CWB information session in Regina tonight

[sumdumguy]

Advertised on CBC this session is a travelodge
tonight. Tom Lewkiwski

[gustgd]

I've seen that the socialists are having a pre-meeting rally 6-7 outside.

I think I'm going to the Saskatoon meeting. 7pm Saskatoon Inn Tues.8th

I expect the NDP rent a crowd will be there in full force. few farmers

| wasnt going to go but no combining yet.

[HFL]

The closest meeting for me is in Medicine Hat on the 15th. Not sure if I will attend or not, I didn't vote in their plebiscite because I didn't want to help give it any credibilty and instead mailed my ballot to Mr. Ritz. Don't know if I should help give their meeting any credibility either.

[farmaholic]

I went for the fireworks but there wasn't much of a show!!! There were quite afew people there and I would say the attendance was heavily weighted to the pro side with almost everyone singing from the same song sheets. Don't know what they expect for attendance with desiccating and early swathing happening.

[malleefarmer]

You guys really have to attend these meetings apathy will get you nowere and dont just presume change will happen.
It may not, if you sit on your butts,the real fight is only starting.

[Francksaskfarmer]

I agree whit you Mallee. I went last night and as a young farmer was in the minority. The guy sitting next to me was at least 70 and had sold his farm 10 years ago and thought he had his say in the matter.
I expressed my comments publicly in the few lines below and it was not "all that well received by the crowd". However I did my part. The directors say it is their fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the corporation yet they do not come up with a plan to have it survive past a decision that they do not control, and are adamant it will fail in an open market. So they are actually letting it fail!
I have been farming for 8 years here Saskatchewan, my background is from France where my family farms in grain production, I have also spent some time farming in the US before moving to SK.
I had no preconceived notions one way or another about the CWB single desk. I actually thought it could have some merit! On paper it looks great! I did take in a combine to customer course that I found very enlightening and have educated myself on the history of the CWB. However I cannot say that the Canadian Wheat Board has performed to my satisfaction, I do believe that it is our farmer organization because just about every year it promises itself to do better next year.
I do believe that today's CWB is much improved, over what it was 10 years ago. But I cannot support what the board is trying to accomplish today by bucking the government on this issue.
Today we have the unprecedented opportunity to extract value from the government for the single desk. You can build a plan and name your price! You might say I am dreaming and well maybe a little but from my experience with Agriculture and Agrifood Canada if you build a good business plan, and some rapport, you can do amazing things as is exemplified in the canola industry.
Instead, my perception is that you are dragging your feet, putting your head in the sand, and soon the single desk will be gone and you will have lost the opportunity to have any value for it. But maybe it shows how this organization has marketed our grain? I hope not.
From my experience and contacts in the states and in Europe I do not see much better prices over there on the average, but I do not see premiums here either and if there is a premium here, it is negated by all the hoops we have to jump through to get it even with the PPOs.
Let's be honest without the single desk it will not be better but it will not be worse! it will be different.
There is a need for a Wheat Board for those who want to market their grain collectively and I might even be interest in vouching some of my acres to that endeavour. To do this the CWB needs a competitive advantage that can be acquired from the government much like FCC can compete in a financial open market.
I plead with the board of directors to not fail their supporters by continuing on this dead-end path and fulfilling its own doom prophecy.
And please do not tell me it is impossible to make a viable organization in an open market. When my wife and I started farming here 8 years ago with very limited capital we were told it was impossible to do so. Yet we have succeeded. We as farmers need to open our mind, seize the opportunities by removing some of the stumbling blocks like the ownership of assets or the impossibility to market other crops, getting government back guaranties, I am confident this organization can not only survive but thrive, It is in your hands, it is in our hands but it will take a change of attitude.
Are you, Are we up to the challenge or would we rather let the CWB disappear?

[TOM4CWB]

Francksaskfarmer

Well done. My hat is off to you.

Thanks!!!

[Southpaw]

Franck
Well said.

[btjadenlepp]

nice speech franck, and good on you to get
out there. i'm hoping to make it to oak
bluff tomorrow. i've got a few things to
say that are similar to your view.

[mbratrud]

Franck I sent a message to mr O and some
CWB staff expressing my disapointment,
that the meeting was happening while i
was swathing. You are absolutely right
we need to be the voice of change.
Supporters of the Board have to be shown
that there is alternatives and despite
the Boards propaganda of all or nothing
there can be a role for the CWB. step
one should be sack the current board and
replace with a board that is prepared to
work towards the future.

The needs to be a grass roots public
counter attack.