Blueprint for Destruction ?

In spite of some recent signs of a government willing to listen and really consult with Canadian farmers, Minister Strahl has recently gone beyond the pale with his actions, outlined in the article below.

From Dairy Farmers of Canada

July 28, 2006
Round table on the Future of the Canadian Wheat Board

On July 27, Minister of Agriculture Chuck Strahl participated in a meeting with western Canadian grain producers, chaired by David L. Anderson, Parliamentary Secretary for the Canadian Wheat Board, regarding marketing choice for wheat and barley: In a news release, Minister Strahl stated that "Canada's new government campaigned on the idea that western Canadian wheat and barley producers should have a choice about whether to market their products through the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB).

( See CWB )

Today's meeting provided an occasion to outline and discuss the options for a successful approach, one that provides greater freedom of choice for farmers, delivers greater returns, and preserves a strong Wheat Board.”

Last week, CFA - who supports single desk selling for western wheat and barley - issued a news release in which they expressed their disappointment with the federal government’s decision to hand-pick groups that ‘support the advancement of marketing choice’ for participation in its consultations on the future of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB),

“If the government is convinced this is the direction farmers want then give farmers a chance to clearly say it through a plebiscite. Then, if they have their mandate, they can hold consultations involving all stakeholder groups, not just the ones who support their position,” continued Friesen.

“To hold the consultations first is putting the cart before the horse.”

Note to readers: This is a 'blueprint" for the destruction of market power held by other farmers in Canada...notably supply management. The current government is listening to someone...clearly however, it is NOT the farmers themselves.

If the current government will take a stand such as this with the CWB , ignoring the wishes of farmers, then what what makes farmers think other marketing groups will be allowed to continue? If the government gets away with this one .... look for the next target in your backyard. Farmers beware!!!!

More information Consumers Won't see

Again ,I have found an article printed in a small agricultural paper, that needs to be in the mainstream media. I live in hope.

"Voice of the Farmer" http://www.voiceofthefarmer.com/webapp/sitepages/

Fat that's good for you
By John Phair, Voice Of The Farmer Staff
In the News - Tuesday, July 25, 2006 @ 12:00

STRATFORD- Cutting fats from the diet and abstaining from red meat remains the mantra of modern health professionals and the popular media these days.

But one noted dietitian says studies show conclusively that including foods of animal origin in the diet can actually protect one from certain health problems such as stroke.
In addition, she suggests research has revealed no evidence at all that foods of animal origin are responsible for heart disease.

Speaking at the Functional Foods-Emerging Markets for Livestock seminar held here recently, Helen Bishop MacDonald, a noted nutritionist and author of several books on the subject, suggests there is a an intentional, and at times cynical, manipulation of language in the media to present foods of animal origin as being inferior to those of the plant kingdom.

She said this campaign of untruths has infected the public with a meme (the spreading of an idea or perception even though it may be untrue).

Sometimes people are also infected by a meme simply because it has become trendy and they fear looking uncool if they don't jump on the bandwagon, said MacDonald, adding that to avoid more bandwagon-jumping the livestock industry needs to re-educate the public about the value of foods of animal origin in the their diet.

I say re-educate because in the not too distant past people understood the importance of these foods to good health, she said.

Simply put, a diet devoid of all animal-origin foods will not sustain life: herbivorous diets are always nutritionally inferior to carnivorous ones.

Bishop-McDonald suggests there are many nutrients that are difficult to acquire in a vegetarian diet, in particular minerals. An animal-free diet will put its adherent at risk for deficiencies of calcium, zinc, iron and copper to name a few, she said.

She added that these can be replaced in vegan diet by supplements, but not always to good effect.

She suggested the mantra of a low fat diet has become so trendy and has been trumpeted so much by the media, some researchers are fearful of admitting what their research has shown, not wanting to be seen as unconventional.

They choose their words very carefully when talking in public but research has shown that animal fat is actually protective to heart disease, stroke and some cancers, she said.

Bishop-MacDonald referred to a study done that indicated in the 1970s the average Canadian diet was 40 per cent higher in fat than in the 1990s, but 86 per cent of the population had healthy cholesterol levels. Conversely, in 1990 with a lower fat intake, only 55 per cent of the population had healthy cholesterol levels.

