Why are the Conservatives Killing the Wheat Board?

[jdobbin]

Under Communism the state owns all the property, thus the reference to Communist Wheat Board......And you are lying about the WTO, the ruling went against the CWB in a big way....In the ruling it states that the Taxpayers or Government of Canada can no longer underwrite and guarantee the loans or bonds of the CWB......In the real world that means the death of the CWB as we know it......My little Commie buddy....Get your facts straight......The Liberal Party of Canada signed onto and agreed to the WTO demand Harper is just implimenting the Liberal Voters like yourself's wishes.....Goodbye Communist Wheat Board......

http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2004/08/30/wto_040830.html

Liar. Please show me that WTO "cease and desist" order.

[rbacon]

Dobbin let's try a little truth here....Will you acknowledge that the Liberals were in Power in 2004...Yes or No.....The Liberals went to the WTO in 2004 and this was the ruling of the WTO and it was agreed to by all 146 signatories including Canada........The world trade body, including our

customers and competitors, have stated

in no uncertain terms that government

guarantees to the Canadian Wheat Board

(CWB) borrowings and initial payments will

end. In the World Trade Organization (WTO)

framework agreement, signed by all

members at the end of July in Geneva,

section 18 states:

The following will be eliminated by the

end date to be agreed:

Trade distorting practices with

respect to exporting STEs (State

Trading Enterprises) including

eliminating export subsidies provided

to or by them, government financing,

and the underwriting of losses. The

issue of the future use of monopoly

powers will be subject to further

negotiation.

The CWB is the only grain-trading agency

in the world that has the ability to issue

its own bonds. These bonds are sold to

institutional investors and the money is used

to pay farmers for grain that is sold to other

countries on credit. For every dollar in bonds

there is a dollar in credit sale or recapitalized

interest from a credit sale. The problem for

the CWB is that the bonds are rated on the

basis that they are 100% guaranteed by

the Canadian Government. When the

government is forced to end the guarantee on

the bonds, then the bonds will be rated on the

CWB’s assets alone. The only asset the CWB

has is the value of the grain credit sales

and interest, some from countries that no

longer exist and is questionable at best,

uncollectible at worst, but absolutely not

transferable to the bond debt.

This will make CWB bonds worth about

the same as an old Air Canada share.

IIf the Canadian government refuses to take

responsibility for the CWB bonds, then the

CWB becomes insolvent. There won’t be any

need to negotiate the end of monopoly

powers of the board, because it will cease to

exist.

This puts the CWB in a very untenable

situation. The government has signed

a framework agreement with the WTO

agreeing to end government guarantees on

borrowings of STEs, namely the CWB, but

has given no indication whatsoever as to how

it can do that without sacrificing the board.

IIt can be done, but the government will

have to come to terms with its own use of

the CWB as a foreign policy instrument over

the last sixty years. It has been politically

convenient to use the grain sales by the CWB

and credit from the CWB, as bargaining

power in other foreign policy areas. It was

also very beneficial to the government at

home to use the CWB to extend credit rather

than the government, that way it has never

had to show this expense on the government

books. There is no provision in the

government’s accounting for a default in the

CWB bonds. So any cost now to cover these

bonds will be a six billion-dollar hit to the

government of the day. In the present

minority situation that would require the BQ

to pass a Liberal budget with a six billiondollar

buyout to CWB bond holders and

the government would get six billion in

credit sales and capitalized interest. The

government can collect the debt to pay the

bonds or write it down over time just as they

are doing through the Paris Club agreement

anyway.

Money markets are very fickle and have

no loyalty whatsoever. Rumour and

perception are the basis for market reaction.

Right now the CWB is on their own; the

government has signed the agreement that

they will end the guarantees, at some point.

The CWB bond-trading department still has

to flog hundreds of millions of dollars in

bonds everyday. Markets hate uncertainty.

Buyers could start discounting the bonds or

avoiding them altogether. All the market has

to go on is the agreement to end the

guarantees, nothing else.

