Agriculture policy depends on which farmers Ottawa is wooing

[chuckChuck]

If your going to vote Conservative perhaps you should decide whether you are in favour of free markets or soviet style supply management because you can't justify supporting both and still appear credible and consistent at home or at the WTO.

Do you think Harper used ending the CWB as a bargaining tool in negotiating trade deals or did he miss an opportunity to increase market access or reduce trade irritants?

I would say he just gave it away because he is just a man on a mission to make sure his corporate friends can benefit. Another missed opportunity.

When Ritz's political career is over he will be offered a directorship in a Corporate ag. business. A reward for a job well done.

I know all you "free marketers" believe that the corporate world is always acting in your best interest.

[gregpet]

Credible and consistent? Like the former CWB
saying they work for the best interests of farmers
and yet jail them for trying to maximize the price
they could recieve for their grain? Many, many
contradictions within the former CWB which is why it
lost any credibility with farmers a long time ago.

[gregpet]

chuck, do you think any of the former CWB directors
and employees will be handed some directorships or
high paying jobs because of the friends they have
made in the industry. I can think of a couple that
have already done this, so just make sure you realize
this happens all the time and the former CWB is no
exception to this.

[gregpet]

chuck, should the government support whichever
policy creates the most profit for farmers
reguardless of any of your percieved
inconsistencies? That is why I vote Conservative,
they will do what is best for every sector.

That is why supply management works and the
former CWB did not, consistent policy to me.

Definition of a Soviet style command economy:

" In a centrally planned economy, decisions
regarding the quantity of goods and services to be
produced are planned in advance by a planning
agency."

Similar to the dary/poultry producers, nothing like
the former CWB. So you can have your central
planning for some sectors of the economy and
realize it will not work for other sectors, which is a
very consistent and smart policy.

[charliep]

chuckChuck

Just trying to remember where you got your agriville name from.

Perhaps the highlight is that an open market for wheat and barley has been a Conservative policy for a long time and across more than one ag minister.

Always interesting to see how the issue can be turned political or personal but no one even attempts to a make a business case for the CWB. Maybe there is no business case for the CWB.

[LWeber]

Has the CWB ever looked after the interests of pro-choice farmers?

Has the CWB has stopped the declining number of farms?

Has the CWB stopped RR's from increasing rail freight?

What did Goodale get in return for the abolishment of the WGTA?

If you are concerned that corporations will never look after farmers, look at the track record above.

The CWB was ruined when it was hijacked by the left. First in an advisory capacity - then in election scam.

If you don't think it is a scam, let the Government in power set the voter's criteria and move to a preferential ballot. I'm sure Goodale would support that.

Letting all the 01 prefixes vote in the CWB election is like letting foreign relatives of Canadians vote in a Federal election.

If you oppress any group long enough, it will bite you in the ass.

Lets see what kind of communication budget the CWB has when they have to spend their own profit, not farmers.

You reap what you sow.

[blackpowder]

Once again charliep goes directly to the point!! Hurrah!
LWeber hits a homer with his analysis of the boards demise by the extreme left!!
Pendulums swing and reality bites!
We have to make a lot of hay before the pendulum starts to swing back.
The generation being groomed for power today needs help to sort through the 40 yrs of Trudeau era thinking.

[oneoff]

Could it be that some of the most vocal pro-CWB supporters are only interested in their current entitlements? Is that why they are so concerned? Bring on the fresh air!!!. If only the rest of farmers knew why the CWB has been good for their farms. For the rest of us we have paid dearly in lost profits, lost time and opportunity and the heavy hand of the law designed and used to keep the status quo.

[chuckChuck]

Oneoff. If you think the "entitlements" are so valuable to pedigreed growers and organic farmers what is stopping you from accessing either? Both are freely open to anyone who follows the rules.

[checking]

"freely open", and why is that coming from the mouth of a board supporter? Strange that you don't find that to be a contradiction of your speel.

Blending and folding those grain prices of organics and pedigreed into a pool would indicate that you'd not be the hypocrite that believes all farmers (except chuckchuck types) should be happy with a collective average.