The Election is Coming

[rsomer]

It certainly looks as if Paul Martin will call an election May 20-23 for the vote to take place June 28. Yesterday MPs rose in the House to bid farewell to their colleagues who are not running again and will be leaving. A sure sign that the election is not far away.

I certainly see the timing of a federal election and the timing of the opening of the border to be integrated. Paul Martin made it clear he wants more seats from western Canada. What better way than to have the border opening timed with an election. Look for it to happen.

The border has been closed to all live cattle except the occassional bucking bull for 359 days. It is only 8 more days to May 21. If we can hang onto the cows tail for a few more days, things could really turn around.

[kato]

Boy, I hope you're right.

It's so nice to hear an optimistic voice these days. There is so much doom and gloom around.

[kato]

Someone should tell the Conservatives that there is an election coming.

They voted down the motion to fine the packers for not turning over their records!

Unbelievable! My MP is getting a letter, that's for sure.

[pandiana]

I haven't really had time to think this latest development through. My initial reaction is that of betrayal by those who you would think would have the best perspective of the consequences on our livestock industry.

It's as though, big business is the be-all and end-all of this industry for the conservatives.

Neither government can see beyond the obvious that unless primary producers start getting fair market value there will be no beef cattle to pack.

In addition to taking 30 to 40 percent less for our product, (60-90% for cull animals as of this week) we now face huge increases in fuel and fertilizer.

Add to this the prospect of a less than optimum prospect for the growing season with significant moisture deficits.

One of the arguments the conservatives used was the the government programs were poorly designed and expensively administered. I think this is once again a fair criticism. But this still does not negate the fact that a large portion of the government funds ended up in the packers' pockets. They are being very coy about owning up to this although I am not sure it is there falt. The opportunity just landed in their lap. I do believe that it is the programs were poorly devised. If the packers did reap the bounty, this would have been the proof we needed to convince government that this indeed was their screw up. I am not sure at this point what they will do about it, however.

If cows and bulls are no longer being killed by Lakeside, how many dedicated cow killing plants are there left in Canada.

We need to take some action now!! The oil word may be the only thing that will get attention. If we need a made in Canada Livestock industry, Made in Canada Lumber industry, Fisheries, Grain etc., we should have a Made in Canada for Canadians Oil Industry.

[Joe-2]

How hard can it be.If the government really wanted us to find out how much subsidy money went to the packers why can't they do something totally outrageous,say like,I don't know,maybe LOOK FOR THE CANCELLED CHEQUES!!!
No thats too easy.Better to just do a little political posturing,skate around between the bluelines for a while,until the spring session is over or until angus-reid says good to go for the election call.
With any luck a couple of years down the road the auditor general might find out who got the money.
In the meantime we either need an export market or about 40% less cattle in this sorry excuse for a country.If you don't want to reduce your herd you best start telling your urban friends and relatives to start demanding 100% testing so we can export some of this meat.
Heres a link to an article someone posted on another site.Read it before you start telling me that 100% testing is unwarranted,sound science,blah,blah, blah.
www.livestock.ab.ca/Beef%20Industry%20Essay.htm

[rsomer]

It will be interesting to see the voters reaction, or lack of reaction, to the Conservatives coming to the defense of the packing plants. It seems as if the Conservatives are taking their seats in western Canada for granted, counting on continued voter support from beef producers while their party blocks what would have been a widely popular motion to fine the packers each $250,000 a day. No doubt the struggling Conservative party will receive generous campaign donations from Cargill and Tyson Foods as a thank you.

Nothing would have happened in any event as the fines were not to start for a week and expectations are that parliament will dissolve when the election is called. The motion to fine the packing plants was symbolic. The Liberals were symbolically supporting the farmers and their own governments BSE programs. BSE programs which were desperately needed and generous even if they were hastily planned and not widely distributed. The Conservatives symbolically supported big business and the two big Alberta packers which were firmly established as a monopoly during a previous Conservative government. Last but not least the whole exercise show that Federal Government control over foreign owned business in this country is symbolic and not at all effective. The packing plants are a power unto themselves, beyond even the reach of our nations government.

[kato]

Isn't that a sad state of affairs.

Is it any wonder we cattle producers are turning into the world's most cynical people?

I think, since this is a democracy after all, it is our duty to inform our elected representatives just how impressed we are with their so called "representation".

[kato]

Actually, now that I think of it, a smart politician would take this issue and run with it.

