Why are the Conservatives Killing the Wheat Board?

[Saturn]

Getting rid of the wheat board will benefit the big players in the industry at the expense of the small guys. As usual, the conservatives support the big players, not the small guys. Killing the wheat board won't affect the conservatives because the small guys will vote for them anyway (that's rural western Canada we are talking about). So the big players will be happy, the conservatives will be happy, and the farmers should be happy (because they'll get what they vote for). Pretty simple.

And if the Liberal party didn't treat us like second class citizens we'd be able to vote for them and we wouldn't be in this mess.

Well, blame the Liberals for the Conservatives killing the wheat board. That's of course fine - you'll be out of the business all together in a few years. Maybe you'll be treated better when you don't farm anymore.

[jdobbin]

And if the Liberal party didn't treat us like second class citizens we'd be able to vote for them and we wouldn't be in this mess.

The Liberal party hasn't made it a policy to end marketing boards without consulting farmers first.

Rural supporters of the Tories might be very angry at the Liberals for a host of ills but the Wheat Board is a strike at the heart.

[blueblood]

And if the Liberal party didn't treat us like second class citizens we'd be able to vote for them and we wouldn't be in this mess.

The Liberal party hasn't made it a policy to end marketing boards without consulting farmers first.

Rural supporters of the Tories might be very angry at the Liberals for a host of ills but the Wheat Board is a strike at the heart.

So was the Crow Rate...

[blueblood]

Getting rid of the wheat board will benefit the big players in the industry at the expense of the small guys. As usual, the conservatives support the big players, not the small guys. Killing the wheat board won't affect the conservatives because the small guys will vote for them anyway (that's rural western Canada we are talking about). So the big players will be happy, the conservatives will be happy, and the farmers should be happy (because they'll get what they vote for). Pretty simple.

And if the Liberal party didn't treat us like second class citizens we'd be able to vote for them and we wouldn't be in this mess.

Well, blame the Liberals for the Conservatives killing the wheat board. That's of course fine - you'll be out of the business all together in a few years. Maybe you'll be treated better when you don't farm anymore.

I blame the Liberals for dismantling crow, implementing the plant breeders act, the screw the west we'll take the rest attitude, policy that completely slaps us in the face (gun control), throwing little bits of money at a problem and calling that an ag strategy. No the Liberal party and their do nothing attitude enabled this calamity to happen, had they been a take action party like the CPC (although their action is wrong, but they are trying to solve a problem) there wouldn't be this mess.

[jdobbin]

So was the Crow Rate...

Sadly, the GATT in 1995 made it impossible to have the rate pass. It would have lead to penalties against Canadian wheat.

One thing is certain after and that is the Wheat Board was able to pass muster with the WTO and any European complaints against its structure.

[jdobbin]

I blame the Liberals for dismantling crow, implementing the plant breeders act, the screw the west we'll take the rest attitude, policy that completely slaps us in the face (gun control), throwing little bits of money at a problem and calling that an ag strategy. No the Liberal party and their do nothing attitude enabled this calamity to happen, had they been a take action party like the CPC (although their action is wrong, but they are trying to solve a problem) there wouldn't be this mess.

I don't know enough about the plant breeder's act to comment. I do know that Canadian grain was targeted for large penalties as per GATT if the Crow Rate was left in place to subsidize freight costs.

[rbacon]

If the CWB is not made voluntary then it should be challenged in the courts and forced upon all farmers in Canada...Let us see how Dion will spoon feed that one to Quebec.......Time has Come for Flexibility

Rolf Penner

for the Calgary Herald

The outdated monopoly power of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) sits like a wet blanket over the entire Prairie economy. From plant breeders through to the farm gate and on to our rural communities, into our cities and right to our ports, the dampening effect is widespread, pervasive and tangible.

By keeping their election promise to give farmers marketing choice, the federal Conservatives could give that blanket a well-deserved airing.

A monopoly might have been appropriate in the days when the CWB negotiated five-year contracts for millions of tonnes sold to the Soviet Union - for many of which, incidentally, we ware still waiting to be paid.

