Saskatchewan Farmers Head to Court

(November 15, 2002 - FFJ)    On November 18 and 19 Saskatchewan farmers will be appearing before the Court of Queen's Bench.  For some western farmers this is a case of deja vu.  The Saskatchewan farmers will be facing the same charges as the recently incarcerated Alberta farmers did: failure to report in writing, exporting without a licence, and not placing vehicles into the custody of Customs Officers.

In Saskatchewan 123 individuals were charged, in Alberta there was a total of 32, Manitoba has another 63 - all charged with the same offences.

"We were there for the Alberta farmers, we will be there for the Saskatchewan farmers," Colleen Bianchi of Canadian Farmers for Justice stated.  "Unlike the federal government, we don't play favorites to one province over another.  To us Alberta farmers, Saskatchewan farmers, Manitoba farmers, they are all the same - farmers."

Free Dominion, a Canadian political watch group, has organized a rally to coincide with the Saskatchewan farmers court appearances.  The rally will be held in Ottawa on November 18, with keynote speakers Stockwell Day, Rick Borostick, Myron Thompson, Darrel Stinson, Peter Goldring, and  Howard Galganov, as well as two of the incarcerated Alberta farmers.  The rally starts at noon Ottawa time.

"We appreciate the support being shown to western farmers by other organizations," Bianchi said, "it is especially gratifying to see it come out of the east.  Farmers in Ontario don't have to play by the same rules we do - so when we see them pick up our banner, we know this is no longer a regional issue.  This is an issue of freedom, and that's important to all Canadians."

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For more information, please contact:
Colleen Bianchi: 403-344-4473