National Farmers Union) they are not national, don’t represent farmers, and are not a union, but the born again Marxist’s are darlings of the Canadian Press. Go figure.
And the Wheat Board is so wildly popular amongst farmers that it needs an iron curtain around it to keep them from leaving. LOL
Wayne Easter should be able explain all this clearly.
In a private organization heads would roll over something like this. Since this is a government outfit they’ll probably get bonus’s and promotions.
I was hoping that the CWB would disappear before I retired from farming, but no such luck.
T, it is mostly the older or retired farmers with permit books that vote for the CWB. A majority of the farmers under 65 farmers, in my area at least, do not support the CWB and can hardly wait until it is gone and they can sell their own grain to whomever they want, whenever they want. It is only a matter of time until the demographics results in the demise of the CWB.
“T, it is mostly the older or retired farmers with permit books that vote for the CWB.”
Yes, I’m no farmer and know little about the CWB issue, but that does seem to be the case in my area and in the past with the older members of my family.
Wayne Easter should be able explain all this clearly.
Posted by: Liz J at November 22, 2009 1:14 PM
Yes indeed-y Liz J. he should have no problem-o explaining.
For those that don’t know any trivia about the coalition Ag.-Minister-in-Waiting he got his start in the National Farmers Union.
I have always said the government of Canada should FORCE every farmer in Canada (Ont and Quebec in particular) under the CWB rules and the CWB would be abolished in two weeks.
I wonder if this year all employees will get another $1,000.00 Christmas bonus for their work in the past year? Wish they would do tyhe same for the farmers under the CWB.
The director elections are a farce. Anyone seen the voters list? Too many dead people voting. 18000 permit book holders, yet they mail out 62000 ballots. The current Government tries to make changes and the CWB takes them to court. The CWB’s grain flo contracts and their miss handeling of the durum market is more evidence of their incompetence. I hope I live long enough to see their demise.
PMSH achieves majority. Things to do list:
1) Cut funding the CBC, Heritage Canada, Multi-Cult, etc. etc. (and all the apparatus of trudeaupia)
2) Kill the CHRC (placing the perpetrators in stocks in the public square and having them caned would be a nice touch but I’ll settle for them to be fired)
3) End the !@##$%$^ wheat board! Of course, that would be the end of Canada Steamship Lines so the liarberals will scream how important it is to save the CWB (for the farmers of course!)
Ah, dare to dream
Canada steamship lines. now why does that bring paul martin, maurice strong, paul desmaraise to mind?
I heard Canada steamship lines recently signed some lucrative contracts to deliver coal to China, Martins gravy train is alive and well.
I’m not a farmer so I can’t pretend to know what all the issues are with the CWB. It just seems to me that the farmers and Harper could kill this thing if they really wanted to. Doesn’t the CPC have the ability to grant amnesty to violators of the act?
oldfarmer said “Too many dead people voting. 18000 permit book holders, yet they mail out 62000 ballots.” I am not sure of the numbers but this is likely most of the problem. Fathers vote for the CWB and sons vote against it. Many of my farmer neighbours do not have permit books as they have quite growing wheat because of the Wheat Board. They can do better growing other crops.
Chris’s comment “Of course, that would be the end of Canada Steamship Lines” is part of the problem. The west is still a colony of the east.
Steve asked “Doesn’t the CPC have the ability to grant amnesty to violators of the act?” I am not aware of any farmers testing the system since the CPC formed a minority government.Under the Liberals farmers have gone to jail and had their trucks and grain seized.
A farmer is not allowed to sell his human food quality wheat to anybody. That means of if Suzy city dweller buys an electric mill and I sell her some #1 wheat I can go to jail.
Glengarrian,
“For those that don’t know any trivia about the coalition Ag.-Minister-in-Waiting he got his start in the National Farmers Union.”
Here’s another bit of trivia:
When Easter and I were both rookie MPs, I asked hime why, given his philosophy and his antecedents, he hadn’t run for the NDP instead of the Liberals. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “Because I wanted to get elected.”
