Parliament shut down again.

[kato]

Hopefully everyone had a good New Year, and lots of family time and celebrations. Now that we're all rested and refreshed, I think it's time to get back to business.

So parliament has been prorogued again. Is it just my memory, or is this a tactic that's new to our current Conservative government? I don't ever remember hearing this done in the past, but now it's been done twice. Every time there is an issue they don't want to answer to, they just shut it down. That's a scary thought, when you look at it.

There is a bright spot in this though, and that's the announcement of a new budget when they get back to work. I would think that the next two months are our last best chance to have the government actually do something to help stop the decimation of our livestock industry.

Basically, IMO, it's now or never. Markets are looking more optimistic in the U.S., but our dollar is killing that on our side of the border. It looks to me like we just might miss out on any possible recovery .... again.

There was close to a billion dollars in the income programs budget that WAS NOT SPENT last year. The government needs to be called out on this, and held accountable. Farms are suffering, the money is there to help them, and the money does not get to them.

Our chance to get some attention is now, and if we have yet another federal budget that ignores our situation, then our future, as an important section of this country's economy is very much in doubt.

Back to the grind........

[burnt]

Kato, it is not a new or Conservative phenomenon. Lots of previous gov'ts have done it, it just looks a little suspicious when a minority gov does it. And really, they are missing about 3 weeks of session since they would have shut down for holidays soon anyway.

Let's not rob those hardworking politician of their dues!! haha.

[grassfarmer]

What's the definition of a "banana republic" again?
Still it's stalling the debate on giving the packers their multi-million dollar hand out so it's not all bad ;o)

[coppertop]

Even though parliament isn't sitting, MP's
are out in their ridings meeting with
constituents. Everything will come to a
halt for the Olympics so I have no issue
with them not sitting until afterward. I
guess the opposition can bring down the
government on the budget if they feel they
want to have an election but I don't see
that happening.

[sagewood]

How short are our memories--when the Liberals under Chretien prorogued Parliament so big Jean could write his speeches nobody batted an eye. He prorogued again when he wanted to make sure his henchman, Paul Martin was elected to replace him at the Liberal convention--that is twice in my recent memory--but God help us when Harper does it--until then nobody was paying any attention to when or if Parliament was in session--seems to me, that after watching a Parliamentary session or two that watching a sand-box fight by 6 years olds, I could learn more and be better served. The bureaucrats will get the ag. money divided up soon enough, while keeping their share for themselves. I have always been a little leery of someone from government saying they are there to help--run for your lives when you hear that phrase.

[ado089]

This is the 105th time that government has been prorogued. I hate to be cold but livestock prices have been in the tank since 2003 at that point it's no longer a government policy issue, it's an individual management issue. It's not that I'm a die hard Harper supporter but nothing intelegent has come out of opposition MP's mouth since the change of government, so if this saves me listening to a bunch or non-sense and out of context quotes on the news for and extra three weeks I'm all for it. Really does anyone other than Layton and Ignatieuf care if some terrorist scum bags got tortured four years ago or that we didn't sign up for a economy crushing environmetal accord to satisfy a bunch left wing loonies with a crush on Al Gore????

[sagewood]

Good post ado089--couldn't agree with you more....

[kato]

I guess I've just not been paying attention in the past. But then again, in the past, I was living in a more optimistic world, and had not developed the touchy disposition I have now. ;-)

The main thing I'm getting at is that there is a budget coming, and the months leading up to a budget are an opportunity to get the message out. Once that thing is tabled, and we are once again left right out of it, it will be too late. It'll be a long time before anyone will have an opportunity to change things.

I for one am sick of seeing these things come out and having agriculture mentioned maybe once in some fine print at the end about how some money will be spent on two culverts and a research project on the benefits of growing flowers in ditches.

