new CEO

[rondi]

Who will it be Ken Motiuk or Bruce Johnson.

[Incognito]

Neither.........................

[AdamSmith]

I say neither as well

[AdamSmith]

Wheat board backs president
But if he's fired, directors expect to choose successor

Sat Dec 2 2006

By Larry Kusch



CANADIAN Wheat Board directors gave their embattled president a vote of confidence Friday -- and the board's chairman made it clear that if Ottawa persists with his termination, directors expect they will be the ones who choose his successor.
Ken Ritter said the board's first wish is that Adrian Measner, a 32-year employee, be maintained as the CWB's president and CEO.

Measner, who has been a thorn in the government's side, staunchly defending the wheat board's sales monopoly, received a letter Wednesday from Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl indicating his days were numbered at the board. He was given until Dec. 14 to respond to the minister in writing.

Ritter said in an interview he's been trying to contact Strahl to discuss the matter but, as of mid-day Friday, had failed to reach him.

'Potential termination'

"Professionalism and common sense and corporate best practices would dictate that he and I have a conversation," the Saskatchewan farmer said after an emergency meeting of the board Friday morning. "But so far it's not happened."

WHEAT BOARD CONTROVERSY

Canadian Wheat Board president and CEO Adrian Measner has been informed by the Harper government that it is considering his dismissal.

Background: The Conservatives came into office on a promise to end the wheat board's monopoly on wheat and barley sales. The CWB's board and Measner, a government appointee, have said that ending the monopoly would diminish returns to farmers and lead to the grain seller's demise.

What happened Friday? The wheat board's directors asked Ottawa to reconsider its action against Measner, saying his dismissal would put the grain-selling agency at risk.

What's next? If Measner is fired, it appears a battle will occur between the CWB board and Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl over the naming of his successor. Strahl will want to name a president who believes ending the CWB monopoly is a good thing, but the CWB board gets to set the CEO's pay, giving it some leverage.

Unknown factor: Although Strahl has replaced several of the five government appointees, the pro-single desk forces still rule on the 15-person board. However, elections in five of 10 electoral districts are being held this fall. The results will be known Dec. 10.

Directors issued a statement after the meeting saying Measner's "potential termination" would put the grain-selling agency "at significant risk" at a critical time in its history.

In a letter to Strahl, the directors said the wheat board "relies heavily" on the 54-year-old Measner's management strengths.

"To terminate Mr. Measner at this time would pose undue risk to the CWB, as strong leadership is needed to guide the CWB through a period of change and evolution," the board wrote.

Measner has yet to make a statement or grant interviews since Strahl's letter was made public Thursday.

Strahl is said to be considering a short list of replacements to Measner, but Ritter said that in the past it has been the directors who have conducted the CEO search, providing a candidate for the government to endorse.

While the minister makes the appointment, the board of directors -- under a 1998 amendment to the Canadian Wheat Board Act that gave effective control of the wheat board to elected farmers -- gets to set the CEO's remuneration, Ritter said.

"And the minister cannot name anybody until that happens. That's how I understand it."

An agricultural economist with the University of Saskatchewan said Friday that removing the wheat board's president without cause, potentially affecting the CWB's commercial operations, was "irresponsible." Murray Fulton said regardless of whether one favours maintaining the wheat board's sales monopoly on wheat and barley, Measner's removal has to be a concern.

"This is taking this debate well over the edge into territory that we've rarely seen governments go," he said.

The wheat board exists under Canadian law and until the law is changed and the wheat board no longer exists, it should be allowed to function effectively, Fulton said.

"Put it this way, if I was now a customer of the Canadian Wheat Board, I'd start to be worried."

Fulton said if Strahl were able to name a CEO whose views were fundamentally opposed to the wishes of the board, it would be difficult for the board to function effectively.

While the action taken against Measner has been roundly condemned by some farm groups, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association Friday endorsed Strahl's action.

Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel, president of the organization, which has fewer than a thousand members, said while Measner deserves respect as a grain-industry veteran, he should have been more amenable to change.

"Had Mr. Measner been able to do that, and help the (CWB) board of directors come to terms with this new marketing choice environment and in fact get excited about it, I really think they could have done some good things," Jolly-Nagel said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

[AdamSmith]

REALITY

President
3.09 (1)The president is appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister and holds office during pleasure for the term that the Governor in Council may determine.



