Options for the minister if he was forced to a plebicite

[craig]

Part of the oppositions position re fighting the proposed legislation is the demand that this be forced to a binding plebicite. Look at this further. To start with the CWB board of directors has clearly stated that anything over 50% is a clear majority(barley) and that they would respect the results of a vote. It is also true that the minister has the ability to design and implement the vote. So the government having been forced to this position and being asked to spend tax payers money would have the option of asking a number of questions. First the obvious is that a voluntary wheat board question can come into the mix because in fact that is what the government is proposing. Second is that the government has the right to include all barley and wheat producers including those that don't sell through the board and probably also has a right to set the parameters of who is eligible to vote. ( minimum amount of production) The government would also have the right to break down the vote to include classes of wheat and barley. Do you wish to sell your Durum throught the CWB. Finally the government would have the option of asking producers whether they would like their province to be removed from the wheat board designated area. So reality is a vote does not necessarily give the opposition what they want.

[boarderbloke]

If a vote is to had, then how about, 1 cultivated acre = 1 vote.

It's not about group voting though, it's about individuals doing want they want on their own farms. I don't beleive a vote is necessary, farmers should be left to vote with their trucks! If you want to contract some production to the CWB then do so, If you want to make a deal with a grain corp then do so, if you want a broker to sell it for you then do so, if you want to make flour then do so.

[bucket]

Since the cwb directors have been kissing eastern MPs asses for support and they want to involve all farmers.

If Ritz holds a plebiscite, he should let all farmers vote across canada that grow wheat, durum and barley.

That would set the record straight.

Or just let all farmers vote that are actively farming that may grow wheat or barley. Not dead ones or drooling out of the side of their mouth/in a home farmers.

[rodb]

Farmers who support the CWB will be able to give their wheat, durum, barley, and if the CWB chooses to do it, canola, peas, flax and oats to pool. The CWB can arrange handling agreements the same way they have in the past although they may be a little expensive in the short term as they have alienated a lot of the grain industry with their mudsling doom and gloom rhetoric.

Farmers will vote with bushels and if enough farmers support the CWB and its pooling, it will survive.

[HFL]

Another vote is unnecessary. They held the barley pebisite 5 years ago and have had the right to remove barley from the single desk since that time. A vote on wheat, designed by the minister would certianly inculde the option of a volentary CWB and would not allow dead people to vote. The CWB's own producer surveys show that that farmers want an open market with a volentary CWB as one of the players. To me it seems difficult to ignore the results of the federal election held on May 2nd. The Consevetives have campaigned on ending the monopoly for almost 10 years and have won every rural riding for what? the last 5 elections. Its time to get on with it.

[bucket]

Good points, rodb.

It has never ceased to amaze me that the cwb does not handle smaller shipments and couple them with a flax or pea shipment.

Most cwb supporters don't realize it is the graincos selling small lots of their grain worldwide. The cwb only gets involved with large orders or dealing with country buyers like Japan or china. Then they just give it away anyway for a geisha girl or too many saki.

[Burbert]

Lets vote and vote and vote till we get
the results we want on Angriville. Who
cares what is good er not for Comedian
farmers? We are a group of baffons,
trying to shoot ourselves in the foot.
Let us do it. We are using registered
guns after all is said and done and are
being lead by a cracker/ostrich guy! A
great Gag minister/the greatest Gag
minister of all time.......

[bucket]

Burbert

You really surprise me. Here you are using a computer. Taking the time to invent some new language that only you speak. Obviously, quite computer literate, probably to the point you could find the current CWB asking prices in both Thunder Bay and over in Rotterdam.

And seeing that you are that smart, you do not question the large spreads between the asking price, the PROs, and your final return to your farm.

Just using averages of the asking prices at the port of Thunder Bay from Aug 1st on(which is where our responsibility should end) there is currently at least a 5 dollar spread to the current PRO and another 5 dollar spread to the initial.

I just don't get how, you of all people, still support the incompetence of the cwb?

[Hopperbin]

Craigs topic should be considered if we end up in such a bottle neck and in fighting among us farmers which we are most likely in right now and have been for a while. I agree to vote on malt, feed barley, any other class of barley, durum, HRSW, and all the other classes separately which the cwb is doing such a bang screwed up job of marketting. Of course we must let all farmers, not investors or guys renting land out to farmers to vote. Permit book or cwb membership does not count as a farmer if your not taking risk and actually buying fert chem fuel etc.
Do CWB supporter any of you support something like this?? Or would you think its unfair in any way???

[BreadWinner]

Ill vote with my grain sales, if the board price is better they will get my wheat and barley. If line companies are paying more they will get the grain. My grain My decision! I could give a rats ass what anyone else thinks.

[TOM4CWB]

Craig et al.;

I bet the Liberano's Bloc and ND's would argue that forcing the CWB monopoly on the 'rest of Canada' couldn't and WILL NOT be done;

Without them voting... with a large supermajority (convention in these provinces requires) in favour... of allowing the extending the CWB 'single desk' over them.

We all know this is not going to happen.

If this were the result, Goodale would have created a second class of citizens in western Canada... in 1998 when he passed the CWB Act at that time.

How absurd to think we are even discussing this in a 'free and democratic nation' that Canada is supposed to be!!!

[$short]

There is no need for a vote. The act has been repealed. Its a done deal soon.