Cabinet shuffle

[winwin]

Gerry Ritz,good guy.Wears cowboy boots.Gotta love him.
Message from the top here."Confidence in you,Gerry.Get the job done."
He wants the West to grow.Seen enogh decline.CWB Act largely responsible.Great idea in theory,but KILLING the west.I believe he might feel this way.

[smcgrath76]

I liked Strahl. In my estimation whether you agree or disagree with him you have to respect him.
I think INA is a promotion for him. This morning on the national news they mentioned Dianne Ablonczy (sp?) as a new minister but no mention of Ritz. I think that certainly points out the importance of Ag in the media. Personally I am not sure I would wish the Ag post on anyone. I know that in cabinet it is percieved as a post that is always whining for more funding.
It will be interesting to see what gets done in Ag in the context of a new minister and a minority parliament.

[Burbert]

I called it right a few days ago. Chuck/Chuck, great move, he was a terrible gag minister, cost farmers a lot of money. Wow now Indian affairs, I feel an uprising about to occur, what a silly move for the Harp to make. Failed farmers make the best gag ministers, remember Lee Vancliffe what a great man, did just about everything wrong. If you duds are depending on the government to help you out you on Angriville are all doooooooommed!! Let the whinnnning begin, one, two, three, eyyyyyowwww, poor farmers need more govt support########

[Lifer]

How did Strahl cost farmers money?

[Fransisco]

Music to my ears...


John Gormley, "If you National Farmers Union types didn't like Chuck Strahl, you're going to hate - hate - Gerry Ritz."

[parsley]

I agree Fransisco!

They'll figure it out, albeit slowly.

Sometimes the truth comes slowly.

Parsley

[freewheat]

Burbot, we do not want handouts, we want the western wheat bored gone. I voted 2, I'm now a 3 big time. The money they lose me each year would make me a good living on modest acres. Cheer up, by the way, you still have your beloved western confiscation of wheat and barley bored, for the time being at least.

[FarmRanger]

“Price of failure, Herr Harper has banished Strahl to Indian affairs”

Almost speechless over that little gem…. Strahl tries to actually implement what prairie farmers want (and voted for) and he’s vilified for that? Am I correct in assessing that Agstar criticizes the governments actions as being something fascists would do??

Then ignoring the wishes of the majority of prairie farmers would be the act of what kind of government?

Burbert, I’d be interested in your answer to Lifer’s question too.

[rainman]

Burbert, what are you talking about? The F-ing CWB is what is costing us money, or did you not notice that barley has dropped $.50/Bu since the big day in court? I think that Chuck did a good job and that considering what harper is trying to accomplish, it would be tough for anyone!

[skhadenuf]

Let's face the facts Chuck was a nice guy for the media to talk to, but as much as I hate to say so a dud for ag minister, wonder what the first nations will do with Chuck if he fumbles around that portfolio like he did with agriculture? We still have CAIS, but only with a new name and less coverage.
The barley issue as time goes on to me appears to be a work of political enginuity. Let's try to get rid of the Wheat Board control of barley but do it in a way that it won,t happen and since the Liberals and NDP want the CWB this will become the next election issue, and because two thirds of farmers don't want the CWB not hard to figure out what results in western Canada will be. The problem with this is that the other issues such as poor production insurance and disfunctional Cais will simply continue on and will be on the backburner and we really will not be any further ahead in the long run, and because of some of the extreme right influence maybe even worse.
Good luck to Mr. Ritz alot of people are counting on you to get rid of the CWB not just for barley but wheat as well. But at the same time there are other just as important issues namely
SCRAP THE CRAP CAIS for real this time!!!! We want to have the same marketing opportunities eastern provinces have but also the same level of farm programs ie. revenue insurance, production insurance as well.

[kamichel]

I agree with Freewheat, our votes to allow the CWB to continue and change only got twisted to allow the CWB monopoly to continue. We must vote 3 now.

[chaffmeister]

Afraid I can't give details but seems to me the CWB is currently screwing up the barley trade. Bottom line is the concern over access to malt barley makes them impotent. They recognize what has happened in the past where the malt PRO isn't good enough to compete with the feed domestic market. So they miss out on good business.

This is not ideological - it's simple commerce. If barley was "open", the trade would be executing on this business, managing the risk as they do, and offering excellent spreads to feed - regardless of the time of year and regardless of the domestic feed price. In fact, if the CWB operated differently - cash pricing with GOOD and REASONABLE contracting - the CWB itself could offer programs that would ensure they get the barley and so they could be more responsive to the market.

Ritter said it won't be business as usual.

Well, guess again. Looking at the Initials, the PRO's and the marketing stance with offshore buyers, nothin's changed.

you've still got poor pricing and squandered opportunities.

(Burbert and others - don't even begin to bore me with the "value proposition" of the CWB. From what I see, it's non-debatable.)

[Burbert]

Who do you think paid for the failed barley fiasco, the Comedian Govn't, not likely. We did, farmers. Chuckie is a burnt out politico from BC, he knew nothing about ag. Butt who care, he was a great gag minister, did everything that Angiville wanted, what did it get him, a plum, like Ind affairs, hope he isn't wearing an Arrow shirt. Useless and toothless, is how he'll be remembered around here. What a waste of time, pitting farmer against farmer. Heck most of us already hate one another, Chuckie wasn't required to split us further apart, yyyyukkkkkkkk!

[Zaphod]

You're right about one thing Bubbert. Farmers did pay for this fiasco, but only when the court ruling came down. Before that, farmers were actually making good money in the barley market by using their smarts and selling at a profit. Since then, it's the "shut up and take what's good for you" style of socialist barley marketing. You may think farmers are too stupid to sell their crops. I don't.

[chaffmeister]

- CWB barley system flawed and costly
- majority of farmers have wanted choice for many years (according to the CWB)
- Ag Minister works to give them what they want
- farmers win
- the Dirty Dozen NFU Friends and CWB challenge and win
- farmers lose

How can any reasonable person respect those that either would vote against the majority's wishes (like Liberal, Bloc and NDP MPs) or challenge them in court (Friends and CWB).

Anyone on the outside looking in would call this "injustice".