So for as much as the supporters of the

board like to think that it is western

Canadian farmers that will decide the fate of

the CWB, it is the 146 countries of the WTO

and the bond holders of the CWB that are

making the real decisions.

The CWB is beginning to look like the

Titanic. The ones that built it said it was

unsinkable, but the captain refused to change

course and drove it into the iceberg, saving

the monopoly, but sinking the ship.

Farmers can decide on the position of the

deck chairs and the board of directors

can tell the band to keep playing and telling

the farmers that everything is fine, we just

have a dent in the hull, nothing a lot of

lobbying can’t fix. The reality is the good

ship CWB has hit the WTO iceberg, and

made a huge gash in the side, right at the

waterline. All it takes is one ripple and it will

start to take on water, and unless the

government starts to use its massive pumps,

the ship is going down.

Western Canadian farmers and grain

industries, our domestic and

international customers and competitors are

all coming to the same conclusion. The CWB

must change. It is in everyone’s best interest

that the CWB quit the posturing and make

real changes.

The complete agreement, updates and

meeting schedules are on the WTO web

site www.wto.org

To the WTO the CWB claimed it was “in

essence a farmer co-operative… subject

to no direction, supervision or influence by

the Government of Canada.”

IIn the Federal Court of Canada the CWB

states, “the Board was not and is not

accountable to individual producers. Rather,

the Board is accountable only to parliament.

[jdobbin]

IIn the Federal Court of Canada the CWB

states, “the Board was not and is not

accountable to individual producers. Rather,

the Board is accountable only to parliament.

From the WTO site:

On 6 April 2004, the Panel report was circulated to Members. The Panel found that:

* The United States had failed to establish its claim that Canada had breached its obligations under Article XVII:1 of the GATT 1994 with respect to the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB);

* Section 57© of the Canada Grain Act, and Section 56(1) of the Canada Grain Regulations were inconsistent with Article III:4 of the GATT 1994 and were not justified under Article XX(d) of the GATT 1994;

* Sections 150(1) and (2) of the Canada Transportation Act were inconsistent with Article III:4 of GATT 1994;

* The United States had failed to establish its claim that section 87 of the Canada Grain Act was inconsistent with Article III:4 of the GATT 1994 and Article 2 of the TRIMs Agreement

"At the DSB meeting on 31 August 2005, Canada announced that amendments to the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Grain Act and associated regulatory changes had come into force on 1 August 2005 thus bringing Canada into compliance with the DSB’s recommendations and rulings."

http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_...s_e/ds276_e.htm

[rbacon]

And thus we come to the present....Because of the Liberals signing the WTO agreement the wheat board as a State manopoly is dead....It is up to Harper to bring that realization to the old Communists in Sask. and Manitoba that think they can still eat other peoples bread and not pay for it, so Harper is being blamed for what the Liberals did to the Communist Wheat Board.....Bury the body Stephen it is starting to stink......

[jdobbin]

And thus we come to the present....Because of the Liberals signing the WTO agreement the wheat board as a State manopoly is dead....It is up to Harper to bring that realization to the old Communists in Sask. and Manitoba that think they can still eat other peoples bread and not pay for it, so Harper is being blamed for what the Liberals did to the Communist Wheat Board.....Bury the body Stephen it is starting to stink......

Only in your own head. No where does the WTO say that Board has to be dismantled. You've certainly shown me nothing to indicate that.

[blueblood]

Liberal, blah, blah. I suppose you will blame the liberals that the Canadian population has changed from 90% farmers in the 1880s to 2% farmers in the 2000s. What you don't realize (or don't admit to) here is that what is happening in farming is happening in just about every industry out there. From banking and media to manufacturing and accounting. Industries are consolidating across the board and the multinationals are taking jobs overseas, taking down all barriers and protectionism for north american jobs along the way.

No I don't blame them for that, that's people wanting a career change. I realize that and don't like it.

