Focus on the here and now
(Regina, March 8, 2012) The Canadian Wheat Board Alliance is reminding farmers to focus on current issues at the Wheat Board meetings being held this month instead of being side-tracked by speculation about future agreements Ritz’s appointees now running the CWB may make if the illegal end of the single desk proceeds on August 1, 2012.
“Farmers should remember that Minister Ritz seized control of about $7 billion dollars of pool account grain and outstanding sales on December 15, 2011” observed Bill Gehl, chairperson of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance, “and in the series of CWB meetings this March, farmers need to hold Ritz’s appointees accountable for this year’s single-desk CWB sales.”
Gehl went on to say “don’t let Ritz hide his seizure and expropriation of our pool account money behind announcements of future agreements with international grain companies. His appointees need to answer the same basic questions we used to ask our elected Directors about our money.”
“Farmers also need to know if they will be paying for the severance of CWB staff being fired. It is unfair to take this money from the pool accounts” Gehl remarked.
“We have already seen worrying signs that Minister Ritz has something to hide. Why have all the previous audited financial statements from the CWB web site been removed? We want straight answers on the contingency fund they have taken from the single desk. This is farmers’ money, not a slush fund to finance their experiment at being a private grain broker, and we have a right to clear answers about what is happening to it.”
“Farmers also have a right to know when the final payments will be issued. Consistency of financial reporting is critical for transparency so farmers need to know if a fully audited statement compatible with previous years will be available.” Gehl explained.
“When the elected directors were dismissed the CWB was on track to sell $7 billion worth of grain about 99% of which would come back to farmers. What has Gerry’s Grain Company done with these sales? We expect Minister Ritz and his appointees to be fully transparent on their handling of farmers’ money this crop year.”
Gehl concluded “we would also remind Minister Ritz’s appointees and Wheat Board management that the legislation they believe they are working under is now being contested in the courts and it is best to assume the old rules of transparency and fairness followed by our elected Directors still apply to them.”
Former Directors for CWB Democracy Disappointed But Determined
(CWB Region, February 27, 2012) The farmer-elected Directors of the Canadian Wheat Board are very disappointed that a recent Manitoba Queen’s Bench judgement took six weeks to reject an injunction protecting farmers’ right to vote on fundamental changes to the Canadian Wheat Board. These changes were implemented by Ottawa in defiance of a December 2011 Federal Court ruling by Justice Campbell.
“Our application for an injunction was to halt the implementation of Bill C-18 and provide some stability and clarity until all the legal issues were resolved. Although Justice Perlmutter has ruled against an injunction there are other cases out there which still bring into question Bill C-18’s validity,” said Kyle Korneychuk, a former Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) Director from Saskatchewan.
“In our view, Justice Perlmutter did not give consideration to the context of how the Wheat Board Act was amended in 1998 and the evidence we presented regarding the understanding in the farm community that we would have a vote. This understanding was reflected in the intent of Parliament at the time that Section 47.1 was passed,” said Bill Woods a Director elected by farmers in District 4 in Saskatchewan. “That farmers would have a vote is something the vast majority of farmers in the west have taken for granted since we first started electing directors to run our Wheat Board. This is what Federal Court Justice Campbell recognized in his December 2011 decision.”
Bill Toews, a farmer elected Director from Manitoba went on to explain that “grain marketing is a zero-sum game and each forward contract with a private company means the value of the Pooled accounts are diminished, and ultimately farmers get less money, so the damages to farmers and their Wheat Board are more than speculative.”
Allan Oberg, former chairperson of the Canadian Wheat Board and an elected Director from Forestburg, Alberta observed, “overall we are very disappointed by the decision. As elected representatives of the farm community we stand with Justice Campbell’s view that our democratic rights have been ignored by the Minister of Agriculture.”
Mr. Oberg went on to note the farmer-elected Directors were consulting with their legal counsel on avenues to affirm the rights of famers to vote on changes to their Wheat Board.
“Of course it is not too late for the government to do the right thing and hold a vote of farmers under Section 47.1.,” concluded former CWB chair Allen Oberg.
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For further information:
Allen Oberg
Bill Woods
Kyle Korneychuk
Bill Toews
Manitoba court decision on CWB has no effect on Constitutional or Class Action law suits
(Regina, Feb 24, 2012) The Canadian Wheat Board Alliance, as a member of the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, will continue to support a Constitutional challenge to Ottawa’s dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board according to Bill Gehl, chairperson of the organization.
