Protests on the Hill

[rookie]

Thumbs up and a tip of the hat to the producers in the east pushing the crapping ag economic situation to the forfront for the politicians.

with you in thought form the west........

[dalek]

My wife's very pregnant so I stayed home yesterday and did the chores so Dad could go to Ottawa. The bus he was on got there early so they went up the Peace Tower and were up there when the UPA started across the bridge from Hull. He said it was pretty impressive seeing a line of tractors 5 wide and a mile long coming across the border from Quebec.

[cowman]

Well if that doesn't wake Chuck up, nothing will!
Now mind you the protest got about a quarter page on page twelve in the Calgary Sun! No pictures!
I'm starting to wonder about Chuck? He was quoted as saying for farmers to direct their protests at the provinces, not the feds, as they are the ones who think CAIS is a good thing! Come on Chuck....we elected you to make some changes...don't try that old BS of passing it off as a provincial problem!
Sometimes I don't think the Conservatives get it? Rural Canada elected you guys to make some changes? You do this old shuffle and try to play this game of "next time when we have a majority"....it just won't wash! You need to deliver...right now... or there just won't be a "next time" for you!

[cowman]

Dalek, hats of to you guys, and what you and your father are doing.
Cowman, actually Strahl is right in saying that it is the provincial Govt's causing the grief. Read last weeks Western Producer. Mark Wartman had a big write up in there on how we have to keep the CAISP program. Love the NDP's in Sask.

[dalek]

Also there was an interview on broadcast news yesterday with the Alberta ag. minister saying that there's nothing wrong with the design of CAIS, the only problems are with the way it's being adminstered.

[cowman]

Well I understand why the provinces would like it...it doesn't cost them anything!
But the point is: The Conservatives campaigned to scrap CAIS? I think by and large the majority of farmers think CAIS is a bad program? Now once the Conservatives are in they decide CAIS can work! What is with that? Would you vote for a party that suddenly saw the light...after they campaigned against it? I mean were they babes in the woods or something and didn't have a clue what a good program it was?
Personally I expect Harper to live up to his promises to scrap CAIS and end the single desk. I don't really care about daycare, or the GST, or the other drivel...but I do expect them to keep those two promises! I e-mailed my MP and told him exactly that? Now he may not care...you could elect a fence post Conservative here....but I think they could be on real shaky ground in a good portion of rural Canada? How do you vote for someone who reneges on their promises? How are they any better than the Liberals?

[cowman]

Hats off from me as well, to the farmers that organized and participated in the protest.
If anything does come of their actions, then the rest of us certainly are indebted to them for taking the 'bull by the horns'.

[carebear300]

It takes men of purpose and conviction to sticck their necks out and in such numbers turn out to demostrate to this new federal government the seriousness of the present situation. I take my hat off as well to salute you all. I will give you my take on the situation for what it was worth. As you recall the implementation of the CAIS program it was according to the liberal federal government at that time going to be the solution to once and for all help agriculture, or course at the same time the provincial government fought its implementation tooth and nail. After and during its tenure the provinces have been continually hasmmering away the point that the program was not working. Then comes the last federal election and the Harper conservatives pledged to scrap the program, and I would like to think partly as a result of that were elected. After the election they have a meeting and the positions are all basically reversed, now the provinces love the program and the new agriculture minister is going to save the program with a few little changes. How stupid do they think we are? They all got together behind doors and cooked up this little scheme to once again do nothing and spend little extra money. I don't apologize for criticizing the new government and refuse to be silent. Until there is the political will within that government to actually help farmers this shmozzle will continue, everybody paying lip service to agriculture and nobody having to pay much money. In fact a grand plan by the powers that be to befuddle those dumb farmers. I am not impressed and will quote an astute and my maligned neighbour " Talk is cheap!! it takes money to busy whiskey" Keep up the good work all of you that are demonstrating!!!!!!!

[cowman]

Gee carebear, that was a pretty long winded comment by you! I've always considered you a pretty conservative guy...but I think you hit the nail right on the head there!
Some people on here like to label me a Conservative or Nazi or something, but the fact is I just like to see a fair deal for everyone...including the darned old farmer! The grain farmers of this country are getting a cruddy deal and I sincerely don't know how much longer they can take getting screwed!
We elected a government to take some bold moves...to make some changes...and frankly I expect them to do just that!
Either these Conservative boys clean up some of these problems or we need to quit beating around the bush and seperate!

[SASKFARMER3]

I think it was great, the problem was that the national media did nothing with it a few sound bites and that's it.
something is going to happen soon and it will finally wake them up.
Its a matter of time before rural Canada gets even with the liberals in urban Canada.
Its got to. this has been enough of getting kicked in the head.
And Mark Wartman is an idiot. plain and simple.
Hes a typical preacher give us hell and then take our money after hes done.

[dalek]

Next step, closing food terminals. The organizers here have already checked and while they can't legally park tractors at the entrances they can keep a rolling blockade going around the block so trucks can't get in or out. Apparently both food terminals in Ottawa are CAW shops and the CAW has already agreed to consider a rolling tractor blockade as a picket line and tell their members not to cross, although I can't see that lasting more than a week. How many food terminals are there in the west? Apparently one of the Ottawa terminals has 400 trucks leaving to make deliveries between 1 and 5 AM every morning.

[SASKFARMER3]

That's the stuff I mean, Close the grocery stores down and let the city people starve. The new Canadians believe the liberals new what was right and helped keep electing them. The Artsy fartsies in Toronto live in a fantasy so after they quit their last joint and get the munchies they might find it hard to cover their cravings and see that farmers mean something.
Good going to the Ontario and Quebec Farmers.

[cowman]

Now you're talking! Like that little shot about the munchies...gave me a chuckle.

[carebear300]

Dalek: I see a little blurp on late news about food distribution blockades. Are they having any affect? How long have they being going on? Have a happy easter everybody.