Corruption in High Places

[AdamSmith]

Ok so everybody seems to be in great tizzy about Mulroney and $300,000 in the form of cash stuffed envelopes.

Why?

Because he used his position of power and influence to take money for personal gain. Right

So is it the money that bothers us? Let's face it, is 300 large really that big of deal?

Not really. So, it must be the using his position of power and influence for personal gain part that we as Canadians find offensive, right.

Well what about CWB Directors ignoring the wishes of farmers, and doing everything possible no matter how ridiculous it is, in order to preserve their own position of power, for personal gain?

Nada there.

Hundreds of Millions of farmers dollars have been pissed away,all because eight clowns want to preserve their per-diems and their expense accounts and their ability to travel the world and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of foreign lands.

Or what about questionable CWB sales for deep discounts? I'm sure there are no little extra side benifits to the sales people who make those deals? Brazil can be a very exciting place to escape from reality for a night or two I'm sure!

Or what about the issue of "CWB retribution" I'm sure that's all been on the up and up?

Same principle but two totally different responses from the Canadian public, the Media and the politicians.

But hey I'm not cynical.

[wilagro]

Sooooo why don't YOU run for CWB director? Once elected, you would have some FACTS at your fingertips instead of suspicions. Presuming that corruption exists cannot be a good basis for judging your Western Canadian marketing agency that is acting on your behalf.

[Kodiak]

Adam, is this one of the things you were referring too ---some preferential prices, payment of loading costs, and concessions on credit to the Algerians? Wilagro, does this sound like an organization “that is acting on your behalf”?

Let’s do the math…..400,000 tonnes times tens of dollars…lets just uses 2 tens = $8million or more each year in “preferential prices” --just on durum- just to the Algerians. How much more isn’t revealed by , let’s say, more savvy customers who are a more tight-lipped.


Excepts from an original article --- Dec. 17, 2006, La Liberté, Quotidien National D’Information, page six; translated from the French by the CWB:

Canadian Wheat Board
“Algeria is a Preferred Customer”

By: Hamid Saïdani

“Canada sells an average of 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes of wheat to Algeria annually.

For years, Canada has been the sole supplier of durum ………. Canada offers the Algerian organization an array of guarantees and advantages that cannot be found elsewhere.……. According to Kacem, the Bureau’s choice of Canada as sole supplier is based on a number of objective factors …………….. he points out, emphasizing that selling prices in Algeria are carefully studied, since our country receives preferential prices, which save Algeria tens of dollars per tonne purchased. ………….. In addition, the Canadian supplier pays the loading costs, and facilitations are offered with regard to the method of payment. “No other country offers us these advantages,” says Kacem. ………”