BSE class action?

[ASRG]

What has happened to the BSE class action? Never seem to hear anything about that anymore.
Last year after attending a meeting put on by Mr. Pallette and Mr. Kaiser, I contacted my local MP, got a meeting in his constituency office, and expressed my concerns about how the federal government was dragging its feet! He wasn't very helpful....but did promise to relay my thoughts to the Ag minister....while letting me know in no uncertain terms that he was against any kind of pay out to ranchers affected by BSE!I came away feeling I'd wasted my time and figured the only hope was this class action would go to court and hopefully a judge would agree that the federal government was at fault and we would get a judgement?
I realize Canadian justice moves very Sloooowly....but surely it must be moving a bit? Anyone who know anything please post it?

[burnt]

I have been working on the mediation request here in the east up until the opposition brought the government down.

I have not actively been doing anything more on it until the "new" government is settled in, other than drop in to congratulate our re-elected MP, kind of a "you're still here and so are we" type of thing.

I feel that it will be a challenge to replace the leverage that we could apply through the opposition in the former minority situation, but not impossible.

The fact that Ritz was reappointed as ag minister brings its own interesting dynamic. He actually did give a written response to the petitions and requests from our initiative.

While those of us who have been working on this feel that this indicates that we finally got his ear, we also recognize that he (the government, actually) expressly is frightened of opening themselves to further liabilities in other situations by settling on this issue.

My contention is this - where is the justice in seeing an industry brought to its knees as a result of government bungling, while those responsible get off scot free and get to retire from their job (however poorly done) with a great pension package?

So, for my part, I have been reassessing our approach in light of what we learned from our past experience and in view of the challenges faced in dealing with a majority government.

Parliament resumes sitting in a few weeks. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

[kato]

Same from me.

G. Ritz has a literal mountain of petitions on his desk, since a lot of the Conservative MP's we sent them to just forwarded them on.

I agree that precedent setting is their fear, even though it's not really a precedent, since they've settled other issues like the tainted blood scandal and the residential school issue as well.

It's true that we don't have a minority government to use as leverage, but on the other hand, the Liberals had their hands plenty dirty in this, and weren't doing much for us any way.

On the other hand, the NDP have not shown such reluctance. They are in the position of not being to blame in this, IMHO, which is a good thing for us. They also have a lot of new idealistic MP's on the roster, which is also a good thing.

They may have been hoping we would go away and leave things alone now that prices are improving, but too bad, so sad, guys, that isn't going to happen. There's been too much injury, and it's left a legacy of debt that will not be cured with one year of good prices.

Once everybody gets settled in their new offices, then we can get back to work. In fact, I have two new petitions that have been returned to me and are looking for a home.

Anyone got a suggestion as to who should get one???

[ASRG]

While I certainly admire your hard work and dedication.......and hope you are successful....it has been my experience that petitions usually don't work....and I've had a lot of experience petitioning for property rights!
From the way my own MP was talking there isn't much will to settle this class action? Maybe they figure we'll all be long dead and gone before it ever gets to the court?
Do either of you know how long it might be before we get a final judgement in a court? I ask this because I believe that is the only way this government will ever pay their debts to the cattle industry?

[kato]

Current estimate is ten years. Maybe nine, since almost a year has passed since we got the ten year estimate?

The petitions are there to give credibility to our efforts. Most MP's will ask "Who is supporting this request?" If you have a bunch of signatures to refer to it helps. Otherwise they write you off as a single trouble maker, and it gives them hope that they can brush you off and you'll go away.

It's been before a number of judges already, on it's way to the final national class action status. The government lawyers tried to stop it at every stage, and were unsuccessful. The other named party in the class action, Ridley, settled out of court. There is good strong evidence on our side. All these things add up to an increase in the odds of a favourable settlement in court. And the odds are on our side, not the government's.

All we're asking for is mediation to speed up this process. We've already lost so many producers, and in another ten years the settlement cheques may be going to more than a few estates.

It's just not right.

[rkaiser]

There is opportunity in every action. I think you have hit on something worth discussion kato. We may have a majority government in Canada now, but we also have -- for the first time in a long time --- an opposition. I am not going to jump up and support fiery eyed little Jack, however, he is finally in a position to actually be heard in the house. Balance happens when both ends of the spectrum are aware of each other. Stephen will not be in the position he would have been in had his half assed clone Micheal been his opposition. I am all for business in Canada, but loosing contact with the average person leads to governments like George ruled in the good old USA. The only way out of a shit show like that would have been revolution, or a shift in human compassion and consciousness.

I think we can use this Canadian shift. Tell Jack the story. Tell him how we can help fix rural communities with a BSE class action settlement. Quebec is now a full fledged partner in the class action. Who do we know in Quebec?

Always opportunity folks. Even the bio fuel thing farmerson. Find a way to use it. Use you unique analytic mind to work with what is rather the what could have or should have been.

Cheerio --- awesome rain out here in West Central AB. Got our garden seeded yesterday and it's been raining all morning. Hope you Manitobites got some crop in.