Farmers Continue Court Fight Over Grain Exports
(Regina, December 14, 2004) A group of
Saskatchewan farmers continues to pursue an eight-year-old legal battle
over the export monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board.
The farmers, some who appeared before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal on
Monday, were convicted of hauling wheat and barley to the United States
without export permits.
About 150 farmers made such "border runs" in 1996 to take
advantage of higher grain prices in the U.S. Dozens of charges were laid
citing the farmers for customs violations.
While most farmers were keen at first to fight the charges, time has taken
its toll. Many gave up their court challenge and paid fines ranging from a
few hundred dollars to several thousand.
Today, fewer than 18 of those farmers remain with cases before the courts.
Lawyer Andrew Mason, who represents some of the farmers, said there's an
important principle at stake.
In his view, the farmers were convicted of violating rules that were never
valid laws.
"The underlying principle is whether government can make laws and
impose sanctions if they don't go through the process required," he
said.
The Court of Appeal reserved its decision on the matter. |
