Yet another petition update....

[kato]

I'm in the process of mailing petitions to Manitoba MP's. Most have been mailed, some hand delivered, and the rest are on the desk and ready to go next trip to town. Manitoba is covered.

We've still got lots of petitions out in the country though, and we're not about to stop collecting signatures yet.

How about our neighbours in Alberta, Saskatchewan, B.C. Quebec and the Maritimes? Any news to report? I know Ontario is on it, and so is P.E.I.

I'm sure hearing some scary things talking to people about this petition. Things are a lot more serious than most people know, if what I've been hearing is any indication. The number of producers just hanging on is huge. The government has been speaking to people in our industry to find out what the situation is, but I think it's safe to say that they're not speaking to the right people.

I'm thinking that this fall and winter is the make or break one for our industry. Especially in Manitoba.

Let's get this thing done.

[rkaiser]

Got a couple to pick up in my area but I sure wish there were a few more of "US" on board following up. I guess we'll all have to give kato a cut when we get our cheques in the mail.

[kato]

I accept Paypal........

[burnt]

10 kato's could change this country . . .

[kato]

Or get into 10 times as much trouble!..

[smcgrath76]

I have been out of the country for a bit
at a beef industry genetics conference.
I think it would be useful to repost for
all the lurkers and people that visit
the site:
1) the role, purpose and how the
petition functions
2) the lawsuit outline, how to
participate (should you choose) and how
the proceeds in the event of a win for
producers would be distributed.

[kato]

I'm going to cheat a bit, and cut and paste the background sheet we've been giving out with the petitions.


BSE Class Action Lawsuit and Petition
Background Information


BSE hit all Canadian cattle producers, both dairy and beef, on May 20, 2003. Since that time Canadian cattle producers have suffered substantial financial losses which have not improved significantly, despite the opening of international markets to Canadian cattle and beef.

A lawsuit was filed against the Federal Government in 2005 by a group of cattle producers to seek a judgment for damages on behalf of cattle producers across Canada. Despite the best efforts of the Federal Government to strike the claim, this lawsuit has now been certified as a class action and will go to trial. However, the estimated time to go through to trial, including the expected appeals right up to the Supreme Court of Canada, will be approximately another 10 years.

For details on why Canadian cattle producers deserve to be compensated see: www.bseclassaction.ca For updates on the progress of the petition, see Facebook – “Canadian Cattle Producers for a BSEClass Action Settlement”.
www.facebook.com/bseclassaction

Cattle producers are now seeking to speed up this process through an independent mediation. Your participation in signing this petition will tell the Federal Government – Enough is enough!

Please support farm producers by signing this petition and letting your voice be heard for the cattle producers of Canada that you support them toward an early settlement of the BSE class action.


That pretty much sums it up. The petition can be downloaded from the class action website directly. It's a pdf file. You can also get one from me. I retooled it a bit so the lines are a bit wider to sign on, for those who forgot their reading glasses. LOL Mine is a word document.

As for contacting us, there are many options. Post something here. If you're on Facebook, go to the facebook page and message me, Randy (Alberta), or John Schwartzentruber (Ontario). Or email me at hello.iamkato@gmail.com

Randy, I think you'll find there are a lot more of US out there than you think. Some of the people who did the most, and helped me the most do not have the internet. They found me by the newspaper articles. One lady tracked me down and I mailed her some petitions, and two weeks later she sent back two of them filled right up. She actually went out to neighbours, to an auction sale, and all over town with petition in hand and approached every person herself. In a short amount of time, she got a tremendous amount done.

Another huge help came from the fellow who is working with burnt in Ontario. He's not on the internet either, but gets the Manitoba Co-operator. He saw our story, and phoned me all the way from Southern Ontario. He's been doing a lot of work on this as well.

There are lots more out there just like them, who would love to pitch in, but they just don't know about it... yet. ;-)

We need to fix that.

[kato]

OOppps. When I said to message me on Facebook, I forgot to put my name. duh.. Gail Kasprick. And Randy of course is our own Randy Kaiser.