By Brent Bosker

CWB seeks support through petition

Jul 16, 2011 | 7:37 AM

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) is trying to get more than just farmers to back their campaign to save the board's wheat and barley marketing monopoly.

At the same time of a plebiscite, non-farmers are being asked to support a petition. The petition which has been circulating since last month asks people to support a farmers’ right to have say in the board’s future.

“The bottom line … is it should be up to farmers to make that decision because farmers are the ones who pay for the cost of the wheat board. They’re the ones who also control the wheat board through directors,” said Cam Goff, director for District 6, who was promoting the petition during the Conservation Learning Centre’s Field Day.

The federal government plans to strip the board of its monopoly next year without giving farmers a vote.

“That’s why (the petition) is available to any citizen. I mean anyone has the right to believe that the government of their country should be democratic and listen to the will of the people.”

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“It shouldn’t be a … top down decision. That’s not what democracy is,” Goff said.

The CWB has set a goal to collect 10,000 signatures. The petition, along with the results of their plebiscite, will be presented to the federal government in September, he said.

The board is hoping with enough support they can convince the Tory majority government to reconsider their decision.

bbosker@panow.com