CWB Elections

[Hopperbin]

Excuse me but last I checked there were no open market or get rid of the CWB candidates so if I could vote this time I would lean to not vote in protest as a vote would just be turned by pro boarders that the majority of farmers want the CWB around. I say if you despise the CWB then don't vote. If in this election we could reduce the number of voters that would be a clear indication that farmers want to rid themselves of the CWB. Lets not vote.

[Hopperbin]

By the way I think all the candidates are full of crap with what they say.

[charliep]

A decision not to vote is a vote for single desk.

Even more so, I would be voting to select a candidate that provides strategic direction for a $5 to 7 bln business and likely depending on your farm rotation represents 25 to 50 % of your gross income.

I note that current CWB price signals are causing everyone here to leave 50 cents to a buck a bushel on the table and yet no one wants to take the time to vote or considers not voting a protest. You also complain about rising input. Which one has more impact on your bottom line/profit margins?

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie,

The perfect Goodale revenge.

Make those who should be enfranchised mad so they won't vote... and those communists who largely it is a political religious stand... vote.

Is a banana republic election more valid... if 40 percent of the population who support the dictator; VOTE: and the other 60 percent are smart enough to keep their heads down...

Does the turn out justify the result?

If this were a one person one vote... Canadian election... majority of votes wins... democratically run with local accountability and ballot box... Scrutineers and elections Canada... I would agree with you Charlie.

Goodale designed this CWB election process to favour the single desk... and it does.

Goodale designed the CWB governing legislation to favour the single desk... and it does.

Our family farm has lost far more that 1 million $$$ over the last 15 years... Plus the cost of fighting the CWB injustice...

We are VERY unhappy... because this is not a democratic election... not because we do not like to vote in democratic elections!!!!!!

[charliep]

Not trying to make complicated. Just encouraging farm managers to use their ability to vote (at least in the odd numbered districts).

[charliep]

If more transparent pricing (you tell me whether in a single desk environment or open market with a CWB alternative) could add 50 cents per bu to your bottom line, how much more profit would you make on your farm? Is there any other single business change you could make that would add this profit potential?

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie,

Your logic is EXACTLY why our family spent close to seven figures to stop this injustice.

It is also why so many are angry that both the federal and provincial conservatives have done NOTHING CONSTRUCTIVE TO CHANGE HOW THE CWB ELECTIONS or SINGLE DESK work.

[parsley]

In 1963, there were 221,138 permit books.
In 2000 there were 101,299 permit books.
How many permit books are their in 2010? Pars

[charliep]

Can't answer for 2010. The CWB can tell you for the 2008/09 crop year. The number is 56,188. See CWB statistical summary - table 23 page 18.

[URL="http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/about/investor/annual/pdf/08-09/stats_english2008-09.pdf"]permit book holders[/URL]

[jdepape]

hopperbin:

I hear a lot of this complaint that there isn't a "get rid of the CWB" candidate so I won't vote.

The candidates that are running on a "change the CWB for the better" platform - call it transparency, call it better pricing and delivery options, call it whatever you like - these are the ones to give some serious consideration to.

The way I read them is this - they're saying fix what can be fixed, toss it if it can't be fixed. So when it comes to the single desk, it makes sense to fix it if you can. But if you can't, find an alternative - an open market, with or without the CWB.

It's a reasonable approach. Go in with the mindset that you will get rid of the single desk and you are just as single minded and extreme as the other side.

If you are convinced that there is no benefit coming from the single desk, then you just need to be confident that these people will do what makes sense.

On the other hand, you know for certain that the ones saying they will wrap their arms around the single desk and hang on - are not the ones you want to vote for. they have shown that reason and logic will not factor in their decisions - their mind is made up and it really doesn't matter what makes sense for farmers.

I like how Charlie put it - if you don't vote, its a vote FOR the single desk. You can "protest" all you like by not voting but that won't change a thing.

If you really hate the single desk, why would you ever be apathetic about it?