Ritz Begs Board

[parsley]

Here's the release. I made my own comments on PN that I wish I didn't have to make.

"CWB MUST COOPERATE FULLY WITH AUDITOR GENERAL - RITZ

OTTAWA, Ontario, February 26, 2009 – Today Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz issued a formal letter to the Canadian Wheat Board asking them to allow the Auditor General to conduct a full audit of all operations. Minister Ritz made the announcement during his speech to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture in response to the CWB’s loss of nearly $130 million.

“Despite record prices in the marketplace, the CWB lost nearly $130 million in farmers’ money over the past two years,” said Minister Ritz, who also serves as Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board. “That’s money that comes directly out of farmers’ pockets.”

“The Canadian Wheat Board must open all of its books and fully cooperate with the Auditor General to make sure she’s able to do a complete and thorough job.”

The Office of the Auditor General must receive a formal request from the CWB in order to conduct an audit. While the CWB has indicated some willingness to cooperate with the Auditor General, federal auditors must be given access to all of the CWB’s books and operations.

“There cannot be any half-measures,” said Minister Ritz. “The Canadian Wheat Board must not limit the scope of the Auditor General’s investigation in any way.”

“I look forward to getting quick confirmation from the board that they will agree and ask the Auditor General to conduct a full audit.”

-30-

For more information, media may contact:

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

Meagan Murdoch
Press Secretary
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-759-1059"

[silverback]

Did he say he would put sugar on top?

[classicalliberal]

Excellent, I hope it exposes some things.

[parsley]

Excellent? I didn't think so.

http://parsleysnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/02/government-press-releasewheat-board.html

[cchurch]

Oh no not the auditor general. My socialist scheme is going to be foiled.

...or not.

[wade]

Shouldn't we be askibg the minister (RESPONSIBLE?) for the CWB to resign to allow this to happen? Also, why does he have to beg the CWB to cooperate with the AG? Shouldn't he insist?

[FarmRanger]

As long as it's a real audit, it will be most welcome.

Forced participants deserve nothing less, though it's sad that it took more than the better part of a century to happen.

[Fransisco]

While we don't know all the little details what we do know is pretty damning all by itself. The board lost a big pile of farmers money on the futures markets.

The question I have for the government is what difference will knowing all of the little details make once you know them?

Are you actually going to do something more than just issue another tut,tut press release? Will this be the final bit of board incompetence that will finally give you the courage to open this thing up to competition or is this just more of the same old same old?

You've done nothing up until this point, why should we think this is anything different?

[Kodiak]

I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry. If Ritz hasn't proven to be Harper's biggest embarrassment it can only be because the PM hasn’t gotten around to noticing.

This is just another example of the shoot from the lip habit Ritz keeps reinforcing for himself. It’s too reminiscent of his challenge to, “lead, follow, or get out of the way”, when he made his grandiose announcement in Regina about barley legislation. Remember that? We all know what happened. No barley legislation. We’re not one step closer to a competitive market than we were 10 years ago. He hasn’t led and he hasn’t followed. All he’s done is get in the way.

This is just the latest brain wave from Ritz. No thought. No follow through. No results.

If he had legislation to introduce which prescribed an AG audit, complete with a definition of the scope of the audit, then I’d be all for it. But if all he’s going to do is ask the CWB to ask the Auditor General in, he might just as well have saved his breath.

[parsley]

I agree Kodiak. Maybe a formal notice from farm organizations for his resignation would bring results. Day #1 Resignation Request to the PM, at six in the morning, with a note attached:

PS:
You have two days to reply with an action plan, or this goes to the media.


No reply? Day #3 Send the press release.
Winnipeg Free Press would piddle themselves with showers of joy. Pars

[Fransisco]

Things that make you go hmmm...

From a reuters article this week.

http://ca.reuters.com/article/idCATRE51P66K20090226

"Ritz said Wednesday that he had spoken with Auditor-General Sheila Fraser and believed <b>it would take a couple of years before she could audit the wheat board.</b>"

WTF-?!?

[parsley]

That one got me riled. Especially when the Minister sent his intention AFTERwards:

"----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 9:08 AM
Subject: CWB Must Cooperate Fully With Auditor General - Ritz / La Commission canadienne du blé doit apporter son entière collaboration à la vérificatrice générale - ministre Ritz"

[stubblejumper]

Is anyone surprised that the Farmers For Just Me are starting to stab each other in the back.

[parsley]

Just because we may belong to the same political party stubble, doesn't mean to say I will condone you robbing a bank. Too bad I have to explain that concept to you. Pars

[silverback]

I take it you could really care less how much money you lose from your own pockets stubble ?

Must be nice to be so wealthy.