CWB slow to pay...farmers and CEO

[ivbinconned]

Strahl orders wheat board to pay its new CEO
JOE FRIESEN

WINNIPEG -- Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl yesterday obtained a cabinet order to force the Canadian Wheat Board to pay its chief executive officer, who has worked without compensation for the past five weeks.

Greg Arason was appointed to the CEO's job in December, but has been unable to negotiate a contract with the farmer-elected board of directors.

Mr. Arason said he was not agitating for Mr. Strahl's move, but found himself caught in the middle of a power struggle between the minister and his opponents on the board.

In a statement released late yesterday, Mr. Strahl said the agriculture minister has the power to determine the CEO's compensation. The board disagrees, however.

"It is important to have an interim president and chief executive officer in place who is working for farmers and has the tools to direct and manage the day-to-day operations of the CWB," Mr. Strahl said.

"I am sure the CWB board of directors agrees, however some board members have been unwilling to pay Mr. Arason and provide him with the necessary signing authorities to do his job."

Ken Ritter, the wheat board's elected chairman, would not comment on the order yesterday. He said it is highly complex, and the board will not discuss it publicly until it has received legal advice and met to discuss it.

It is another peculiar twist in the protracted and bitter ideological struggle over the board's future. Mr. Arason was appointed to replace Adrian Measner, who was fired by Mr. Strahl for refusing to support the government's plan to end the wheat board's monopoly on grain sales. His firing was met with angry protests, and it was suggested that the board's farmer-elected directors might refuse to agree to a contract with his successor.

Mr. Strahl also used an order in council in October to ban wheat-board employees from advocating for the board's continued existence. The gag order is being fought in court, but Mr. Ritter would not say whether this latest move will also be challenged.

Mr. Arason said he would like to be paid, but this is not the ideal outcome. He expects his compensation would be comparable to the $300,000 a year paid to Mr. Measner.

[wilagro]

Perhaps Chucky could loan Mr. Arason a few bucks till payday, after all HE, (Chucky) hired him.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahah

[cowman]

Not sure why the CWB board of directors continue to cut their own throats? Maybe they think they can get public opinion on their side?
And who knows, maybe they can?
It is very likely that Mr. Strahl and Mr. Harpers days are numbered? I suspect it will be Mr. Dion and Mr. Goodale back in the drivers seat real soon?
I see now the Conservatives are going to take out "attack ads" against Stephane Dion? The word is some will air on the Superbowl show!
I wonder what is with that? Are they trying to push Dion into forcing an election before they have to bring in a budget? A budget that in all probability will lose them every seat in Saskatchewan?
Mr. Harper is playing a pretty tight game here? I don't think he will win?
Get ready for a Liberal government. Get ready to deal with the CWB for the next decade, at least.
I wonder if this scenario plays out(Liberal gov./CWB as usual), if the Alberta premier will take Alberta out of the CWB designated area? Why do I think no?

[ivbinconned]

"attack ad's"

NO no my friend, these are truth ad's!!

[ruggb]

I don,t like "attack ads" anytime by any party. I think political parties use them at thier peril. I think they often backfire.
The conservatives are very ill advised to use them at this time. My advise is to concentrate on doing a good job and forget the dirty pool for now.
Ofcourse Dion is vulerable on his environmental record. The liberals did nothing for the environment in thier whole time in office. But save this for the election. Most of the electorate will figure it out.

[cakadu]

Attack ads smack of desperation and havw quite often backfired as has been stated.

Yet another "promise" broken in that the conservatives were not going to act that way. Quit telling me what the others didn't do - what have you done?

I'm not so sure that the Conservatives want to draw any more attention to the fact that they canned the environmental initiatives by the Liberals, did nothing on the environment for a year and then trotted out "re-worked" Liberal ideas as good.

I would point out that Dion was environment minister for only a year, so can he be held to task for what went on before he became minister? I am not defending the Liberals, but asking a question here.

[ivbinconned]

No... you are defending the Lieberals!

You explain it away by the fact that "Dion" only had a year...if so any comment about Harper at this point in time, on the same file, is unfair.

