What has changed since 1996?

[TOM4CWB]

Dear Bucket...

Got distracted... sorry.

In 1998 Minister Ralph Goodale armour plated the CWB with changes that most folks would concur 'bullet proof' the CWB Act from 'Governor in Council' changes to the regulations that change the 'historical marketing powers' of the CWB 'single desk' monopoly.

The Recent Court challenge by the CWB against Minister Strahl would support this opinion.

The very fact we can't change even the simple regulations on who should vote in CWB elections... because of the 'slippery slope' (40t minimum will soon be 1000t) argument as Director Woods put it...

Backs the position that a Majority Government in parliament is needed for meaningful CWB statutory reform.

The CWB Corporation is playing chicken/bluff with a very high stakes outcome in question.

Alienate enough 'designated area' farm/industry folks... and the CWB could go the way of the CROW.

The WTO will change the CWB. What is left of the CWB that is useful... was up to the CWB Directors over the last; and next... 2 years.

[Raven]

Tom, I agree that Goodale did 'bullet proof' the CWB Act from 'Governor in Council' removal (or addition) of a grain by simple regulation. As an example, before Goodale, the conservatives removed oats from the CWB by regulation.

Strahl tried to remove barley and the reason he lost is because that was no longer allowed by the Act. The courts have consistently required that regulations must comply with their relevant Act.

But the last court case clearly established the Governor in Council has regulatory powers over the CWB which the CWB and CWB directors (who are managers, not rulers) are obligated to follow, providing the regulations are in compliance with the Act.

So the Governor in Council cannot remove any grain without a set procedure and farmer vote as specified by the Act.

But getting the grain out is irrelevant. Ontario's grain is not out of the "monopoly" Part IV of the Act, but they are effectively out of the monopoly. The KEY IS EXPORT LICENCES. That is what farmers should be focused on.

The Courts have clearly identified that the national licencing Part IV is particularily under Government control, and the CWB issues licences ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Ritz and company could order the CWB to grant export licences to prairie producers just as they already do to eastern farmers. I can't believe that the conservatives are all so stupid that they don't know this, and therefore can only conclude they will also not remove the monopoly with a majority.