However, all that interests you is YOUR industry, YOUR jobs and you want government help for YOURSELF. When it comes to protecting the smaller guys in manufacturing, or banking, communications and the arts, according to you government should get the hell out. If the small guys in YOUR industry don't get government help, then the evil east somehow doesn't like you and the Liberals are after you and blah, blah, it never ends. Again, it's not the industry that is being threatened, it's the small players in the industry. No one is a bigger friend of the big guys than Harper's government. When the industry minister overturned the CRTC decision to give temporary protection to the small guys in the telecom business and to the consumer, you were delighted "No, government should get the hell out and let Bell and Rogers run the show". Well, then why should government give protection to the small guys in farming? That's pretty hypocritical of you - government should help ME when I'm in trouble but government shouldn't help anyone else. Well, the Conservative ideology dictates that the CRTC must be killed and the same goes for your CRTC-The Wheat Board

Let's get one thing straight, when it comes to small business and industry, the government should intervene when there is serious trouble. I find it funny when you say that thing in the CRTC thread when I in fact said

What about in rural Canada where there is only 1 provider... I'm screwed

Well, in rural Canada you'll get an almost immediate increase in prices so that your provider can charge below cost in urban areas to undercut the competition. In effect, you'll be subsidizing the good deals city dwellers will get. Sorry.

pg 2 CRTC thread Yah I sure said they should get out of that, puh lease. Let me put it this way I'm all for Canadian industry/business, I believe that small business is a way that allows us to keep and make most of our money, i'd rater see the money here than go down south. I believe the gov't should stay out of things like gun control, Same Sex Marriage, the Day Care thing, taking away junior's licence so he HAS to stay in school, the losing war on drugs, and things like that; there is a black and white difference there. When the Liberals have policy that doesn't piss off westerners, they won't be evil anymore.

So what if a couple of multinationals produce all the food? I have 2 telecom companies to choose from, 5 (soon to be 3) banks to choose from, 2 media companies to choose from, Wal-Mart and The Bay to choose from...so what's new here? Nothing - I have little choice in everything, food included. Or should I have special sentiments just for farmers and want special rules/protection just for them because they live in rural areas and hate us "eastern bastards".

Are you serious, do you know why a lot of stuff is so expensive? because of only the 2 or 3 companies producing everything, they can charge whatever they want, if there were 2 or 2 hundred companies there would be more competition and lower prices.

I'm afraid you'll have to wait a couple of years. I don't think that the big companies will be able to deal with the little guys by the spring. Put this in your 2009 calendar and when you get there note that there are just 2 (3 max) suppliers of local phone service and that their prices are higher than today (in real $).

obviously you are quite aware of this thing (pg 2 of CRTC thread, and if it happens to the ag industry like you want, your gonna get gouged, and your calling me a hypocrite. What i'm proposing helps everyone out. You wouldn't be bastards if you didn't treat us like serfs.

As for Wal-Mart, you should check the hansard for all the wonderful speeches the Conservatives made in parliament praising Wal-Mart for being the greatest corporate citizen. The Conservatives love Wal-Mart, you should too. It must be ok for city people to lose their jobs and work for minimum wage at Wal-Mart because of Conservative support for multinationals. It's just not ok when it happens to YOU in farming.

I vote Tory because of all the parties they follow my beliefs the closest, not exactly but the closest. I'd vote CCF if I could but they went too far to the left, I am not a blind tory follower, I disagree with a lot of their policies, but I disagree with a lot more Liberal policies, hence I vote tory, sorry not all Canadians are Liberal party supporters and we are all in fact different, it's time you realized that. It's not okay for the whole Wal-mart thing, i've never supported it, it take money away from Canada and kills small business which I believe gives better service, and decent prices.

The West is Tory blue because you are nuts. It's a mean thing to say, but when somebody's ideology is bleeding you and you still vote for them - that's pretty nuts. You don't care for the actual Tory policies, all you care is that they somehow supposedly hurt the east. Not true, but hurting the east and banning gay marriage are somehow the most important goals for prairie dwellers and anything that may appear to achieve these goals is what you'll vote for. Even if it comes back to bite you on the ass.