The fact that you do, shows you bias!

[cakadu]

Why is it the only ones who are biased are the ones who don't agree with you?!?!? I do not and will not support the Liberals and have stated that many, many times.

I just saw one of the ads that the Conservatives plan to run during the American Super Bowl - ad spots go for $2.5 million per 30 seconds - good value for money?

The ad shows what the liberals said they would do - and you could substitue gun registry, day care, income trust, CWB and anything else you want to put in there and it would be the same result - for the Conservatives.

If people/parties are going to point fingers, remember the ones that are pointing back.

[cowman]

I would certainly question the value of advertizing on an American sporting event...if you want to reach Canadians...but whatever..it is their dime?
I would also ask why? Now?
Sure Dion is not being up front about what a cruddy job he did! So what? Anyone with a brain knows that? Maybe Mr. Harper wants to convince 200 hundred million Americans..LOL...what is with that? Do you ever wonder if these guys are still in reality?
I agree with Linda, these guys are in trouble, they know it, and they are going insane trying to find a solution! My prediction...Stephen Harper and the Conservatives are going to go down...and go down hard! This kind of desperation only makes them look like greedy fools who couldn't run a hot dog stand!
...now mind you...my predictions are quite often wrong(eg. Honest Ed?)

[Horse]

Hey cowman if you say it enough it becomes truth.

[Burbert]

I think that everyone at the CWB should work for FREE, after all, apparently they do such a lousy job, according to the guys on Commodity Marketing. The only ones that deserve good pay are us hard working farmers, who will take over marketing our grain and make billions, then we can get bigger and bigger, until we become Brazilian land barons. Yeah we are all experts, never make mistakes and never will, when it comes to selling our product,worldwide. We know what is going on out there, after all we have access to the misinformation highway on our home PC's. Guess everyone is a lot brighter than little old me!

[cowman]

Burbert: I suspect the "third option" will get a good reception from producers? Where you have the option to either market your barley/wheat through the board or go on your own?
I suspect the CWB has some very competent people working for it who know quite a bit about marketing grain! I also suspect they will be able to function quite well in a dual market...despite all the rhetoric about how they won't be able to?
What really bugs me about this whole debate is how the "far side" on both pro and con, try to frighten everyone into taking their sides?
So we get a Ken Ritter saying vote for the single desk...or that is the end of the board! And on the other side we get this "your stealing my grain" and we need to completely dismantle the board? No compromise...its my way or the highway! And then to top it off certain people try to portray it as a "peasants versus the entrepreneur" or "old backwards farmer versus progressive young farmer"?
I find it particularily foolish when some anti-board farmers suggest they should have a greater say because they grow more grain? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! They come across as autocrats! They chase more votes into the single desk camp everytime they open their mouths?

[ivbinconned]

Cowman...the Americans will not be seeing those ads. They are for the "Canadian" broadcast of the game. Don't forget the CRTC...our great kanadian protector that governs every thing we see and hear stears the proletariat mind...keeping them obediant, insecure and humble.

Did you first hear of the Quebec ag subsidies here on this site...or in the "Western Seducer"??

I have survived these past 15 years NOT growing CWB grain!! Do I get to vote?

I rest my case.

[cowman]

Ivebinconned: Thank you for that info. I did not know that it would be only advertized in Canada?
In regards to your situation of not growing any CWB grains: Neither have I or neither has my father. However the option should be available for both of us? If the malsters would be willing to pay a decent upfront price(or the milling co.)...without the necessity of going through the CWB...then I would sure be willing to look at it? I really don't care who buys it...just if their money is good, in my pocket, and I can deliver it?...Pretty simple isn't it?

[ivbinconned]

I agree. The CWB has been giving sweet heart deals to Canadian Maltsters for decades. Often selling my malt to Canada Malt Corp for a third the U.S. price.

Now am I supposed to be comforted knowing that I am beeing screwed by a "Canadian" corporation as opposed to an American one?? All the while being assisted by my (what a joke) CWB!!