Producer control of the CWB
Saskatchewan Liberal MP Ralph Goodale is trying to get legislation passed that would give farmers more control over the Canadian Wheat Board. Goodale was the Minister Responsible for the CWB for many years and he brought in sweeping changes that were meant to make farmers the masters of the CWB’s destiny. However, recent court decisions have determined that previous legislation didn’t go quite far enough. When push comes to shove, the federal government can still call the shots on many aspects of CWB operations. Farmers are badly divided on the issue of the single desk monopoly, but a strong majority agrees that the CWB should be an organization controlled by farmers and not government. It should be farmers charting the course of their marketing agency, whether that means a continuation of the status quo or an opening up of the marketplace. Goodale is on the right track. It’s just too bad he didn’t get it right in the first place. Of course, the odds of him getting major changes while in opposition would seem remote at best. I’m Kevin Hursh.