Canada to sell wheat to Iraq???

[TOM4CWB]

AdamSmith;

Did you see this:http://www.uswheat.org/

"NEWS...
Canada may export wheat to Iraq, ag minister says
MOSCOW -- The Reuters bureau in Moscow is reporting that "Canada, hit by the worst drought in decades, may export wheat to Iraq this year despite earlier official denials of contacts between the two sides, Canadian Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief said.... 'We supplied some wheat to Iraq last year,' Vanclief told Reuters. 'It is my understanding that there may be some of that type of commerce taking place this year.'"

What a deal...

Jean Chretien has been at work again?

Isn't it nice to own all the wheat and barley in the "designated area" and be able to sell it to whoever you want, at whatever price you feel like...


Only in Canada you say... cut off sales to everyone else, but supply Iraq...

[parsley]

This one has me speechless.

Parsley

[parsley]

Get the checked and hope Bush blows them to hell before delivery. We are kind of short of wheat ourselves this year.

[parsley]

Correction should be "cheque" not checked. DUUUU

[charliep]

Before anyone gets too hawkish, I might suggest you rent a video called Kandahar. About a woman who travels from Iran to Kandahar, Afganistan to save her sister. Very good movie.

I don't have a clue whether Canada is selling wheat to Iraq. Whatever is done has to be conducted under the control of the UN and would likely be tied to a resumption of inspections in Iraq. It may also be to feed Kurdish people in the Northern Iraq.

Farmers have the right to be paid full market price for their grain. Canada still has responsibilities to help feed the needy and hungry of the world. This has to be taxpayers bill.

[parsley]

charliep,

Farmers need to be a hawkish. And wary. The Board has earned a historical role of non-confidence. After World War II, Canadian taxpayers didn't pick up the tab for feeding Britain's hungry: instead, the Canadian farmer did. Year after year of cheap wheat to meet Canada 's political obligations. Were farmers paid full market price? No.

Farmers are always being told that Canada wants to feed the starving people in the world, but as you say it must be a taxpayers' expense. Because the Wheat Board is legislatively and corporatively and psychologically an arm of Government, the cost for feeding those in need will inevitably be picked up by farmers if we allow it to happen.

Parsley

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie;

Any war is wrong... no matter who instigates it, or for what purpose.

I agree what is happening isn't fair for the people of Iraq, but that is what happens when a country doesn't have the stomach to live ethically and morally sound lives politically.

To sell wheat to this politically corrupt government, when we are obviously short of wheat ourselves shows a lack of political sensitivity to the situation we are in now... on the brink of a major war.

I don't believe it is at all constructive to have Canada's Ag Minister appearing to cave into Iraq, when we need Iraq to allow our world to peacefully exist without the threat of being nuked or BIO terrorised... by a man of simular stature to Hitler or Stalin.

Like I said earlier, there is apparently lots of wheat right next door to Iraq, so why does Canada have to become involved... especially this year?

[charliep]

Nothing to do with Iraq but a comment on food aid none the less. It is interesting that most countries like to push food aid when supplies are plentiful/prices cheap. Buyers (including those from less developed/third world countries) can better afford to buy grain in these times (we likely even to go to the extent of forcing local prices in these countries lower). As prices rise, food aid dries up and the hungary of the world can't afford to buy anymore (they are likely short supplies themselves). The real need for food aid increases.

This is not to suggest that farmers should sell cheap but rather social responsibility changes to provide for our fellow man in times of shortages.

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie,

I am not so sure that many of the 3rd world countries will be hurt from this price increase... because the farmers who have production can sell it to the rest of the economy, and have money left over when the price doubles.

Since it is largely the Western World with the production shortfall, and India, Pakistan, China,FSU, and Brazil all still have reasonable production, much of the worlds population with stable political regimes are not hurt at all by these higher Prices.

I am reminded that it is many times quoted that farmers are the fastest reinvestors in the local economy, when they get money, something like every dollar the farmer gets creates 7 dollars of wealth in the economy it is spent in.

No wonder why the EU and US subsidise their farmers, the economies of these unions can't loose by giving money to farmers, in the reverse it generates wealth, even if there are surpluses of food!!!

And on top... it is good to have surpluses of food, especially in times like these...

[rookie]

Social responsibility , moral responsibility and ethics are definitely three things our world needs more of. Unfortunately what are the odds of this happening soon. What can happen soon is letting your local politician know how you feel should this likely occur. The thought of selling or giving anything to a corrupt government like iraq makes me want to puke and toss the flag off my house. Fellow countrymen ( and women ) payed a huge price last september . Others have , and others will... Its time to stop playing cat and mouse with any country involved in activities like oppressive governing, and terrorism. And especially if those threats could end up in our country causing us grief. What do you think the odds are of that happening?

[parsley]

rookie,

It will happen rookie, and particularly if the spark of thought that endorses the idea, " we have to give terrorist groups ( a b c) or they'll do something bad to us" , keeps cropping up and is floated by our leaders.
We used to call this blackmail. By bullies.

Many terrorist groups are filled with militants who are NOT poor, or who are NOT born in poverty. Let's call a spade a spade.

Parsley

[rookie]

If this will happen I really don't know. But I am pretty sure we live in a gutless country that spends a huge amount of time " talking the talk ". Walking is certainly another story for too many. We are a country of politicians in my opinion. Looks like rain today............

[parsley]

With all of them suntanning under the protection of the American's military umbrella( who just happen to pick up 90% of our defense tab)!

Add that to our national debt, with the biggest portion of it owed to Wall Street, and where does that leave Canada if we alienate the USA?

Between a rock and a hard place, wouldn't you say, rookie? If Canadians enjoy being under the umbrella, and if they enjoy lining up on Wall Street to refinance their loans, is it a good idea to court Iraq with grain deals at this particularly volatile time? If farmers actually ran they CWB, would they decide to follow this route?

Parsley

[rookie]

I don't have exact figures to back that data up you cited, but certainly there is no easy fix for where we are as a nation. I do doubt that farmers were responsible for putting us there. And if they ran cwb... well, I would hope there is other avenues in this world to sell grain and make a bit of money. I am of the opinion that as long as things aren't in our back yard ( litterally ) and are happening in so called ' moderation ' no one notices and or cares. And I feel thats unfortunate. For example after september 11, there is more interest in the terroist fight. Gee, wonder why? But the problem was there before, but not in our back yard. Its too bad but does anyone think the world is less violent today compared to say 20 or even 50 years ago. I personally feel that threats like someone marching over the border are less, however those threats have evolved into the kind of crap facing our countries today. That is where the connection is to me. And it is getting more serious. I don't think we as a country would send wheat over as apache choppers are doing there thing. And all the debate about having to help those in need is fine but does anyone really think the "dark side" will convert to be like us anytime soon. But , Its' about all our country is capable of doing . And I personally am not proud of it. Somewhere along the line I hope we don't wish we all tried a little harder .

[TOM4CWB]

Parsley;

I see the Canadian gov./CWB is now denying it meant to sell wheat to Iraq... and denying it sold wheat to Iraq last crop year...

OOOOpppps...

The Western Producer had the article, Sept 19 2002, Page 20... "Ottawa denies wheat sale to Iraq"

The next day after the Reuters report,

"Agriculture Canada official Bernard Badani said in an interview the minister wasn't really talking about an impending sale."

"Instead, he was indicating that such a sale would be legal...."


What a tangled web we weave...