CHUCK STRAHL has been Canada’s agriculture minister for only two weeks, but cash-strapped farmers are already giving him an earful…
Strahl was in the front row listening to the farmers’ speeches. When he took to the makeshift stage, Strahl encouraged farmers to keep protesting and to continue making their voices heard, so Canadians will understand their plight and politicians will have the “ammunition to get the job done.”
“That’s your job!” screamed one man, setting off a minor chorus from the unsatisfied farmers…
Organizer and farmer Dwight Foster asked the farmers if they were satisfied with what they heard from Strahl. The crowd responded with a collective, “NO!”
Here’s a hint, boys: Strahl’s on your side. Maybe it’s time to lay the aggressive demo tactics to rest for the time being, unless you want to come off like the perpetually-dissatisfied gay rights lobby in this country.
604 Plonker wrote:
Ouch. Bit of a chip on your shoulder against gays, then?
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 3:44 pm | Permalink
George Freeman wrote:
Stupid farmers is right! Strahl told them the best thing he could tell them: if they want to see serious changes in agricultural policy and a more serious response to US subsidies, they HAVE to keep protesting to create the political will! Urban MPs, especially free-market conservatives, just won’t get it otherwise. And keeping family farms and rural communities going through these present dire circumstances is a worthy fight; so farmers do have a beef—pardon the pun—with other sectors of Canadian society, a neglect of their political interest that needs to be redressed. Farmers need to be MUCH more vocal about it and they can’t afford to be stupid! They should drive their tractors down busy highways, shut the country down if need be, but trying to shout down an ag. minister only on the the job for two weeks and probably your greatest ally, won’t work.
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 4:27 pm | Permalink
Nancy wrote:
“As the farm goes, so goes the nation.” “Let our farms blow away and grass will grow in the streets of our cities.”
The family farms have been in grave danger for many years. Every year costs keep rising, fuels, fertilizers, machinery, water rent, taxes. Every year Canadian farmers face an unfair battle against European farmers who are heavily subsidized. The playing field is not fair. And then we have the strangle hold of the WCB - a total monopoly. Producers should have the choice of selling through a Wheat Board and/or selling through a free marketing system. They should have both systems.
Canadian farmers are the best in the world and very highly educated. Do we want to see the family farms disappear and have everyone living in the cities? I certainly don’t. Rural life is the best life for bringing up a family with a true and decent set of values. We have enough kids on the streets in the cities with time on their hands and nothing to do.
Our farmers do not want a hand out, they need a hand up, and level the playing field. Farmers and ranchers want to feed the nation and feed the world and that was, and will always be, their number one devotion.
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 7:12 pm | Permalink
arctic_front wrote:
The Farmers might have a real issue, but to be taken seriously by anybody requires them to direct their energy and input to helping the cause, not just to blame everybody. The ‘new’ guy can only do so much in 2-3 months, let alone 2 weeks.
I believe the rural life-style has been kicked in the ‘nads’ too often and for far too long for them to keep quiet about it, but its not constructive to attack a Government that has demonstrated their willingness to help, ie: the wheat board, et al.
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 7:40 pm | Permalink
Peter Rempel wrote:
“…but its not constructive to attack a Government that has demonstrated their willingness to help, ie: the wheat board, et al.”
Exactly. This was a completely unjustified attack on Strahl. The guy hasn’t even settled into his office yet. It’s also a good way to uselessly burn political capital.
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 8:09 pm | Permalink
George Freeman wrote:
I think Nancy makes a good point that farms, rural life in general, are crucial for civil society.
But in this case, the farmers weren’t using their heads, or maybe their patience has run out and don’t particularly like being told to “keep protesting”—even though Strahl meant it as a way of raising political capital.
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 10:06 pm | Permalink
Anna Keightley wrote:
ATTENTION GOVERNMENT:
FARMERS ARE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS
In this posting I urge the public and government to respond to their serious plight. PLANTING SEASON IS JUST COMING UP.
Within first hour of being sworn in, MP Harper made announcement that “aid” was on the way within TWO WEEKS to the grain farmers. Agricultural Minister Strahl MUST SECURE aid now as I personally applauded PM Harper in that hour for citing that priority and even stipulating time frame for delivery. Priority and ACTION in hour of swearing in — just out of the gatepost.