“This is a question of due process and the rule of law itself. Federal Justice Campbell has already ruled that Ottawa’s actions are ‘an affront to the rule of law’ and we believe everyone, including the Minister Agriculture must follow the law. The ruling of a provincial judge is certainly not the last word on this issue,” Gehl said.
“We firmly believe Ottawa broke the law when it introduced its legislation ending the Wheat Board and dismissing our farmer-elected directors. Our court action speaks to our basic constitutional rights to vote on the control and mandate of our Wheat Board” Gehl concluded.
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Farmers launch challenge to restore Wheat Board and seek $17billion in damages
NEWS RELEASE
Winnipeg, February 15, 2012 – The Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board (FCWB) announced that the law firm of Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP (SGM), working with FCWB counsel, Anders Bruun, has launched a court action in the Federal Court of Canada to restore the Canadian Wheat Board and recover damages farmers have suffered as a result of Ottawa’s tampering with western grain marketing. More information about the class action can be found at www.cwbclassaction.ca
The action places new and significant constitutional arguments in front of the courts. The plaintiffs are four grain farmers, Harold Bell of British Columbia (250) 785-8996 / 262-9278, Andrew Dennis of Manitoba (204) 476-6498, Nathan Macklin of Alberta (780) 957-2583 / 832-3190, and Ian McCreary of Saskatchewan (306) 567-2099 / 561-7838.
“The goals of this action are twofold” observed Steven Shrybman, one of the SGM legal team handling the litigation. “Our primary objective is to restore democratic farmer control of the Wheat Board and the right of producers to collectively market their grain. We are also seeking compensation from the government for damages it has caused to the interests of producers.”
Brookdale, Manitoba, area farmer Andrew Dennis added “this is a complex and far reaching litigation which will include both constitutional issues and a class action to recover lost money for farmers. We have also retained Anders Bruun, a lawyer with over 20 years of grain trade experience, to act as co-counsel with SGM to prosecute this case. Mr. Bruun represented the FCWB when we stopped Ottawa removing barley from the Wheat Board in 2007. SGM has a successful track record on similar cases so we feel confident that we will ultimately reverse Ottawa’s unlawful actions and we expect our members will receive substantial compensation for the damages already done.”
Bill Gehl, chairperson of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance and a member of the Friends, observed that “in response to a FCWB legal case last year a Federal Court Judge held that Minister Ritz broke the law by introducing legislation to destroy our Canadian Wheat Board. The Harper government has defied the courts to implement this legislation.”
“Rejecting this legislation is about more than the Canadian Wheat Board, it is about due process and the rule of law itself and that affects everyone in Canada” observed Anders Bruun, the Friends legal counsel.
Stewart Wells, one of the farmer-elected Directors of the Wheat Board dismissed under the illegal legislation, said “we have a broadly based group supporting this action including 8 of the 10 deposed farmer-elected CWB Directors, the Producer Car Shippers of Canada, the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance, various civil society groups, the National Farmers’ Union and others who are affected by the changes Ottawa has imposed on farmers.”
Laurence Nicholson, an irrigation farmer at Seven Persons, Alberta concluded “we have called on the Government of Canada to respect the law and stop their bullying of farmers. Instead they have chosen to break the law, so now it falls to us to give the courts the opportunity to assert the rule of law and redress this injustice.”