The west is blue because under the Liberals, the ag industry has slipped into chaos. I care for a lot of the tory policies, the clean air act, the GST cuts, the accountability act, the scrapping of the long gun registry, figuring a way to solve the wait times, tough on crime, elected senate, their child care plan. If those things happen to hurt the East then that's too bad, after all the Liberals are on the other end of the spectrum as far as those things are concerned, they hurt us and it's been too bad for us for the past 13 years.

The gov't helped out the logging industry which you approve of, so why not us?

The gov't creates the plant breeders act which means i can't keep some of my canola crop over the winter but I have to go and buy from the elevator every spring at 30 bucks a pound and Monsanto gets a nice royalty, why can't I get royalties from when food products are sold, what's good for one is good for everyone?

Same goes for the entertainment/recording industry, if it weren't for copy right laws (Napster anyone), they'd be an innefficient business and would go belly up so the gov't creates a policy and allows them all to have a successful industry, WHY NOT US???

And people call me a hypocrite...

[Saturn]

And thus we come to the present....Because of the Liberals signing the WTO agreement the wheat board as a State manopoly is dead....It is up to Harper to bring that realization to the old Communists in Sask. and Manitoba that think they can still eat other peoples bread and not pay for it, so Harper is being blamed for what the Liberals did to the Communist Wheat Board.....Bury the body Stephen it is starting to stink......

Complete BS. Harper is dismantling the wheat board because conservative ideology dictates that that's what he should do (not to mention the lobbying of the big guys in the industry who are his loyal supporters too). Dismantling the wheat board is NOT dictated by the WTO or anyone else for that matter. It is simply Harper's choice.

[rbacon]

Did you read what the ruling stated, no more funding and underwriting the CWB, the CWB and the Canadian Taxpayer is still owed 6B dollars from Trudeau the Commie Ass kisser's days when he sold wheat on credit through the CWB to keep the Commies in Russia and China alive......The CWB is bankrupt.....Alberta is going dual market....What do you have left other than a ragged Tommy Douglas doll with his nuts cut off.....

[Saturn]

When the Liberals have policy that doesn't piss off westerners, they won't be evil anymore.

I highly doubt it. I don't think that there is anything the liberals can do that will not be labeled anti-western by westerners.

Are you serious, do you know why a lot of stuff is so expensive? because of only the 2 or 3 companies producing everything, they can charge whatever they want, if there were 2 or 2 hundred companies there would be more competition and lower prices. obviously you are quite aware of this thing (pg 2 of CRTC thread, and if it happens to the ag industry like you want, your gonna get gouged, and your calling me a hypocrite. What i'm proposing helps everyone out. You wouldn't be bastards if you didn't treat us like serfs.

Yes, I am very well aware why stuff is so expensive and that I am being gouged by monopolies/duopolies in many industries. I don't like it but seeing how many Canadians support it, I'm just getting used to it. What exactly do you expect me to do?

I vote Tory because of all the parties they follow my beliefs the closest, not exactly but the closest. It's not okay for the whole Wal-mart thing, i've never supported it, it take money away from Canada and kills small business which I believe gives better service, and decent prices.

It's not ok for the Wal-Mart thing and killing small business but that follows your beliefs the closest. As I previously said, you get what you vote for.

The west is blue because under the Liberals, the ag industry has slipped into chaos. I care for a lot of the tory policies,

the clean air act - smokescreen

the GST cuts - $100/year should make you rich

the accountability act - gags whistleblowers and protects the government/bureaucrats

the scrapping of the long gun registry - that solves all your problems

figuring a way to solve the wait times - you'll have to wait for that

tough on crime - you'll have to wait for that two

elected senate - not happening

their child care plan - handing out cheques for people to spend any way they want is child care?.

If those things happen to hurt the East then that's too bad

I don't see how any of these hurt the east. The only thing that hurts parents who work is the shortage of child-care but that applies to working parents across the country.

The gov't helped out the logging industry which you approve of, so why not us?

The gov't creates the plant breeders act which means i can't keep some of my canola crop over the winter but I have to go and buy from the elevator every spring at 30 bucks a pound and Monsanto gets a nice royalty, why can't I get royalties from when food products are sold, what's good for one is good for everyone?