It is not a necessary tool for negotiating small, single-lot sales into individual flour mills in niche markets. Yet that is what the Board's own sales records show is the trend: selling more of less, that is, smaller amounts to more customers.

Equally important in this fast-moving environment is the fact we are no longer the lowest-cost producer of grain in the world. We must compete instead on the basis of identify preservation of specific traits, tractability programs and precise quality standards for each shipment. The current CWB model was built for large bulk exports. It is not able to compete as successfully in these new, specialty, high-end world markets.

Some fear that tinkering with the board's monopoly power would result in the loss of jobs. The truth is that under the current arrangement, we have been bleeding jobs for decades. The grain industry is steadily consolidating because of the lack of access to these opportunities. We continue to lose farmers because they cannot pursue new markets, at home or abroad.

Value-added processing - including flour mills, pasta plants, malting facilities or a wide range of specialty products - is currently being stifled. We should be exporting meat pies, not bulk wheat and live animals. And the development of new wheat and barley varieties, especially high-yielding ones for feeding livestock and new uses such as nutraceuticals and bio-energy is currently hampered by a bias towards the grains the CWB sold in the good old days.

In Australia, farmer Doug Cush recently fulfilled a dream our producers would love to emulate. He opened his own flour mill, the final link in a chain that takes his farm's durum wheat "from the farm gate to the gourmet dinner plate." Due to his comparative advantage, he is successfully selling pasta into Italy, of all places, a feat likened to taking coal to Newcastle. His Bellata Gold pasta is sold in more than 500 stores across Australia, as well as Italy, US, the UK, Dubai and Korea. He is not afraid of the multi-national bogeyman our National Farmers Union is wont to decry. A small farmer, he is not a multi-national.

Many claim a dual market in wheat and barley is a metaphysical impossibility, that it won't work, and would be the end of the CWB. They should look at the latest data coming out of the Ontario Wheat Board, whose farmers have been operating in a market-choice environment since 2003.

For the 2005-06 crop year, it was back up to handling a third of the total wheat crop, and is expected to make further gains this year. Increased farm confidence in its performance means a record number of acres planted, as well as record yields and record quality. A little choice and a little competition can improve things with amazing speed.

Two extreme positions dominate the current CWB debate. One holds that the forced collectivization of wheat and barley growers is for their own good. The other says that the federal government has no business being involved in the marketing of grain in any way whatsoever. To their credit, the Harper Conservatives have found a sensible, middle-of-the-road compromise between these two extremes, one that recognizes a simple fact. There is no "one right way" to sell wheat that works for everyone. They intend to let the farmers who want to sell their own crops do so, and at the same time let those who are more comfortable having a Crown corporation with a shared governance structure do their marketing, remain under the Board's protective wing.

Unfortunately, opponents of modernizing the CWB are forcing the board to remove itself from the technical discussions on its future structure. Instead of completely resisting change, its supporters should allow the CWB the freedom to help design its own future. That flexibility would be in the best interest of our farmers and it would promote rural development across the Prairies by declaring to the world that the wet blanket is off and that Western Canada is now open for business.

[jdobbin]

If the CWB is not made voluntary then it should be challenged in the courts and forced upon all farmers in Canada...Let us see how Dion will spoon feed that one to Quebec.......Time has Come for Flexibility

Rolf Penner

for the Calgary Herald

Quoting a full article is not allowed in these forums.

Harper could poll farmers as to what they want and accept that decision. Instead, he says that he will break up the Board's control whatever the farmers decide.

[Saturn]

I blame the Liberals for dismantling crow, implementing the plant breeders act, the screw the west we'll take the rest attitude, policy that completely slaps us in the face (gun control), throwing little bits of money at a problem and calling that an ag strategy. No the Liberal party and their do nothing attitude enabled this calamity to happen, had they been a take action party like the CPC (although their action is wrong, but they are trying to solve a problem) there wouldn't be this mess.