[sagewood]

Kato I don't blame you for feeling out of sorts with all the promises and then all the so called 'ag support' goes to someone who sits behind a desk and tells those of us in the trenches how to run our lives and how we should diversify and what extra work we need to take on to make a living and thus qualify for their so-called support. The 'citiots' are of the firm opinion that we get tons of cash heaped upon us from tax payer dollars and that we are getting rich from their hard work. The cheap food policy in this country started back during WWII and I don't believe we will see change any time soon. The comment I hear so much of the time is 'if you can't make money at it--get out of the business'..that is their answer for everything that they choose not to understand. People would rather spend big bucks on home theatres/trinkets and trash than spend extra on a good meal that was raised locally and not pumped full of crap to preserve it--ah, but I digress again. The current fad for government is to support corporate farms--look what that got the share holders and creditors of Big Sky Hogs in Sask? I am with you in hoping that some government at some time soon in this country will actually say--here is the extra cash to make up for the short fall b/c of our cheap food policy--but then of course there will be some fooey type of program with bureaucrats administering it--honestly, I do not know what the answer is--perhaps this country has to get a little hungry to appreciate those of us who attempt to feed the masses....

[rkaiser]

I like the notion of being self responsible or accountable. Yes it has been 6 years now since anyone has seen any profit in raising cattle conventionally. And how many opportunities for change have we, or the organizations that represent us, poo pooed these ideas. The biggest challeng we have is recognising the folly we made when we tried to call our industry a "beef" industry and connect our "2 by 4's" with the companies selling "homes". Unless we sell those "homes" ourselves.

Sorry Kato, but I don't see government support changing. The only way I see us getting any cash to "help ourselves" is to support good old Cam Pallett in our class action suit.

[kato]

We're way on board on that one already. BTW, any news?

[rkaiser]

The only news is that Cam and his crew are moving ahead with no support from industry. Can't blame them either. How can industry groups lobby government for assistance and sue the same government at the same time.

[kato]

What I'm getting here is that government has written us off, and we are writing ourselves off as well. That would explain why our industry is dying and no one says a word.

Now how sad is that? What a shame.

If our numbers drop far enough we will lose at least one big packer, and that will be the last nail in the coffin. As much as producers like to complain about the few packers we have, imagine a world with only ONE bidder to buy your cattle? As bad as the non-competition issues are now, believe it or not they can still get worse.

One fine morning Canadian consumers are going to wake up and find that unless they personally know a cattle producer, they have no choice but to buy imported beef.

Now how sad is that? What a shame.

[kato]

Looks like we're both on line at the same time.

This is the problem our producer organizations face with a lot of our issues. If they criticize the government too much, they will not get back in the door. They will be marginalized and put down much like the NFU is now. They can see the way the government tries to portray the NFU as a bunch of radicals, mainly because they keep coming out with research that comes too close to the mark. Far easier to insult and try and dismiss anyone who puts serious questions and concerns to them, than to address the concerns. Our mainstream groups don't want to fall into that, so they walk carefully.

I guess it's up to producers themselves, who are speaking for themselves to all get together and voice their opinions, with no official organizations involved.

The problem is, are they too beat down and worn out to do it? I'm starting to think they are.

[sagewood]

Just my thoughts, but kato I agree--the industry is getting old--young people are not much interested in working 24/7 and having to subsidize their efforts. To say that we are beaten down is an understatement and for sure true--BSE hit, then we still have to fight the COOL gang down south, our own government (doesn't matter which party is in power) is tired of us (I believe)and there are just too many of us creeping up in years and lacking the money, desire, or energy to fight back. It is easier to cash out now--take what one can get and tell stories about 'the good old days'. Take a look at what is happening in Argentina. The government there has shut off any of their European exports b/c the Argentinians cannot feed their own population--and they are big beef eaters. The ranchers there are outraged b/c the export market was the only thing that was still paying them a bit of a profit. If a huge beef producing country like Argentina cannot keep its ranchers prosperous and has no other solution, then what hope is there for the beef industry in Canada? I predict that we will loose our packing industry--it is about done for now--and we will be eating corn-fed, imported American beef at inflated U.S. dollar prices. Sadly we will become what Europe is today and has been for some time--a five pound roast will cost a fortune and be mostly unheard of and should someone actually have one--it will feed 20 people. It will be a special occasion when this happens for those lucky few who get to eat it. I don't think that suing the government will get far. Let's face it--they have bigger lawyers and have more money and can drag a lawsuit out forever--the only winners in this scenario will once again be the lawyers. As much as I wish Cam success, I don't like his chances. I don't think that the Canadian consuming public gives a darn--as long as their food is abundant and cheap they are happy. They will point the finger of condemnation back at the ranchers of this era and ask 'why didn't you do more--why didn't you tell us?' My answer to them at the time will be that 'I know you believe you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure that what you heard is what I meant!!!"