Tories' wheat board plan carries political risks

Canadian · Post by **Canadian** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:19 am

Tories' wheat board plan carries political risks

Alan Skardal has voted for the federal Conservatives for more than 30 years, but insists the ballot he cast for them last Jan. 23 was his last.

The grain and cattle farmer from Baldur, Man., says his commitment never wavered despite Tory-supported agriculture policies that cost him and his neighbours thousands of dollars through the years - from elimination of a grain transportation subsidy to support for meat packers during the mad cow crisis.

But the party's decision to look at ending the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on western wheat and barley exports before letting farmers vote on it is the last straw.

"I don't know who I will vote for in the next federal election, but I do know who it won't be. I will never vote Conservative again," Skardal, 50, wrote this month in a letter to the editor of the Farmers Independent Weekly.

Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel sees things differently.

The 27-year-old from Mossbank, Sask., is a fifth-generation grain farmer and president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.

She marked her X for Tory candidate David Anderson precisely because his party promised to end the board's monopoly.

"It had a tremendous role in how I voted," said Jolly-Nagel. "It was THE issue in all the debates in our riding."

Anderson, a farmer, won Cyprus Hills-Grasslands and is parliamentary secretary to Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl.

Late last month, Strahl struck a committee to figure out the best way to keep the party's election promise. The seven-member task force will report to Strahl later this month about how the board could operate "in a marketing choice environment."

The Canadian Wheat Board turned down an invitation to participate, saying farmers aren't being given enough of a voice.

The issue has divided farmers and politicians for years, but the debate has intensified with this signal that the Tories are serious about making it a priority.

The NDP governments of Saskatchewan and Manitoba strongly support the board and want the Conservatives to let farmers decide its future. Alberta's Conservative government opposes the monopoly.

I think it will hurt them, but will it cost the conservatives any seats though?

That Strahl is the biggest whiny politician I had ever met. I saw him once in Abbotsford and he is an arrogant prick........

Read the rest here

Canadian · Post by **Canadian** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:56 am

This is no surprise the Kleinites would do this:

Alberta spent $1M to undermine Canadian Wheat Board

The provincial NDP has released documents showing the Alberta government spent $1 million over fours years on a campaign to undermine the Canadian Wheat Board.

Premier Ralph Klein's government has been openly opposed for many years to the wheat board's monopoly over western wheat and barley sales.

But this is the first time Alberta taxpayers have seen how much the province was spending on the Choice Matters campaign, which pushed for farmers to have the option of selling their grain privately.

The federal government, which campaigned on a promise to dismantle the wheat board, has issued an order that prevents the agency from advocating on its own behalf.

As well, Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl has formed a committee to recommend ways to end the wheat board's monopoly, although supporters argue that dismantling the board requires a plebiscite.

Ray Martin, the Alberta NDP's agriculture critic, says changes to the wheat board should be left up to farmers.

No surprise the Kleinites did this, after all their is no difference between Alberta conservative and the Federal conservatives as they both hate the Wheat Board.

Link

fix · Post by **fix** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:38 am

Kiss Saskatchewan and Manitoba's support goodbye..
The pattern is very clear for anyone to see.. the Harpercrites are clearly out to kill off every province's biggest export, with the lone exception being Alberta.
BC--- Lumber (Softwood bad deal)
Sask and Mb--- Wheat board...
Ontario--- Auto Sector-- (Environment regulations)
Quebec-- Lumber (Softwood bad deal)
NB-- Lumber--
PEI- Ok, nothing on potatoes yet...
N.S.-- Refusing to institute a ban on bottom trawling in the deep seas
NFLD--- Well seems as though Danny Williams isn't all that impressed with Steve either..

Canadian · Post by **Canadian** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:09 am

They had that arse Chuck Strohl on Politics today. Basically he is dumber than a sack of potato's.

The phantorino · Post by **The phantorino** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:21 pm

While I don't agree with JF's cliches, they doappear to be going out of their way to offend the rural voter base that put them into power in the first place.

Canadian · Post by **Canadian** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:06 am

Wow that is one crappy plan. Well it is really no plan at all.

Seems like a total free for all for four years, especially for the Oil Patch.

Porna is on Politics now, trying to explain this so called programme which is basically just consulting for four more years. All she is talking about is we don't have the technology now to do much. So we can't do much.

What a joke. Porna is a joke. This "plan" is a big joke.

Canada's Clean Air Act Delivered to Canadians

The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Environment, gave Canadians the first and central component of Canada's New Government's environmental Agenda when she introduced Canada's Clean Air Act in Parliament today.

"We listened to Canadians. They told us they were concerned about worsening air quality and increasing emissions of greenhouse gases," said Minister Ambrose. "After more than a decade of inaction on the environment by the previous government, Canada's Clean Air Act is the first step in turning things around to protect the health of Canadians."

That is from the Governement of Canada site.

Porna only listened to Oil companies not what "Canadians told her". Porna and 26 vote Tony are so far out of touch with what Canadians want. Neither of those two incompetent twits have a clue about what "Canadians" want unless it is the Oil executives in Calgary.

Whats up with "Canada's New Government" in everything? Do they think people are too stupid to realize they are the new government?

Read the rest here