Harper and his mercurial band of autocrats are merrily stomping on the neck of democracy. Sadly, this isn’t news, but rather par for the course as dissent, reality based or not (I’m looking at you prison bloat omni-bus bill) will be passed hell or high water. What makes the Wheat Board debacle such a gut-rolling spleen bursting festival of shitacular brazenness is that our government intends to ignore what the courts have to say on the matter as well. Canada, in theory, still regards the rule of law as important as long as it follows the will of the governing party… Rule of law be damned. A spirited opposition has risen to the task of fighting Harper’s autocrats:
“The Harper government has reneged on its promise and is now breaking the law, and we intend to hold them to it and ensure that farmers’ democratic rights are respected,” board chairman Allan Oberg said Wednesday.
The board will file an application with the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, asking it to rule Bill C-18 invalid. The bill is currently before the Senate and could become law within weeks, so the board is also asking the court for an injunction to suspend the bill until the case is heard.
The government has already suffered one legal setback over Bill C-18. A Federal Court judge ruled last week that the bill violates the Canadian Wheat Board Act, which says the government must consult farmers via a plebiscite before making major changes.
Justice Douglas Campbell made it clear, however, that his ruling was simply a statement on the government’s actions. He did not order the government to halt the bill and said he was not interfering in the legislative process.”
However, once the wheels of injustice are greased, there is little to be done to stop the nefarious deeds –
“Five government-appointed directors now in charge of the Canadian Wheat Board decided Friday morning in Winnipeg to drop the board’s bid to block legislation ending its marketing monopoly for Prairie wheat and barley.
Legislation to end the wheat board’s single-desk became law Thursday night, when Gov. Gen. David Johnston gave royal assent to Bill C-18.
With its passage, the eight farmer-elected directors of the board are gone.”
So it is done. Of course in klassy Conservative style:
“Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz was jubilant Friday morning, telling farmers gathered in Balgonie, Sask., that it’s a great day.
“This feels damn good. It’s been a long time coming,” Ritz said. “Finally you have marketing freedom.”
Farmers in the room with Ritz cheered.”
Woo, now we can enjoy the bountiful harvest of the ‘free’ market! Soon to be followed with “all hail our new corporate agricultural overlords!!”. Now it is just a matter of time as the real work of divide and conquer can begin. Without the protection of the wheat board we can look forward to even more corporate agriculture and all of the ill effects associated with strict monoculture farming practices.
When the small farmers are all gone, we’ll look back and note the passage of the legislation that marked their end. We’ll also note the cheering, for the sake of irony and the inevitable “I told you so” that is forthcoming.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
2 comments
December 22, 2011 at 7:38 am
Reneta Scian
I’d say the same is true of America. Democracy was great when people really actually voted for candidates based on the issues. Nowadays though you have this mindless party liners who vote republican only because they always have. We also have the flipping “Values Voters” that appeal to the lunacy of the religious right. The farmers in America have the tendency to vote along conservative party lines in spite of the fact that Conservatives, and Republicans in America have a tendency to slowly and covertly slit your throats to haul off for slaughter, verses Democrats. Bill Clinton royally fucked the farmers back in the 90’s believe me, I was in the middle of it. But overall he is the exception not the rule, and he was well meaning but by that point in time graft was catching on and the plutocracy was well on it’s way.
I am sick of the mindless masses in America who care more about barring Lesbians from marrying their loved ones than they do for our skyrocketing debt, and unemployment rates while oblivious to the fact that corporations are getting rich at our expense. It was those “Conservative Minded” votes that led the the extensive industrialization of many industries in America, farming including, that led to the debacle we are in now. It was those “Conservative Minded” votes that made it virtually impossible for small business to compete actively in the market. It was the “Conservatively Minded” votes that crush the poor and uplift the wealthy (farmers being the poorer class). I wish to hell people would wake the fuck up and really pay attention to what is going on.
Look at your presidential candidates and you’ll see just how “disconnect” our multimedia plugged in culture is. One wants to water-board and sell our rights up river (to combat terrorism most likely), the other wants to cut all welfare programs under the (Not constitutionally guaranteed clause). The next little piggie wants to tax the poor, and another is fucking clueless. Only one actually has a fucking clue though he may not have the right plan to fix it (in my opinion); mind you while greatly outnumbered by “Religiously Minded” idiots who believe you can cure the gays and who want to fundamentally (theocracy) change our government. Remember this to all, “Power tends to corrupt. Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely” – John Dalberg-Acton. He also said many other wise and astute things, and I recommend reading them. Here is just a few from Wikipedia –
“Great men are almost always bad men.”
“There is no worse heresy than the office that sanctifies the holder of it.”
“The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections.”
Lastly, remember there is a reason for fettering democracy with checks and balances. Tyranny is only a ballot away.
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December 22, 2011 at 12:11 pm
The Arbourist
Nowadays though you have this mindless party liners who vote republican only because they always have.
It is easy to generalize about ones political opponents. People need to find some common ground that is reasonable so that both conservative and progressive ideals can come together. One of the problems is that in our societies we have decided to come together over polarizing notions such as values and ethics. I would suggest that the common ground that needs to be established is one of rationality and empiricism. If the empirical common ground could be established, it would be a boon for politics on the left and on the right.
I am sick of the mindless masses in America who care more about barring Lesbians from marrying their loved ones than they do for our skyrocketing debt, and unemployment rates while oblivious to the fact that corporations are getting rich at our expense.
I suggest reading What’s the Matter with Kansas by Thomas Frank as an excellent primer on how that mindset evolved and comes into being.
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