Camrose pep rally

[blackpowder]

Expected no info/ideas or relevant Q & A's.
Delivered as expected.
Congrats to a few brave QUESTIONERS.
Boo to the politicians who used our time for gain-not questions.
Only one loose cannon.
My interview with French CBC Radio will go far. Good to see the Communist Party show 'solidarity'.
Now have an opinion on Oberg troupe.
His head was so far into the "tickle trunk" he used the Crow as a rallying cry! Perhaps a lot in common with all those who took mic time to tell us their life's story.
No wonder senior execs are distant, this would look bad on a private sector resume.

[TOM4CWB]

Blackpowder,

While waiting for the show to begin... we noted how bleak and sour Chairman Oberg was looking... and told him to cheer up!!!

He then did smile... how could he not with the Sniders (Little Red Hen Organics)and Jackson sitting in the front row right in front of him!

Was surprised at how many embarrasing questions were asked... but not surprised at the lack of convincing answers from 'single desk' directors and staff.

The CWB explanation of 'single desk' marketing prowess was less than convincing.

One gentleman asked for a show of support for the CWB single desk... by asking for the audience to clap.

I was very surprised at how few people did clap... not a majority vote by any stretch.

Some very upset folks about the money being spent on the 'single desk' promotion and how this went against the Canadian Court order telling the CWB to stop spending on the promotion of the 'Single Desk' Chairman Oberg was defiant. Told the meeting... in essence dared Minister Ritz to send him the order to stop.

The threat was the very same as in Medicine Hat. If the Plebicite goes against the government... the CWB will use all resourses to fight the end of the 'single desk'.

I have it all recorded on my phone video... in HD colour. 20GB in 5 files. Will upload to YouTube but will take some time to set it up!

Met a fella at Tims after. He was very shy at first... could have sworn was a 'single desk' supporter.

By the time we got out to the parking lot... he was truly releaved those close by supported Market Choice...

He had been South to Montana... and was VERY annoyed with CWB PPO prices and Durum marketing in the past few years.

Same old story over and over... we are missing $1.50-$3/bu... year after year.

In his defiant tone... Chairman Oberg ended the meeting with the statement:

"If we don't all hang together, then surely, we shall all hang separately."

How do you top that one!!!

[craig]

Few more notes from meeting.
Early comment from the chair about how the Board was proud of how the CWB was an open and transparent organization. Not the CWB I know.
When Oberg explained who got ballots for the plebisite it was everyone who had delivered grain in last 2 years or had a permit book in last 5 years. Simple question. Why not just say anyone who had a permit book in last 5 years. After the meeting discussion suggested there are about 48000 permit books out this year. Only 20000 less than ballots sent out for the plebisite.
In all the meeting was quite civil. My rough estimate would be about 2/3 board supporters, 1/3 open market.
Interesting that the board would bring 2 directors from Saskatchewan to extoll virtues of the board. As expected Jeff Neilson was with the board directors but was not asked to make any comments.
Oberg talked about the value of government guarentees but didn't talk about the fact they may loose those guarentees regardless of the future of the board. No one wants to talk about plan of the board to build a contingency fund in the tune of multi million dollars from producer proceeds to backstop if this materializes.
On the surface it would seem the board makes a compeling argument for retention of the single desk. Now if only what was implied and what was reality were the same thing. A common thread of those that I talked to was that no one was likely to sway the other side of the argument. What's the point of arguing. It is not our role to tell producers what is right or wrong for their farm. Last comment.
First CWB meeting I've been at where TOM4CWB was not at the mike. Great self restraint Tom

[notaredneck]

Haha you were interviewed on french radio, wow your my hero!

[mbratrud]

Blackpowder, I am sure your interview would have been worth the price of admission.

It is unfortunate that the current BOD is so bullheaded they are willing to bury the CWB, rather than work towards a organization that could be effective for farmers in an open market.

The Government should freeze spending on the rallies immediately.

[blackpowder]

Also got sense that an analyses of the last 30 years would show that the CWB is ultimately responsible for it's own demise.
I wonder if B personnel with business experience outside the Politburo aren't a little dismayed at this latest performance.
All in all a saddening experience.

[TOM4CWB]

Thanks Craig!

The biggest question I have is what are Oberg and the 7 other think alike Directors planning if the Plebicite goes against Minister Ritz and PM Harper... which I have no doubt it will.

NO way I would give Chairman Oberg the satisfaction of sending in the wheat ballot... when they did not send us a ballot on barley. The CWB knew full well we grow barley by the declaired acres each year.

This plebicite is as crooked as a dogs tail. The guys who were upset about the way this was handled... were totally justified in being angry...

ESPECIALLY AFTER CHAIRMAN OBERG ET AL. SO DEFENDED THEIR RIGHT TO HAVE A DEMOCRATIC VOTE ON THE 'SINGLE DESK'.

District 2 Director Jeff Nielsen did a great job of explaining his discomfort with the CWB discrimination present in the ballot selection and distribution to those who were choosen to be part of the plebicite.

The majority of growers I know who have commercial grain farms believe fair competition by a voluntary CWB is what is needed. Chairman Oberg stated this is impossible.

