Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 8, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A12 Winnipeg free press Freedom of Trade tuesday August 8, 2006 Liberty of religion comment editor Equality of civil rights Gerald flood 697-7269 editorials Leash this monopoly c Anada champions greater liberalization of Trade on the world stage but at Home Grain Farmers who want to take advantage of the free Market must sell their crop through a monopoly agent. It does to look Good on the country and it does to sit Well with a number of Prairie wheat and Barley producers. But that is what the majority of Grain Farmers want and so the Farmer who wants to go it alone must find another crop to Plant. Federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl has served notice that this will change. The conserva Tives promised in the last election to undo the monopoly of the Canadian wheat Board so Farmers will be Able to choose to whom they sell their Grain. Proponents of the wheat Board Are distressed warning that doing away with the single desk system which pools and Sells All Grain and returns to All producers the same Price will kill a Canad an Success Story one that has protected the interests of Grain farm ers since the Early 20th Century. None of the other Farmers raising crops have Cho sen to sell their commodities through a monopoly. They have benefited from the open Trade with Pri vate interests. Further any Grain Farmer still on the land has proven her Mettle facing Down the eco nomic shifts in the 20 years competing with counterparts in Europe and America where Trade distorting subsidies Are High. That Farmer has weathered the demise of the Crow rate the closing of Branch rail lines and the death of Little Prairie towns and the ubiquitous Grain elevators. The existence of the Canadian wheat Board rests upon its ability to convince Farmers it can do a bet Ter Job than private operators pooling Grain and with the muscle of a monopoly finding the Best Deal in the Tough global Market. On the face of it then the proposal or. Strahl is offering ? to allow the Board to continue competing while giving Farmers the right to choose if they re in or out ? should not worry the Board. The Board says without a monopoly Farmers will opt in and out based on where the Best prices Are on offer and that uncertainty would erode its ability to do business. But any new entity after the monopoly is undone can determine the rules for How suppliers can opt in. Savvy business owners buyers and Sellers will make Good on the conditions before them. In reply to or. Strahl a plan the Canadian wheat Board has proposed to expand its reach to buy into other arms of the Industry. Its plan Calls for Ottawa to hand Over $1.5 billion and then Cut All ties including the governments guarantee of initial payments and the boards borrowings. That is a big Price that would Only enlarge the monopoly. Or. Strahl has not Laid out what say Farmers them selves will have in the reworking of the boards role in Grain marketing or when Reform will come. However Long it May take to allow Farmers greater mobility in Trade he should not allow a monopoly player to Elbow further into the private sector. Back on stage Canada is not a Neutral country. It never has been although some canadians seem to think it is or at least was once. It has been to War Many times and since the second world War has belonged to the North Atlantic treaty organization the most pow Erful Active defence Alliance in the world. Switzerland is a Neutral nation. It is so Neutral that it did not even join the United nations until 2002, and Only then after some fierce Domestic debate. Sweden is a Neutral nation. It is so Neutral that during the second world War it stood and disinter Esterly watched As it Neighbours were invaded by the germans and while canadians were dying on the battlefields of Europe. Finland is also a Neutral nation although its neutrality is As much a product of its geography As its inclination. Its close proximity to the former soviet Union left it too vulnerable to take sides in the cold War. Its present neutrality in fact evolved after it was twice Defeated in War by the soviet Union Between 1939 and 1944. These three Neutral nations Are prosperous democracies although that has nothing with their neutrality. None of them however has any particular influence on the International stage and that has everything to do with their neutrality ? if you will not take a stand your voice does not matter much. Canadians increasingly appear to believe that their country can be both Neutral and an effective presence on the world stage. They Are wrong. The simple fact is that if a nation does not care a nation does not matter. Switzerland Sweden and Finland Are almost invisible on the International stage. Canada was in danger of becoming invisible under the foreign policy of the Chr Tien and Martin Liber Al governments precisely because they would not take a stand. The importance of Canadas presence in International events has always been directly proportional to its involvement in International affairs. The government of prime minister Stephen Harper has taken some controversial stands ? Extension of Canadas commitment in Afghanistan for exam ple or even More controversially its Strong sup port of Israel in the War against Hezbollah. Many canadians think that these Are wrong headed Deci Sions that Canada should withdraw from Afghanistan or condemn Israel. Those Are legitimate opinions and grounds for debate on foreign policy. But or. Harper has at last put Canada Back on the International stage As a player rather than the neutered extra it had become. Have your say the free press welcomes letters from readers. They must include the authors name address and Telephone number. Letters May be edited. Letters to the editor 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg r2x 3b6. Fax 697-7412. Email City needs Las help re liberals say Katz a City Summit failed july 29. The Manitoba liberals want to consult Winni Eggers about the future of their City. However before they Start planning their own Public meetings and consultation they might consider that under the Winnipeg charter the province requires the City to conduct a Public review of plan Winnipeg every five years. Public meetings Are a Man dated part of the process. The liberals