Quebec cows?

[cowman]

Don't know if I caught this right but I heard on the news something about Quebec cows guaranteed .42 cents a pound for their cows! Was sort of dozing when it came on so don't know all the details but I heard destinctly the federal government was coming up with some of the money!
Now what is this? Is this fair? Why don't we in Alberta,Sask., Manitoba get this sweetheart deal? Do we need to get out the stocktrailer and start hauling cows up to Ralph?

[JD4ME]

Yes it's true I'm not sure if it's on the CFA website but Bob Friesen (CFA) had a press realease yesterday afternoon about it. The UPA(Quebecs general farm organization) backstopped a blockade and purchase of the only major plant in Quebec.

[Horse]

Dont it just rile you to see quebec doing something for thier producers while out here we are told to line up at the border and bend over. Good things come to those that wait.

[grassfarmer]

Come on guys this isn't news, look at ivbinconned's post dated November 17th which got no replies. And we complain about CBC rehashing old stories!! ;o)

[Bez]

Horse - you got it wrong.

I live about 3 miles from the Quebec border. Moved here from Saskatchewan about two years ago for reasons that can be discussed at a later date. The fact of the matter is that the UPA shut down the biggest plant in Quebec. Nothing in and nothing out.

The Quebec government did not do this for the cattle guy - the cattle guys did it themselves. They blockaded the place. And would have kept it in place indefinitely.

Then they got their wallets out and demanded a share of the business. I believe they are purchasing a large share of the business to make sure they are not ripped off by the processors.

Be that as it may I have to admire their gonads. While we all sit on our asses and complain, they loaded up cows and dumped them in Quebec City. While we all complained and sat on our asses they loaded up tractors and trucks and stopped the flow of commerce - forcing packers to come to the table. If the police had showed up and tried anything, the UPA has its priorities right, they would have fought back - violence is something they are not above if necessary - and the Quebec government knows this.

The UPA is a powerful group - they will use reason when they can - but force when they have to. When push comes to shove, the UPA takes NO CRAP FROM ANYONE.

I wish the rest of the farm orgs would start acting like this. Politicians and big business love to negotiate. It puts THEM in the drivers seat and allows THEM to continue to be the master of the dogs (us) who supply them with animals for the masses.

The national press does not cover much of the farm movement in Quebec. Apparently there was another movement afoot that was waylaid by the new pricing. Holes has been dug, and 100 cows at a couple of places had been sentenced to die by firearm. This would have been televised - but was cancelled by this new pricing.

When was the last time someone dumped pig manure on the front door of the legislature in a prairie province? When was the last time that someone dumped milk down the main street of a major prairie city during rush hour? When was the last time a couple of hundred cows were let loose during rush hour in a major prairie city?

Well, this has happened in Quebec. The elected officials of that province FEAR the UPA. I might add the UPA is a true farm rights organization. The UPA is judictious in the use of force - but they WILL use it if they deem necessary. They have ensured the guaranteed price per acre for cash crop farmers has remained in place. They have ensured that the guaranteed "per head subsidy" has remained in place for the cattleman.

All any of you have to do is contact someone from the UPA - the site is in French, but I assure you that the leadership of the org ALL speak fluent English - I have chatted with several of them myself. They would be more than willing to tell you how they do it. A very good group of people.

This is starting to take place in socialist Ontario as well. There are several "landownners associations" in place. If the various inspectors arrive at my place to "look around", I can have 40 people in my laneway in less than 20 minutes - all it takes is one phone call to activate the "phone tree".

In this province it is illegal for the landowner to stop the province from accessing your farm and making a local inspection. BUT, it is not illegal for the neighbours to stop them. So after one incident - some miles from here - where the inspectors were attempting to shut a fellow down, the neighbours hooked onto the inspectors truck with a tractor and dragged it off the land - then threw the inspectors off. NOW, the province is very leary of coming onto a farmers property. The Lanark Landowners Association started this program and it is growing like wildfire. Started by Randy Hillier, it is a growing and powerful organization that takes NO CRAP from anyone. Even the police have backed down.

randy hillier [rhillier@istar.ca]

No one likes having to deal with the officials in power like this, but it is the only true way to get results. Remember, the folks in power love to negotiate. It keeps the dogs in place. I use the term dogs because that is what one politician - forget his name was over heard calling us at the demonstration in Ottawa - where we were locked from accessing the Hill.

We went there and the gates were closed and the snipers were on the roof tops. Yet, they allowed the demonstrators who were against Bush to access the HIll. It was so insulting to me persoanlly that I walked over to the fence and spat on the ground that I pay for and was not allowed to walk on.

So, stop your bitching, stop your complaining, stop your moaning and whining - and do something about it. Otherwise you will be in the same position tomorrow, the day after and the day after.

Bez

[cowman]

Seems like those Quebec boys know how to take care of business! I wonder how they got so unified...and so militant?
It would sure be something to see if 100 cows were released in downtown Calgary about 4 oclock on a Friday afternoon! Although I suspect if anyone tried to block Cargill the mounties would crush them like bugs. I guess that might be one of the joys of having a federal police force imposing its will on a province?
I wonder how come these French farmers can break the law of the land and get away with it, while if a prairie grain farmer tries to take a sack of grain over the US border to donate it to charity, the federal government throws him in jail? Something isn't quite right here? Maybe it is time for a revolution?

