Bob Speller Today

[pandiana]

Just got a call from my neighbor to say that Bob Speller will be in Rimbey today at 1:00. Hamburgers etc. Hasn't been well advertised so are phoning around.

[grassfarmer]

Just back from the meeting - needn't have bothered, complete waste of time. Speller's only line is that the border will open soon (weeks rather than months or years)and that science not politics are holding it up. Their minions are apparently working feverously around the world drumming up buyers for our beef but we absolutely will not test because it is unscientific. He said Japan has not said it would accept our beef if it was tested - maybe not but it has said it WILL NOT consider it if it isn't.
Our NFU chair stood up and outlined Cam Ostercamp's essay and thoughts and urged that we follow this model and start testing 100%. No, it's unscientific and we will not go down that road. He got presented with an Ostercamp essay to read on the plane back to Winnepeg. A very short meeting with little achieved apart from some media interviewing some of the guys that raised questions to Speller.

[grassfarmer]

I would say good effort folks. Speller is a puppet like most politicians, they are taught rhetoric 101 in politics school. Being in front of him and the media was the accomplishment of the day. The more the public knows that the ranchers want to test and the politicians are the ones saying no, the better.
I say good job Bob, now off to your next posting.. What will that be, Indian affairs critic???... to da loo.

[whiteface]

Thanks for going grassfarmer and raising a little heat for all of us! :-)

[15444]

Good idea rpkaiser!

Our former MP, Bob Nault was the guy for Indian Affairs during the Shawinigate decade. And he did an excellent job of pissing off the natives! Bob already has pissed off half the farmers in this country, so he is already qualified!