So the Conservatives are forced to get rid of the wheat board. In other words, they have no choice but to do it. Again, you get what you vote for.

[blueblood]

I blame the Liberals for dismantling crow, implementing the plant breeders act, the screw the west we'll take the rest attitude, policy that completely slaps us in the face (gun control), throwing little bits of money at a problem and calling that an ag strategy. No the Liberal party and their do nothing attitude enabled this calamity to happen, had they been a take action party like the CPC (although their action is wrong, but they are trying to solve a problem) there wouldn't be this mess.

So the Conservatives are forced to get rid of the wheat board. In other words, they have no choice but to do it. Again, you get what you vote for.

My riding voted Liberal in 93 to punish the tories over the GST, what did we get out of it, an abysmal ag policy and an ag crisis, so your right we get what we vote for.

[jdobbin]

My riding voted Liberal in 93 to punish the tories over the GST, what did we get out of it, an abysmal ag policy and an ag crisis, so your right we get what we vote for.

I suppose you'll have to see what Liberals are like under Dion and make an assessment. At the moment, you know where you stand on Harper.

[blueblood]

My riding voted Liberal in 93 to punish the tories over the GST, what did we get out of it, an abysmal ag policy and an ag crisis, so your right we get what we vote for.

I suppose you'll have to see what Liberals are like under Dion and make an assessment. At the moment, you know where you stand on Harper.

Not happy with his decision on the wheat board, other than that he's doing a pretty good job. It's funny, the Liberals have a legitimate shot at a majority, but they keep pissing rural Canada off. I'm pretty sure Dion will get a minority, and if he has a brain in his head he'll end that Trudeau esque arrogance of the Liberal party. If in government he has a real ag policy other than saving the wheat board and handing out cheques that truly helps us out, he'll get votes out west, it's like they hate rural Canada or something. I hope that Dion does a good job, but I'm not getting my hopes up. He's gonna have to earn the Western vote.

[jdobbin]

Not happy with his decision on the wheat board, other than that he's doing a pretty good job. It's funny, the Liberals have a legitimate shot at a majority, but they keep pissing rural Canada off. I'm pretty sure Dion will get a minority, and if he has a brain in his head he'll end that Trudeau esque arrogance of the Liberal party. If in government he has a real ag policy other than saving the wheat board and handing out cheques that truly helps us out, he'll get votes out west, it's like they hate rural Canada or something. I hope that Dion does a good job, but I'm not getting my hopes up. He's gonna have to earn the Western vote.

I totally agree on a good agricultural policy. What do you think that might be?

[blueblood]

Not happy with his decision on the wheat board, other than that he's doing a pretty good job. It's funny, the Liberals have a legitimate shot at a majority, but they keep pissing rural Canada off. I'm pretty sure Dion will get a minority, and if he has a brain in his head he'll end that Trudeau esque arrogance of the Liberal party. If in government he has a real ag policy other than saving the wheat board and handing out cheques that truly helps us out, he'll get votes out west, it's like they hate rural Canada or something. I hope that Dion does a good job, but I'm not getting my hopes up. He's gonna have to earn the Western vote.

I totally agree on a good agricultural policy. What do you think that might be?

The one on the NFU Website

Plus the same protection that Monsanto gets with the Plant Breeders act (Royalties!!!)

[jdobbin]

The one on the NFU Website

Plus the same protection that Monsanto gets with the Plant Breeders act (Royalties!!!)

Can you recall what the response Wayne Easter had to the proposal back then?

I know that the current policy of the Liberals is to support the Wheat Board. They also said they were going to set up a rural affairs ministry. I don't know how they are responding to the rest of the NFU's proposals.

How are the Tories responding?

[Saturn]

The one on the NFU Website

Plus the same protection that Monsanto gets with the Plant Breeders act (Royalties!!!)

LOL! This plan goes from government controlling costs to government controlling prises and controlling everything else imaginable. Do farmers need government support to use the bathroom? So when it is to your benefit, the government should be involved to the neck but when it doesn't benefit you, the government should be 1000 miles away. You know, things don't work that way.