could participate like any other citizen in the next review due to begin this year. They could encourage More informed inclusive and meaningful Consulta Tion to strengthen plan Winnipeg. Further More from their seats on Broadway every one of the 30 Winnipeg Las could work harder to improve life for their constituents. There Are twice As Many Las represent ing Winni Eggers As there Are City Council lors. We need All of those Las to work in the interests of the City As a whole. Elizabeth Fleming president Winnipeg Green party Qantas biblical significance none of your pundits or for that matter any others that i have read seem to have noted Qantas biblical significance. According to John 2 1-11, Ana Cana in Galilee was where Jesus of Nazareth performed his first Miracle by turning water into wine at a wed Ding at which he and his Mother were guests. Between Hezbollah a launching missiles at Israel from the town ? photographed by surveillance planes despite their denial ? and Israel a disastrous response it would appear that Qantas water now runs red for other Rea sons. Philip f. Hall Winnipeg big stick approach failing Israel has tried the big stick approach for a Little More than 60 years now and it should be obvious to anybody that it has to worked and it wont work for a number of reasons not in the least the fact that a conventional military approach does not work against guerrilla tactics and decades of hatred and mistrust. The tit for Tat approach elicits More of the same from both parties in a never ending spiral. The big stick approach Only works if overwhelming Force can be used with Politi Cal impunity As was the Case with Japan or Germany in the second world War. Clearly that a not an option in the Middle East. What a badly and boldly needed is new thinking from both Camps. Lloyd Axworthy is on the right track. Adrian Valentin Winnipeg . Arms israeli military we read in the . Media that Hezbollah gets Aid from Syria and Iran but no mention that Israel gets massive financial support from the . ? the primary source of Israel a far Superior Arsenal. For More than 30 years Israel has received about $3 billion in military and economic Aid each year from Washington. Between 1996 and 2005, Israel took delivery of $10.19 billion in . Weaponry and military equipment. The most prominent of these deals is a $4.5 billion Sale of 102 lock heed Martin f-16s to Israel. These Are the aircraft that Are bombing Lebanon today. On the other hand Lebanon has no air Force whatsoever and Hezbollah Only has obsolete russian Katusha rockets which cannot be aimed precisely. George w. Bush has the Power and influence to Stop the War but it is not in his inter est to do so. Bush and his cronies Are making too much Money Selling weapons of mass destruction to the israelis. Keith Bradley Winnipeg show True compassion re in defence of column july 28. Prof. Arthur schafers response to the two recent mercy killing cases in Manitoba requires a much deeper analysis than the allegedly compassionate veterinary approach of putting the poor thing out of its misery when severe bodily adversity occurs. True compassion involves sharing in a rela Tives or friends suffering not killing them. Humans Are not Mere animals with Only a bodily nature. We Are a souled bodies with an endowed spiritual knowing voluntary managerial accountable eternal nature that is far More important than our body and our souls requirements at All times especially As our bodily death looms should remain Para mount in All our decisions. Bodily death begins the major part of our lives. Modern palliative care can control most suffering Well in body and soul. Suffering is a part of life and when borne bravely can help us and others to improve. Reginald a. Gallop Winnipeg Council out of control re East St. Paul Reeve denies giving Friend a cosy Deal aug. 3. It is typical of the newly formed Council ? create another diversion to manipulate peo Ples thoughts so the real problem wont have to be addressed. No disrespect to Cao Ger Ald Mirecki. I know him personally and respect him and his work ethic. Its unfortunate he is going to be the main attraction at the East St. Paul Freak show now in full swing. If you did to know admission is free and you can watch Reeve Phil Rebeck Manip ulate two puppets without any strings. Rebeck and councillors Dave Gera and Tom Hallet have formed a coalition of sorts and they Are casting the deciding vote con trolling Council. They appear not to have the municipality a Best interests in mind. This is All being done at the residents expense with no recourse because of the Way Council has been formed. In the meantime Council will continue to Rule with an Iron fist and Parade around like they Are untouchable. We As residents no matter How irate and disgruntled we Are have no Choice but to voice our con Cerns knowing they Are falling on deaf ears. This newly formed Council is out of control and the Only thing we can do to Stop this Gong show from continuing without any civil disobedience is to vote for a candidate this october who you know will represent our municipality a Best interests. Its unfortunate that such a Beautiful place to live is tarnished by Only a few. Robin Cadzow East St. Paul waste of time Money re Union fights Hospital policy requiring bilingualism for jobs aug. 2 the nurses Union should Challenge the St. Boniface Hospital policy requiring Candi dates for some jobs to be bilingual. The province and Winnipeg regional health authority say they need to provide French language service. What a waste of time and Money. In my opinion its discriminatory for the following reasons there is a shortage of nurses everyone can speak English and i grew up in St. Boniface and never required French language services. This is just another political Stab at All of us in Manitoba and Canada to push bilingual ism Down our throats. Instead of spending Money on bilingualism increase the Money spent on the medical system and also pay the nurses who speak English a decent salary. Danny Deleeuw Winnipeg ? 2006 Winnipeg free press a division of up Canadian Andrew s. Ritchie / publisher newspapers limited partnership Bob Cox / editor published seven Days a week at 1355 Mountain Avenue Patrick Flynn / Deputy editor Winnipeg free press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 Winnipeg Manitoba r2x 3b6, pm 697-7000 ;