I disagree. Chairman Oberg will very likely win the argument... as he very likely has the power to pull the present CWB into so many peices... that we will just be happy to put it out of its misery.. and to rest in peace.

When talking to John Pearson who was on the Western Grain Marketing Pannel... he had a VERY INTERESTING COMMENT.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RECOMENDATIONS THEY MADE... WAS THAT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF PRODUCTION OF WHEAT AND BARLEY HAVE THE 'FREEDOM OF CHOICE' 25 PERCENT WAS NEEDED HE SAID.

JOHN AND I BOTH AGREED HAD THE cwb AND goodale IMPEMENTED THIS SIMPLE RECOMENDATION... THE END OF THE 'SINGLE DESK' VERY LIKELY WOULD NOT BE IN FULL IMPLEMENTATION NOW.

That and the crazy decision to buy the ships.

CHAIRMAN OBERG IS TREADING ON SACRED GROUND ON THE DEMOCRACY FRONT. The decison to buy the ships needed a unanomous vote and must have been talked about in the last directors election... with a plebicite question on a ballot generally avaliable. Chairman Oberg and crew knew it would have NEVER passed... so they kept it secret. THIS is NOT DEMOCRACY.

LIKE A BULL IN A CHINA SHOP... Chairman OBERG IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT WHAT REAL justified ANGER feels like...

WHEN THE REAL GRAIN FARMERS WHO PRODUCE THE MAJORITY OF OUR GRAIN... FIND HE CONFISCATES A BIG CHUNK OF THE 2011-12 GRAIN VALUES... TO CORRUPTLY FIGHT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Chairman Oberg SHOULD BE WORRIED. HE AND HIS BUDDIES WENT WAY OVER THE LINE OF PROFFESIONAL CONDUCT OF CORPORATE DIRECTORS.

DIRECTOR JEFF should have been given the support and respect of time in the presentation to present the case for Marketing Choice:

But Chairman Oberg and his 7 think alike Director buddies... know it all.

Every one else is wrong about the 'single buying desk'.

AS was said by the think alike CWB Directors... any grain company who had the 'single buying desk' right to demand growers supply all this grain in western Canada... would give about anything to get this power!

Chairman Oberg is right... and the grain companies that are integrated into the food chain... absolutely do LOVE the CWB.

Absolute Power. has corrupted the CWB... Absolutely.

A PITTY. Only in Canada... would we allow this lack of vision and shallow
socialist vindictive arrogance to destroy an otherwise well functioning marketing system.

[blackpowder]

Also upsetting to see the word 'democracy' being used as a catch phrase by the worst hypocrites I can think of.

[Integrity_Farmer]

If you guys are upset, then I know the meeting was good.

[TOM4CWB]

My Princess is working on the 20GB video file. Took half the night to download it on to our computors! Her Machine has worked an hour and got 8 percent on the consolidation of the video recording!

WHAT fun! I can make a move... with all the theatrics... and the Chairman Oberg jig at the end!

"If we don't all hang together, then surely, we shall all hang separately."

What theatrics!!!!

Isn't this a great Country!

God Bless Canada!

Obergs standing ovation was a treat to behold!!! Like the good Canadians we are... a standing ovation for the CWB Captain going down with his ships in tow... even if he is causing them to sink himself...

Oberg deserves 'Performance of the Year' award... for best actor in charge of destroying a multi-billion$ corporation!!!

A word of advice for CWB Chairman Oberg. The word 'impossible' is not in a commercial growers volcabulary. It shouldn't be in your either.

Another quote that caught my eye was:

If the government were responsible for when we should plant and harvest... we would starve!

Good advice. Now when this is applied to our own CWB pooling accounts... it explains where the $2/bu plus goes!!!

You know better CWB Chairman Allen... I saw it in your eyes last night. On Colour HD film!!!

[Hopperbin]

I cannot wait to see it, it it done yet??

[blackpowder]

I'm likely not as 'upset' as you sound I.F.
I simply hear a lot of irony in the indiscrete use of the word 'democracy'.
This 'rally' felt more like a funeral.
We should all be a little bothered by the squandered opportunities. A certain group of people having their heads firmly in the sand for 30 years has led to this "terrible beauty".

[TOM4CWB]

HOPPER,

32 PERCENT LOADED... NOT BURNED TO A DVD YET.

MAY HAVE TO GET one of MY SONs TO EDIT IT AS WE ARE driving TO VISIT MY SON-IN-LAW AND DAUGHTER IN HAY RIVER NWT tonight.

HOW WE LOAD THIS TO YOUTUBE... TOO BIG SO MUST CUT IT DOWN BIG TIME.

PLEASE BE PATIENT!

[cottonpicken]

Once in a while i talk about this and i know not
many care or believe or understand it but....

If we knew when and how much the cwb was selling
in years prior we could do a technical analyst of
whether or not they are good,bad or ugly.

Many don't believe in technical analysis but so
many do it is a self for filling profficy.

Hundreds of billions of dollars switch hands
everyday based on it.

[wd9]

Or just an audit by gov gen.