[blueblood]

The one on the NFU Website

Plus the same protection that Monsanto gets with the Plant Breeders act (Royalties!!!)

Can you recall what the response Wayne Easter had to the proposal back then?

I know that the current policy of the Liberals is to support the Wheat Board. They also said they were going to set up a rural affairs ministry. I don't know how they are responding to the rest of the NFU's proposals.

How are the Tories responding?

They're both crapping out on the response part unfortunately. I don't know his response, most likely "we'll get back to you..."

LOL! This plan goes from government controlling costs to government controlling prises and controlling everything else imaginable. Do farmers need government support to use the bathroom? So when it is to your benefit, the government should be involved to the neck but when it doesn't benefit you, the government should be 1000 miles away. You know, things don't work that way.

In the event of a crisis the gov't should intervene, this is a crisis it affects a lot of the country and solving it would be good for the country, most of the stuff it gets involved in (Day Care) is not a crisis. Well it's a hell of a lot better in doling out cheques which is what your all about, with the gov't getting involved for this little bit because of the market imbalance which results in this calamity is a good thing, if it leads to our being independant, if they go through with these measures you won't be hearing from us again. Funny thing is the measures in the document are CHEAPER than handing out cheques, sets up business that turn into co-ops, and in turn creates a powerful industry in rural Canada. But since it's not the Liberal way of writing a cheque and hoping the problem goes away, it's BS. The gov't is involved in the oil industry heavily, but in a way that encourages development, involved in fisheries, involved in the lumber industry. Do you hate it when the gov't tries to help industry and solves problems and gets results? That's where the gov't should stick it's nose, not in our culture, morals, traditions that is where society should take care of itself.

[Saturn]

LOL! This plan goes from government controlling costs to government controlling prises and controlling everything else imaginable. Do farmers need government support to use the bathroom? So when it is to your benefit, the government should be involved to the neck but when it doesn't benefit you, the government should be 1000 miles away. You know, things don't work that way.

In the event of a crisis the gov't should intervene, this is a crisis it affects a lot of the country and solving it would be good for the country, most of the stuff it gets involved in (Day Care) is not a crisis. Well it's a hell of a lot better in doling out cheques which is what your all about, with the gov't getting involved for this little bit because of the market imbalance which results in this calamity is a good thing, if it leads to our being independant, if they go through with these measures you won't be hearing from us again. Funny thing is the measures in the document are CHEAPER than handing out cheques, sets up business that turn into co-ops, and in turn creates a powerful industry in rural Canada. But since it's not the Liberal way of writing a cheque and hoping the problem goes away, it's BS. The gov't is involved in the oil industry heavily, but in a way that encourages development, involved in fisheries, involved in the lumber industry. Do you hate it when the gov't tries to help industry and solves problems and gets results? That's where the gov't should stick it's nose, not in our culture, morals, traditions that is where society should take care of itself.

What exactly is the crisis here? Farming is not as profitable as it used to be. That's not a crisis (for you it may be) but that's just a normal part of economic development. Some industries become obsolete and die off and others grow in their place. In the 21st century, it is a much bigger crisis to have 1 in 3 citizens without a high-school diploma but according to you the government should butt out and leave this crisis unattended. That's over 30% citizens with bleak future vs 2% in a bad industry. Your "crisis" is nothing in comparison to the dropout crisis.

You have to remember that conservative ideology dictates that government should not get involved in anything (aside from defense, sending out cheques and giving tax breaks). This government will not get involved in your so called "crisis". You can't pick and chose when government should get involved - just to save your butt but nobody else's. You want "to take care of yourself", then do so and stop whining that the government has to get you out of trouble. This is not the end of farming, it is the end of small producers. Industries consolidate all the time and nobody (beside you) will even notice that anything has changed.