On trip out east last summer, in rural district after rural district, LARGE BILLBOARDS SHOUTED AT THE LIBERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC
“NO FARMERS, NO FOOD, NO FUTURE”
as well as
BACK OFF GOVERNMENT THIS IS OUR LAND
I believe there is a website under that title
Strahl must not STALL
I believe in the very good common decency of Stephen Harper and his cabinet — in fact I thought to myself we may be looking at Lester Pearson type we haven’t seen for a LONG TIME. I believe, farmers, God Bless You All, PM HARPER, and Minister Strahl WON’T LET you down.
I’ll call my MP tomorrow.
Best regards,
Anna Keightley
(my own rural roots in Ireland)
Posted on 22-Feb-06 at 11:39 pm | Permalink
Ottawa Core wrote:
these farmers are in a desperate situation. they are and have been oomphed by the present system far too long. unfortunately, their livelihood is in jeopardy. the small farmers just can’t make it without asking the government for taxpayer subsidization. it’s a mind set which can and will, of necessity, require alteration. if they can’t make a living off the land, as it is, then the options are wide open. least among them would be to ask to be put on the welfare roll so they can stay on their land.
Posted on 23-Feb-06 at 10:18 am | Permalink
George Freeman wrote:
Agricultural sectors of a nations economy are always protected by some means, be it subsidy programs, tariffs, or with marketing boards. Canada already has a wheatboard and I’m not convinced it is main source of farmer’s current plight. Given Canada’s commitments under NAFTA, I don’t think tariffs are a real option, although I REALLY don’t know. But if we already have a marketing board, and we can’t really impose tariffs on imported ag. products, then a more effect subsidy program seems to be where the future of farming in Canada lay.
And farming needs to have a future in Canada! First, self-sufficient food production is a crucial to the stability of any nation and it’s economy. Right now farmers can barely afford to work the land! Small family farms are bedrock, economically stable centres of food production, passed on by the incentive of family heritage, keeping production more open to competition and quality control than under industrial farming. They need to be protected, and free-market economics can’t adequately appreciate or protect them the way their political import demands.
Second, farms and rural communities are crucial components of civil society, keeping society grounded in a common sense appreciation for the precariousness of nature and the diginity of human life, life not eclipsed by the conveniences of large urban centres. Arguably, we can all see that Calgary is a more civilised city than Toronto, this no doubt encouraged by its annual ten day rodeo that brings it back to its “cow town” roots, the Calgary Stampede. :-)
Posted on 23-Feb-06 at 11:12 am | Permalink
ha ha ha wrote:
The CPC has promised the moon and the stars to farmers. Rural Canada voted almost unanimously for the CPC. Now is the time for the CPC to do something for farmers. So far the CPC has been a disappointment. The appointment of Chuck Strahl was bizarre and he does not appear to be up to the task.
Posted on 23-Feb-06 at 6:58 pm | Permalink
George Freeman wrote:
“So far the CPC has been a disappointment. The appointment of Chuck Strahl was bizarre and he does not appear to be up to the task.”
Are you for real?
The CPC have been in government for a little more than two weeks now. Strahl was a good pick because he’s a good, smart leader, a demonstrated record of taking the tough stands on tough issues. Harper was smart to pick him for the open-mindedness he can bring to the agriculture portfolio, not owing too much to any agricultural constituency that might taint his perception of WHAT needs to be done but appreciating that SOMETHING needs to be done.
Posted on 24-Feb-06 at 11:46 am | Permalink
the bear wrote:
Wow, don’t know where to start with this trolling. Were you looking for a shark for your flame bait or were you hoping to completely alienate all the rural’s in 200 words or less?
Posted on 28-Feb-06 at 7:55 pm | Permalink
the bear wrote:
Some of you should take the time to read the post “Defining the family farm” on the blog http://www.therebelalbertan.blogspot.com/ There’s a lot of truth in it.
Posted on 02-Mar-06 at 6:50 am | Permalink
Flaming The Bear » Blog Archive » Farming a thing of the past? wrote:
[…] One of the most disappointing posts I’ve seen was that on ThePolitic a blog run by Peter Rempel.Â? His name for the post is Stupid Farmers It’s really disapointing to see this sort of language. It’s even more disappointing when you see that he feels that it’s alright to hold people politically accountable for wanting to improve thier economic situation.Â? Given the current state of affairs, I wonder if he even has a grasp of just desparate things are getting down on the farm. […]
Posted on 07-Mar-06 at 8:31 pm | Permalink
KerPlonka!: February 2006 wrote:
[…] warned ya - Chuck Strahl in Agriculture would end up having problems.That’s not to put the blame on Strahl, though.As a portfolio, agriculture has to be for Canada […]
Posted on 05-Nov-07 at 5:24 am | Permalink