Canada: Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz moves to cut small producers from Wheat Board vote

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz moved to cut small grain producers out of the equation when it comes to electing the directors of the Canadian Wheat Board, Financial Post reported May 27.

The move had critics accusing Mr. Ritz of interfering with the independent elections of the board in order to stack it with directors favourable to his government's desire to open up wheat and barley marketing beyond the wheat board.

Ritz introduced an amendment to the Canadian Wheat Board in the House of Commons on Tuesday that restricts the voters list for the CWB board of directors to producers who grow more than 120 tonnes of grain in either of the two previous years.

The government has not yet been able to get in place its plan to end the CWB monopoly on barley sales. Its first attempt to do it by cabinet order was shot down by the courts.

Legislation to have Parliament vote on the changes has been untouched since Mr. Ritz introduced it in March, and even those who favour the legislation acknowledge that is because the government isn't going to risk an election on this issue by making it a confidence matter.

If the board of directors favours Mr. Ritz's position, it could begin making the changes on its own.

The next elections for the board occur next fall.

29 May, 2008