[blueblood]

LOL! This plan goes from government controlling costs to government controlling prises and controlling everything else imaginable. Do farmers need government support to use the bathroom? So when it is to your benefit, the government should be involved to the neck but when it doesn't benefit you, the government should be 1000 miles away. You know, things don't work that way.

In the event of a crisis the gov't should intervene, this is a crisis it affects a lot of the country and solving it would be good for the country, most of the stuff it gets involved in (Day Care) is not a crisis. Well it's a hell of a lot better in doling out cheques which is what your all about, with the gov't getting involved for this little bit because of the market imbalance which results in this calamity is a good thing, if it leads to our being independant, if they go through with these measures you won't be hearing from us again. Funny thing is the measures in the document are CHEAPER than handing out cheques, sets up business that turn into co-ops, and in turn creates a powerful industry in rural Canada. But since it's not the Liberal way of writing a cheque and hoping the problem goes away, it's BS. The gov't is involved in the oil industry heavily, but in a way that encourages development, involved in fisheries, involved in the lumber industry. Do you hate it when the gov't tries to help industry and solves problems and gets results? That's where the gov't should stick it's nose, not in our culture, morals, traditions that is where society should take care of itself.

What exactly is the crisis here? Farming is not as profitable as it used to be. That's not a crisis (for you it may be) but that's just a normal part of economic development. Some industries become obsolete and die off and others grow in their place. In the 21st century, it is a much bigger crisis to have 1 in 3 citizens without a high-school diploma but according to you the government should butt out and leave this crisis unattended. That's over 30% citizens with bleak future vs 2% in a bad industry. Your "crisis" is nothing in comparison to the dropout crisis.

You have to remember that conservative ideology dictates that government should not get involved in anything (aside from defense, sending out cheques and giving tax breaks). This government will not get involved in your so called "crisis". You can't pick and chose when government should get involved - just to save your butt but nobody else's. You want "to take care of yourself", then do so and stop whining that the government has to get you out of trouble. This is not the end of farming, it is the end of small producers. Industries consolidate all the time and nobody (beside you) will even notice that anything has changed.

A crisis is that due to Liberal policy there are farmers going out of business and having to flock to the city and plug up the welfare system and add more population and more stress to the city, keep us in the country and it helps everyone. Hmm, if a farmer had more money he'd be able to pay more tax, do you know what the GST on a new combine is? its a lot more than some people's income tax return. Us small producers is why your food is so cheap at the store, just remember that the next time you buy something, I'd hate to see how much food would cost if Tyson foods gobbled up all the land in Canada. There is a potential for a profitable industry here but its people like you who despise rural Canada that keep holding us back, and you wonder why there is a Bloc Quebecois. I'll say again when an industry is threatened, gov't should get involved, not in moral, idealogical, cultural, traditional aspects, that's where society can protect, society can't protect us. Why are you against rural Canada having a profitable industry, why should it be only Ontario that has profitable industry, are we your serfs? If there weren't multinationals stealing our produce we wouldn't ask the gov't for anything, we are too small. For the school thing you'd rather have people held back so they conform to a certain vision, sorry not everyone conforms to the "Liberal vison" What would you like all the farms to be Wal-mart like and the workers get minimum wage? Sounds like it and from the sounds of things your against small business. We had a good system, if it ain't broke don't fix it - THAT'S true conservative idealogy, well I would say our system was good but the big boys from out east wrecked it. Keep the production end small and have us all competing with each other, that will keep the price down. Good grief if it weren't for government intervention the entertainment and recording industry would go belly up (copyright laws anyone!!) why should they get benefits and not us? Why are you against the average person getting ahead? Just because a lot of people don't have a university degree they're automatically doomed to failure, that's crap and you know it.

With the plan outlined in the Doc, we CAN have a profitable industry and we'd never have to bother the gov't again. Imagine if there was a plan like that to deal with homeless people. But guys like you would like to hold us back and just write us cheques and hopefully the problem will solve itself, and you wonder why the west is Tory blue.

