Alberta Gov't Declares BSE 'Emergency'

[rsomer]

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's Progressive Conservative government has quietly passed an order-in-council declaring the mad cow crisis an emergency -- a move that opposition parties say sets the stage for a pre-election aid package to Alberta farmers.

The order, passed by cabinet last week, lets the governing Tories dip into the province's $2.5-billion stability fund to give emergency aid to cash-strapped farmers and ranchers before an anticipated fall election.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1091748557029_87157757?hub=Canada

[cakadu]

This is a good example of the fish parable from the bible. Do we want to keep being given the "fish" or do we want the means to be able to learn how to fish and provide for ourselves and sustain our industry?

[kato]

What about those of us who don't even live by the 'lake'?

Any aid needs to be national, not provincial.

[rsomer]

Kato: That was the best laugh I have had in quite a while. Thanks. Very witty.

[bombay_43]

Kato, I don't have too much faith in a national aid package being offered! Quite frankly, I consider where you live to be part of the western provinces, and as I recall, approximately 85% of the beef herds in this country, are in the western provinces! The remaining 15% are in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

Our federal government doesn't really give a rip about the ecomomy of the Western provinces, and if we don't get aid from our provincial government, I don't see help forthcoming.

Perhaps Cakadu is referring to a type of aid which will see "Farmer Owned" plants up and running sooner. This type of plan would help all producers, no matter what province they reside in.

We need solutions offered, not aid rejected.

[cakadu]

That's part of what I'm referring to Bombay. Nothing ever really grows on barren ground, but given the right amount of moisture, nutrients and care things can flourish.

Right now we are in a system that is targetted primarily at the bigger fish and our policies, infrastructure and mandates all favor those big fish. What we need are more packing plants that have more of a variety to them, more access to facilities that will provide the value-added research and commercialization that we need, leadership that is willing to take risks, skills to close the gaps that exist between small business and growing to a medium or even a large business and the list goes on.

We have facilities like the Leduc Food Processing centre and it is still to this day one of the best kept secrets in Alberta. They can product test, help you design those recipes that you need, provide facilities for you to produce your products until you get to the stage where you can afford the commericial set-up yourself etc. The facility is a federal one, so unless you're geared up to go that route from the get-go, access to it is very difficult.

Growing things and getting them dead isn't the biggest part of the battle. Having the wherewithall to capture the value is in our goods is where the real battles occur.

[cowman]

It is unfortunate that the political system is once again going to take over and we'll have this hodge-podge of programs. I guess you really can't blame Ralph Klein? Maybe instead those weak kneed sisters in Ottawa?
Klein wants a big majority for his last hurrah and lets face it he's dropped the ball quite a few times in the last year or so?
I suspect this "emergency money" will be a cow/calf bailout as well as some major money for increased slaughter capacity...in all likelyhood to Cargill/IBP/XL? And who knows maybe it will be enough to drag the Alberta cattleman along until the border opens? I doubt it has many long term solutions...just enough to get through another year...and another election!
This is NOT a good thing for the western cattle business! Good for the Alberta cattleman but a disaster for Sask./Man.?
Now is the time for our federal government to step up to the plate and bring out some major bucks? Steal Ralphs thunder, so to speak? Will they do it?...I don't know, but if they don't I would suggest that people should finally start to ask themselves what kind of country do we live in? Why do we bother to continue to send our taxes to Ottawa, when they truly couldn't care less what happens to you?

[ALICIA]

This must be on some of the story on the National tonight. Of course you only get half of want is going on. But they are talking about a masive kill again, but only as a last resort. If they call for a massive kill are they planing on paying you guys for the cows that are killed or is this a volitary thing.

[cowman]

There are "hints" that finally they might be considering a cull but even last week Shirley McClellan stated firmly "no mass cull"?
The fact is if they had killed off a million cows last year, we wouldn't be in such a mess? But then it wouldn't have looked very good to the public? Or at least the urbanites, who have no clue of the realities of the livestock business?
Maybe it is time that they were drug into reality? Yes the porkchop/steak you are eating came from an animal that was shot in the head!
If the government finally realizes that 700 million dollars is actually a pretty cheap solution to our oversupply problem, it will be interesting to see how they will spin that story? I just hope they get their act together and start digging the pits before the ground gets froze too hard! Although in Alberta they might have a tough time finding enough hoes and cats as they are all busy as bees making oil leases!