And there will be plenty of that. CWB Monitor;
Last night, in the federal election, 67% of the rural voters in the CWB Designated Area favoured the Conservatives whose platform included giving farmers the right to choose who they sell wheat and barley to (in other words, making use of the CWB voluntary by removing the single desk monopoly). Provincially, Conservatives won handily in all three prairie provinces; 70% in Manitoba, 57% in Saskatchewan and 76% in Alberta. By all accounts, a resounding endorsement of the Conservative platform. Even though the other federal parties argue that, because the Conservatives have only 40% of the National popular vote, 60% voted “against” Harper and his Conservatives, that can’t be said in the CWB designated area. With 67% of the rural vote, it can be said that only 33% don’t agree with the Conservative platform.
Ralphie Goodale can squirm and squawk all he wants about the CWB or anything else from the back bleachers of the HOC, he and his party have been neutered.
I’ll add that since these entities are creatures of federal legislation (not market forces) it is directly the Government’s job to decide their fate.
They should go easy on The Honourable Ruth Ellen Brosseau. I look forward to hearing from her as a member of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. I’m sure The Honourable Pat Martin will take good care in coaching her.
Oops wrong tab. Now does one re-post or just eat humble pie?
(My thoughts on supply management, CWB’s brother)
@Gord Tulk 2:44pm, Politically now would be a good time to end or repair supply management. SM has its strongest support in Quebec, yet it hurts all Canadian farmers in international trade negotiations. The biggest problem with SM is that the cost of production formula is designed to give producers unreasonably high profits, which then drives up the quota prices (licence to produce). The consumer (especially anyone with children) is stuck paying high prices for basic groceries.
I see a couple of options to minimize the pain of transition. One would be to reduce quota prices to near zero over 5 years. Current quota holders would have the option of selling their entire quota to the government at the current price and quit or receive world/industrial price on production. Those not taking the buyout could continue in production with gradually lower prices for their product (and lower prices for additional quota if they are seeking to expand). The government would be reselling quota, so would just be paying part of the buyout cost and only for those producers that choose to sell.
A simpler approach would be to say it’s a provincial jurisdiction and give the provinces a lump sum payout to spend however they wish. Provinces could run SM within their borders but would have to explain to the voters why milk and eggs cost so much more than in the neighbouring province. What I don’t understand is Quebec’s reluctance to open its borders to trade. It could be supplying milk to half of New York. But then its equalization cheque would be smaller.
supply management exists to protect Quebec, without the need for Quebec seats plus Gatt pressure we will probably start to see some movement on this.
Whats is truly needed is “An Improved Economic Land Classification System For Spatial Linear Programming Models” compliments of Ronald J. Williams and Daryll E. Ray. The other Daryll.
Now Harper is going to have to deliver. This is going to become interesting.
Is it even slightly ironic that the CWB Monitor views the Prairie farmer as a monolithic block of one issue voters?
Yes
No
What?
Libertarian: ritz has said that they Are removing all restrictions on all grains – no wheat referendum.
Policy resolutions do matter in the CPC. Go compare the resolutions with the CPC policy platform in this election and the list of things they plan to do in the next 100 days and then Four years. They all match up.
Walter f:
Policy committees I have been on (not just CPC) have tried to wrestle with the issue of transitioing away from SM. And do it pre-emptively – not on a draconian GATT timeline.
One option discussed:
A ten-year guaranteed quota buy back program that slowly retired the quota and allowed an orderly exit of many of the producers and the ability of those who wish to stay to grow and become more efficient/competitive.
In a related issue another policy idea I really like and hope to see on the CPC resolution menu two tears from now is the creation of agri-REITs to enhance farmland liquidity and make it easier for new producers to enter the biz and for those in the biz to grow larger without having to buy the land to do so. Land pricing and liquidity are huge issues in SM dominated areas. Loss of quota isn’t the only issue – land prices are and they affect not just SM producers.
“Like hello, is anybody there?? Hello this is Otis, I want to register my shotgun, hello!!”
As I recall the minority Harper government already tried to deal with the Wheat Board but lost in court. Now that they have a majority, they’ll simply be able to change the legislation to abolish it. That might help the international trade talks to get going again too, because Canada’s refusal to change our ridiculous supply management policies were a stumbling block.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Farmers have no more right to vote on the disposition of other farmers’ property than they have to vote on whether to collectively have Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies for breakfast – it’s an individual decision, by right. “Democracy” is not the issue – it applies only to the selection of representatives in government, and nothing more.