Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl stages stunt for news cameras on Manitoba farm
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| Adrian Measner |
Ottawa (20 Dec. 06) - Clearing the way to impose its corporate agenda on western agriculture, the Tory government of Stephen Harper fired Adrian Measner Tuesday as president of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB).
The sacking, choreographed for news cameras by Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl, was carried out at a farm at St. Francois Xavier, Man., where Strahl announced the appointment of Greg Arason as interim president for a three-month transition period.
A group of producers who support the Tories' ultimate mission to abolish the board, and in doing so aid mainly larger producers, attended the event and applauded on cue as the pre-arranged script was played out.
Measner has been critical of the Tory plan to end the board's monopoly on western wheat sales. Critics who support Measner say scrapping the monopoly will effectively kill the farmer-run organization and result in lower prices.
Single-desk marketing
The single-marketing-desk board is supported by the Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments, the federal Liberals, the federal NDP and several farm groups. They argue that Harper, Strahl and the Tories cannot legally abolish the board without holding an honest plebiscite of all producers affected.
Strahl has offered to hold a narrow, non-binding plebiscite on the non-board marketing of barley this winter, a vote he thinks the Tories might be able to win. However, he has refused to hold a plebiscite on wheat, a gamble most observers say the Tories are almost sure to lose.
After Measner spoke out against the Harper plan in November, Strahl gave the 32-year board veteran 14 days to reverse his position or face dismissal.
Measner not only refused to comply, he irritated Strahl further by joining Stephane Dion last week as the new Liberal leader pledged to support the board and fight to save it. Hundreds of farmers also protested in Winnipeg last week to show their support for the board's monopoly and for Measner.
Earlier this month, individuals who support the monopoly won four of five district elections for the wheat board's board of directors.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the board is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. It sells grain to over 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers. Measner has worked for the board since 1974. He became its second president and chief executive officer in January 2003.
NUPGE joins campaign
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has joined other groups across the country in the campaign to save the board from destruction by the Harper administration and to preserve its marketing system as the best overall way to sell western grain. NUPGE
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