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For further information call:
Andrew Dennis: (204) 476-6498
Stewart Wells: (306) 773-6852
Bill Gehl: (306) 537-3899
Laurence Nicholson: (403) 527-6804 / 952-5695
Anders Bruun: (204) 416-3562
Steven Shrybman: (613) 482-2456
Donations to support this important Constitutional challenge may be made by mailing a cheque to the following organizations:
Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board,
Box 41, Brookdale, MB, ROK 0G0
or by donating directly by using the Friends’ credit card facility at 204-354-2254
donations may also be made by using PayPal online at: http://friendsofcwb.ca/donate
Or to:
Producer Car Shippers of Canada
Box 242,
Briercrest, Saskatchewan, S0H 0K0
Or
The Canadian Wheat Board Alliance,
Box 125,
Hussar, AB, T0J 1S0
you can also donate using PayPal online at: http://www.cwbafacts.ca/donate/
Or
The National Farmers’ Union
2717 Wentz Ave. Saskatoon, Sk. S7K
You can use their secure credit card option at http://nfu.ca/store/donation.html
BACKGROUNDER
Canadian Wheat Board Constitutional and Class Action Suit launched, February 15, 2012
- Plaintiffs:
Harold Bell (250) 785-8996 / 262-9278
Andrew Dennis (204) 476-6498
Nathan Macklin (780) 957-2583 / 832-3190
Ian McCreary (306) 567-2099 / 561-7838
- Harold Bell has a grain farm in the Peace River area in northern British Columbia near Fort St John. Nathan Macklin is starting his farming career near DeBolt Alberta on land homesteaded by his family. Ian McCreary farms near Bladworth, Saskatchewan and has experience both as an employee of the Wheat Board in the 1980’s and as a farmer-elected Director to the Wheat Board. Andrew Dennis operates a family farm near Brookdale, Manitoba, has been active in the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, and does extensive fund raising work for the organization. These farmers represent the broad range of experience and knowledge which the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board brings to this litigation.
- This case places new and significant constitutional arguments in front of the courts.
- The Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board (FCWB) is actively supporting this class action.
- FCWB led the fight to oppose Ottawa’s removal of barley from the CWB. In litigation led by their counsel Anders Bruun, the Friends were successful in having the Federal Court rule Ottawa acted illegally. As a result, barley was returned to the CWB on July 31, 2007.
- On December 7th, 2011, the FCWB were again successful in securing a judgement from the Federal Court. Justice Douglas Campbell ruled that Bill C-18, the legislation ending the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk marketing responsibilities and dismissing its farmer elected Board of Directors, was introduced into Parliament illegally.
- This litigation is also supported by the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance, a non-partisan group of several hundred farmers from across the prairies who recognize the value of the Wheat Board. The Producer Car Shippers of Canada, representing farmers and their cooperatives who load several thousand producer rail cars of grain each year for export, various civil society groups, and by the National Farmers’ Union which has thousands of members across Canada.
- The FCWB’s counsel, Anders Bruun, has over twenty years of experience in the grain industry as well these two ground breaking successes for farmers. Working with the law firm of Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP, Mr. Bruun will act as co-counsel in this new litigation.
- Sack Goldblatt Mitchell (SGM) is one of Canada’s leading public interest law firms. It has acted in some of the most significant litigations in Canada. SGM has spearheaded a number of ground-breaking cases involving the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, class action proceedings legislation and other statutes. Charter cases have involved health care, equality rights and labour and employment. SGM has been a consistent advocate for an individual’s right to freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to life, liberty and security of the person. It has acted as lead counsel, or co-lead-counsel, in some of the most important class actions in Canada. SGM lawyers are at the forefront of litigation aimed at enhancing civil society in Canada.
- Legal Counsel:
Anders Bruun (204) 416-3562 Steven Shrybman, SGM (613) 482-2456
International Year of Co-operatives launched
International Year of Co-operatives to be launched across Canada on January 12
United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2012 the year to recognize co-operatives’ global contribution
Vancouver, January 11, 2012 — For the first time ever The BC Co-operative Association, along with other provincial co-op associations and thousands of co-op and credit union members across Canada will be holding a celebratory event on Thursday, January 12 to officially launch the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives. The Anglophone and Francophone co-op movements in Canada are jointly launching the event.
This unique national event will take place at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre from 11:30 to 1:30 am EST, together with 14 regional launch events. The Vancouver event will take place at the Visitor Centre at Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, 5251 Oak Street, from 9:00 to 10:30 am and will include a live webcast from the National Arts Centre at 9:30 am.
Media representatives are invited to attend the Vancouver event, which will feature a special message from Premier Christy Clark, a keynote address from CEO of Vancity, Tamara Vrooman, remarks by MLAs Jenny Kwan and Bruce Ralston and participation from key co-ops and credit unions in BC including MEC, The Co-operators, the Co-op Housing Federation of BC and Modo the Car Co-op. Regional and local co-op representatives will also be available for interviews before, during and after the launch event.
The webcast will include remarks by Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators (live from Calgary) and Monique Leroux, president and CEO of Desjardins (live from Lévis, Quebec) as well as the premiere of a co-operative musical work by the Montreal group Samajam, that will perform live in Ottawa. The webcast can be viewed here.
