Swift Current NDP News

The Canadian Wheat Board once again proves its value not only to farmers but also to Canada’s economy. The following is a news release by the NFU on the latest accomplishments of the CWB.

CWB DELIVERS RECORD-HIGH DURUM PRICES
AND NEAR-RECORD WHEAT AND BARLEY PRICES
SWIFT CURRENT, SK—"The Canadian Wheat Board is using its single-desk marketing power to capture record- and near-record prices for western farmers. And because it’s farmer-controlled, the CWB passes back to farmers a much higher share of domestic and global prices than they would receive if grain companies were buying and selling the crop," said NFU President Stewart Wells.
Wells was responding to today’s announcement of the CWB’s Pool Return Outlook (PRO)—its projection of farmers’ expected returns for the current crop year.
PRO values showed that farmers growing durum wheat (1CWAD, 12.5% protein) could expect to receive $10.50 per bushel, farmgate, after deductions. That’s the highest price ever.
The PRO also showed that the CWB was capturing very high prices for all types of wheat and barley. At port position, the CWB estimates its average returns to be more than $8.00 per bushel for good quality milling wheat, $5.53 for feed barley, and $5.57 to $6.31 for malting barley. "Today’s values demonstrate what independent economists have consistently found: The CWB’s single-desk returns higher prices to farmers than would be the case in a grain-company controlled, multiple-seller environment," said Wells.
These record- and near-record values demonstrate that the government is dead wrong to pursue an illegal and ideologically driven agenda to strip the CWB of its single-desk. The government is appealing a July Federal Court decision that ruled illegal the government’s Order-in-Council stripping the CWB of its barley mandate. "The government should stop its appeal immediately," said Wells.
Today’s high values also demonstrate that the government is wrong to block increases in initial prices for wheat and barley. The initial price for good quality durum is $3.92. The expected final return in $10.50. "Prime Minister Harper and his Cabinet deliberately set initial prices lower than the CWB’s recommendation at the beginning of the crop year. Despite two months of calls from the NFU and CWB to raise initial prices, the government has refused to do so—standing between farmers and their money," said Wells. He continued: "Farmers should phone the Prime Minister—(613) 992-4211—and demand that he set the initial price at 75% of the PRO."

There must be an election on the horizon – SUN President Rosalee Longmore is campaigning for her Brad.It is obvious from her statements that Brad coaches her. Pouring more money into nurse’s salary will fill vacancies? If money could buy nurses, I am sure the present Government would find the money. Have they not put millions of dollars into Health Care? What Rosalee is not saying is that they are just not available. Alberta is suffering from a shortage of nurses and the Sask Party thinks Alberta does everything right. Does Brad tell Rosalee WHERE he is going to find the 800 nurses that he will hire? Smooth talking Brad. He will say anything in the moment. True to the Sask Party way – they have different statistics than the people in charge of hiring. I wonder how SUN membership feels about their money being spent supporting the Sask Party’s policy if they have a policy they will enforce.

Cpl. Nathan Hornburg was killed on Monday while on patrol. Read more here. This brings the Canadian death toll to 71 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat since 2002.

Here we go again. After the demise of the Devine government - Brad Wall's tutor and hero - a trust fund was established to be used in reconstructing or reviving the Conservative Party. Today it was announced by Grant Schmidt, he of Schmidt house fame, that a group of citizens would like to revive the Conservative Party. They are seeking the funds estimated to be $1000000. Now this would raise havoc with the Sask Party's election plans and many of the old Tories now within the Sask Party. D'Autremont, Billy "The Kid" Boyd and Brad Wall. oops - sorry, he has betrayed the party faithful and has jumped ship. There isn't a chance that the funds will be released - one notable trustee is not Poppa Wolf but Momma Wolf. That's right, Brad Wolf's Mommy - and she jumped ship with boy Brad. The Fiacco bus ad fiasco, the D'Autremont bungle - will it ever end? The Sask Party doesn't have a hidden agenda -give me a break.

Another tactic to discredit the CWB! What is with this NEW PM? Farmers wait for their initial payment to be increased to the tune of nearly $3.00. Only government can do this and he delays making this adjustment. Another tactic to discredit the CWB!

