Make the CWB Act Federal/Provincial like all other ag.This would pass.

[winwin]

As somebody said"district 2 wants out so f--- off"This only reflects the regional reality of this country.Ontario obviously wants out,PEI wants out etc.
Here is the way forward;Minister Ritz should simply introduce a bill which would amend the CWB Act so that the 'designated area would be all those provinces which chose to participate'.
1.Agriculture is a joint jurisdictin under our constitution,the BNA.That is why ALL ag is joint; crop ins,supply management etc.
2.It would be difficult to impossible for the Ont Liberals,the Bloc etc.to deny the prairies the same power under a federal law that their provinces possess.That would become a national unity issue.Are we still just a colony?type thing.
3.The PM understands this issue intimately since he was involved with a court fight over the'division of powers'Our side has always understood that there is a large element of 'property and civil rights'to the behavior of the CWB
4.This move would just be 'empowering the provinces'all provinces equally.It would move the issue off the Ottawa desk and out to the provincial ag ministers to negotiate.We aren't dismantling anything,just respecting the constitution.
If the Sask and Alta ministers approach Parliament and ask for this power insistently,they would get it.

[TOM4CWB]

WinWIn,

Not bad at all...

[silverback]

Our guys here in Alberta do not have the fortitude to stand up to Ottawa like that.

After the theatrics from the latest coup attempt, I am not sure what they would stand up to.

Impose NEP II on us and they might say ok.

[winwin]

For years the Alta govt has stood alone on this issue.Now,not only have we elected clearly and unequivocally ALL the MPs within our grasp but importantly a Sask party govt that ran on this issue.
Having 2 booming provinces approaching the Federal parliament and just asking for;A.what is clearly a joint jurisdiction under our constitution and B.no more than all the other provinces already have-a say in how their grain is marketed-would be very powerful indeed.
By the way,when the CWB was extended into peacetime ALL the prov govts had to pass concurrent legislation.Further proof of what's obvious;wheat marketing is a joint,and not exclusively federal jurisdiction.
Minister Ritz is aware of this 'devolution'approach.It needs some fire from the provinces.
Lets push this guys.

[parsley]

winwin,

When the CWB Act was changed in 1947 to imprison farmers in bondage, the Feds worked hand in hand with the provinces with enabling legislation

I have those enabling-legislation documents from access to information

Do you think anyone would read them if I posted them?


As I was telling you winwin, the knot that was tied can be untied

Pars

[winwin]

You won't see a lot of comment from the commies on this angle Parsley because they know it has potential.
The provincial govts are the most powerful allies we've got.We just have to get them engaged and never let them off the hook.
Probably the best thing that could happen is for 2 duly elected premiers to be dismissed by the Toronto/Bloc crowd on an issue involving their own farmers.Their own rights!
Maybe then that would get them into our fight in a big way.Your evidence rerovincial wheat barley legislation would confirm that they are involved and should no longer abdicate in this area.

[stubblejumper]

winwin sorry to disappoint you but this idea would also need the approval of 50% of producers. Back to the drawing board.

[winwin]

Since when?Do farmers have some kind of supremacy over parliament?Over the provincial govts?You guys might like to think that we farmers are some kind of sovereign nation like an Indian tribe but if Alberta would really exercise it's legitimate powers here,the votes of farmers in Plum Coulee or Swan River,Mb have absolutely no relevance.
Besides,if its votes of farmers,which subset are you talking about?Canada wide or just the ghetto?Alberta has its own farmers.They have had votes.
The left would love to hide behind some kind of false authority but in the end,governments will make policy.Not some pseudo-farmer- state one level of govt has created.

[stubblejumper]

Rixt and Anderson tried it with barley and found out in court they were wrong ,costing all of us.

[charliep]

I will stay out of the general conversation.

However I will highlight the fact Alberta represents about 50 % of prairie barley production. 5.5 MMT Alberta versus w. Canada 11.2 MMT in 2008.

In the plebiscite, 78 % of Alberta farmers voted for some form of fully open market (including malt and export).

http://www.agr.gc.ca/cb/index_e.php?s1=ip&page=ip60908a_bg1

The CWB never released the provincial breakdown in the 2008 annual survey but 67 % of farmer across western Canada favored some form of open market. The 2 question about barley legislation indicated that 64 % of Alberta farmers supported the legislation to remove barley from single desk.

[charliep]

The provincial breakdown was for barley by the way. They did release the provincial information for wheat. 74 % of Alberta farmers indicated they wanted some form of open market for wheat. In the black and white question (no gray) of solely single desk versus open market, 53 % of Alberta farmers supported an open market versus 42 % solely CWB.

The demographic information about who participated in the 2008 survey was never released (maybe because had information the CWB didn't want people to see) but likely similar to that in 2007 (was released and available on the web in the producer survey interview schedule).

http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/farmers/surveys/producer/

[craig]

Anybody know the process of what happened when the B.C. area was removed from the CWB designated area. It would seem Alberta would have the support of the majority of farmers if it wanted to be removed from the designated area. It should be no different than Ontario producers voting to move to sell outside their marketing board.

[parsley]

In 1998, the Gov't made an Ammendment to the CWB Act, and removed Creston-Wyndell from the DA.

Previous to that, for years, the CWB treated CW as if it was removed from the DA. NO prohibitions. No jailing. No retributions.

Why couldn't Alberta simply say they want to be taken out of the DA because they refuse to do business with the Board. Don't want to associate woth the Board, and that Alberta's philosophical belief is in the free market and they do not believe in punishable socialism?

Pars

[silverback]

Because they are a bunch of pansies.