Wheat vs. Coal

[parsley]

Neither the CWB nor you, Vader, believe farmers have the ability to market their own grain. The big bad wolves out there will get us. You feel we need to be shielded, protected, because we do not have the ability to fend for ourselves, or to form liaisons with other groups we want to do business with. Or to make good decisions. You have a patriarchal attitude. You think you know best, and you want the use of force, the state, or jail to back up your “right” decision because I am “wrong”. That is what you are.

On the other hand I trust the farmer, whether Ukranian, Ethiopian, Norwegian or Arabic, to make decisions that are right for him. If he wants to form a Wheat Association, he will do so. If he wants a voluntary Wheat Marketing Board, he will form it. Working together, it’s called. Working together because you want to, and because you trust in the other partners you have. Liking them. Respecting them. Rather like a marriage of work. These concepts are foreign to the Canadian Wheat Board. It is a government agency, with the force of the state behind it. An arranged marriage and a big stick. They do not believe in farmers, nor respect them, nor have any intention to begin to.

“My way”, through force or jail is a commitment to an approach to life that can never move forward. It can never bloom or flourish. You cannot get respect if you won’t give respect. Serious businessmen understand that the way they do business will affect every transaction. How they look at the customers they serve is important. How they look upon their fellow partners is tantamount to succeeding. Many large multinationals actually are teaching philosophy and business ethics because as you say, they take this business serious. In that context, how can the CWB possibly survive?

I hope I never think like you do Vader.

[Everest]

Parsley, what if you or I got elected to the CWB Board of Directors? How would we think then? (I don't know about you, but I am NOT a CWB director or employee!) I've noticed that in a few cases at least, folks that have been appointed or elected to the CWB thinking one way, end up thinking another way after they are there for a while. I wonder what happens?

[cropduster]

Everest,I`ve come to think it`s because they are basically shallow people.If you look at the personal background of the chairman for example there is a trail of broken marriages,career changes as a result of personal allegations etc.They are adults who simply have no fixed standards.That`s why it`s so easy for them to take any stand that suits the moment.They truly have no vision for the future only the moment.History will show how SHALLOW they really are.

[parsley]

Everest,

Take a look at the "elite" and educated in our society.

Chartered Accountants, for example, have a serious problem as they "look the other way" or devise creative accounting instead of saying, "No, that's wrong", and "that cannot be done" in case they lose a customer.

Ethics is a very serious problem in our society. The law societies are filled with complaints about the greedy little lawyer who took off with Grandma's investments. Doctors push drugs to get free trips.

Everyone points to the multinationals and we can all cite Enron and so on, but the bottom line is that accountants are regulated and can be sued, and so corporations can be sued for mismanagement and so on.

Incidentally, Corps today are very interested in hiring on moral credentials as well as educational ones. A lot of "educates" that cannot make it in the real world end up in Government. In the old days, charliep, being employed by the government was a badge of honor, and the old boys from the old school are still treated with respect, and often it is well deserved respect, so don't get sensitive on me here.


What is particularly egregious, is when the ruling elite are not only the players, but the regulators.

The Canadian Wheat Board tries to pitch that they are a modern corporation, when in fact they are the mouth of Government. And worse, the Regulatory side of the Board regulates their very selves...the marketing side.

That spells trouble in our society, where the Federal Government has become a greedy devious player who regulates itself . It is is bound to result in conflict of interests. Especially with all those political appointees that can't get through the Corporate world's front door.

Everest, the folks who "turn sides" when they hit the Board table never really knew what or who they were themselves, to begin with. The kind of folks you never want to do business with have "I'm Taking Offers" signs written on their foreheads.

When you get to be my age you can smell the ink.

I do not and simply would not work at the CWB.

Parsley

[Vader]

Parsley, I admire your honesty in stating that you would not work at the CWB. It would obviously be a conflict of interest.

Anyone who works toward the end of the CWB should declare this conflict of interest and should not be allowed to run for election as a CWB director.

[parsley]

Vader,

Rod Flaman worked towards the end of the CWB. Are you saying he should have declared this conflict of interest and should not have been allowed to run for election as a CWB director?

Parsley

[Vader]

Rod Flaman worked toward the end of the CWB before he ran for election for the CWB. When he ran for election for the CWB he made a committment to make the CWB better. I doubt that he could have done otherwise with a clear concience.

