Wheat Board vote kills stability for farmers: Turmel

OTTAWA- New Democrat Leader Nycole Turmel today blasted Stephen Harper’s Conservatives for ignoring Prairie farmers’ wishes by voting to kill the Canada Wheat Board, ending an era of stable prices that farming families relied on.

“For generations, farmers relied on the Wheat Board to get the best possible price for their grain and to support their families,” Turmel said. “But this government ignored them and now that stability is gone.”

After the final vote, Turmel criticized the Conservatives for refusing to listen to the democratic wishes of Prairie farmers, who voted in September to keep the single-desk for their wheat and barley. She accused the government of being out-of-touch with farmers and siding with large agribusiness lobbyists instead.

“Stephen Harper just doesn’t get it,” Turmel said. “At a time when Canada’s economy is slowing to a crawl, this government should be building up our agriculture sector—not tearing it down. This vote means years of uncertainty for the farming families who feed this country.”

“Only New Democrats are standing up for farmers and their families,” Turmel said. “While the Conservatives ignore the wishes of our hard-working producers, New Democrats will continue to hold the government accountable and to give farmers a voice.”