WINNIPEG - Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board say they're heading back to court to try to stop the federal government's latest move to strip the board of its monopoly.
The group of has filed papers in Federal Court seeking a judicial review of Ottawa's plan to amend or repeal the Canadian Wheat Board Act without consulting farmers first.
"We're just asking the government to follow the wording of the (Canadian Wheat Board) Act and let the producers decide," group spokesman Lyle Simonson, who farms near Swift Current, Sask., said Monday.
The wheat board is the sole marketing agent for prairie wheat or barley and the law prohibits changes without first consulting with the board and then getting approval from farmers.
Whenever Conservatives have been challenged about their failure to put their plan to a farmer vote, they have pointed to the May 2 majority election result and said that is enough.
Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board questions that.
"The legal advice that we've had is they're going against the act," said Simonson.
Luc Labossiere, who farms near St. Leon, Man., said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, who is also responsible for the wheat board, promised at a meeting in Minnedosa, Man., on March 15 to respect farmer democracy.
Farmers have consistently elected directors who support the monopoly to run the wheat board. Eight of the 10 farmer-elected seats are held by pro-monopoly directors.
"Mr. Minister, farmers took you at your word," said Labossiere. "It is dishonest for you to now claim that the May 2 federal election was a farmer vote on the (wheat board)."
Farmers in the three prairie provinces first got together about four years ago to challenge federal plans to unilaterally remove barley from the wheat board's control. They won that battle and Simonson believes their chances look as good now.
"The way the act is worded, and what we're asking, I think we have a very strong case. We're just asking the courts to uphold the wording of the act."
