Our History
(October 30, 2003 - FFJ) The Canadian Wheat
Board was created in 1935 as a voluntary option - a choice to use it, or
sell grain by other means. Farmers could deliver to the Wheat Board,
and pool their returns with the rest of the "designated"
farmers, or sell on the open market to anyone buying.
In September of 1943 the monopoly was granted as a War Measures Act
policy to hold prices down to levels negotiated between the governments in
Great Britain and Canada to guarantee Britain an affordable grain
supply. This agreement was to supply the grain to Britain for a
short time after the war as well.
In the late 1960's the CWB monopoly was turned into a permanent policy.
Today, western farmers who want to sell their grain outside the
designated domestic market, must by their own grain first -- the grain they planted,
and harvested, and store in their own bins -- from the CWB before they are
allowed to sell it to another buyer. (In other words, if a farmer
living in the "Designated Area" does not sell their grain to an
elevator, they must buy it back from the CWB -- even if they are going to
process it on their own farm.)
Frustration kept building. Throughout Western Canada, with
economic stagnation, value added opportunities were lost, and families
moved away. Farmers decided to move grain to the states despite the
CWB, in an effort to pay bills and realize a profit.
In 1994, Allan Johnston, a grain broker, was himself frustrated and
began speaking with progressive farmers. They had a large meeting in
Regina to discuss what could be done to put free enterprise back into
grain marketing. This discussion resulted in the formation of
Canadian Farmers for Justice.
This group was comprised of large and small farmers from southern
Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Jim Pallister and Bob Nunweiler began
organizing in earnest, and CFFJ quickly grew to several hundred members.
In 1995 Dan Creighton with Farmers for Justice began to challenge the
CWB by organizing border crossings in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Farmers delivered grain into the US and drove vehicles away after having
them seized.
In April of 1996 Alberta staged their first border crossing.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan farmers rallied along with the Albertans to
inform the public of the western "designated" farmers, to show
the public how western farmers were treated differently than eastern
producers, and to have the CWB changed. The results? Trucks
were seized, and charges laid:
- not reporting in writing;
- not placing seized vehicles into the custody of customs officers;
and
- removal of seized vehicles.
This was done peacefully and with respect to officers, both customs and
RCMP. Everyone was aware that the farmers were planning on having
the CWB challenged in court.
But the secretive CWB had the Customs Department and Canada Revenue
deal with the farmers issues, neatly side-stepping any court involvement
of their own.
After Minister Ralph Goodale, responsible for the CWB, had an Order in
Council done, the Albertan farmers staged a second protest.
In July of 1996, Andy McMechan was placed in jail in Manitoba over the
same issues, including not releasing his field tractor into customs
custody. Andy spent the rest of the summer and harvest behind bars
while supporters did for the McMechan family.
On December 10, 1996 Andy was released. His experience was
horrifying. This farmer from Manitoba had been stripped searched
over 50 times, and placed with hardened criminals. (Incidentally,
even the hardened criminals could hardly believe why Andy had been placed
in jail.)
Alberta was the last group to do a border crossing and the first group
to be processed through the court system, spending the longest amount of
time in the legal system. 1997 and 1998 saw the start of Court of Appeals
for Alberta farmers.
In 1998 the CWB held its first farmer director elections.
In Manitoba, Norman and Clayton Desrochers, father and son, were placed
in jail in Brandon, after customs did a search and seizure at their family
farm and home. Clayton spent his 21st birthday in jail.
The Barley Commission launched a Charter Court challenge that failed.
The Alberta farmers continued with their appeals, when in June of 2002
the Judge requested the farmers to pay their fines or bring their
toothbrushes on October 31. The farmers refused to pay the fines for
removal of seized vehicles, the only charge left (the CWB had the other
charges dropped).
In June 2002 the CFFJ website began posting information and facts.
On October 31, 2002 the Alberta farmers turned themselves into police
after a peaceful demonstration, and were placed behind bars.
In January 2003 the Ascertain Forfeitures were refunded to farmers in
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
In late 2002 the Alberta government passed Bill 207, granting a ten
year test period of open markets for all Alberta farmers. |
