Reading Time: < 1 minute The Western Barley Growers Association has produced a coffee-table book on its history and how the organization, headquartered in Airdrie, has made a difference. The book, titled Western Barley’s Legacy, covers more than four decades of the group’s history, from its formation in “a small community hall in Carseland” to its efforts to “challenge the […] Read more
Book celebrates farmers who ‘never gave up the fight’
Farmers’ CWB class action lawsuit gets certified
Suit claims federal government wrongly used farmers' money to help privatize the Wheat Board
A class action lawsuit alleging the government of Canada and G3 Canada Ltd. unlawfully used millions of farmer dollars to privatize the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has been certified after wending its way through the courts for 10 years. Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Chris Martin delivered his written judgment Tuesday in Winnipeg, clearing the […] Read more
CWB class-action suit a step closer to litigation
Manitoba Court of Appeal overrules lower court, allows case to seek certification
A proposed class-action lawsuit against the federal government and G3, alleging millions of dollars of farmers’ money was improperly used to privatize the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) in 2012, is a step closer to certification and litigation, says Stewart Wells, chair of the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board, which is backing the suit. The […] Read more
Former federal ag minister Don Mazankowski, 85
Long-time Alberta Tory MP deemed a 'minister of everything'
A private memorial is planned for long-time Alberta MP Don Mazankowski, whose work in the cabinets of prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark included a stint as Canada’s minister of agriculture. Mazankowski, the MP for the east-central Alberta riding of Vegreville from 1968 to 1993, died late Tuesday at age 85, his family said […] Read more
Former Conservative ag critic won’t run again
A former Conservative agriculture critic best known for his work on the Canadian Wheat Board file won’t return to the House of Commons after this fall’s election. David Anderson, MP for the southwestern Saskatchewan riding of Cypress Hills-Grasslands since 2000, announced Monday he won’t seek re-election on Oct. 21. Anderson, 61, didn’t give a specific […] Read more
CWB class action suit takes step forward
A proposed class action lawsuit against the federal government and G3, alleging farmers’ money helped privatize the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), is another step closer, says Anders Bruun, one of the lawyers working on the suit. In a written ruling released Monday, Master Shayne Berthaudin of the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench ruled against the […] Read more
Alberta Wheat says goodbye to two founding board members
Kevin Auch and Greg Porozni have been on the commission’s board since its inception five years ago — and have jumped a few hurdles along the way
Reading Time: 5 minutes They say time flies when you’re having fun. But as two longtime Alberta Wheat board members prepare to say goodbye to the commission they helped build from the ground up, another saying seems just as fitting. It’s never too late to make up for lost time. “There was a void for a long, long time,” […] Read more
New lawsuit claims CWB kept $145 million of farmers’ money
Brookdale Manitoba farmer Andrew Dennis has filed a statement of claim in the Manitoba Court of Queens Bench claiming the now-defunct Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) withheld money owed to farmers to help finance its transition to a private grain company. Dennis is seeking certification of a class action lawsuit on behalf of all farmers who […] Read more
Alberta Wheat fighting to keep tax deferral
Ottawa is missing the point when it says grain farmers shouldn’t get a special tax break, says Alberta Wheat chair Kevin Auch
Reading Time: 3 minutes A tax break for grain farmers that Ottawa is considering taking away is deserved and benefits the entire grain sector, says the chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. “I guess we are asking for special tax treatment but it’s because of our special circumstances,” said Kevin Auch. Following its recent budget, the federal government said […] Read more
Need for speed is the key to Vegreville’s two new elevators
Viterra’s and GrainsConnect Canada’s new facilities will both be able to load huge unit trains in little more than half a day
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vegreville will soon be home to two new high-throughput elevators, and the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board is a big reason why, says the head of GrainsConnect Canada. The company’s two owners — Japan’s Zen-Noh Grain Corp. and Australia’s GrainCorp — both want access to Prairie grain and that prompted the decision to spend […] Read more
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