Same goes for the entertainment/recording industry, if it weren't for copy right laws (Napster anyone), they'd be an innefficient business and would go belly up so the gov't creates a policy and allows them all to have a successful industry, WHY NOT US???

And people call me a hypocrite...

The logging industry lobbied hard for help. Monsanto did too. So did the recording industry (all 5 companies involved). The banks and the telecoms too. The big food producers are doing the same. The big players lobby and benefit from government policy that protects their control of the industry and lets them push out/take over the small guys. There is nothing new here - it's reality and a matter of time.

Now why you expect me to do something about farmers is beyond me. Have you contacted Chuck Strahl on the issue? Maybe you can ask him why he is so determined to dismantle the wheat board. He is the ag minister in the government you elected, so take your complaint to him. All I can tell you is that helping you is against the "free-market" ideology of the Conservatives so don't get your hopes high.

[blueblood]

Now why you expect me to do something about farmers is beyond me. Have you contacted Chuck Strahl on the issue? Maybe you can ask him why he is so determined to dismantle the wheat board. He is the ag minister in the government you elected, so take your complaint to him. All I can tell you is that helping you is against the "free-market" ideology of the Conservatives so don't get your hopes high.

All i've got to say is my Tory MP, was the only Tory to vote against the wheat board thing. I think the tories should change their stance on this, they aren't Republicans for goodness sakes. You can't be that right wing and succeed in Canada, everybody knows that.

MP vote

See for yourself

[Saturn]

Now why you expect me to do something about farmers is beyond me. Have you contacted Chuck Strahl on the issue? Maybe you can ask him why he is so determined to dismantle the wheat board. He is the ag minister in the government you elected, so take your complaint to him. All I can tell you is that helping you is against the "free-market" ideology of the Conservatives so don't get your hopes high.

All i've got to say is my Tory MP, was the only Tory to vote against the wheat board thing. I think the tories should change their stance on this, they aren't Republicans for goodness sakes. You can't be that right wing and succeed in Canada, everybody knows that.

MP vote

See for yourself

http://www.theholmteam.ca/WP.Wilson.pdf

The Conservatives don't care what you think because you'll vote for them anyway. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and you won't get your way by praising Inky because supporting the Conservatives means that they will get their way. If you support the government, you support its policies (including dismantling the wheat board) and you don't have the right to complain.

[blueblood]

Now why you expect me to do something about farmers is beyond me. Have you contacted Chuck Strahl on the issue? Maybe you can ask him why he is so determined to dismantle the wheat board. He is the ag minister in the government you elected, so take your complaint to him. All I can tell you is that helping you is against the "free-market" ideology of the Conservatives so don't get your hopes high.

All i've got to say is my Tory MP, was the only Tory to vote against the wheat board thing. I think the tories should change their stance on this, they aren't Republicans for goodness sakes. You can't be that right wing and succeed in Canada, everybody knows that.

MP vote

See for yourself

http://www.theholmteam.ca/WP.Wilson.pdf

The Conservatives don't care what you think because you'll vote for them anyway. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and you won't get your way by praising Inky because supporting the Conservatives means that they will get their way. If you support the government, you support its policies (including dismantling the wheat board) and you don't have the right to complain.

So I'm not allowed to question the gov't? I support most of their policies. I can complain, every voter has the right to complain. Im not going to not support something just because I don't 100% agree with it. What are we all clones? I'm not a partisan hack, I'm not going to say everything the CPC does is right, that is foolishness. The Tories believe that dismantling the wheat board will help farmers, personally I don't agree with it, but they are trying. They are doing the biofuel thing, and the GST thing REALLY helps me out. That kind of logic is what they have in Iran or with Saddam Hussein, if you question the leader your against the gov't, give me a break.

[Saturn]

So I'm not allowed to question the gov't? I support most of their policies. I can complain, every voter has the right to complain. Im not going to not support something just because I don't 100% agree with it. What are we all clones? I'm not a partisan hack, I'm not going to say everything the CPC does is right, that is foolishness. The Tories believe that dismantling the wheat board will help farmers, personally I don't agree with it, but they are trying. They are doing the biofuel thing, and the GST thing REALLY helps me out. That kind of logic is what they have in Iran or with Saddam Hussein, if you question the leader your against the gov't, give me a break.