Americans are delivering durum wheat to Canadian delivery points without contract or permit books. I have been trying to research this but no luck so far. Where is my pretend Director when I need him?
Thanks for that feedback Mr. Morrison!
No doubt you may be having a lttle chuckle to yourself, as being a former MP you would recognize the riding name…and you would also know that old Jean Chretien himself referred to this riding as the safest Liberal seat in all of Canada.
Ha.Ha.
It is solid Tory blue now.
And I’m proud to say I worked to get it that way.
But would you expect any less of a Reform/Alliance supporter this far east?
T: your argument is ridiculous. I don’t care if every grower except for one wants to use the CWB. The one who wishes to use a different means should not go to jail for doing so.
Ken, as a producer, you are free to sell your wheat to anyone in your province. However, within the province, the CWB controls all significant buyers (declared as works for the advantage of Canada) and the CWB does not allow them to buy your wheat.
Steve, As the government in power, the Conservatives could end the monopoly for producers at any time simply by ordering the CWB to issue export licences to producers in the West, just as the CWB already does now for farmers in the East. No need to change the Act. Write to Ritz asking for licences.
Better check that facts John. I don’t think you have it right. I can’t sell my wheat directly to a flour mill or a pasta processer without first selling it to the CWB, then buying it back from the CWB at a much inflated price.
A “miscommunication”, what is that? Is that like a … lie?
My MP deals with several requests a week like the one above, and it simply isn’t the case. The export permits don’t work that way. The relevant legislation and jurisprudence forbid it. There’s no short cuts – we have to kill the CWB monopsony to achieve true freedom for farmers.
Oldfarmer
The reason you can’t sell to the flour mill or pasta plant etc. is because they are all controlled by the CWB and are not allowed to buy from you. If we are going to beat this beast its important to know how it operates.
RL, thanks for your comments. You say export permits (licences)don’t work. Have you read the Act? Its divided into distinct Parts, some which are regional (designated area) and some apply nationally. The licencing Part IV is national and requires all exporters to have licences. It also says : The Government in Council (Conservative Cabinet) can make regulations…” Do you really believe a Winnipeg bureaucracy has power over Ottawa regarding national issues?
Your MP doesn’t understand or is not being honest with you.
“Your MP doesn’t understand or is not being honest with you.”
Probably both.
3) End the !@##$%$^ wheat board! Of course, that would be the end of Canada Steamship Lines so the liarberals will scream how important it is to save the CWB (for the farmers of course!)
Ah, dare to dream
Posted by: Chris in the Bridge at November 22, 2009 3:13 PM
CSL could get into the cocaine smuggling business.
Was it not CSL that cocaine was found (planted) on board and nothing happened? Perfect ships to be used in the drug trade. We already have Cdns in Afgan. to handle the loading.
Just saw Gerry Ritz, in the House of Commons, table a motion to have the violation of privacy investigated. He wants to send the CWB files to Sheila Fraser. Heads from the leftos are falling faster than Polar Bears today!!
Gerry had a pretty great speech to accompany the ‘tabling’ but the speaker cut him off – Gerry said he would repeat his speech in ‘member statements’ Wayne Easterears meets Mr. McGregor – run Wayne, run – what happens to a wrabbit when he mistakes a western wheat farm for a PEI potato patch.
CSL won a contract to ship Coal to China?
Gee, I wonder what Chairman Mo has been up to in between saving the planet from global warming. It appears that he is now helping his dim-witted minion get contracts to ship coal to China where it can be burned forever and where it will apperently have no effect on the climate. However, if it is burned in North America, a million polar bears will die and a carbon tax must be paid to rectify this situation!
Ah, but I digress.
I don’t know much about it but niether do guys.
Somewhere on YouTube there is a video of Count Iggy speaking to a farm organization this past spring in Chatham, Ontario. He lays his cards on the table that in order to ever achieve a majority government the Liberals NEED the farm/rural vote. Bet you never thought Count Iggy would be willing to court you did you? Now is the time to push and push hard for the right to sell your grain outside of the CWB…the Librano’s dare not say no to you. Go for it lads!!