Yes, there is a place in the diet for red meat, there is a lot of misrepresentation and a lot misleading headlines, she said.

However, Bishop-MacDonald said the nub of her argument and the best reason of all to consume foods of animal origin is to maintain a balance in the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet.

Bishop-MacDonald said she often advises people to replace shortening in their baked goods with lard or butter.

People think I have lost my mind because everybody knows animal fat is harmful, she said.
Well, that is not a fact and by using butter or lard as a source of fat, we are going to increase our intake of Conjugated Linoleic Acid and many other health enhancing components of animal fat.

Canadian Food Blogs

I have been out there searching hard for Canadian lists and blogs on food and Canadian Food ingredients.

This site : "The Domestic Goddess" , has really intrigued me and I am providing you all with a link to her ice cream entry.

For the Love of Ice Cream

As well, while on a search of 'all Canadian ingredients' her page popped up again with another stunning picture for Canada Day. See it at Taste canada is here!

The point I am trying to make is that there is a rich variety of Canadians, all interested in food. Some of them, including "The Domestic Goddess", go to a great deal of effort to be innovative and to focus on Canada and Canadian foods.

I do wonder what they would think if they knew what some companies are really using as their ingredients? Do Canadians care that ice cream is not made out of real cream?

Then there is the recent series of letters to the editor (Toronto Star July 8, 11, 2006) expressing their concern over the unavailability of Canadian grown strawberries. The answers given to these consumers, who would like to buy local , has misdirected the people who cared enough to write to the Toronto Star. (http://www.thestar.com/ )

Members of the public really need to understand why local strawberries are NOT in their store for them to buy (retail distribution) and why local would cost so much more (would it really?), as a produce manager told them. (see http://dariblawgextras.blogspot.com/ )

The food system is a huge mystery to consumers. Without a background in agriculture or a place to find factual information, they are easily misled by the uninformed. Hence a concern over local strawberries not available in a store becomes a greenbelt story. The issues are all about the modern food distribution system, food politics and the retail bottom line.

Agriculture and farmers need to charge up to the plate on this one, fast!

Minister Strahl...bravo.

I thought it was worthy to record here some comments made by Minister Strahl re the recent WTO discussions.

From Ottawa Watch: The Canadian Federation of Agriculture's Parliamentary Lookout • July 04 , 2006

Federal Agriculture Minister, Chuck Strahl stated multi-lateral and bi-lateral talks are ongoing, but concern rests with the G6 countries, especially the United States and the European Union. The countries have yet to make headway on market access and domestic support, he commented. Numbers have to be put on the table and complete modalities have to be presented, he continued, adding that there is “too much talk, and not enough negotiating”.

When asked about the Canadian Wheat Board, Strahl said STEs and sensitive products are “not on the radar screen” and have not been a priority in any of the discussions to date. The issue at hand right now is getting the U.S. and Europe to move on domestic support and market access. In Strahl’s words, the discussion on STE’s “is not irrelevant, but is irrelevant right now”.

During a press conference, many inquiries dealt with supply management and the question of Canada being isolated. In a press conference held Thursday, Liam McCreery, President of Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) maintained that Canada is, in fact, isolated in its position on supply management and is in effect, stalling negotiations.

He said earlier in a House of Commons Trade Committee meeting, “Canada and its minister representatives slowed the whole process down … Canada stopped a consensus from being formed.”

At the press conference, media asked Strahl’s opinion on CAFTA’s comments. To Canada blocking negotiation opportunities with its position on supply management, he labeled the statement “nonsense,” saying that supply management is not even part of the discussions right now.

Strahl mentioned that he agreed with CAFTA on market access and domestic support, but added that “it’s not right to say supply management is holding up an agreement.”

At least the Minister is working to keep the record and the rhetoric straight and for that he has my appreciation.

As well in the same issue, this caught me by surprise:

WAYNE EASTER JOINS WTO TALKS

Federal Agriculture Minister, Chuck Strahl invited Wayne Easter, Liberal Agriculture Critic to join Canada’s delegation team at WTO talks in Geneva.

