Where are the dual market supporters?

It’s a curious strategy. As pointed out in a front page Western Producer story by Adrian Ewins, none of the candidates running in the Canadian Wheat Board election is identifying themselves as being a supporter of marketing choice or a dual market. In all the other CWB elections, virtually all the candidates clearly identified themselves as being either a supporter of the current single desk or a supporter of marketing choice. This time around, there are eight candidates who support the single desk and five (one in each of the districts) who talk about needing improvements to CWB marketing but stop short of calling for an end to the single desk. You have to think it’s a deliberate and orchestrated approach – perhaps something recommended by a strategist that advised all five of them. In the past, these same people haven’t been shy about saying they wanted marketing choice and it’s hard to believe their opinions have changed. I respect both the single desk argument and the argument in favour of marketing freedom. I don’t appreciate candidates in any election trying to mask what they truly believe. It’ll be interesting to see if the strategy has a discernable effect on the outcome when the ballots are counted. I’m Kevin Hursh.