The government of the
grain-producing province of Manitoba said on Tuesday it will call on
farmers to vote on the fate of the Canadian Wheat Board if the federal
government does not.
"The future of the Canadian Wheat Board must remain in farmers'
hands," said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk.
The Winnipeg-based wheat board is the largest wheat and barley
marketer in the world. It holds a monopoly on these grains produced in
the Canadian Prairies, something the federal Conservative government
wants to end.
The government says it wants to give western farmers a choice in how
they market their wheat and barley. The Canadian Wheat Board Act,
however, states a vote by farmers must be held before major marketing
changes are made to the board.
"...Let them have a voice and let them decide," Wowchuk said of the
grain farmers.
Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl said he will hold to his
plan to await the recommendations of a task force he created to devise
ways to drop the wheat board's monopoly while keeping it viable. The
recommendations are expected within the next week, he said.
"This is federal legislation so I'm not sure what she (Wowchuk)
hopes to accomplish with that. The options remain open to me, of course.
I haven't said yes or no to anything yet," Strahl said.
The Manitoba government said it will "aggressively" prepare for the
vote, with details available within weeks. It is the first provincial
government to take such action.
"The potential loss to Prairie grain producers, the impact on grain
terminals and the Port of Churchill (in northern Manitoba), and
consequences for trade with the U.S. are issues of crucial concern both
for western Canadian grain producers and our government," Wowchuk said.
Since the Canadian Wheat Board Act is federal and not provincial
law, the Manitoba vote is not seen as legally binding.
grain-producing province of Manitoba said on Tuesday it will call on
farmers to vote on the fate of the Canadian Wheat Board if the federal
government does not.
"The future of the Canadian Wheat Board must remain in farmers'
hands," said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk.
The Winnipeg-based wheat board is the largest wheat and barley
marketer in the world. It holds a monopoly on these grains produced in
the Canadian Prairies, something the federal Conservative government
wants to end.
The government says it wants to give western farmers a choice in how
they market their wheat and barley. The Canadian Wheat Board Act,
however, states a vote by farmers must be held before major marketing
changes are made to the board.
"...Let them have a voice and let them decide," Wowchuk said of the
grain farmers.
Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl said he will hold to his
plan to await the recommendations of a task force he created to devise
ways to drop the wheat board's monopoly while keeping it viable. The
recommendations are expected within the next week, he said.
"This is federal legislation so I'm not sure what she (Wowchuk)
hopes to accomplish with that. The options remain open to me, of course.
I haven't said yes or no to anything yet," Strahl said.
The Manitoba government said it will "aggressively" prepare for the
vote, with details available within weeks. It is the first provincial
government to take such action.
"The potential loss to Prairie grain producers, the impact on grain
terminals and the Port of Churchill (in northern Manitoba), and
consequences for trade with the U.S. are issues of crucial concern both
for western Canadian grain producers and our government," Wowchuk said.
Since the Canadian Wheat Board Act is federal and not provincial
law, the Manitoba vote is not seen as legally binding.
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