OK Alberta........

[kato]

As I prepare another petition for mailing, I'm asking myself some questions today. Maybe you people in Alberta can answer some of them for me.

This is totally NOT directed at those Albertans who've been working directly on the petitions, or those who've signed them and supported them. Those who've been working on it know who they are, and they are terrific.

This is directed toward those who are just watching.

According to Statistics Canada, Alberta has 5,506,000 head of cattle out of a Canadian total of 14,011,000. That's over a third of the country's cattle.

According to my best estimates, and information I've received from others working on this project, Alberta has come up with a total of eight or nine petitions that we know of.

Manitoba has already sent about 17 to MP's, and we will be in the 20's before we're done. Manitoba has 1,300,000 head of cattle, less than 25% of the Alberta number.

Work is proceeding well in Ontario, with key MP's being targeted, and several high profile ones supporting us. PEI has already sent petitions to every one of their MP's. Quebec producers are also working on petitions. Saskatchewan is proceeding well.

Petitions have been sent to producers in B.C. by an MP!

Alberta is stalled.

Why?

A lady, who is a grain producer, but has a good heart, was helping with the petitions in Alberta, and was told by one Ag Committee to keep out of it.

Why?

I just don't get it. With such a large proportion of the national cattle herd in Alberta, and the influence that comes with it, why are Alberta cattle producers not caring about helping with this? Do they think that because they're getting some help from their provincial government, and they receive higher prices for their cattle, that the rest of the country is not their concern?

I remember a time, not that long ago, when every time we drove down the highway we met truckloads of DONATED hay coming from Ontario to help drought stricken cattle producers in Alberta. We had train cars rolling by our yard with hay on them. And we were met daily by semi loads of cows coming to Manitoba pastures for grazing. A lot of people in other parts of the country were going an extra mile to help out Albertans who were in trouble.

Have Albertans forgotten what I remember? Your province has the ability to wield a lot of clout to get this mission accomplished, but complacency seems to be the order of the day.

It's not too late to get the ball rolling and do something to really help out your fellow producers who are hurting, and will be hurting for a few years yet as those who survive continue to dig out from under the mountain of debt they've accumulated since that cow in 2003 in,..... guess where????

Alberta contains the riding of the Prime Minister! Has he received a petition?

We are making real progress with this thing. We've got the support of some influential people, and we are gaining momentum every day. This can succeed. It's not just something theoretical any more, it's moving forward. But if the largest cattle producing province is not on board, the job is going to be that much harder. Lack of support from Alberta will be used as an excuse for inaction. You can count on that.

Petitions are still available. It's not too late.

email hello.iamkato@gmail.com for a petition if you want to help.

I've been stewing about this for a long time now. Come on guys! Time to catch up.

end of rant.

[grassfarmer]

Kato as far as I'm concerned this was dead in the water in Alberta the day the first rally was held in Red Deer. Sadly despite your best efforts and commitment I don't think this campaign will ultimately go anywhere. When you get it on the radar of politicians they will simply look to the "industry" and see that is not considered a big issue. Lets face it it's hardly got the markets and coffee shops buzzing and no "industry organisation" will support it. I don't know what you have to do to create momentum in this province or country but it really hasn't happened in the beef sector at any point since 2003. The closest to a visible wave of support was with Cam Ostercamps tour of rallies across the country with BIG but ultimately that too went nowhere because of lack of support. Look at the Facebook situation with your class action lawsuit - how many months to get 183 friends? pathetic. Certainly many cattle producers are not of the facebook era - but their kids and grandkids are. If this idea had really been dear to the hearts of producers you would have had tens of thousands of names in the first week - maybe hundreds of thousands by attracting relatives, friends and consumers and it would have been on the national news forcing politicians to take heed. Producers here just will not get involved, most are not involved in their own "industry", won't make the effort, won't sign petitions unless you hold their hand and point to the line they have to sign. It seems to be the Alberta way.

Bottom line is that getting a lawsuit payout would probably not influence the decision whether to stay in cattle or sell up for the overwhelming majority. For that reason it probably makes sense just to let Cameron fight the case, make his money and if a payout comes down the line everybody will get a share of it. I don't think that is why Alberta has not got on-board with this I think it's a case of most producers still being unaware or unwilling to do a hands turn to back this or anything else deemed "political".

[kato]

So then the "industry" will get what it deserves. And will lose any right to complain about the results.

I guess those of us in the other provinces have paid a higher price than those in Alberta have. In Manitoba there is no shortage of support for this initiative, and I can't count how many people have said "I'm so glad someone is addressing this."

Those of us who are working on this thing will be able to look back on the loss of the Canadian cattle sector, and the transference of the beef supply to foreign interests, and corporations, and at least we can say we tried to stop it.

It amazes me that so many people have lost everything they worked for, have lost a future generation of producers, have said goodbye to their retirements, and just sat back and said "That's OK, I didn't care anyway."

