Tuesday, October 31, 2006

CWB Rally

I don't know if anybody has been reading the news about the CWB and our Conservative Government but it is ludicrous. These government officials need a quick history lesson. The Canadian Wheat Board is one of the only national institutions selling Canadian Grain that is set up to help farmers. To have a 2 tier system spells death. Farmers have enough trouble working on the farm. To think that all farmers could exclusivly sell grain on thier own and get a fair deal is not a reality. The Western Producers who advocate for a 2 tier system are greedy and are truly blind to think multinational companies won't take the Wheat Board's place. The only difference is they won't be doing it for farmers they will be doing it for stock holders. The lessens learned are in our recent past, we scrapped the Crow Rate along with the railways, we scrapped the largest co-operatives in the prairies, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Pool Elevators and what benefit has that been? If anything these things should be examples of what not to do. Isn't the lesson learnt in the pudding?

There's a rally at the Manitoba Ledge coming up and I will be there. Some issues in our show we really leave to our audiences but this issue I am convicted of. I believe that the family farm and a way of life where community is part of the whole is a reality. Even if it is one voice, I will do everything I can to advocate for the CWB.

1 Comments:

At 1:40 a.m., Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent comments. What people forget is that the CWB is a non-profit organization. All money from the sale of all grains, less administrative costs, go back to the farmers. Compare that with the multi-national grain companies, where all money collected go to administrative costs AND shareholder pockets. The first priority for the grain companies is to their shareholders. The first priority for the CWB is to their farmers. It's just mathematics, and greed. Basically, the grain companies want a share of the $4 billion pie that Western Canadian farmers are currently earning. I think farmers should be greedy themselves and continue to ask for ONE wheat seller (controlled by the farmers themselves) to go out and get the best possible price for them, and then share in the profits. Personally, what I find disappointing about this entire episode is how the American lobby groups are excited that OUR Federal Government is doing their dirty work, by opening up the market. The Americans have constantly asked for the dismantling of the CWB, and in the past, Canadians have defended it because it has worked for Canada. How sad that this government refuses to look at the economic benefits of the CWB to farmers, and instead sided with a few farmers and American lobbyists for ideological reasons. (Never mind the argument that the CWB in its current state will survive in a dual market: why would buyers look at a voluntary board when they can shop around for the lowest possible price from grain companies who would be tripping over themselves to make a sale from their new-found inventory? And if the grain companies sell for less, the farmers get less. The other argument that farmers will get the best price in the US: don't forget how much of a protectionist nation the US really is. Why give a Canadian farmer the best price? Just close up the border and let the American farmer make the sale instead. The Canadian farmer will rarely get to benefit from a high American spot price.) In summary, look at the economics, and look at the math! Then choose the system that gives the better return. It's just that simple.

 

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