"But can you stop a majority government?"

Good Day Readers:

We say that because while Premier Selinger's intentions may be honourable are they practical and realistic? Let's look at the numbers.

The Conservatives have 166 to 142 seats in the House of Commons for a majority of 24. Manitoba has 14 MPs of which 9 are Conservative:

James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake)
Rod Bruinooge (Winnipeg South)
Steven Fletcher (Charleswood-Saint James Assiniboia)
Shelly Glover (Saint Boniface)
Candice Hoeppner (Portage-Lisgar)
Joy Smith (Kildonan -Saint Paul)
Robert Sopuck (Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette)
Vic Toews (Provencher)
Mervin Tweed (Brandon-Souris)

Given Mr. Harper's well-known penchant for relegating dissenters to the back benches, of the 9 how many are likely to break Party ranks to vote against any Bill designed to break the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly? That leaves 5 from Manitoba. Even if the Premier can win all of those to his side a shortfall of 19 remains.

Unfortunately, the numbers are simply not there.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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Manitoba starts ad campaign to save CWB
June 13, 2011The CWB head office employs over 400 people in Winnipeg and supports 2,000 indirect jobs in the city. (CBC)

The Manitoba government is fighting the federal government's plans to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board.

The province is launching a TV, radio and print campaign that states the federal government will destroy the wheat board and hurt farmers across Western Canada.

The new campaign, which begins Monday and runs for three weeks, will focus on highlighting the importance of the CWB to farmers and the provincial economy, Premier Greg Selinger said at the CWB's head office in Winnipeg.

"The CWB is important to so many Manitobans, providing grain growers with an effective and reliable way to sell their grains along with employing hundreds of people in Winnipeg," said Selinger.

The CWB head office employs over 400 people in Winnipeg and supports 2,000 indirect jobs in the city, he said.

Last year, CWB gross revenues were among the highest in its history at $5.2 billion. It also is the single-biggest user of the Port of Churchill, shipping 600,000 tonnes of wheat last year alone.

"We're very concerned with the message the federal government is sending to farmers and we won't just let them pull the plug on the Canadian Wheat Board," Selinger said.

The federal Conservatives have promised to end the wheat board's monopoly on grain sales and allow farmers to sell independently. The Conservatives have said producers should have the right to choose how to sell.
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'We need to push the federal government to reverse its decision immediately.' - Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger
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Selinger said the wheat board will die without the monopoly and prices could drop. He believes farmers should be allowed to vote in a plebiscite before any changes are made.

"It's time for all members of the legislature to stand up for the CWB, for farmers and for jobs," Selinger said.

"We need to push the federal government to reverse its decision immediately."

He noted that a petition to support the provincial government's effort to get the Conservatives to reverse their decision has been made available at all Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO offices as well as online at the government of Manitoba website.