Take Off The Blinders Ralph
Guest Editorial
Ralph, you give the impression you are trying to be frugal in your new
role as Federal Finance Minister. The $85,000,000 deficit this year
in the Canadian Wheat Board should give you an incentive to make the CWB
voluntary. Just a year ago, the CWB pulled out of the market when
prices were very buoyant, costing farmers another $60,000,000.
Not one head rolled in the CWB. As a result, heads should not
only have rolled, but there should have been prosecutions for such an
inept scandalous performance.
All of this takes place in Western Canada while farmers in Ontario,
Quebec and the Maritimes have no restrictions, no court costs, no
seizures, and no fines for selling their product to the higher bidder.
The CWB has announced they will be able to sell all the wheat and
barley available in the 2003-2--4 crop year in the designated area.
The designated area of second class citizens. They are not selling,
they are giving it away. Let's look at North Dakota prices compared
to CWB prices.
Remember Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes can take advantage of the US
prices with no restrictions - no buy back -- a no cost CWB license.
| In Canadian Funds |
CWB Price |
US Price (ND) |
| 1 CWRS (13.5%) |
$2.72 |
$5.30 |
| 1 CWAD (13.5%) |
$2.93 |
$5.80 |
Ralph, the Chamber of Commerce (the most prestigious business group in
Canada) at their National Convention in Quebec City in September 2003,
voted almost unanimously for a voluntary CWB. The Chambe3r of
Commerce is made up of positive, progressive thinking business people who
understand business. They understand that voluntary CWB would have
beneficial business spin-offs that would help all of Canada.
Ralph, you pat answer as usual will be the CWB is run by farmers.
Ralph, show some honesty and decency - the CWB is not run by farmers.
First of all, Government appoints 1/3 of the Directors. Any
political party who could appoint a third of their people would be almost
impossible to defeat. Add to that, the Minister in Charge of the CWB
appoints the scruitineers at election time, and you end up with a Third
World, Banana Republic election process.
Only 40% of the CWB Permit Book holders voted in the last Banana
Republic, Third World, CWB election. The pro-board people received
just over 50% of the vote. That works out to 20% overall support for
the CWB.
20% support is not a mandate.
Ralph, in the next federal election if the ballots were mailed out from
Ottawa to each eligible voter and then they were told to mail them back to
the Liberal Headquarters in Ottawa to be counted and Prime Minister Paul
Martin appointed the scruitineers -- who would win this election?
Ralph, you give the impression that you are concerned about Western
alienation. You should be... because it is going to happen.
Discrimination never works -- it always fails.
Western Canada has realized for a long time that we are being
discriminated against.
In the last federal election, Western Canada separated. The West
went Canadian Alliance (Manitoba/Ontario border west). The Canadian
Alliance stood for a voluntary CWB.
As federal Finance Minister you will have a lot of people around
you. They will try to put a wall around you and cut off any ideas
but theirs. They will tell you what a great man you are,
Ralph. But you and I both know you are not!
~Ren Borys
Weyburn, SK |
