CWB Chair Allen Oberg

 

 

The Canadian Wheat Board is going back to court as it tries to prevent Bill C-18 from becoming law.

Chair Allen Oberg made the announcement in Winnipeg this morning.

"An application is being filed in the Manitoba Court of Queen's bench," said Oberg. "It will ask the court to deem the bill invalid because it violates the rule of law. We also ask the court to issue an order preventing implementation of the bill until this case is decided."

 

Last week, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz contravened the law when he caused the Bill to be introduced without first conducting a farmer vote as required by 1998 amendments to the Canadian Wheat Board Act, which were designed to put Prairie farmers in control of their grain marketing organization. Despite this ruling, the government is proceeding with the legislation.

 

"Such disregard for a court order is virtually unprecedented in Canada," Oberg said. "It is unconscionable for a government in a Parliamentary democracy to proceed with legislation in the face of a court order that has declared it illegal."

 

Bill C-18, would enable the government to dismantle farmers' single-desk marketing system by August 1, 2012. It would also remove all farmer-elected representatives on the CWB's board of directors immediately upon Royal Assent, which could occur by the end of this week.

 

Oberg has also written to the Governor General of Canada, asking him not to give Royal Assent to the Bill because of its illegal nature, in light of the Federal Court decision.

 

"I believe it would be an affront to our system of Parliamentary democracy and the rule of law to grant assent to a bill that has been declared in violation of Canadian law," Oberg wrote yesterday to His Excellency David Johnston.

 

Oberg and other farmer directors were joined at today's news conference by Liberal leader Bob Rae, MP Ralph Goodale, Senator Bob Peterson and representatives of the National Farmers' Union, the CWB Alliance and Friends of the CWB.