CWB head office in downtown Winnipeg.

 

 

A southern Ontario Member of Parliament has brought forward a Private Member's Bill aimed at giving prairie farmers the ability to "opt out" of marketing their wheat and barley through the Canadian Wheat Board.

Bruce Stanton, MP for Simcoe North, says explains Bill C-619 would have growers a three month period every January 1st to April 1st to give notice on how they intend to market their grain.

"That measure ends up leaving some predictability and stability for those farmers, and it's widely recognized that many farmers prefer the marketing tools that are available to them through the Canadian Wheat Board," says Stanton. "But it will give those many other farmers who would choose to do it differently, the choice to do that."

So why does an MP from southern Ontario introduce a bill focused on the CWB, which only markets grain for farmers in western Canada? Stanton says he introduced the bill due to a technical House procedure and as an issue of principle. He explains the order in which Members can bring forward Private Member's Bills is based on a lottery process.

"At the very start of the Parliament, you're given a position...as Parliament begins you draw down on those numbers," he explains. "I happen to be in this next replenishment of the list and so I have the ability to bring a bill forward, where for example my western counterparts may not have, or it could be that they have committed to bring other bills forward."

He says it's also an issue of fairness.

"First and foremost, the reason I'm bring this forward is that this is a point of principle. It's an issue of fairness and equality for farmers. It's something that is enjoyed by all of the farmers in my province and I think it should be there for western grain farmers as well," says Stanton. "I think when you stand on the side of fairness and equality for farmers, you do so for all farmers across the country."

~ Monday, February 14, 2011 ~