CWB FIRING!

[chaffmeister]

When it comes to demoralizing staff, better think about giving Measner the credit/blame. Who knows what was going through his mind when he informed staff that he would be fired – BEFORE ACTUALLY BEING FIRED. According to all accounts, staff are now demoralized, confused, and in turmoil – a direct result of Measner’s “announcement”. His role as leader is to counter all outside influences that may demoralize his staff. Unfortunately, he is also to blame for the turmoil brought about by his battle with Ottawa.

He reminds me of my ex-brother-in-law who decided to include his children in his battle with my sister. They paid a huge price they didn’t need to.

If Adrian was truly thinking of the CWB’s staff, customers and reputation, and he knew he was leaving, he would discretely negotiate with the Minister a dignified exit strategy that would include Adrian handing off to the new CEO with ZERO acrimony, actually making it as seamless as possible and minimizing the turmoil. There is no need for the staff to feel his pain. By the way, most staff don’t give a hoot about the single desk – for them it’s just a job, no philosophic bent.

The way Adrian’s going about this just makes him look like a cry-baby.

Like spoiled brats, it seems Measner and Ritter think their tantrums will result in them getting to keep their old toy. Do they really believe that this drama of theirs will actually accomplish anything?

[AdamSmith]

Agstar, I hope you’re right that the new CEO will purge the CWB of all the wrong thinking staff.

Your absolutely right chaff, Measner and the BOD's have brought all this on themselves, it was their call to bitterly and irresponsibly oppose the government policy.

Agstar if there is an erosion of confidence in the CWB, don't you think the antics of the CWB running around and shouting at the top of their lungs "The sky is falling, the sky is falling" might be a greater contributing factor than the government’s policy?

As I've said many times before, the CWB's main argument in this whole process has been to make headlines which proclaim to the world that the CWB is so pathetic at what it does, that if asked to compete the cwb is doomed to fail.

Agstar, don't blame Harper, Strahl and Anderson for trying to implement a policy that the Conservatives ran on and helped them get elected on. Where you expecting them to just say "Oh never mind".

Measner and the BOD's are the true architects of their own undoing.

[agstar77]

I blame Harper ,Strahl and Anderson for putting the cart before the horse. They have not received an endorsement from grain growers on what they want. They are telling them what is good for them. Mr. Anderson is on a personal crusade to destroy the CWB and does not care about the majority of producers that wish to retain the CWB. Minister Strahl is making a mockery of his statement that he wants a strong CWB. Firing directors and replacing them with his minions will not strengthen the CWB. Minister of the CWB , that will not meet with it's directors. He should be the one to be fired!!

[parsley]

Hmmm. Will the CWB's B of D's actually listen to the Minister?

As I said in the other thread, a valid R-CALF trade dispute threat is simmering. Maybe the one ace in the hole the CWB actually has is George W. because a Texas cattleman might full well realize what a range NAFTA-war will do...countervail-strangle Canadian livestock imports to the USA.

So what will be the reaction of CWB Directors to Minister Strahl when he pulls up his chair at the CWB's Main Street building,(probably seating him in the hallway) and announces, "Hey, you farmers have a policy in place that contravenes NAFTA.

Is the Act important or not?

In the eyes of the B of D's, when does the Act finally become important, agstar?

Will Vader this time take the position that the Act should not be followed?

Parsley

[agstar77]

I guess we will never find out, who will listen to who, because Strahl refuses to meet. This has escalated to the point where grain farmers are set to take a financial bath because of political idealogues.

[chaffmeister]

Financial bath!?
How so? Because of political idealogues? (I think you mean idealogies.)

And please don't bore me with citings from Murray Fulton or the NFU. Or the CWB.
The CWB's value proposition has never been proven. Never.
So if you're going to predict a financial bath because Strahl has a different vision of the CWB that Measner, please be good enough to also explain it - in real terms, not theory.

[parsley]

Grain farmers will most certainly take the bath. And the B of D's still getpaid.

Because single-desk elected directors refuse to issue export licenses for off-Board feed barley, the CWB is in violation of Article 309 of NAFTA which forbids such export prohibitions.

We live in the Information Age! Couple that with smart farmers, and blogs such as Small Dead Animals (with Wheat Board related pages), and suddenly farmers can all read and understand that a silly single-desk farmer policy places the CWB in contravention of NAFTA. And duties add up.

single desk on barley = contravention

You can't have it both ways.

Which do you choose?

Parsley

[chaffmeister]

Parsley - are you saying farmers WILL take a bath due to the squabbling? (Which is what Agstar is saying.)

Or are you saying farmers DO take a bath because they can't access markets?

I'd agree with the latter - but not the former.

[parsley]

In Saskatchewan, a lot of grain farmers have livestock as well as grain, and a border fiasco will hit them hard.

I am saying that because the single deskers are ignoring their own legislation, and are not in compliance with NAFTA, that a trade dispute is in the pipe.

Single desk idealogues have chosen this route.

Single desk idealogues would sooner have duties imposed on livestock/products headed for the USA than give up the single desk.(Denying an export license means prohibiting exports)

By doing so, Single desk idealogues are saying to hell with Strahl or the Act. The single desk is the primary concern.

The trade dispute will hit livestock producers hard. Not just beef, but lamb producers. Porkers. Livestock producers are often grain producers as well. There will be countervail up to the producers' yingyang.
The price of feed barley will drop.

Countervailing duties have to come out of someone's pocket and I'll bet producers will end up paying.(But the CWB Directors will still get their per diems).

Single deskers will continue to claim that this the price one pays for a perfect political philosophy.

Parsley

[agstar77]

Idealogue , one given to fanciful ideas or theories. What does Strahl have to lose in meeting with his Board? Farmers have a lot to lose if he doesnt come to some truce, markets sales etc. Uncertainty is never good in business, and this is a multi- BILLION dollar business. He screws it up now and if he loses it continues on reputation damaged by his actions.

[chaffmeister]

Gotcha.
So you're saying that with the Status Quo, we're gonna have trouble. But if we see change (Stahl's agenda) we might not. (likely won't).

So it's not the ongoing idealogical argument that is the issue for you, its the fact we're not seeing change quick enough.

Close?

[parsley]

The single-desk risk that the CWB's B of D's are taking is foolhardy, and the consequences can devastate an entire livestock industry. For years.

Strahl's risk is not attending a Board meeting? Sales go on whether or not the Minister attends Board meetings.

Hardly a perspective I would expect from you, agstar.

Parsley