Stubblejumper, so by your logic the policy positions of APAS and SARM are de-facto policy positions of all Sask. Farmers. How convenient!
Did APAS and SARM have a plebiscite amongst all farmers to develop their CWB policy? If not, aren't they a little ahead of themselves in demanding the federal government hold one as well?
The Wheat Growers establish policy positions at convention and farmers are free to join or not join based on their compatibility with those policies. That is something very unique among farm groups. Imagine that, saying this is who we are, this is what we believe and we welcome you if you share our vision. But don’t expect us to bend ourselves out of contortion to please the masses.
With respect to funding by major ag corporations, I don’t know what the amounts are today, but if it was like when I was there yes we had corporate sponsors for our conventions, and that is where the vast majority of funds from the corporate side originated from. I never had any moral dilemmas because of this, although I always wanted more from them. They weren’t buying influence, they were buying direct access and close contact to some of the most progressive and prosperous farmers in western Canada. One of my frustrations was that they always wanted us to shut up about the cwb. Well as I saw it, that was what set us apart, we would say the things that everyone was afraid to say, or was contrary to accepted protocol. We were supposed to be nice, and smile while the cwb continued to rob us of our rights and our grain. We were supposed to be cordial while the cwb spent our own money against us in a huge propaganda campaign that had never stopped ever since the Goodale Board was created back in 1999.
Stubblejumpper, you must understand that Wheat Grower members don’t consider themselves helpless victims of corporate greed, but as equal and respected partners within a dynamic industry. You may not agree with that philosophy, or outlook on farming but I ask you to respect that others do.
Did APAS and SARM have a plebiscite amongst all farmers to develop their CWB policy? If not, aren't they a little ahead of themselves in demanding the federal government hold one as well?
The Wheat Growers establish policy positions at convention and farmers are free to join or not join based on their compatibility with those policies. That is something very unique among farm groups. Imagine that, saying this is who we are, this is what we believe and we welcome you if you share our vision. But don’t expect us to bend ourselves out of contortion to please the masses.
With respect to funding by major ag corporations, I don’t know what the amounts are today, but if it was like when I was there yes we had corporate sponsors for our conventions, and that is where the vast majority of funds from the corporate side originated from. I never had any moral dilemmas because of this, although I always wanted more from them. They weren’t buying influence, they were buying direct access and close contact to some of the most progressive and prosperous farmers in western Canada. One of my frustrations was that they always wanted us to shut up about the cwb. Well as I saw it, that was what set us apart, we would say the things that everyone was afraid to say, or was contrary to accepted protocol. We were supposed to be nice, and smile while the cwb continued to rob us of our rights and our grain. We were supposed to be cordial while the cwb spent our own money against us in a huge propaganda campaign that had never stopped ever since the Goodale Board was created back in 1999.
Stubblejumpper, you must understand that Wheat Grower members don’t consider themselves helpless victims of corporate greed, but as equal and respected partners within a dynamic industry. You may not agree with that philosophy, or outlook on farming but I ask you to respect that others do.
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