[rookie]

Well put Bez... you said it all...

Too bad it will no doubt get real quiet now...

[Bez]

http://www.upa.qc.ca/eng/index_flash.asp

This is the English version of the UPA website.

The Quebec ag industry consists of a big group of different sectors, like all other provinces, but the umbrella group is the UPA. When the UPA speaks - all groups get in line. That is why the UPA can run the Quebec government.

RCMP have nothing on the SQ - a police org that tends to be very ready to "go at the offender".

Trust me, after watching the UPA boys in action - they can have 500 or a thousand and more if necessary, farmers on site in a heart beat. The cops do not like having to deal with groups this big. Even the Gravel Road Cops would have their hands full.

All it takes is determination. Nothing more and nothing less. That is why they are effective in Quebec.

Bez

[Bez]

http://www.upa.qc.ca/eng/index_flash.asp

This is the English version of the UPA website.

The Quebec ag industry consists of a big group of different sectors, like all other provinces, but the umbrella group is the UPA. When the UPA speaks - all groups get in line. That is why the UPA can run the Quebec government.

RCMP have nothing on the SQ - a police org that tends to be very ready to "go at the offender".

Trust me, after watching the UPA boys in action - they can have 500 or a thousand and more if necessary, farmers on site in a heart beat. The cops do not like having to deal with groups this big. Even the Gravel Road Cops would have their hands full.

All it takes is determination. Nothing more and nothing less. That is why they are effective in Quebec.

Bez

[grassfarmer]

I am always appalled that the Prairie farmer seems to be totally apathetic about the plight of agriculture but at the same time I for one have no desire to live in a chicken**** republic where mob rule is the order of the day. Canada should be able to do a lot better than that. Yes Prairie farmers are suffering but resorting to the "rough them up" attitude to officialdom is not progress in my book.

[Bez]

Cowman - if the grain farmers in the prairies had TRULY supported the fellows who went to jail for their small grain transaction - TRULY - then you can be sure they would not have been arrested. However, there are not many who would be willing to dumpt 500 tons of wheat in major intersections to get their point across. Not enough people were ready to shut down Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg. They had the power and did not use it.

There are too few who are really ready to fight for their rights to a fair treatment. Far easier to sit on their asses and watch some other poor sap take it on the chin.

In fact the cattle guy in the west is not ready to put up or shut up - most of them are hoping they can negotiate a small piece if the pie. In fact they actually have the power to make happen WHATEVER they want to make happen. It just takes gonads. The damned producer in teh west OWNS the pie and begs for a small piece. Typical.

Can't run a business without product. Either withold the product, or make it impossible to move the product. Not for one day, but for two months. You would be surprized at the reactions. Suddenly it would be the processors that started to squeal from pain.

Never happen in your part of the world - not enough people that have that type of courage.

As a speaker freom the UPA said at a local meeting some few months back - to us in Ontario.

"You are not ready yet. You are not hurting enough. Only when you really start to hurt will you act. We were. We acted and we won".

Bez

[cowman]

Unfortunately Bez, what you say is true...

[Bez]

Grassfarmer - your comments are quite well taken I assure you - but:

Quote:

I am always appalled that the Prairie farmer seems to be totally apathetic about the plight of agriculture but at the same time I for one have no desire to live in a chicken**** republic where mob rule is the order of the day. Canada should be able to do a lot better than that. Yes Prairie farmers are suffering but resorting to the "rough them up" attitude to officialdom is not progress in my book.

End Quote

I really like your comments about "Canada should be able to do better than that". I could not agree more. Unfortunately it WILL NOT - because it does not have to. And in the end, it is not CANADA that has to do better. It is the people who make Canada the country it is today.

It is the people who supply the product who have to MAKE Canada do better. The minimum is always the standard until the bar is raised. If you are happy with the minimum - then do nothing. If you want the bar raised - then do something. That is really the answer to almost all of the questions and problems.

In the end if good men do nothing, then nothing will happen.

Bez

[Bez]

Never underestimate the power of one or two people to make a difference. In our municipalitiy one fiesty little 70 year old ladyled the charge against the local council,and got a few other people riled up which literally forced a provincial directed review of the conduct of the council. The result, three members of council got the boot in the October election. Never say never when it comes to the power of the people, even when dealing with provincial governments.

[pandiana]

Thanks Bez for reiterating my sentiments so eloquently.

Every day that goes by I can't help but wonder why farmers are willing to wait to see if just maybe they will be the last one standing when things 'turn around'. Its like sheep waiting for slaughter.

Reality is, things will not get better, or at least good enough to survive unless we make some dramatic changes in the way agriculture works in this country and North America for that matter. As long as we remain price takers at the bottom of the food-chain, we will remain without any leverage to negotiate for our industry.

Let's face it...life style can account for only so much!