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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-02-22, Page 5NAY,FERH(IRY 22, 1995 ,THE NMNOH14M ADY/WCETIMES WOud(�0w lv� y,-•. m 'l�ction aodie tit�e -���'v�®����l� Revamping the Wheat "c 'Board is causing conflict across the country An Open letter to Canadian Grain. Farmers: Over the past year the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has been see an animal crossing the road in n play in traffi n play in traffi Dear Editor: Why do people feel it is accepta- ble to expose their pets to the dan- ger of running free? How can there possibly be more advantages than disadvantages? People that let their animals out- side without attaching them to an appropriate chain (and providing adequate housing, food and water) are not only acting inhumanely, but they are also submitting their ani- mals to the possibility of being fro- zen to death, run over by snow- plows and other vehicles, contracting° and spreading• rabies, being dismembered, injured or killed. It is hard•enough to see the roads and stay on them. It is a shock to greatly debated in both farm and national media. The publicity and discussion surrounding this •issue has resulted in a polarization of paib1ic opinion. Farmers who sup- port changing the CWB are imme- diately branded as Board destroy- ers. Farmers who do not support Changes to the wheat board also find themselves under attack by those strongly in favor of change. During meetings with farmers and farm groups I have been pro- moting a mechanism for building a bridge across the gap which separ- ates those who favor and those who are against changes to the board. It is a mechanism which all farmers could support. I believe the first real step towards meaningful change to the CWB is through a farmer elected board of directors which would replace the current system of government appointed Commissions and an, Advisory Board which has no real power. Farmers should be given the au- thority, which is rightfully theirs• because they pay the bills, to de- cide what type of wheat board they want. An elected board of directors would replace the current system of government appointed Commis- sioners and shift the control away from the federal government to farmers. Within 6-18 months of electing a board of directors, farmers should be given the chance, to democrati- cally examine their organizational and jurisdictional options. This will allow grain farmers t� carefully consider and vote on a variety of market opportunities. These options could introducing greater domestic and international market competition; allowing the purchase of wheat and barley on ei- ther a cash basis or a pooled price basis; and allowing the board to ops erate as a seller from export termi- nal positions only - which would take the board completely out of the car allocation and grain han- dling process. These and other is- sues must be decided directly by farmers through referenda. An elected board of directors would submit their proposal for ini- tial crop payments to Parliament as the Commissioners do now. Elect- ed representativeswould then vote to determine if these payments are reasonable. The purpose behind this measure is to provide a govern- mental check on the otherwise in- dependent board by having Parlia- ment approve initial payments and loan guarantees because: taxpayers' dollars are involved. Farmers themselves will have their own ideas regarding the CWB and how to make it better work for farmers. All of these proposals must be considered. Several people have asked what my personal position is regarding possible changes to the board. I support the concept of opening up the board to competition. However, it is not up to me, or the federal government to decide on the future of the board. This decision must be made solely by Western Canadian grain farmers. The CWB will be a subject of continued discussion until the dem; ocratic rights of Canadian "grain farmers are restored and they are given real choice in how their or- ganization will be run inpthe future. An elected board of directors is the only real option for the federal gov- ernment. After all, who can argue with democracy? 1 would appreciate hearing your views on this issue. Mail your re- sponse, postage free, to my atten- tion, -Room 625 Confederation Building, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1 A 0A6 or call me at (613) 992-4171. Leon E. Benoit, MP Vegreville Constituency, Alberta front of you. People swerve and they, along with any drivers follow- ing them, usually end up in the ditch or possibly hit a tree or an- other vehicle. The animal usually ends up left pain. This summer hit dead or, to die in saw a cat get and the driver did not stop. The cat's back end was mangled, but it dragged itself off the road. A for- mer natural resources official was kind enough to stop and help the animal. I was very grateful to him for caring and I am sure the cat was too. Not many animals are lucky enough to be put out of their misery - apparently, not enough people care. If the fact that your animal may be killed or injured isn't reason enough to chain them up - think about the people that are injured or killed when trying to avoid the ani- mals on the road. There are enough wild animals and strays to watch out for - we should not have •to watch out for pets with irresponsi- ble owners. How would your chil- dren feel if they .found their pet dis membered or dead or if the pet never returned, all because it was allowed to roam. .. Animals that roam are more sus- ceptible to other to rabies and animals. The passing it on roamers get in fights with tied up pets and cause injury to the other pets and often themselves. People that chain their animals should not have to worry, about the chance .that their animal. could be hurt or given rabies by a passing animal. These wanderers also have a greater chance of add- ing to the already "overpopulated unwanted pet" population and they arso rip apart our garbages. It is freezing out. Your animal should not be straying around in a snowstorm (or any other time). There is a dog in Wingham that ac- tually has icicles and frozen urine hanging from it every time I see it. This is disgusting and the owner •should be ashamed. If none -of .this gets the point across, imagine what it feels like to get hit by a snow-. plow. That is exactly what would have happened to the dog I found - sleeping on the side of the road at the corners of Highway 4 and 86. Nice picture, isn't it. Kathi Newell, Wingham Much has been written over the years as to why our c.ountry has dug itself into an economic sink- hole. There are, of course, a multi- plicity of various factors, which cause the ship of state not to func- :. tion on an even keel. One point rarely mentioned is that governments, on all levels, tend to play Jolly of St. Nicholas prior to an election. They wish to butter up the electorate with legisla- tive goodies, which are paid for. by the public. and are neither needed nor requested. This is like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey. A' prime example of election goodies in operation is the Ontario NDP giving daycare via Junior Kindergarten for four -year-olds. Now they're pushing the case for three -year-olds. Look out, after that, they might try snatching one or two -year-olds out of the cradle. A deterrent factor that there might be is the obvious danger of being charged with. kidnapping. That is, unless, some bright bulb gets the idea that prosecuting the abductors is definitely an infringement of the abductors' rights, and they can kid- nap as they please. Briefly, other contributing fac- tors are appointing Royal Commis- sions, which are never acted upon, MPs and MPPs voting with the government and against the best in- terests of the constituents, govern- ment splurging because it's not their money, a too -large majority government, and on and on - ad nauseum. When will we get, good, econom- ical government? We will when the elected representatives of the peo- ple follow the strong pull of their individual conscience and act ac- cordingly. True democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. Robert S. Cherry, Palmerston Too young Dear Editor: I must commend you on your column in the February 8 edition about putting three -year-olds into the school system. Tome the idea is preposterous, especially in a rural area where they, must ride a bus. It . is nay opinion that four -year-olds are also too young.,I feel all parents and grandparents should be voicing their opinions on this before it is too late! 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