You are not questioning the government. You are blaming the eastern bastards for the policies of the government you elected. Harper does not need to get rid of the wheat board and he is not that stupid - he knows very well that doing so will not help the farmers (or the family farm). Now you ought to stop whaling about the eastern bastards and blaming all your problems on them and the liberals and you should place your dissatisfaction where it belongs - with the politicians you elected. The eastern bastards didn't vote for him, nor for his policy on the wheat board.

[blueblood]

So I'm not allowed to question the gov't? I support most of their policies. I can complain, every voter has the right to complain. Im not going to not support something just because I don't 100% agree with it. What are we all clones? I'm not a partisan hack, I'm not going to say everything the CPC does is right, that is foolishness. The Tories believe that dismantling the wheat board will help farmers, personally I don't agree with it, but they are trying. They are doing the biofuel thing, and the GST thing REALLY helps me out. That kind of logic is what they have in Iran or with Saddam Hussein, if you question the leader your against the gov't, give me a break.

You are not questioning the government. You are blaming the eastern bastards for the policies of the government you elected. Harper does not need to get rid of the wheat board and he is not that stupid - he knows very well that doing so will not help the farmers (or the family farm). Now you ought to stop whaling about the eastern bastards and blaming all your problems on them and the liberals and you should place your dissatisfaction where it belongs - with the politicians you elected. The eastern bastards didn't vote for him, nor for his policy on the wheat board.

No I blame the "eastern bastards" for believing its their God given right for cheap food, for electing Liberal MPs which resulted in lack of action which resulted in the farm income crisis, protectionist laws for Monsanto, none for us. The tories inherited this mess, Notice that the document on the NFU site was addressed to a Liberal MP, hmm. No I will blame the Liberals for their part. We elected other MPs than Liberals in the late 90's, so it's not our elected MPs fault. Don't worry thought if the CWB goes and the crisis gets worse, I'll be pissed at the Tories for that too. But most of the other Tory policies I agree with, hence the dilemna.

[CoachCartman]

Good-bye, Adrian Measner,,,,,and good riddance!

[jdobbin]

Good-bye, Adrian Measner,,,,,and good riddance!

Could be a few Conservative MPs saying goodbye as well.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/061219/...eat_board_fired

[jbg]

Good-bye, Adrian Measner,,,,,and good riddance!

Could be a few Conservative MPs saying goodbye as well.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/061219/...eat_board_fired

I'm sure that would make you happy.

[jdobbin]

I'm sure that would make you happy.

Just as it probably makes you happy to have the Board disappear in favour Cargill setting the prices and marketing for grain?

It doesn't have to be that way. If the majority of farmers were listened to rather than making this stand ideologically, Conservatives could say they had asked the question and followed the wishes of those that voted. Instead, they have said they won't listen to those who expressed support for the single desk regardless. The farmers are some of the biggest supporters of the Conservatives. This can't be easy for them to see.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Instead, they have said they won't listen to those expressed support for the single desk regardless. The farmers are some of the biggest supporters of the Conservatives.

Those farmers who support the Conservatives are the reason why the party has taken the stand that they have on the CWB.

[blueblood]

Those farmers who support the Conservatives are the reason why the party has taken the stand that they have on the CWB

I am a supporter of the CPC yet I don't approve of their decision about the wheat board along with my MP, who is a CPC member who is the only one who voted against it. The boys support the CPC on other issues than that. I'd be naive to think that the CPC took the stand on the CWB for that reason alone. It's either support a party that "despises" rural Canada and rural values or one that throws rural Canada somewhat of a bone, take your pick. I'll tell you right now the Liberals supporting the wheat board arent going to get farmer votes come next election, they need a little more than that to get their majority.

[Topaz]

So, the Cons fired the head of the Wheat Board and slowly working to their goal of destroying altogether! I'm wondering how does the US farmer's are going to come up on the upside of this one?? ALL grain growers should be able to vote for this and not the voters the Cons only want !!!

