The Rural Voice, 2006-02, Page 13John Beardsley
speak as forcefully in support of
RMP as they have against the
Countervail duty on Corn. The
politicians will be sure to exploit this
apparent rift between the feeders and
feed producers for their own
purposes.
But there is a lot more to speaking
with one voice than mere wishful
thinking. Ontario farm groups
especially need to take some training
from the Quebec farmers' union, the
UPA. There also needs to be
discipline exercised by the One Voice
movement. Groups that speak out by
media release before checking their
facts or before trying to reach a
consensus must be duly chastised for
speaking out of turn. The major
discussions need to be made behind
closed doors.
The UPA members save their
attacks for the privacy and forum of
the UPA boardroom. Members can
air their dirty laundry behind closed
doors. After they have reached a
consensus everyone speaks from the
same script. This doesn't mean there
isn't more discussion on the issue but
until the group reconvenes there is no
public splintering of the position by
groups opposed to the decision of the
whole. UPA leaders say there is a
well -thought-out process to correct
those who may stray off the path.
First of all offenders are warned in
private then they are brought before
the board where they face the wrath
of their peers.
I think Ontario farm groups need
some structural changes before this
can happen. I personally think the
general farm organizations and
commodities groups need to move
past the ad hoc nature of some of the
coalitions. Commodity group leaders
have told me that the "Unified Farm
Voice" is very much a work in
progress. Many groups point to the
Ontario Farm Environmental
Coalition as a working model. Other
former farm group leaders have been
disappointed that the OFA hasn't
really adopted the structure proposed
by the Agricultural Odyssey Report.
While most farmers or farm
leaders don't want yet another group
supposedly speaking for agriculture,
they do question why the presidents'
council, proposed by the Agricultural
Odyssey Report, hasn't been
established. At least the presidents'
council would allow all parties to
touch base with one another and
improve communication. What is
also needed is an outlet for dissent
and developing ideas; a forum where
people can vent and rant as
individuals. ONTAG the Bullpen, a
listserver maintained by the Huron
County Federation of Agriculture on
their www.hcfa.on.ca website is an
undisciplined example of this though
it would be better if the `official"
farm leaders' positions were part of
the discussions.
While almost everyone loves a
good argument it makes policy
makers nervous. They especially
don't want to come down on the side
of a vocal minority. Consensus can
be achieved though we aren't used to
truly achieving it in Ontario,
especially it seems in farm politics.
Speaking with one voice will be
much easier when it comes from a
true consensus built without winners
and losers.0
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