Cabinet shuffle

[liberty]

So Gerry Ritz is the new agriculture minister, replacing Chuck Strahl who moves to Indian Affairs.

What do you folks think of the new minister?

What changes do you see in the future, especially regarding the CWB file?

[northfarmer]

Below is a bio on Mr. Ritz, my thoughts are Chuch did a heck of a job, not easy taking the presonal verbal and print abuse he has. I wish him well in his new post.
As to Ritz, good ole Sask farm boy and one that has a extremly strong conviction for choice. Think the board of directors of the CWB should pay head and respect their new Minister. Time to quit the political bashing and retoric and accept the fact that change is going to happen. And that they need to learn to adapt and truly become something that will work for all farmers.
Erik


Gerry Ritz was first elected to Parliament in 1997. He was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2006. Most recently, Mr. Ritz was the Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. He previously served as the Critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food and for Public Works and Government Services.

Mr. Ritz also served as Deputy Whip and Question Period Coordinator for the Official Opposition. He was Chair of the Subcommittee on the Estimates Process and a member of the standing committees on Finance and on Transport, the Subcommittee on Private Members' Business and the Liasion Committee.

During his career, Mr. Ritz has run his own farming operation, owned and operated a general contracting business and co-owned a weekly newspaper. Prior to entering politics, he worked as constituency coordinator for former Saskatchewan MP, Elwin Hermanson. He was actively involved in the Rosetown Economic Development Committee, the Knights of Columbus, and coaching children's hockey.

Mr. Ritz is married to Judy and has two adult children.

[freewheat]

A WESTERN farmer as Wheat board minister? Could it be?

[parsley]

Gerry Ritz is strongly committed to providing the same to Westerners that Easterners have enjoyed for years and years.

Parsley

[freewheat]

Excellente'!!!! Maybe I would grow wheat again for human connsumption...

[agstar77]

Price of failure, Herr Harper has banished Strahl to Indian affairs. He should make as many friends with his co-operative approach as he did in Western Canada. He didn't solve any of the tough problems eg. CAIS or transportation , but instead tilted at windmills to try to implement the Reform philosophy of all for one. Ritz may have the same views but he may know more about agriculture and what is really important.

[stubblejumper]

A Bankrupt farmer in charge of Agriculture? Why not.

[craig]

Interesting the ag minister shuffle was hardly noted by the media in Alberta. (Calgary, Edmonton) Also implied that Ag to Indian affairs was not deemed a demotion. Strong message, media and politicians don't really care about agriculture. While it might make the Strahl haters happy there is no indication that the government's position has changed.

[just_wondering]

Indian affairs is a high profile post for Strahl, relatively safe and non confrontational compared to Agriculture at least the natives can ALL agree they have not had good policies from the FED. That weasel chretien started in IA and went to the top from there
What did poor Peter McCay do to deserve defense? Is Harper sending him to the hinterlands to keep away leadership rivals?
Good luck to Ritz he wil need it

[BennyHin]

What happened to David Anderson Franny?

He was your choice?

Harper isnt as stupid as he looks.

[just_wondering]

from www.smalldeadanimals.com comments page


Here are some quotes from Ritz. Form your own opinion. Methinks, the left won't be sleeping too sound tonight and the Honourable member for Regina Wascana might be ready to admit that change will occur.

_____________________________________________


The Hon. Gerry Ritz, P.C., MP for Battlefords-Lloydminster is pleased that Western barley producers' voices have been heard and that marketing choice can be a reality this year. “Through this plebiscite, Western farmers have clearly indicated they want the freedom to market their own product like farmers in other regions of the country,” says Ritz. (MARCH 28)

Hon. Gerry Ritz, P.C., M.P., for Battlefords-Lloydminister commended his government's decision today to table back-to-work legislation to end the crippling Canadian National Railway strike. “I am very pleased. This is terrific news for the country and Battlefords-Lloydminster,” says Ritz. The legislation was introduced today after mediation failed to produce an agreement for the 2,800 CN employees who have been on strike for nearly two weeks, while rail cars backed up and ports filled with waiting ships. “We had to act. Farmers and businesses that rely on the railway are suffering significantly because of this strike,” says Ritz. (FEBRUARY 23)

Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Gerry Ritz questions why some opposition MP’s in Ottawa are getting so hysterical about the Canadian Wheat Board when they have absolutely no concept of how it works, or how reforms might benefit western farmers. “Malpeque MP Wayne Easter might know a lot about PEI potatoes but he’s got a lot to learn about our grain industry and he doesn’t seem willing to listen,” said Ritz who chairs the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food. “Wayne has a few gullible people convinced that marketing choice will put farmers out of business and as usual he has it completely backwards.” (October 19, 2006)

Gerry Ritz thinks Prairie grain farmers need to move up the value chain to earn a sustainable income from farming. Ritz is a Conservative MP for the Saskatchewan riding of Battlefords-Lloydminster and Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Combinations of factors have resulted in a long-term decline in returns for Canadian grain farmers,” notes Ritz. “Many of those factors we don’t control, and they don’t look to be going away, so I have to ask the question: What options do we have as policymakers to improve the prospects of earning a sustainable income from grain farming? One option is to create more favourable conditions for farmers to participate in the wealth created from the value added to their grain once it leaves the field.” (CHOICE MATTERS)

Earlier this week, Conservative MP Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster) was debating a bill in the House of Commons that would allow farmers to sell their wheat and barley to "an association or firm engaged in the processing of grain if a majority interest in the association or firm is held by the producer or producers based in Canada." Bill 300 is a private member's bill and traditionally most of that end up dying on the order paper. (June 26, 2006)


Posted by: Larry Weber at August 14, 2007 6:14 PM

[SASKFARMER3]

Chuck was a good guy who did a good job as Ag Minister. Hopefully we will one of these days get a mandate from the people of Canada and really govern this country. Seems that big changes in just first year compared to Liberals (Ralph) of asking questions with a question and doing absolutely nothing.

[freewheat]

I agree chuck was a great guy and a good ag minister, considering he was not a farmer. i think that if the Western wheat bored hit ritz in his pocketbook, as it has all of us, he will have more resolve than Chuck to get the show on the road and grant the west the fredom the rest of the country has. Chicago wheat 7 bucks. Western Canadian wheat?????

All the best to chuck, and we hope he can reform the indian act!!!
Just as soon as ritz kills the weat board act...

[Fransisco]

Anderson would have been my choice, but I think Ritz can get the job done.

[winwin]

Strahl tried to bring individual rights and PRIVATE PROPERTY to western farmers.The west is treated as a big reserve under Chief Ritter and his band council.
The identical problem is what needs correcting on indian reserves as with us;no ownership,no ability to create wealth,too much power concentrated in the hands at the top.No hope.
Indians,like farmers simply need to be EMPOWERED BY FREEDOM.
Mr Srahl will get the ball rolling.Their chiefs,like our chiefs,wont like it.
Their people,like our people,will like it.