February 28, 2008

Canadian court upholds power of Canadian Wheat Board

The Government of Canada has expressed its disappointment with the Federal Court of Appeal decision that maintained any change in Canadian Wheat Board regulations must be done through legislation and not an order in council.

Gerry Ritz, Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food as well as the minister in charge of the CWB said he is disappointed but will review the decision and decide on the government's next move. 

Ritz said the Government of Canada should act to get the best price possible for farmers, noting that more than 62 percent of Western Canadian farmers voted in support of barley marketing freedom last year.

Western Canada's grain producers have demanded and deserve a marketing choice, he said.

Producers need market certainty and we will continue working to provide it to them, he added.

Meanwhile, a group of CWB supporters, called the Friends of the CWB, were pleased with the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, which disallowed the federal government's appeal.

In expressing their satisfaction, the Friends of the CWB group said Ritz may be back to court if he attempts to introduce a bill in Parliament to amend the Wheat Board Act.

The Act prevents the minister from introducing in Parliament a bill that would exclude grains produced in Canada without consulting the board about the exclusion or extension.