Farmers to Sue Harper Government over Alleged Illegal Changes to CWB Director Elections

by Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board
A group of farmers will take the Harper government to court, on the grounds that a change the federal government has made to the CWB director elections is illegal.

The courts have already proven this government has used illegal tactics — not once but twice — to try to force its policy on farmers, said Bill Woods, a farmer from Eston, SK, referencing the federal government’s failed attempts to remove barley from the CWB mandate and to gag the CWB to prevent it from telling farmers how it works.

 

• "We believe the government is again acting illegally, this time gerrymandering with the CWB director elections to favour anti-CWB candidates and their supporters."

Winnipeg, MB, September 10, 2008 -  Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, a coalition of farmers and other Canadians in support of democracy and a farmer-controlled CWB, have filed a lawsuit against the government today. The lawsuit argues that the recent government amendment to repeal section 28 of the Regulations Respecting the Election of Directors of the Canadian Wheat Board, which set third-party spending limits, was enacted in an improper manner and that it violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Last Friday, the government enacted the regulatory change that has removed the $10,000 spending restriction on advertising expenses for third-party intervenors.

Anders Bruun, legal counsel acting for Friends, said the amendment is grossly unfair:

• "It pits farmer candidates, who are subject to a $15,000 election spending cap, against third parties who are now permitted to spend unlimited amounts of money without accountability to farmers."
  

• "We’re fighting for farmers’ rights to make their own decisions regarding the future of their marketing agency, said Lynn Jacobson, a farmer from Enchant, AB. "And we’ll continue to resist anyone, any government, any foreign interest, any corporate giant who tries to take this right away from us."

Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board will hold a news tele-conference today at 2:00 p.m. CDT to discuss the legal application it has filed. Media are invited to join the conference by calling 1-800-319-4610.



For more information:

Lynn Jacobson (403) 894-5208 or (403) 739-2153
Bill Woods (306) 460-9599 or (306) 962-4477
Anders Bruun, Counsel (204) 233-9522 

 

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