ABP annual meeting

[Horse]

Today on the dreded CBC Link Byfield and Bert Brown were on the program as to being elected senators in waiting and the question that I have asked many times was asked of them , why the big push to corect ottawa and never bothering to fix some of the SNAFUs we have right here it holier than thow alta and the answer is[ we are working on senate reform], Dont that tell you something about politics and the public in general, When its the other guys ox geting gored look away.

[ivbinconned]

Not fair comment horse. Link has been very critical of your Alberta tories. just go to his web site and you will see.

[boone]

Geez Louise!!!! I didn't mean to kill the thread with that gentle little anecdote. Oh well I'll have to be more careful, with everyones sensibilities.

[cakadu]

Not ever having been to an ABP meeting, but listening carefully to what all of you have been saying, is it possible that the delegates at the annual meeting are acting that way because there is so much apathy out there? Would they be able to get away with the "double-speak" if the turnout at zone meetings etc. was much higher?

What do you see as a means to get people out? I would have thought that with all of the problems out there, that producers would have come in droves to ensure that the best candidates possible were representing their true views.

I suppose that this is a problem that isn't exclusive to the ABP and organizations like it - there is probably apathy in a lot of organizations. Seems to me that a golden opportunity for the producer to take back their industry and their organizations was missed. What do the rest of you feel?

[grassfarmer]

I feel that ABP is a waste of space. However they came by their current setup it is clearly undemocratic. It is run from the top down instead of from the bottom up. Unfortunately the top is also jointly run by US packer interests and Government interests which doesn't make it able to represent producers. Cakadu, check out my "rally" post - I hope you will consider attending this event - we are taking a sheep along to represent the hardships being suffered by owners of the other ruminant species. I believe this is something you wanted highlighted?

[grassfarmer]

As I have said before Government considers ABP the spokesperson for the cow/calf sector. If the cow/calf sector isn't happy with that situation then they have the opportunity every fall to make changes, or present resolutions calling for a change in the structure of ABP. All it takes is the committment of a few hours to attend a meeting .....

[grassfarmer]

I agree, but when you do attend, make resolutions and see them approved only for them to be laughed at or for them to disappear before they even get considered at the ABP AGM it shakes your confidence in the democratic process. The few resolutions adopted at the AGM were not the ones I saw causing concerns to the producers at the fall producer meetings in this zone.

[grassfarmer]

grassfarmer, I am sure that ABP has a process similar to Agricultural Service Boards or AAMD C. This process involves all resolutions being forwarded to a Resolutions Committee, where the decision is made as to which ones go forward to the AGM. In the case of AAMD C resolutions usually go forward to the applicable Zone for debate and approval prior to going to the convention floor.
ABP does have a strange process as far as resolutions go. I have had a resolution go to the convention in the past, and was there to speak to it, only to have the Chairman go to the mike and urge the membership to vote in opposition.
To be honest, a lot of the resolutions passed at our local zone meeting weren't good ones, and in my opinion had now way of possibly making it to the convention.
I would suggest that the first place to raise concerns with ABP is with your Zone delegates, and then have a group of people request a meeting with the executive. If a group of producers took that route and had some concrete suggestions as well as criticisms, they may be able to make a difference.
The local Zone meeting was well attended, and some people made excellent suggestions and comments. However, some individuals discredited themselves the minute they opened their mouths. In particular, one loud mouth spend five minutes lambasting ABP for not having a FREE DINNER at the zone meeting. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would realize that the Dinners are moved around, and aren't going to be held at the same zone meeting year after year.

I would really encourage the group that are organizing the rally to consider requesting a meeting with the new Chair of ABP and his executive.

[Willowcreek]

emerald 1- "This process involves all resolutions being forwarded to a Resolutions Committee, where the decision is made as to which ones go forward to the AGM."

"Outside of traffic, there is nothing that has held this country back as much as committees."
Will Rogers- Oct. 23, 1928

[grassfarmer]

emrald1,As you say the guy with the complaint about the free dinner at Breton wasted valuable time. At the same time there were what 16 resolutions out of that meeting? the bulk of them pushing for ABP to do things differently or to lobby the Government to do things differently yet that is not the direction of the resolutions adopted at the ABP AGM. Seems guys having problems with fencing wildlife out of their hay piles is far more important. I'm sorry to anybody that has a problem with wildlife but the industry has more pressing problems.

[cakadu]

There are compensation packages out there for wildlife getting into things like hay storage etc., so I agree with you grassfarmer, there are far more important issues than that at the moment. Sad thing is that people tend to dwell on what is most immediate for them and this is probably what is facing these people right at the moment.

Sadly, I will not be able to make your rally, although I will be there in spirit all the way and wish you the best of luck. After waiting for 3 months to get some lambs in for processing, that is the day and we need to get orders filled. This may be all we can do until next February!!! If there is time, you can certainly let them know about that.

Cheers and all the best to you on rally day!

[cakadu]

grassfarmer, if I recall correctly some of the resolutions were worded' ABP should FORCE the Government to etc.etc.' That sort of wording is a waste of the time it takes to hold up ones hand to vote. ABP has no power whatsoever to Force the Government to do anything. Some people were on their feet making resolutions just to hear themselves talk, and that detracted from the very common sense resolutions that were moved from the floor. Some people had put a lot of thought into their resolutions and certainly were very articulate when presenting them.
I am certainly not supporting the resolution process but it is one that is used by many organizations. As far as committees being a waste of time, I do think that if ABP allowed every resolution to go to the convention floor without going through them, deleting the duplicate ones and putting the rest into some resemblance of order, their AGM would last for three weeks just to get through the resolutions. Imagine if there were an average of 16 resolutions from each meeting held in each zone !!!
I still think that if people want to change ABP, they have the opportunity to start campaigning now and ensure that they have good support when they run as a delegate next fall.

[cowman]

Well whether we like it or not the ABP and the CCA have the governments' ear and that's just how it is?
The guys who run the ABP have their own agenda and will use the organization to promote it. And after all they did win the election, right? We do live in a so called democracy and so we learn to live with the concept that the majority rules, right?
However you also have the right to protest and write letters to your MLA and all that other good, useles stuff! That is your right!
Or you can accept the fact that the ABP is just one of the costs of doing business and don't waste anymore time on them? In the end the results will be the same.