Ever since the polls closed on the recent federal election and it became clear the Conservative government had managed a majority in Parliament it was clear the Canadian Wheat Board and its monopoly position to sell export bound wheat, durum and barley for Western Canadian farmers was on the hit list.
It has been no secret the Stephen Harper-led Conservatives have been proponents of a marketing system where farmers will supposedly have greater marketing freedom. To achieve that freedom the Conservatives would change the CWB, stripping away its monopoly position and fundamentally change a system implemented by the Parliamentary established of the producer controlled CWB in 1935.
The debate about what system is best for farmers has been one which has been debated to death, with a fair segment of farmers firmly entrenched in either the status quo camp, or the one when you also find Harper and federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. It's a situation where both camps of course have legitimate concerns.
Those wanting change suggest there is money to be made by free choice, allowing farmers to seek out specific markets through any marketing option they deem best.
CWB fans reason accessing literally dozens of overseas markets is best achieved through a single desk. Most CWB fans also like the idea of pooling sale returns so all farmers share equally.
These are not new positions, and the arguments have been heard repeatedly. The Conservatives want change and appear poised to use their new majority to do whatever they need to in order to get the changes done. That may include some fancy dancing in terms of legislation.
There is a significant farmer voice calling for a plebiscite of farmers, letting the users of the CWB to decide its fate.
Since the CWB was created as a producer-operated Board that would seem the way to go.
Of course the same Conservatives did hold a farmer vote on the CWB in the past with a question so worded as to all but guarantee their position emerged that it proved a vote is only as good as the question, and that relies on the integrity of those formulating the question. With Harper and Ritz in control don't hold your breath on a black and white question, but rather one decidedly Conservative blue.
We have seen provincial governments coming down on the side of change, although why they are wading into a fray between the federal government and farmers is unclear. What they might be better off doing is rallying support for farmers to have the final say, a simple yes, or no question put to farmers which binds the federal government to its result.
It is time the long-time CWB debate was put to rest, but it should be put to bed by farmers, not a heavy-handed federal government.