Partisan politics aside, I cannot think of anyone who understands the issues of agriculture and the industry's importance to Canada, better than Mr. Easter. Minister Stahl appears to want the best information he can get.

I applaud the Minster, for sure.

Minister Strahl...bravo.

I thought it was worthy to record here some comments made by Minister Strahl re the recent WTO discussions.

From Ottawa Watch: The Canadian Federation of Agriculture's Parliamentary Lookout • July 04 , 2006

Federal Agriculture Minister, Chuck Strahl stated multi-lateral and bi-lateral talks are ongoing, but concern rests with the G6 countries, especially the United States and the European Union. The countries have yet to make headway on market access and domestic support, he commented. Numbers have to be put on the table and complete modalities have to be presented, he continued, adding that there is “too much talk, and not enough negotiating”.

When asked about the Canadian Wheat Board, Strahl said STEs and sensitive products are “not on the radar screen” and have not been a priority in any of the discussions to date. The issue at hand right now is getting the U.S. and Europe to move on domestic support and market access. In Strahl’s words, the discussion on STE’s “is not irrelevant, but is irrelevant right now”.

During a press conference, many inquiries dealt with supply management and the question of Canada being isolated. In a press conference held Thursday, Liam McCreery, President of Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) maintained that Canada is, in fact, isolated in its position on supply management and is in effect, stalling negotiations.

He said earlier in a House of Commons Trade Committee meeting, “Canada and its minister representatives slowed the whole process down … Canada stopped a consensus from being formed.”

At the press conference, media asked Strahl’s opinion on CAFTA’s comments. To Canada blocking negotiation opportunities with its position on supply management, he labeled the statement “nonsense,” saying that supply management is not even part of the discussions right now.

Strahl mentioned that he agreed with CAFTA on market access and domestic support, but added that “it’s not right to say supply management is holding up an agreement.”

At least the Minister is working to keep the record and the rhetoric straight and for that he has my appreciation.

As well in the same issue, this caught me by surprise:

WAYNE EASTER JOINS WTO TALKS

Federal Agriculture Minister, Chuck Strahl invited Wayne Easter, Liberal Agriculture Critic to join Canada’s delegation team at WTO talks in Geneva.

Partisan politics aside, I cannot think of anyone who understands the issues of agriculture and the industry's importance to Canada, better than Mr. Easter. Minister Stahl appears to want the best information he can get.

I applaud the Minster, for sure.

Canada Day

To-day is Canada Day. It is a day to celebrate our Nation's birthday. Let's hope our Government begins to "get" it soon. Canada will not be well served by any government which continually 'forgets' us in its negotiations and discussions with our vaunted neighbour to the south.

This includes the WTO and NAFTA agreements. Very seldom will Canada's government play to win. As a result, Canadian farmers of all stripes and Canadian business ( witness the softwood lumber fiasco) are often the losers, when other countries negotiate trade rules and then fail to play by the rules.

From a Conservative party supporters' e-mail list:

"Feverish negotiations have been going on this past week to finalize the softwood agreement of April 27th for July 6th when President and Prime Minister meet.

True to form the Americans have been upping the ante. The latest being that the Agreement be subject to termination by either of the signatories."

"The Americans have dishonoured the NAFTA agreement.

My view is that rather than signing an agreement with no concrete benefits except the return of some of the monies our lumber companies have had to pay, litigation be continued to clarify that the U.S. Administration has broken its word on NAFTA .

For whatever reasons the present Government of Canada is intent on abandoning the use of the courts and is prepared to trust the Americans in a new agreement."

The current WTO discussions are another case in point. Agriculture has taken many big hits from these discussions, while other governments go merrily on their way and "interpret" the agreement as they like.

At the same time Canadians are forced by their government to make changes and play by these rules, no matter what. In addition, the government has a distaste for international battles on the trade front.

Canada seldom fights for her rights at NAFTA or WTO appeal panels, initiated by Canada. We will defend if challenged but hardly ever will we force these issues on our own.

There are many other battles we should fight to preserve what is 'best' about Canada. To date few have been willing to do so.