The editor:
The Saskatchewan Legislature session ended in June with Premier Brad Wall making the statement that the session was good, but added the laughable statement that the opposition party was weak in opposing the government. It would appear Mr. Wall has a very short memory in relation to the Harper government.
When the Harper government destroyed the farm-er-owned single-desk Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), the PFRA pastures, the Indian Head Tree Nursery, reduced the benefits of Agri Invest, gutted the AgriStability program, closed agriculture research stations, burned their libraries, and reduced farmer control over farm-saved seed, where was the Wall opposition?
These insane changes in farm policy will lead to money flowing out of Saskatchewan to foreign countries. Aside from trying to pick a fight with Alberta鈥檚 new premier, our old Conservative premier has done nothing to protect rural Saskatchewan or those who depend on the food we produce. Under Brad Wall, Saskatchewan is on its way to being a have-not province.
On July 31, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz gave a windfall to a foreign grain company by allowing his personally-appointed directors to 鈥渟ell鈥� the remaining assets of the CWB. The sale did not realize one penny for the federal government or farmers who paid all of its costs. This must be the new Harper economy sale!
Lyle Stewart, minister of agriculture for Saskatchewan, made the na茂ve statement that this will lead to more competition in the marketplace. These 鈥渘ew owners鈥� are not new! They were buyers before and they purchased grain from the destroyed farmer-controlled CWB. Now they can play farmers against each other to get cheaper grain.
When Mr. Wall complains about a weak op-position, he needs to look in the mirror! I hope Mr. Wall can see these changes are not positive to the citizens of Saskatchewan and that he will finally stand up for what is right and fair for its citizens, rather than always breathing Mr. Harper鈥檚 recycled air!
Eric Sagan
Melville
