The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is pleased the Federal Court of Appeal has overturned a court ruling last June that had given the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) a free hand to promote the continuation of its monopoly over prairie farmers.
“It’s a welcome court ruling,” says Kevin Bender, President of the Wheat Growers. “It means the CWB can no longer take farmers’ money to promote its monopoly.”
The Wheat Growers were commenting on a decision by the Federal Court of Appeal, released Tuesday, that found the federal government was within its right to instruct the CWB to not spend money advocating retention of its monopoly powers.
The Wheat Growers have long-maintained that the CWB’s compulsory nature means that it should not be permitted to take and promote political positions. We argue that individual farmers should not be forced, against their will, to pay for political causes they do not support. The Wheat Growers had urged the federal government to appeal the June 2008 court decision.
“The federal government needed to stand up for farmers and tell the CWB to stick to its marketing mandate,” says Mike Bast, Chair of the Wheat Growers. “The CWB should concentrate on selling our grain for a good price, rather than engaging in politics that pits one farmer against another.”
The Wheat Growers call on the CWB to abide by the Appeal Court decision and put an end to its politicking. The Wheat Growers also thank the federal government for standing up for farmers.
The Wheat Growers note the Court of Appeal also found that the Canadian Wheat Board Act gives the federal government broad powers “to direct the Wheat Board with respect to the full range of activity conducted by the Wheat Board.”
“The Court ruling makes it clear that politicians have the ability to control the operations of the CWB,” says Bender. “While their intervention was welcome in this instance, the Wheat Growers would rather see the CWB become voluntary and truly accountable to farmers.”