“At a time when many are searching for constructive alternatives to the economic status quo, co-operatives offer an economic model that puts people ahead of profits”, said John Restakis, Executive Director of the BC Co-operative Association.
In December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 2012 the International Year of Co-operatives, in recognition of the unique contribution of co-operatives to the social and economic development of communities around the world. The theme of the International Year is Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World.
“Co-operatives are about people, so we wanted to launch the year with events in which many people across the country could participate,” said Claude Gauthier, president of the Canadian Co-operative Association. “This year offers an important opportunity to educate the public – and our own co-op members – about the enormous role co-operatives play in building communities, revitalizing economies and creating jobs here in Canada and around the world.”
For more information about the International Year of Co-operatives, including the national and regional launch events, see IYC 2012.
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For information on the Vancouver launch, contact:
John Restakis, Executive Director or Donna Balkan, Communications Manager
BC Co-operative Association Canadian Co-operative Association
604-662-3906 613-238-6711, ext. 206
Cell: 778-855-9161 Cell: 613-314-1032
restakis @ bcca.coop
communications @ coopscanada.coop
For information on the National launch, contact:
Donna Balkan, Communications Manager
Canadian Co-operative Association
613-238-6711, ext. 206
Cell: 613-314-1032
communications @ coopscanada.coop
Kita Szpak, National Publicist
Knock on Wood Communications
613-236-8452, ext. 512
Kita @ knockonwoodcommunications.com
BACKGROUNDER:
Co-operatives in BC and Canada: Facts and figures
· Co-operatives have more than a billion members around the world and more than 18 million members in Canada. Globally, co-operatives in 127 countries provide 100 million jobs, 20% more than multinational enterprises.
· There are more than 9,000 co-operatives in Canada, with more than 155,000 employees and more than $370 billion in assets (2011).
· BC’s co-ops control over $30 B in assets. Collectively, BC’s co-ops employ 13,000 people and serve 1.8 million members. BC’s credit unions provide local, community controlled financial services to 1 in 3 British Columbians. Credit unions like Vancity are world leaders in their fields.
· The survival rate of co-ops is almost twice as high as that of conventional businesses. According to a BCCA study of co-ops in BC, over a five-year period 65.8 % of co-ops survive compared to 43% for conventional business start-ups. This research reflects similar findings in Quebec and Alberta.
· Co-operatives operate in virtually every sector of the Canadian economy, including financial services (credit unions), retail, agriculture, housing, health care and energy.
· Co-ops in BC have been indispensible in building up agriculture and fishing industries and providing social services to families and communities. There are more than 125 childcare co-ops in BC offering affordable childcare. Two hundred and sixty housing co-ops offer safe and affordable housing to more than 13,000 families. Health care co-ops provide community based health care to a growing number of communities.
· BC co-ops are innovative leaders and pioneers in sectors like transportation and sustainable energy. Modo, the car co-op was Canada’s first, and largest, car sharing service. Co-ops in BC are promoting sustainable, community owned energy models using wind, solar, and biofuels. Peace Energy Co-op was the provinces’ first community-owned wind farm.
· Co-operatives have existed in Canada for about 150 years. Agricultural and consumer co-operatives were created in the 19th century, and Canada’s first credit union was established by Alphonse Desjardins in Lévis, Quebec in 1900.
· In 2008, the most recent year figures are available, the world’s 300 largest co-operatives generated revenues of USD 1.6 trillion – equivalent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the world’s ninth largest economy. Eight of the world’s 300 largest co-operatives are Canadian.
· Some of Canada’s best-known co-operatives include: Desjardins Group (financial services), Federated Co-operatives Limited (consumer); La coop fédérée (agriculture/meat processing); Agropur (agriculture/dairy products) The Co-operators (insurance), Mountain Equipment Co-op (consumer); UFA (farm supplies) Gay Lea Foods (agriculture/dairy products); Vancity (financial services), Co-op Atlantic (consumer), and Arctic Co-operatives Limited (consumer).
· The Canadian co-operative movement works closely with partners in developing countries to help reduce poverty through the creation and strengthening of co-operatives. There are four Canadian organizations which focus on international co-operative development: the Canadian Co-operative Association, SOCODEVI, Développement international Desjardins and Rooftops Canada.
