Strahl announces plebicite on barley

[chaffmeister]

At a standing ag committe meeting today, Strahl announced there will be a plebicite on barley - only barley - sometime in the new year.

And so it starts...

[charliep]

This is the press release.

CANADA’S NEW GOVERNMENT TO LISTEN TO FARMERS WITH PLEBISCITE ON BARLEY

OTTAWA, Ontario, October 31, 2006 — The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, announced today that a plebiscite will be held early in the new year on the marketing of barley.

“I believe farmers are prepared to express their views on how barley is marketed in Canada,” said Minister Strahl. “Canada’s New Government will consult with stakeholders, and I will develop a plebiscite question that will be clear and decided by a broad base of voters.”

A task force report on implementing marketing choice, which was released Monday, recommended a four-stage transition from a Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) with monopoly powers to a marketing choice environment. The report concluded that a new CWB, owned by farmers, could thrive and create value without monopoly selling powers for wheat and barley.

“The task force suggests a phased-in transition and I agree,” said Minister Strahl. “The report recommends legislation as the first step, but I’m recommending consultation. A plebiscite is a very important way of consulting.”

Minister Strahl said, “Canada’s New Government is committed to moving forward in providing marketing choice to western grain farmers, allowing them to maximize their returns, while continuing to preserve a strong CWB.”

For more information on marketing choice, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/cwb.

-30-

For more information, media may contact:

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa
613-759-7972
1-866-345-7972

Jeff Howard
Press Secretary
Minister Strahl's office
613-759-1059

[AdamSmith]

Ok, I'm going to try a remain calm here. Chuck Strahl has just trashed his own task forces work in less than 1 day. At least Goodale took a couple of months to totaly trash the Western Grain Marketing Panel.

Nah calm isn't going to work here.

Who's up for a border run?

[AdamSmith]

Be god damned if I'm going to go pleading and begging to my neighbours to see if it's ok for me to sell my grain to whomever I wish.

I couldn't care less whether the Cons ever get elected ever again.

[agstar77]

I could have said I told you so , but I won't. Reality bites!!

[AdamSmith]

Not that I'm going to agree with this idiotic policy, but Agstar77 are you going to willingly accept a result which may remove barley from the single desk?

What if you don't like the question?
It will include choice, you do understand that don't you?

It will Be;

A) Single desk only
B) Open Market with a new Voluntary CWB
C) open Market only

Are you going to be good with that?

In 1974 there was a plebicite to bring Canola into the CWB the then Liberal Gov't put a 67% threshold needed to vote to bring in Canola, because you can't let 51% remove fundemental rights from 49%. What if the Minister says that the single desk option must clear that high bar before they will allow the cwb to keep barley? Are you going to support that?

And why just barley? What's that all about? Why not wheat as well?

The plebicite is a minefield in which no one can win. Because if Agstar77's side loses they'll just denounce the whole thing as rigged against them and if My side loses we'll denounce it because of what I said in the above post.

[Incognito]

Next BOD meeting - do the math...

3 appointees - and Motiuk; Anderson; Chatenay - One left open

3 new appointees; and one Marketing Choice Candidate from the 2006 election

I count 8-7...oh ya and a new President.

Reality bites.

[agstar77]

Motiuk is an appointee.

[Incognito]

Yes he is but i'm sure you know how he will vote.

One is vacant - three will be replaced. How will the 5 appointees will vote. Ironic how one Liberal appointee has left and the other three are still hanging around waiting for a severance. They must be taking advice from the top.

One marketing choice director in this election and it is 8-7.

Sleep tight.

[agstar77]

What you are suggesting would be a disaster for all of us since no matter which way any vote goes the CWB has to operate and sell grain until its future is decided . Sleep tight.

[Incognito]

Like your doing so well selling grain now - rob from the FPC and BPC's to hide your mistakes.

Oh - oh Access to Info...its beginning to unravel...

for the end game - see your cousins down under. maybe there won't be severance - just with cause.

[AdamSmith]

Below is an exerpt from a CP story on the plebicite.

The NDPer says she doesn't agree with it!

And Wayne Easter say he thinks producers will see through it!

Today at 2pm in Question period the NDP and the Liberals were demanding a plebicite, and now at 7 pm the same day they are now critics of a plebicite????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????


This is the twilight zone, right?




Critics argue the task force was fixed from the outset and the government got the answer it was seeking. Now Strahl is pushing ahead with a strategy the critics say will divide western producers on the barley question, where support for the Canadian Wheat Board is less established and more fractured, and eventually destroy the board.

"I think strategically it's a very smart move on the part of the government but I don't agree with it," said New Democrat MP Alex Atamanenko.

"I think it's a divisive action. It's going to sow more confusion into the lives of farmers."

Wayne Easter, the Liberal agriculture critic, called the plebiscite decision "too smart by half. I think producers will see through it. What it is, is a strategy to tear apart the Canadian Wheat Board a piece at a time."

[TOM4CWB]

AdamSmith;

Obviously few believe the "single desk" can keep barley... it is a no brainer to go to an open market on.

We don't need the CWB in barley... at all.

I agree with Easter... this is destructive to the CWBII... as it will likely never handle barley... or any other non-board grain...... if we are to decide CWBII's future by plebicite.

But if in the end... this is what all CANADIAN grain growers want... I can live with it!