Editor:
When David Anderson suggests that World Trade talks will do what the Tory minority government could not do, get rid of the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk, grain farmers had better take note.
First, if other countries want to get rid of it, that probably means that having the Wheat Board is a trade advantage to Canadian farmers. The single desk does protect farmers from the ravages of a “free market”, controlled by international grain companies, whose gouging tactics go unchallenged by the World Trade Organization.
Despite this advantage, by numerous lost trade challenges from American interests, it has been proven that the single desk is not trade distorting.
The pooling system that so many farmers choose, despite the Wheat Board’s many marketing choices, is not available to non-Wheat Board grains, and no company supports the qualities of Canadian wheat, durum and barley like the Wheat Board does internationally and internally.
As well, shouldn’t Western farmers determine the future of the CWB rather than negotiators from foreign countries? Mr. Anderson’s approach may satisfy the aims of a small minority of grain farmers, but a majority of farmers in western Canada understand what the CWB does for them. They trust the CWB to represent them in wheat, durum, malting barley, and international feed barley sales.
By taking the stand that the WTO should determine the future of the Canadian Wheat Board, David Anderson is purposely undermining the wishes of a majority of western grain farmers. We have elected, over and over again, directors to the CWB who support the Board’s single desk. If Mr. Anderson cannot understand that, and will not act according to those expressed sentiments, then it might be time to replace him with someone who will.
Duane Filson - Past Liberal Candidate for Cypress Hills – Grasslands