Class Action Lawsuit
Winnipeg, MB, January 11, 2012—Today the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board (FCWB), in consultation with the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance (CWBA) and other interested parties, announced that they are fully prepared to broaden their current legal challenge to Ottawa’s attempt to dismantle the CWB’s single-desk marketing authority. The Friends’ can and will file a class action lawsuit on behalf of participating prairie grain producers on short notice at the appropriate time.
Grandview, Manitoba, area farmer Larry Bohdanovich said that “it is clear that the Harper Government is pursuing a policy of confiscation without either consultation or compensation. This is totally unacceptable and prairie farmers will not take this lying down.”
“One of our legal avenues is to launch a class action lawsuit on behalf of prairie farmers to recover the value which will be lost should Minister Ritz succeed in ending the single desk,” observed Gilbert Ferre, a grain producer at Zenon Park, Saskatchewan, and the acting Chair of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance. “Our legal counsel is prepared to file a submission in court within days if necessary.”
“We continue to hope that the courts will uphold Justice Campbell’s ruling that Ritz’ Bill C-18 legislation is ‘an affront to the rule of law’ and that the need to sue for compensation will be unnecessary,” said Stewart Wells, an organic grain producer at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and one of the eight recently dismissed farmer-elected Directors of the Wheat Board. “But if the worst happens, farmers will demand full compensation from the Federal Government for the consequences of its undemocratic actions.”
Wells went on to say, “We believe farmers’ interests would be best served by a broader legal challenge mounted by the Friends of the CWB, the CWB Alliance, and other membership-based organizations because they represent a wider range and a greater depth of experience and knowledge on Wheat Board issues. Over the last several months, these cooperating groups have been conducting research to gather and document evidence to support a comprehensive claim for compensation.”
“Farmers must receive appropriate compensation should Ottawa succeed in ignoring the wishes of the majority of farmers who have consistently voted to retain the single-desk marketing advantage,” said Laurence Nicholson, an irrigation farmer at Seven Persons, Alberta. “Our claim will be developed in the western farm tradition of cooperation and service-at-cost so that the true costs of destroying our Wheat Board will be borne by the people responsible in Ottawa.”
Anders Bruun, Legal Counsel for the Friends of the CWB, said that “the legal route seems to be the only way for prairie farmers to get the attention of the ideologically-driven Harper Government. Farmers are fortunate that they still live in a democracy where they have access to the courts and the rule of law ultimately prevails.”
Directors for CWB Democracy Instruct Legal Team
(CWB Region) “We feel that asking a Federal Court Justice to quash the government’s appeal of the December 7 decision is appropriate”, said Allen Oberg, former Chair of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). “By ignoring the Federal Court of Canada decision the Harper government has again left us with no alternative.”
In December of 2011 Federal Court Justice Campbell ruled that the government is bound by the CWB’s democratic process established by Parliament in 1998. Justice Campbell said that “(T)he minister must act democratically… Not adhering to these values is not only disrespectful, it is contrary to law.” The intent of Parliament was “not to alter this structure without consultation and consent” according to Justice Campbell and the tens of thousands of western farmers that were familiar with Section 47.1 of the CWB Act.
Immediately after the ruling however, the Harper government stated that it would not be bound by the law or the courts and the government moved ahead to implement Bill C-18 which would destroy the single desk marketing advantages of the CWB. (There have apparently been three times in Canadian history when the Federal government has ignored a ruling from the Federal Court, and all three have occurred since 2006 when the Harper government was installed.) At the same time the government moved to appeal the Federal Court ruling.
“We believe that the Harper government should have to choose—either the government moves ahead to dismantle the CWB without a vote of farmers, or they continue with their efforts to reverse the decision at appeal—but they should not be able to do both at the same time,” continued Bill Toews, farmer in Manitoba and former CWB Director.
“The Harper government broke the law and insulted farmers when they took away the farmers’ right to vote on changes to the CWB,” concluded Oberg. “The government’s action was not legal, fair or constructive, and the government continues to create a huge amount of uncertainty for the western grain trade. We are urging all farmers and Canadians in general to support our actions by visiting www.friendsofcwb.ca and becoming personally involved.”
Federal Court decision vindicates Wheat Board farmer democracy
(Regina) “Today’s Federal Court ruling that Minister Ritz broke the law by introducing legislation to destroy our Canadian Wheat Board without carrying out a producer plebiscite is a vindication of our farmer democracy” observed Bill Gehl, chairperson of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance.