You seem to hate the government sticking up for industry which benefits working Canadians the most, but god forbid if they go after Day Care or some other social program. We're looking for a hand up, not a hand out. This is why Canada is ungovernable, we out here cannot have people from Ontario deciding our fate, they just don't understand.

[jdobbin]

With the plan outlined in the Doc, we CAN have a profitable industry and we'd never have to bother the gov't again. Imagine if there was a plan like that to deal with homeless people. But guys like you would like to hold us back and just write us cheques and hopefully the problem will solve itself, and you wonder why the west is Tory blue.

You seem to hate the government sticking up for industry which benefits working Canadians the most, but god forbid if they go after Day Care or some other social program. We're looking for a hand up, not a hand out. This is why Canada is ungovernable, we out here cannot have people from Ontario deciding our fate, they just don't understand.

The Conservatives have had this same plan since the beginning of their term. They have not enacted any of it. In fact, they look to dismantle the marketing boards like the Wheat Board.

At some point, farmers will have to decide who actually has the better plan. For many years they have supported the Tories. If the Wheat Board is the first to go following other marketing boards, I think you will see where the Conservatives stand.

[blueblood]

With the plan outlined in the Doc, we CAN have a profitable industry and we'd never have to bother the gov't again. Imagine if there was a plan like that to deal with homeless people. But guys like you would like to hold us back and just write us cheques and hopefully the problem will solve itself, and you wonder why the west is Tory blue.

You seem to hate the government sticking up for industry which benefits working Canadians the most, but god forbid if they go after Day Care or some other social program. We're looking for a hand up, not a hand out. This is why Canada is ungovernable, we out here cannot have people from Ontario deciding our fate, they just don't understand.

The Conservatives have had this same plan since the beginning of their term. They have not enacted any of it. In fact, they look to dismantle the marketing boards like the Wheat Board.

At some point, farmers will have to decide who actually has the better plan. For many years they have supported the Tories. If the Wheat Board is the first to go following other marketing boards, I think you will see where the Conservatives stand.

I know the tories aren't following this plan as well, that sucks for me. They're dismantling the wheat board as well which blows too. This is the part of the party that I don't agree with. I and most other rural Canadians agree with the rest of their policies. The Liberals had 13 years with their "plan" what did we get out of it, this whole calamity and a screw the west attitude. Whose left, the NDP well they are a little too radical for our liking and most of us don't agree with their policies. Looks like I have to hold my nose and vote Tory and hope the crisis doesn't get worse. Honestly I'm not too hard done by the crisis, I've had to diversify income and the old lady works, but I'm worried about the neighbour down the road...

[rbacon]

The wheat board is dead meat get over it, it has been ruled against by the WTO.....The Commies are toast....

[rbacon]

The Liberals already killed the CWB in 2004 when they signed onto the WTO agreement..See deal here.....http://www.wbga.org/10-22-04.pdf..Harper is just burying the stinking Communist Wheat Board's body.....As for Stephane Dion, when that French Poodle stands up and tells all the farmer's in Quebec and Ontario that they will be forced to sell their wheat trough the CWB or go to jail, maybe he will have some credibility....So far he doesn't seem to know whether he is wiping his butt or blowing his nose......

[rbacon]

This thread should be titled why did the Liberals kill the CWB...Because it was the Liberals that signed onto the WTO and the WTO ruled against the CWB......Anyways it will be good when it is gone.....[he Wheat Growers note that implementing marketing choice will not require any legislative amendments. The federal government simply needs to harmonize the regulations in western Canada with those now in place for farmers in Ontario. This can be achieved by instructing the CWB to provide export permits at no cost to farmers and the private trade, and to allow domestic processors the ability to purchase wheat and barley directly from farmers and grain companies.

“The Wheat Growers are prepared to work with the government to ensure there is a smooth transition to marketing choice,” says Jolly-Nagel. “Our objective is to ensure the CWB is reformed in a manner that best serves western farmers.”]

[jdobbin]

The wheat board is dead meat get over it, it has been ruled against by the WTO.....The Commies are toast....

Wrong.