Ok, so you’re a federal Conservative strategist, frustrated that Stephane Dion and the Liberals refuse to take the bait you’ve been offering and send the country to the polls. You’ve dared him to do it on your justice package, on Afghanistan, and on the budget but, in each case, he’s refused to call your bluff (despite some not-so-muted baying from within his own caucus).
So what’s next? Why, the Wheat Board, of course.
You’ve been trying ever since taking office to bust the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly but, what with one pesky court ruling after another, you just can’t seem crack that nut. But now Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has a legislative package ready to go (see below) to break the Wheat Board up. All you have to do is to get the Prime Minister to declare it a confidence matter and, presto, there’s no waaay the Liberals can let this one slide. After all, who’s their House leader? That’s right: Ralph “Mr. Saskatchewan” Goodale. The NDP couldn’t abide by the Wheat Board’s breakup and, even though Quebec farmers aren’t affected by the Wheat Board, they are beholden to so-called “supply management”, a Wheat Board-esque way of marketing dairy products and so on. So count on the Bloc’s opposition to breaking up the Wheat Board. And just like that, you’ve now found an issue too noxious for the other three opposition parties and yet it’s an issue voters in key urban battlegrounds probably don’t care too much about.
Now, if only the Opposition would stop asking those pesky Cadman questions …
Government of Canada Set to Introduce Amendments to CWB Act
OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Feb. 29, 2008) – The Government of Canada is committed to giving Western Canadian barley producers marketing freedom and today announced an Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act and chapter 17 of the Statutes of Canada, 1998, will be introduced in the House of Commons early next week. The announcement was made by the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board.“This Government listens to farmers. That is why we are taking action to give Western Canadian barley producers the same marketing freedom producers in the rest of the country already enjoy,” said Minister Ritz. “This bill will deliver on our Throne Speech commitment and will bring barley marketing freedom to the strong and growing majority of producers who are demanding it.”
“Western Canadian barley producers are best qualified to make their own marketing decisions,” added Minister Ritz. “This Government's new legislation will give Western Canadian producers the freedom to make those barley marketing choices.”