FANTASY

-- and the board's chairman made it clear that if Ottawa persists with his termination, directors expect they will be the ones who choose his successor.



REALITY

President
3.09 (1)The president is appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister and holds office during pleasure for the term that the Governor in Council may determine.



FANTASY

-- and the board's chairman made it clear that if Ottawa persists with his termination, directors expect they will be the ones who choose his successor.

[Incognito]

Globe and Mail

Quote:

Ms. Allen said the board could try to thwart the appointment by refusing to agree to a compensation package, or by offering a token figure of $1 a year, because compensation is determined by the board.

"The game isn't up yet, I don't think. But it all depends on the director elections as to what happens next."

Unquote

CWB Act

Absence or incapacity

(2) If the president is absent or unable to act or the office of president is vacant, the Minister may appoint an interim president. An interim president shall not act for more than ninety days without the approval of the Governor in Council.

1998, c. 17, s. 3.

[Incognito]

Globe and Mail

Quote:

Ms. Allen said the board could try to thwart the appointment by refusing to agree to a compensation package, or by offering a token figure of $1 a year, because compensation is determined by the board.

"The game isn't up yet, I don't think. But it all depends on the director elections as to what happens next."

Unquote

CWB Act

Absence or incapacity

(2) If the president is absent or unable to act or the office of president is vacant, the Minister may appoint an interim president. An interim president shall not act for more than ninety days without the approval of the Governor in Council.

1998, c. 17, s. 3.

[AdamSmith]

"The game isn't up yet,...

The game?

THE GAME??

THE FRIGGEN GAME???

MS. ALLEN; the game of unilaterally deciding the future of thousands of individual farmers lives IS MOST DEFINATLY UP.


I can think of a dozen individuals who would love to issue about a dozen sets of walking papers for less than a $1 per year.

Ladies and Gentelmen Deanna has left the building!

[cropduster]

Adam.....kinda sounds like the arrogance of the Aussies....Hopefully these donkeys will go the same way!!

[TOM4CWB]

Adamsmith,

The disrespect that CWB management shows the Minister Responsible for the CWB is frankly astounding.

Obviously Measner had to have authorised Allen's press release.

Breaking Cabinet proticol and respect virtually assures Measner's replacement.

Or did CWB Minister Strahl publically say he was replacing Measner, and bring this issue to the media's attention in the first place? Not from what I have seen.

To negotiate this issue through the media is typical CWB insanity.

THis is an obvious embarassment to PM Harper and the Gov. of Canada.

This was brought on by the CWB itself...

The facts are that the CWB is intentionally destabilising itself.

[JACKFLASH]

Tom4cwb
I have to agree with you totally.
I think this so called letter of potential dismissal of Measoner is fabricated by the CWB.
In corporate life you don't publically muse or hint of firing someone.
What happens is the security guards come in the office give you notice of firing. 15 minutes to clean out your desk. A toll free number to call HR and get your package. An escort out of the building.

[TOM4CWB]

Jackflash,

Here are the "facts" from a DTN Report:

I assume Points 1-4 are being responded to in 5. by CWB Minister Strahl's office.

1. "The process to remove Adrian has started," said Deanna Allen, the CWB's vice president of communications and public relations."

2. "Measner was sent a letter on Wednesday that said the government was contemplating what to do with his appointment, Allen said."

3. "The letter asked for any information Measner could give the government that could help in this matter, Allen said."

She added that Measner was given a deadline of Dec. 14 to respond to Strahl's letter, which was similar to a letter received by former government-appointed CWB director Ross Keith, shortly before he was fired.

4. "We fully expect that within hours or days of Dec. 14, the government will officially terminate his appointment," Allen said. She added that Measner spoke with CWB employees on Thursday and told them that he will be removed by the government.

According to Allen, officials in Minister Strahl's office have indicated that there is already a short-list of replacement candidates for Measner."

5. Meanwhile, Conrad Bellehumeur, Strahl's director of communications, said the letter to Measner doesn't constitute notice of termination. Rather, "that letter is basically a letter so that the Minister can be confident that his appointees, in this case Mr. Measner is an appointee, actively support the government's position on marketing choice."

[wd9]

Re #5, makes me wonder what the responsibilities of the board are given the minister sets the corporation and CEO's goals and vision to accomplish?

Seems 2 possibilities, the board is of no real value, or the Minister is confused. I'll go with box #1.