“We have seen too much law breaking and political spin about our Wheat Board. It is time for the Senate of Canada to demonstrate respect for the law and the basic institutions of our society by immediately rejecting this unlawful legislation and abandoning further hearings into it” said Gehl.
Mr. Justice Campbell said it best in his decision “The Applicants each request a Declaration that the Minister’s conduct is an affront to the rule of law. For the reasons that follow, I have no hesitation in granting this request.”
Gehl concluded by saying “We call on the Government of Canada to respect the law and stop their harassment of our Wheat Board and western farmers for whom this institution is so critical. It is time for Minister Ritz to stop his disgraceful conduct and for Ottawa to quit trying to destroy our Canadian Wheat Board” concluded Gehl.
Young farmer protests in House of Commons
(Ottawa) Dean Harder, a young farmer from Lowe Farm, Manitoba, stood up in the visitor’s gallery of the House of Commons and addressed the assembled MPs. Mr. Harder’s actions reflect the increasing frustration and desperation farmers across the west are feeling about the Harper government’s unlawful attack on the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB).
Holding signs that read, “Save the Single Desk” and “Lies” he pointed out that the proposal to kill the Wheat Board was not about freedom. He charged the Harper government with using lies and half truths as excuses to kill the CWB. In a loud clear voice he said “You are not speaking for us. Taking away the Wheat Board is not freedom. Freedom is not giving control to multi-national companies.”
Referring to the short circuiting of due process in the House of Commons by the Harper regime Mr. Harder said “You do not know what you are doing. Take your time on this bill. It is too important to rush.”
Before he was escorted from the gallery by security staff for his non-violent protest he demanded what farmers across the west have been demanding and are now in court to secure: our right to have a vote on the fate of our CWB as guaranteed under the laws of Canada.
“We want our vote” Mr. Harder said and a majority of farmers and all those who value democracy and due process across Canada would agree with him.
Harder in front of Parliament
Commenting on the protest, Gilbert Ferre, vice-chair of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance observed, “Mr. Harder’s frustration with how this issue is being handled is understandable. We are also very frustrated and angry with the Harper Government’s unwillingness to listen to farmers or consider in any sort of serious way all the implications of killing our Canadian Wheat Board. We are calling on the Senate of Canada to fulfill their duties to Canadians by being the Chamber of sober second thought. We expect them to conduct hearings across western Canada so farmers can have their voices heard.”
Ferre concluded by saying “not only is the livelihood of Canadian farm families at stake, but so is the future of our high quality Canadian grain along with the integrity of our food system. This needs more careful consideration than it has received to date.”
Ritz seizure of farmer money wrong
(Zenon Park, SK) The CWBA condemns recent orders by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz instructing the CWB to increase its contingency fund to $200 million. “We feel this amounts to the seizure of $200 million from the farmers of western Canada” said Gilbert Ferre, vice-chair of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance.
“The money in the contingency fund is earned by the farmer elected and controlled CWB from grain sales and it is the property of farmers. Mr. Harper and Mr. Ritz need to learn the CWB is not an ATM to finance their fantasy voluntary marketing board,” observed Ferre.
Over the past weeks Cabinet has issued regulatory orders compelling the farmer- elected Canadian Wheat Board to increase the size of the CWB contingency fund. On October 18, 2011 Cabinet issued an order effectively seizing $100 million from the CWB. On November 14, 2011 the Harper Cabinet issued another order increasing the seizure to $200 million. Funds put into the contingency fund come from the operations of the CWB.
“Aside from the obvious lack of planning these two seizures demonstrate, this amounts to an illegitimate co-mingling of funds between two separate organizations which is wholly and completely inappropriate” observed Ferre.
“This money rightfully belongs to the famers of western Canada. It was never envisioned that it would be used for anything beyond the legitimate operational needs of our current CWB. We are calling on Minister Ritz to allow our elected CWB directors to immediately disburse these funds to its rightful owners – the farmers of western Canada.”
“This whole process of destroying the farmer owned and controlled Canadian Wheat Board and putting a government appointee-run organization in its place is the direct responsibility of Mr. Harper and the Canadian Government. Farmers have never consented to having their money used to fund a transition to Mr. Harper’s speculative grain brokerage. That is simply wrong” concluded Ferre.
Video link
