Farmers’ Support for CWB Evident in Election
Results
(December 30, 2004 - Winnipeg) Farmers in
four districts across Western Canada have elected their representatives to
the CWB’s farmer-controlled board of directors for the next four years.
The elections results, as announced yesterday by the election coordinator,
Meyers Norris Penny (MNP), are as follows:
District 4 – Ken Ritter (incumbent)
District 6 – Ian McCreary (incumbent)
District 8 – Rod Flaman (incumbent)
District 10 – Bill Toews (new director)
James Chatenay, the incumbent director in District 2, was acclaimed.
All of the elected directors expressed strong support for the CWB’s
single-desk system of marketing grain during the election campaign.
“The CWB is one of the few farmer-controlled institutions left on the
Prairies and the majority of farmers want to ensure it remains,” said
Ken Ritter, who is chair of the CWB’s board of directors. “These
results demonstrate that western Canadian farmers continue to support the
single-desk system of marketing, recognizing the clout this gives them in
a global marketplace increasingly dominated by large multinationals.”
Ritter congratulated all his fellow candidates for the time and effort
they devoted to the director-election campaigns. “With voting districts
that span several federal ridings, campaigning means a lot of hours on the
road,” he said, adding candidates all relied on support from their
families and friends.
The elected and acclaimed directors will take office December 31, 2004. A
regularly scheduled board meeting and a long-term strategic planning
session will take place January 18-20, 2005.
Complete election results can be found on MNP’s CWB director elections
Web site, www.cwbelection.com.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and
barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada’s biggest exporters, the
Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and
returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers. |