Big question, do we have any smart politicians?

Oh Oh, there's that cynicism kicking in again!

[cakadu]

Ah yes, the symbolism of it all. Well, there will be no symbolism when it comes to marking my "x" on the ballot. There is absolutely no fear that the conservative candidate in my riding will be getting my vote. I have no idea who will get it, but I know who won't.

This whole election is going to be nothing more than symbolism and sadly, a big joke. It does show you how people take for granted what they (think) they have, which is something you should never do.

Is it any wonder there is so much backlash against "big business"?

[kato]

What the Conservatives did was take an opportunity to show support for the constituents who elected most of them, and try and turn it into a blatant election ploy to discredit the government.

I resent having something that is so important to all of us cheapened by self-centered politicians who are trying to put their own interests ahead of those of the people who sent them to Ottawa in the first place.

The more I think about it, the madder I get.

So what if the programs weren't perfect? At least there WERE programs. Someone was trying to help. The problem I saw was that our government underestimated the depths to which those pirates would sink in order to line their own pockets.

The sooner the Canadian government takes off their rose coloured glasses and realizes that NO ONE south of the border gives a rat's ass about what happens to the Canadian cattleman the better off we will be.

Set up the labs, test the frickin cattle, and get down to business. It's time to start acting like Americans and move in on their export markets. Like they didn't move in on ours on May 21? You bet they did, full steam ahead and no regrets over the plight of the poor Canadians.

Testing cattle hurts no one. Our consumers trust our beef now, so why would testing make that any different. Testing only a few, and finding another one just puts us right down the same toilet we've been in for the last year.

I know it'll be a cold day when I vote for the Conservative/Alliance/Reform or whatever he calls himself now in my riding.

End of Rant! I feel better now.

[Joe-2]

I'm telling my conservative MP that the only way he's getting my vote is if 100% BSE testing becomes party policy.
Let's face it,BSE is a load of crap.The "sound science" behind it is questionable at best and outright fiction to any person that can think for themselves.
The only way I see of getting out of this trap is to grab a hold of the BS in BSE and use it against those that are using it against us.Test them all.
Trouble raising capital for slaughter capacity??? Lenders will be tripping over themselves to back slaughter facilities if and when we can supply the export market with "Guaranteed BSE TESTED,Hormone-free,Barley fed,White fat source verified Canadian Beef".While we're at it we can beat the Americans over the head with their COOL law.
AT LEAST THINK ABOUT IT!!!

[CattleAnnie]

Can't sleep.
I'm absolutely livid with rage ever since I read the report on the Conservative MP blocking the ability of Parliment to fine a business in contempt of Parliment.
What the h e double l is going on with their heads?!
First thing tomorrow morning, sending messages to MP, MLA, PM, CCA, BCCA, Feeder Coop, Auction Market, etc.
Then will attempt to contact every producer I know.
What utter insanity. If a business refuses to co-operate with a government request, and is not penalized for doing so, what power does the government have to punish offenses to law? It's a double standard, because I'm sure that if you or I was audited and refused to comply, no MP would step up to bat for our "privacy".
Complete rubbish.
Vote conservative? Unless they recant, not a snowball's chance in Hades.
End of rant.

[kato]

I've already written an email to my local MP. He knows he's lost this vote, and why.

While I was at it, sent another message to Bob Speller and Paul Martin. That one was about the testing.

People don't think they can influence policies, but they really can. It's an election year, the only time anyone listens to regular citizens. Let's make use of it by voicing our concerns. If anyone is ever going to listen it is right now!

Call up your provincial cattle associations, your local MP, and whoever else you can think of. We should be making more use of the media, as well. In the middle of an election, they absolutely love to get ahold of stories like this. Letters to the editor, calls to the radio, etc.

We've got only a couple of weeks to make some noise and turn this into an "election issue".

[almoy]

Politicians will promise you anything at election time. Then they are elected and forget about their promises or say they can't afford them. That is the case with the education tax on farmland in Sask.

[cakadu]

Maybe Kato has the right idea. All kinds of elections will be coming this fall and throughout the winter months for some of these organizations. Maybe it's time for people with the producer's interests at heart to step up to the plate and start getting elected to some of these director/board positions. It may take time and it has to be done properly, but maybe, just maybe, some positive, forward-thinking change can take place. There is no time like the present and as Ghandi used to say "you are the change you want the world to become".