[Incognito]

excerpt from Peter Warren's website:
http://www.peterwarren.ca/ARCHIVES/GUESTBOOK/GuestBookArchivesNov2002.htm

Saturday, November 2 at 12:23 PM:
Carol Husband from Saskatchewan wrote:
" Rod Flaman understands that the Board of Directors could pass a motion today, instructing the Licensing Department in the CWB to issue export/interprovincial licenses to all Western farmers. The CWB issues licenses all the time for All the other provinces. Immediately, Western farmers applying for and being granted licenses, would have dual marketing! Rod Flaman campaigned on the promise he would make this Board motion. He has not done so. The question all Western farmers must ask is upon what legal basis is the CWB denying licenses to farmers? They deny because of location but the CWB Act does not allow licensing discrimation, because the licensing part of the Act applies equally to all Canadians. In other words, CWB internal policy has become the reason for denying licenses, instead of the CWB Act itself. Flaman even alerted some of his supporters to this when he was first elected as a Director. Here's part of what Flaman wrote to them: QUOTE "So has the Governor in Council Made allowances for the granting of licenses? You bet he has. And these requirements do not apply just to the designated area or just to commercial wheat. It applies to all Canadians wherever they live and whatever type of wheat they grow, be it certified seed, anciant organic varieties or feed. What do you have to do to get a license to export your grain. Simple. You pay a license fee. You don't have to sell your grain to the board and buy it back. They simply calculate a fee. You send them a check and away you go." "Does it actually work like that? ..........NO!!! The wheat board says that they have a Monopoly and you are forced to sell your grain to them because they say you can not have other options. You are told that you cannot buy a license for any sum of money. In fact they say that all across Canada licenses are free. But......and this is a big one! Inside the designated area you have to buy your grain from the Wheat Board to get your "free" license. Outside the designated area you don't. Where does the law say that ???? It doesn't. This is a Hoax. And it is probably criminal. How long will Western Farmers be discriminated against as second class citizens?" UNQUOTE "

[Everest]

Vader (and Parsley)

Vader, you say that Rod Flaman worked for the end of the CWB before he ran for election, and then ran on a platform of making the CWB better. If I remember correctly, he was saying making the CWB voluntary would make it better, both before and during the election. I wonder why he changed his mind?

[parsley]

Good memory, Everest. And you do have a bit of Easter wit, too.

Here are some exerpts from Rod Flaman’s actual Policy Statement when he first ran as a CWB Director.The emboldened letters is how he presented it.


QUOTE:
I believe in a VOLUNTARY Canadian Wheat Board.

I believe the principles of CHOICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

Choice means their must be competition to the Canadian Wheat Board. This will make the CWB stronger and better able to meet the needs of producers. It will guarantee that the Board will be adaptable to market forces. Without competition, the CWB will rely on its’ own internal perceptions of service to the industry which are outdated and efficient. The CWB must welcome such challenges or it suffers the risk of stagnation and loss of confidence before producers.

The current Code of Conduct which was signed by the Incumbent Directors is a legally binding contract which prevents those directors who signed it from being directly accountable to producers. I believe that as a producer elected Director my first responsibility is toward those producers who pt me in office and not to the dictates of Ottawa or the Minister in Charge of the Canadian Wheat Board.


Value added wheat and barley products must be allowed unrestricted access to export markets and be granted no cost export licenses. This is a policy decision of the CWB Board of Directors and will be my first priority. No cost export licenses for producers will be my second priority.

I stand for change.

Please cast your ballot for Rod Flaman for Canadaian Wheat Board Director

Vote only for ProChoice Candidates!

UNQUOTE



Now, those are Flaman's own words, not mine.

Vader, you seem to have assumed the role as the primary advocate for Rod Flaman's profile on Agri-ville, so perhaps you might want to ask him this, "If you really didn't mean anything you campaigned on in the first election, how can anyone believe anything you say now?'

Parsley

[Incognito]

Would that be "Wayne Easter" wit?

[parsley]

Did I say Half Wit?

You must appreciate 'deliciously ironic'!

I see you've been doing some reading incognito. Did you read the court case that Rod Flaman launched against the Board and then dropped it after he became a Director?

Parsley