NEWS RELEASE
FOR USE: July 7, 2011

The Canadian Wheat Board Alliance (CWBA) is pleased the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) is holding a plebiscite on the future of the single desk.

The record of the Harper Conservatives on plebiscites is clear: they oppose a democratic plebiscite and Minister Ritz has indicated that he wishes to bypass the Canadian Wheat Board Act to remove the single desk without following the law by holding a farmer vote.

Bill Gehl, the chairperson of the CWBA observed “Unfortunately, the Conservatives have a record of running plebiscites with dishonest and leading questions which leaves many farmers with no confidence the Minister would run an honest plebiscite. So it falls to our farmer-elected CWB Directors to uphold democracy.”

The CWB has a record of running honest and transparent elections for its Board of Directors and farmers can be confident that the Wheat Board will hold an honest and transparent plebiscite. The CWB has already tabled the clear questions which farmers will be asked to vote on.

Gehl concluded by reminding the Minister that “the CWB is our board and our business and he should stand by his pre-election pledge to respect the democratic wishes of farmers to keep the single desk expressed in the Canadian Wheat Board Directors elections.”

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