None of this had to happen. That is the point of this whole exercise. It did not have to happen. It happened because of circumstances out of our control, and without our knowledge or permission. And we have paid the price. Some more than others. My cousin's neighbour who committed suicide comes to mind.

A payout may not make the difference in whether someone stays in the business or not. For most who are going to lose it all, it won't come in time anyway. But it will help to salvage some lost equity, and may mean that a few thousand sixty year olds won't have to spend their retirement years working at jobs in town.

As for Facebook, I wouldn't read too much into that. At least three out of four people I've spoken to aren't even on the internet, let alone Facebook. I wasn't even on Facebook six months ago myself. It's just a way to get updates out to people who don't hang around here.

For those who don't support this campaign, I would recommend they contact Cameron Pallett at www.bseclassaction.ca, and request that they have their names removed from the settlement.

I think we'll find that even those who do not support our cause, will be more than willing to cash a cheque.

[grassfarmer]

I wasn't saying it was right Kato just offering my opinion as to why it is not being supported in Alberta.

[burnt]

Grassfarmer, while I don't like what you are saying, I think you are right on the money. As I have traveled around with this thing in Ontario, I am appalled at the lack of fight left in the producers.

Most common response - "I don't think it will do much good . . ." but then they sign. What have they got to lose?

What producers need to understand is that the more noise they make, the sooner we will get our day in the sun. Pester the heck out of our MP's and Standing committee members.

Clog Harper's desk with faxes and plug his inbox full with emails.We need to be ready to take whatever action necessary to get a settlement. Raise a little hell . . .

We would not likely be in this mess were it not for government inaction on the recommended feed ban in the early '90's.

[kato]

I understood that you weren't saying it was right.

I also understand that this sector of agriculture has taken a beating like it has never seen before, and if we don't stick up for ourselves, no one else is going to do it for us. Just because things are not as bad in Alberta as in Manitoba, it's no reason for producers in Alberta not to support the rest of us the way we supported them during the drought years.

We still get 83 cents a pound for fats in this province. Sad part is that it's the highest prices in a long while. If someone got 90 cents for a fat steer here, they'd probably fall off the bench at the auction mart.

I got a letter from James Bezan today. He's the MP from the Interlake in Manitoba, and a cattle producer. He's the first Conservative MP who hasn't sent his petition to Ritz, and says he'll take it to the House. He also says that the answer to our problems is not litigation. He says it's finding more export markets.

That's like BP running through the streets trumpeting the news that they stopped the oil leak, when they were the ones who started it in the first place. If BSE hadn't happened, we would never have lost those markets in the first place! Now how much money has been spent to get it back? In the meantime, we are losing cattle to fill those markets. No point in having a customer if you don't have a product.

We are losing producers daily. This fall it will speed up. We've already lost Moose Jaw. What's next? High River? Is that what it will take? It will happen as sure as anything if the cattle don't stop disappearing.

Anything we can do to put some cash in some pockets, and maybe more importantly, get some acknowledgement that we've been wronged, and that someone is willing to make it right,is worth the effort.

I think the fact that there is such an attitude of hopelessness and lack of will to fight back is an indication of just how deep the damage is.

It's just not right, and we've got to get every province on board if we're going to succeed. Otherwise we're all done.

[Sawbones]

I've come to the conclusion that beef cattle producers especially in Alberta are suffering from the "Stockholm Syndrome" where they've fallen in love with their captors and will even defend them.
"What causes Stockholm Syndrome? Captives begin to identify with their captors initially as a defensive mechanism, out of fear of violence. Small acts of kindness by the captor are magnified, since finding perspective in a hostage situation is by definition impossible. Rescue attempts are also seen as a threat, since it's likely the captive would be injured during such attempts"
I wish you all the best Kato but everyone here seems to be hiding in their bunker

[rkaiser]

Probably not helping the plebiscite campaign either is the fact that we have gone through the best summer imaginable as far as weather is concerned. Grass up the ying yang and lots of cheap feed for next winter. And what about those yearling and fat futures. I apologise for not being able to help any more than I have Kato, but sometimes we have to look after home first; and this was my summer to look after a "new" home. Heading for Caroline Alberta.

[kato]

Randy, you've done more than your fair share. Way more!

In Manitoba it's a different story. We've got water up to the yin yang, hardly a bale in the province that hasn't been rained on, most people still working on their first cut of hay, and grass so lush that the cattle aren't gaining like they should. We finished our first cut alfalfa on August the 22nd. Now we're just getting started on the grass hay. I think in burnt's part of the country it's much the same story.

And no matter what the futures are, chop 10 cents a pound off them, and you've got Manitoba prices.

So I guess I am trying to look after home first as well. It's just that it would be nice if the fortunate ones would lend a hand.