McIvor, CWB Chief Commissioner ’37-’58
(January 25, 2015) I was reminded today is Robbie Burns day when we celebrate Scotland, its most renowned poet, and what he stood for. In western Canada we owe much to the Scottish traders and settlers. The Canadian Wheat Board was an institution largely created by astute Scots who knew more than a thing or two about business and built an institution that served us very well for over 75 years and was effectively killed in 2011 by Ottawa over the objections of most western grain farmers.
I was also reminded that the most expensive single malt ‘scotch’ in the world now comes from Japan – $6000.00 per bottle single malt distilled from Canadian malt barley. Japan used to be a premium market for our barley and no doubt still is, except now that premium goes to the same class of oligarchs which Robbie Burns so despised instead of to the farmers who actually grow the barley.
So raise a glass of the sacred liquor to J. R. Murray, John McFarland, and George H. Mclvor the founding commissioners of the CWB who built such a strong institution for the benefit of western farmers and the many others of their heritage who served and continue to serve western Canada’s farmers with such ability and integrity.
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