PROVINCE CHALLENGES VALIDITY OF FEDERAL BARLEY PLEBISCITE

Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman continues to call the federal government’s plebiscite on barley marketing flawed and undemocratic.

“Through their actions over the past several months, the federal government has created a situation in which producers are not being given a fair and democratic say in the future of grain marketing and the Canadian Wheat Board,” Wartman said.  “The current plebiscite process is flawed, and should not be relied upon to accurately reflect farmers’ opinions on this critical issue.  Federal politicians should not base any decisions about the future of the Wheat Board on the results of this problematic voting process.”

Concerns have been raised by government, producers and industry groups regarding the plebiscite, including the following:

• The three option question: the plebiscite suggests that there are three options for farmers, when many agree there are only two – the Wheat Board’s single desk, or an open market system.  Numerous studies suggest that the Wheat Board will not participate in a sustainable way in a dual market situation;
• Management of the plebiscite, including the delayed mailing of the ballots, the makeup of the voter’s list, and the confidentiality of the completed ballots; 
• The non-binding nature of the plebiscite; and
• The federal government’s refusal to acknowledge that legislative amendments to the Canadian Wheat Board Act are required to change the Board’s single desk marketing authority.

“Given the many questions and doubts surrounding the validity of this process, the federal government must not make any changes to legislation governing the Canadian Wheat Board – to implement either an open or dual market system - based on the results of this plebiscite,” Wartman concluded.

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For more information, contact:

Scott Brown
Agriculture and Food
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5160
Email: sbrown@agr.gov.sk.ca