Why are Choice Directors Silent?

[parsley]

Jim Chatenay was elected with 87%? of the vote and he has maintained his promise to work for marketing choice.

What other directors attended the meeting in Ottawa, if any? If they did not, why not?

If the Minister wants choice, why were his appointees not in attendance to at least try to stay awake in a visitors' chair.

Or do they not listen to their boss either?

Parsley

[parsley]

Morris Dorosh wrote an astounding editorial this week in the newsletter named Agri-week.

It is brilliant.Every CWB Director should read this.

The outcome of the Ottawa pow-wow last week of people with a stake in the western barley market was not expected to produce an instant solution to an issue that has been festering for a generation.

But the equivocal statements of agriminister Ritz after the meeting and on other recent occasions will not cheer up many monopoly opponents.

The minister has given the Board the gentlest kind of ultimatum: sort of like “help me out with this, or I will
have take measures.” The Board will probably respond that it is offering all the marketing choice, flexibility and options that anyone could possibly want in its zoony CashPlus program for malting barley, and that it did so
on its own and without any urging from the minister.

Furthermore, it is likely to say that standing legislation does not permit it to do other than what it is doing.
There is definitely the rotten smell of compromise in the air. Though the directors will be the last to admit it,
they must realize that a threat does exist to their statehood.

All that saves it for the moment is the Harper government’s lack of a majority such as would allow it to
pass legislation freely. If the 2006 election had turned out a little differently the monopoly would be gone by now.

The directors must understand that there is still every possibility that Canadian Wheat Board Act amendments
could be passed even in the minority situation.

The Board’s opinion polls, the latest of which is either underway or just finished, are said to be showing declining farmer support. Not just weariness of all this conflict:
the Board’s 2007-08 prices lag surging free outside wheat and barley markets by yawning margins.

So the directors would probably agree to an arrangement allowing individuals and grain companies to export barley to the U.S. by providing export permits automatically at no charge.

It might even cede the domestic nonfeed
market. It would keep the offshore monopoly. It would expect a guarantee that the government will stop the offensive to eliminate the wheat single-desk.

There would be no change in regulations or legislation and the
Board would have the right to re-impose monopoly control either on a certain future date if not extended, or at any time it chooses perhaps with one-year notice.

If the minister and the government accept such a preposterous proposition he and it will have been taken in
like the morning milk.

The matter of the moment is barley,
and the Board has addressed only the fraction represented by the domestic malt trade. This is 7.5% of the
Board’s business.

The real issue is wheat and barley and
whatever percentage of business it cannot attract on a voluntary dual-market basis.

Until and unless the government carries out its election promise to eliminate the monopoly and allow a dual market, the Wheat Board will have fought the Government of Canada to a draw.

A situation exists in which the government has no control over a government entity and creation, for whose financial integrity Canadian taxpayers are responsible.

Parallels are hard to think of, but it is might be like a case in which the Canadian Revenue Agency were to write and enforce its own tax rules
claiming some loophole in the law with the government unable to close it.

Supporters of the Board and its monopoly system are fond of citing democracy issues. They say the Board is
run democratically by elected directors and that the government
is acting undemocratically by attempting to change the rules.

If the government had not conducted a
vote of barley growers a year ago they would have said that farmers’ wishes were not discovered; since a vote was held and showed clear majority support for at least a dual market, they say the vote was improperly done and results are invalid.

Don’t tell me the anti-choice crowd
would accept amendments to the Wheat Board Act if passed by parliament.

The democracy issue here is actually the ability of an elected government to make laws and carry out its policies.

Parliamentary practice necessarily limits what a minority government can do, but to contend that a duly elected
government does not have the right to act legislatively is ludicrous.

The concept that previous legislation
can impose conditions limiting the authority of future governments is completely ridiculous.

If a government cannot change legislation, democracy is lost.

It is a wonder that through the whole sordid episode it has not occurred
to someone in the government to submit the Canadian Wheat Board Act to a constitutional review.

Former agriminister Chuck Strahl was considered even by some monopoly opponents as too rough with the Board, but it turns out he was not rough enough.

The directors of the Wheat Board continue to act as if it is a sovereign independent state.

Enough already.

UNQUOTE


REQUIRED READING IF YOU BELIEVE IN A FREE NATION.



Parsley

[wilagro]

The answer to your question...probably the "change" delegates have "seen the light", and find that the CWB is really doing its job well.

Did you even consider that possibility?

[charliep]

No idea why the CWB doesn't offer. Would have to widen the basis a bit to cover risk factor/look at using weather derivatives to offset risk.

[Fransisco]

Any and all price comparisons including with average US prices shows that the "light" is in the free market arena.

[parsley]

You have to consider everything wilagro.

The Minister invited all his appointees and ONE went to the meeting, so the rumor goes.


Hmmmm.

Maybe it's just a rumor.

Or maybe they can't read.

When are re-appointments made?

Parsley

[agstar77]

Fire them all Parsley!

[TOM4CWB]

Agstar77,

Are you looking for an appointment?

[TOM4CWB]

Parsley,

If there is one thing for sure... it is that Minister Ritz is not a fool.

And there can be no doubt... he has been played as a fool... without respect... as was Minister Strahl. Prime Minister Harper... has been given no respect by the majority of CWB Directors and staff.

The CWB will get their full and proper reward!

[parsley]

agstar,

You know better! Can't legally do that because they have 6 weeks after Groundhog Day to come out into the sun again.

You should know about these union rules.

Parsley

[AdamSmith]

Well, Bye George, I think Agstar's got it!

[parsley]

Winnipeg Free Press
Government., CWB to look at barley issues
Updated at 8:04 PM - Tuesday February 5, 2008

By Larry Kusch

Canadian Wheat Board chairman Ken Ritter said today that he will lead a delegation of CWB directors to meet with Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in Ottawa on barley marketing next Tuesday.

Ritter, however, took issue with a press release issued by Ritz late yesterday that said the two sides would "explore opportunities to work together toward barley marketing freedom."

"We have indicated as a board of directors that we are willing to meet with the minister to look at some of the issues around barley and that's all," the CWB chief told the Free Press.

Wheat board officials met in Ottawa last week with Ritz and several industry representatives who share the government's goal of ending the CWB's barley marketing monopoly.

Ritz said at the time that he expected wheat board directors to come up with a "clear road map" on how to achieve marketing choice by the conclusion of their three-day meeting in Winnipeg last week.


Instead the directors simply agreed to sit down and talk with the government, Ritter said.

The CWB directors also decided to proceed with their CashPlus barley marketing proposal in the new crop year beginning Aug. 1.

Meanwhile, Ritter would not comment on the firing of wheat board vice-president Deanna Allen on Friday -- or the furore it has caused in the House of Commons.

"I just can't comment on an issue that's an employer-employee issue, and I'm just going to leave it at that," he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca


Now there's a bright Board. Duh. Their Minister is their boss and gives them an order. And they sing,

"Sucking on my blankey, makes me feel secure"


Now there's a trained regiment for Afghanistan.

Parsley