Last week I received a flyer from David "Yes Sir Mr. Harper" Anderson that is chock full of insane goodness. In big bold letters on the front it proclaims "Equalization: Promise Kept!!!". Yes, he did use three exclamation marks. I guess he thought that when people saw the first exclamation point they would say "What is he talking about? We all know that Harper broke his promise. David's gone insane.", the second exclamation point would have people thinking "well, he really means what he is saying", and the third exclamation point would convince people "it must be true...what other possible reason could he have to use three exclamation points, unless the exclamation point key on his keyboard is stuck?".

Unfortunately for "Delusional David", he could use a thousand exclamation marks behind his lie, and it wouldn't make it any closer to the truth. The Conservonuts did NOT keep the promise that they made leading up to the election. This promise, in case you forgot, was to remove 100 percent of non-renewable resources from the equalization formula. Not 10 percent, or 50 percent, or even 99.9 percent, but 100 percent.

Further down on the pamphlet, he then states "Fact: Conservative Government removed non-renewable resources from the equalization formula.". This, my friends, is what I call a weasel phrase. While technically true, it's intent is to mislead. They did remove "some" non-renewable resources from the equalization formula (half of them), but the comment misleads the reader into thinking that they removed all of them. This is, in my opinion, the most reprehensible form of deception. To use a weasel phrase, the person is admitting that they KNOW that their position is false, and are looking for a way to purposefully deceive the reader. David Anderson is akin to a con man. Do we really want a deceptive con man representing us?

In his little piece of propaganda, David Anderson goes on to spout the same irrelevant talking points to attempt to prove that the Conservatives kept their promise.

Budget 2007 gives the people of Saskatchewan the best equalization deal in history. $225 million for use by the provincial government in any way it sees fit.

...

The federal budget shows that Saskatchewan is seeing a $230 per person increase in equalization payments alone. Under the new equalization formula, Quebec receives a $91 per person increase in equalization, while Manitoba will see a $104 per person increase.

Well, that certainly sounds good, but did the new equalization formula exclude 100 percent of non-renewable resource revenue like was promised? No? Then you broke your promise you twit. I don't care what kind of a deal Saskatchewan is getting, the Conservatives broke their promise, and when you say "Promise Kept!!!" you are lying!!! (there, I used three exclamation points to counteract David Anderson's initial three)

Let's look at an example. If someone promises to paint your entire fence for $20, and you agree, they should paint your fence shouldn't they? If they mow your lawn and re-shingle your roof but only paint half of your fence, they broke their promise. It is nice that they mowed your lawn, and extremely nice of them to re-shingle your roof, but they promised to paint your fence. Should they come back at you and say that they "kept their promise!!!" because you now have a nice lawn, and roof and some of your fence is painted? I think not, I don't care how many exclamation points they use.

A promise is a promise and a lie is a lie. The Conservatives broke their promise to the people of Saskatchewan, and David Anderson lied when he said that it was a promise kept.

Can this be? A Fiaco as Regina's mayor, a Fiaco running for the Sask Party, Bus ads pulled by City council? Not another wolf in sheeps clothing. I don't want to believe it but I think there must be some conflict here. Why was this contract signed in the first place if the law has been on the books that long? Does someone not know what they are doing and had to be reminded a week later? Pretty big whoops to me. I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with internal politics!

Crown Corporations
Well, well. We finally have on record what everyone knew all along. – no more equivocating. The Sask Party, if elected, will review all the Crowns and where they are competing with private business – they will be dismantled! Dan D’Autremont used SecurTek as an example – workers would be absorbed by Sask Tel. Doesn’t Sask Tel compete with Rogers?
Let’s look at Sask Power. Didn’t the City of Swift Current threaten to obtain their electricity from other than Sask Power? Guess who is the senior alderman on City council – none other than John Wall – father of the fearless leader of the Sask Party – what’s his name? Oh yes – the wolf in sheep’s clothing – Brad Wolf. Who’s afraid of big Brad Wolf and his hidden agenda? It scares me.
Now let’s look at SGI. Compulsory car insurance rates are at the lowest in Canada. Are we competing with private business? Do you remember the rebate we received this year from SGI? Part of their profits. Do you think the private businesses would return some of their profits to their clients?
The agenda of the Sask Party would remove all the profit making crowns and leave us with service crowns which cost us to service the people of Saskatchewan.