Any rights for farmers?

[bombay_43]

Do farmers have the right to privacy? A simple right, which is afforded all other Canadians?

Try typing your name and then BSE into a Google search box. 22,312 names will come up on an Alberta Government Document, showing who received BSE compensation payments from 2003 to 2004, and the exact amounts received.

Now I personally found it quite interesting as it shows which of my neighbors, who are not even farming, received monies, and how much everyone received. According to the number of names stated on the first page, number of animals involved, and the total dollars, an approximate payment of $414/animal was paid out. My government owes me 4 times the amount they paid! Who got my share? Perhaps some of the ones listed who received hundreds of thousands of dollars, or over a million?

Why are LTD companies listed? Are we not paying directly into investors pockets this way? Someone who bought into the stock market and don't know the first thing about cattle? Was this program, and others just like it, a direct subsidy for "investors"? Silly me, I thought it was an Agriculture subsidy to help farmers with BSE years!


All this aside, just where is my right to privacy?? How about the government lists all the Welfare recipients by name, and the amounts we have paid to them over time? The names of all the people on Employment insurance and the amounts paid? ETC. ETC. ETC.

Sorry, but I have a real problem with this one!

[kato]

Wow! And I can't call the phone company to change our plan because my husband's name is on the bill, and the privacy act won't let them talk to me.

Go figure....

Rules for some, but not for others.

[dfarms11]

No shit!!! I can't beleive they would do that!

[Kathy]

I plan to look at this list, thanks for the heads up.

I have been wondering who is actually calling the
CFIA to test their animals. I cannot imagine 3,500
ranchers calling CFIA per month (plus or minus a
few hundred) to test their sick or dead animals.

Where is CFIA getting these animals??????

Are they buying them from the packing plants?? or
feedlots that fatten older animals????

To get these kinds of numbers, per month, I can't
even imagine that many qualifying for testing.

[rookie]

Maybe the right to quit...

Try typing in your own name into google sometimes, you may be surprised what pops out...

As for the bse payment list, it is frustrating to see Joe Smiths name, his wifes name, and their ltd companies name all there receiving...

But do try your own name once in awhile...

[15444]

In Soviet Canada, government talks about you!

As I understand it, any government payment, using public monies, can be uncovered using freedom of information. If you don't like it, don't take part in it :P . I sure wouldn't mind seeing what CAIS/AgriStability payout amounts have been for some people.

[grassfarmer]

I was aware of that listing - it's not unprecedented as the move for accountability within Government continues. I know in Europe all the subsidy payments are available online. I just checked and one of my former neighbors has dropped in the rankings from biggest recipient in the country to 4th place. Must be loosing his touch, lol. His 2009 payments totaled the equiv. of CDN $1,493,500. I have no problem with my BSE payout being listed. I was the recipient of taxpayer money.

[per]

Taxpayers money GF, yes it is. Fair is fair I suppose. A list of all persons and companies that receive taxpayers money should be available. Maybe it is for all I know. Would you be comfortable if all welfare recipients had their names published? At the very least there should be a hoop to jump through to access names.

[bombay_43]

Rookie, how do you think I found the list? I did type in my own name, but was astounded to find a 528 page document of farmers names and amounts. Both Federally and Provincially, over $402 million dollars was allocated through 6 different BSE programs to Albertans.

Government accountability? Yes, I agree. However, I can gaurantee you, that under the privacy act, the names and amounts for welfare recipients (which many tax payers see farmers as anyway) will not be publicised. Nor will other countless other recipients of government dollars. There have been laws passed which sees privacy, for what seems to be all other Canadians except it would seem, Farmers. What's good for one should be good for all!

"If I don't like it, don't participate?" Whos arse are you blowing smoke up??

I don't like income tax, or the age verification program either. If I go with the philosophy that you're slinging, I can chose not to participate? You almost sound like my Ag minister, who said, find a way to comply or exit the business! Just who's side are you on??

[wd40]

Ya won't find my name on the list. I had my own business in the service side of the beef industy. May 20th. broke me and I just paid of the last of that wreck last November. At age 62 and trying hard to get a mortgage so I can get old in my own home. No "class action" available for us dumbies.

[15444]

Bombay,

If you really wanted to, and had the money for the lawyers, I am sure you could fight your way out of income tax. Last I looked it was a war tax.

You must be in Alberta regarding the age-verification deal. In most provinces, it's still voluntary. If I was really upset, like you, with the whole deal, I would just sell cattle to an on-farm buyer (with a 2 cent discount/incentive) and get him to slap his own tags in them at his place. Put whatever birthdate he wants on them.

[sagewood]

I tried doing the Google search with my name and BSE and all I got was a bunch of gobbledegook about India and professors etc., but nothing about BSE or anything relating to the AB. government...does anyone have the link?

[bombay_43]

If all else fails, type in BSE program recipients. It shows up under many different searches! Here is the link:

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/fin8687/$FILE/bse_final.pdf

[per]

Sagewood you have to type in you Real name not your Internet handle. lol

[sagewood]

Ha, good one Per. I did use my real name, must mean I am related to some Indian guru oracle-type person. I was able to find the site and read with interest how many operations received in excess of $1 M. With that kind of input, it would be relatively easy to carry on in the cattle business without any worries.