[jdobbin]

'll tell you right now the Liberals supporting the wheat board arent going to get farmer votes come next election, they need a little more than that to get their majority.

I agree. It will be interesting to see the Liberal farm and rural platform develop over the next weeks and months. Let me know what you think.

I think all marketing boards should take note from the Conservative stand now.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I am a supporter of the CPC yet I don't approve of their decision about the wheat board along with my MP, who is a CPC member who is the only one who voted against it. The boys support the CPC on other issues than that. I'd be naive to think that the CPC took the stand on the CWB for that reason alone. It's either support a party that "despises" rural Canada and rural values or one that throws rural Canada somewhat of a bone, take your pick. I'll tell you right now the Liberals supporting the wheat board arent going to get farmer votes come next election, they need a little more than that to get their majority.

Dauphin-Swan River is far enough from the border that it is in the best interest of farmers to support the CWB.

Here is the deal with the whole CWB issue. Farmer's who live close enough to the border to drive the wheat down themselves and sell to American customers can make far, far more money than the price the CWB gives them. So they are essentially subsidizing farmers that live in more northern parts of the grain belt.

This is an ideological stand without question. Should farmers have to sell their products at below market price with no benefit to themselves? Why?

[hiti]

Does anybody seriously think that once the CWB is gone, those US border markets will be offering more of the Canadian border farmers grain? They will laugh as they steal what they want at much lower prices.

And why should farmers in the east have any say over the western wheat board? 90% of the wheat and barley is grown in the west. And what few of you understand is that the WB is a single desk selling the producers wheat and barley internationally and for domestic human consumption. If the farmer wants to sell his barley to his neighbour he may do so, as long as his neighbour is Canadian. The producer may also sell and deliver his grain across the border as long as the sale is through the WB, the single desk.

Bush wants the Wheat Board gone and Stevie will do as he's told, for Cargil. Steve handed $1 billion and Canada's softwood lumber to Dubya. Next will be the Wheat Board. Then it's dairy, poultry and egg products. International Trade Minister David Emerson is sacrificing Canada's supply management system to appease the Bush administration at the expense of Canada's farmers. He told The Western Producer that producers of dairy, poultry and egg products must prepare to be open to free trade in their sectors for the "national interest."

The supply-management industries in Canada are doing well compared to others and it is prized as a tool that enables producers to gain some power in the marketplace. Without supply-management, dairy, egg and poultry farmers will not be able to recover their cost of production or compete with international markets.

Combined, the Canadian egg, dairy and poultry sectors generate over $6.8 billion in farm cash receipts or 20 percent of total primary agriculture, more than $39 billion of economic activity, and over 215,000 jobs in Canada. Not counting the spin off from these industries.

"Compared to the rest of the world Canadians spend less on their food than just about any other country," Liberal Opposition Agriculture Critic Wayne Easter said. "This treachery is the Harper government's gift to the United States and the E.U., both of whom have attacked Canada's supply-management system and the Canadian Wheat Board at the WTO for years.

The next step will be all food imported from the good old USA.

I predict defeat of the treacherous Con MPs in the west in the next election. Or farmers may as well throw in the towel.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Does anybody seriously think that once the CWB is gone, those US border markets will be offering more of the Canadian border farmers grain? They will laugh as they steal what they want at much lower prices.

So wheat-buyers in the U.S. have inflated the market price of wheat just to force an end to the CWB. Then they will let the price fall to the natural level once they have attained their nefarious goal?

Hmmm, what is the term for that? Tinfoil hat wearer?

Bush wants the Wheat Board gone and Stevie will do as he's told, for Cargil..

Ahh that old chestnut of the left. If we don't like it just cry GW Bush and it has to be bad. How about telling that line to the many, many, many farmers who support the Harper Government in this CWB fight?

I predict defeat of the treacherous Con MPs in the west in the next election. Or farmers may as well throw in the towel.

Do give names of *treacherous MPs* who you predict will lose in the next election and the parties that will defeat them.