According to an article on Page 3 of todays Western Producer the vote was 8 to 7 in favor of the motion presented by Greg Arason to the BOD to fire Deanna Allen. Read the article, it is very interesting to see who supported the motion.
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Firing may show new CWB stance on barley: MCO
by Allan Dawson
Observers of the Canadian Wheat Board say a vote by the CWB's directors on the firing of one of its vice-presidents may show an important shift in their willingness to defend single-desk marketing of Prairie barley, the Manitoba Co-operator reports in its Feb. 7 issue.
The decision last week to axe Deanna Allen, the CWB's vice-president of farm relations and public affairs, split the 15-member board and demonstrated the new dynamic created when the Harper government inserted anti-single-desk directors into the five positions filled by federal appointment.
Sources told the Manitoba farmers' newspaper that the five federal appointees, along with three of the farmer-elected directors, voted in favour of sacking the employee who has been a powerful and articulate defender of single-desk marketing in the face of the government's campaign to end the board's monopoly.
The decision came days after the federal government announced Australian industry executive Ian White would replace interim chief executive officer Greg Arason. It also came the same week in which Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz instructed the board of directors to endorse an open market for barley — saying it would make it easier for the minority government to get the necessary opposition support to pass legislation.
The board issued a response following its semi-annual strategy meeting — the same meeting that ended Allen's career at the CWB — saying it will push forward with introducing CashPlus, its new malting barley contract for 2008-09 crop year.
However, the board also said it will meet with Ritz to further discuss barley marketing, leaving the door open for the board to give its blessing for an open barley market.
One source told the Co-operator there are directors willing to endorse an open market for barley on condition that the government agrees to leave the CWB alone for three years.
According to observers, Allen's firing marks a significant shift around the board table. Traditionally, on issues concerning the single desk, eight farmer-directors vote to defend it; three vote the opposite way, as do the five government directors.
Sources say CWB chair Ken Ritter broke ranks and voted with open-market advocates. Ritter didn't return a phone call from the Co-operator requesting an interview.
Without cause
Allen was officially fired "without cause," which involves paying severance, but does not require proof of poor performance.
First hired as an information officer in 1994, she left the board in 2000, only to return again in 2002 as vice-president of public affairs. She was promoted again in 2004 when the board reorganized. Allen was also among the senior managers offered a special retention bonus approved by the directors to try to keep senior executives from leaving during this time of turmoil.
However, her feisty defence of the board's position on single-desk marketing and her management style placed her at odds with the federal minister's office and with some employees.
Sources told the Co-operator wheat board CEO Greg Arason told the board she should be dismissed. Several CWB directors said in interviews later they didn't believe Arason's reasoning. "How can she go from being a star manager to being fired in two years?" one director said.
Arason told CWB staff that Allen's dismissal had nothing to do with the battle between the CWB and Ottawa over the single desk.
"I can tell you that I wasn't ordered to fire her by the government," Arason said in an interview with the Co-operator. Because it's a personnel issue he declined to comment further.
Former CWB communications chief Bob Roehle of Winnipeg, now a member of the Friends of the CWB, said Arason may not have had orders from the minister's office, but he knows what the government wants.
It is widely believed her firing will put a chill on all CWB staff.
"The message is clear," said one director. "Don't defend the single desk. Staff will be keeping their heads down."
Former CWB CEO Adrian Measner said Allen was "an excellent worker" who went beyond the call of duty.
Office politics may have played a role. There was bad blood between Arason and Allen, according to sources, from the time he was appointed by the government after it fired Measner, to whom she was loyal.
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Pretty much the same in the Western Producer, although Allan Dawson pro CWB slant sure comes out in anything he writes. Look back to a posting I put in a week ago on farm reporters.
I like a few phrases in the article:
1 - She was promoted again in 2004 when the board reorganized. Allen was also among the senior managers offered a special retention bonus approved by the directors to try to keep senior executives from leaving during this time of turmoil. - perhaps I forgot this, but due to the fact that the CWB was in jeopardy of something? they all got more money? that sure was nice of us ! was there any performance requirements for this? I doubt it.
2 - Allen was officially fired "without cause," which involves paying severance, but does not require proof of poor performance.
OK I take exemption to paying severance, I have been tongue lashed by Deanna on several occasions for my point of view. She was fired, will we ever find out why? perhaps - perhaps we will if she or some of the other directors want to legally challenge this.
Here's a thought, perhaps she lied? and perhaps got caught finally. Lets see what could she have lied about?
I'll suggest one - media leak to Barry Wilson, Western Producer of the new CEO appointment - Ian White.
Disclaimer - I am only suggesting Deanna could have been fired for lying, I do not have any information one way or the other to prove she or any of the CWB directors or staff have lied to producers. Its just a thought.
Erik
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erik,
Was she hired as staff or was she on contract. Makes a difference with legal obligations.
A lot of staff were contracted at one time.
When the CWB made a big PR show about reducing staff, if I recall, the Board simply went back and contracted them to work. Optics. Optics. Optics.
Parsley
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"One source told the Co-operator there are directors willing to endorse an open market for barley on condition that the government agrees to leave the CWB alone for three years."
I'm assuming this means leave "wheat" alone for three years.
If Ritz went along with that he's doppier than I thought.
There is no way he could make that deal and make it stick.
He'd be tarred and featherd by farmers, providing someone didn't try to off him first.
(Ease up you ninnys, it's just a way of speaking, sheesh)
PS, I'm not going to stop making outrageous statements, I'm just going explain them to those people who haven't got a sense of humour or havn't ever heard of sarcasim)
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I don't know if I've ever read an article with so many "source's said" in it. If the source can't be named then the statement can't be backed up. This isn't news its innuendo dressed up to look like news.
It's like me saying I got quoted $18 per bushel for malt barley without saying who or where it was offered.
Dawson needs to go back to journalism school.
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