Ranchers refuse census in slaughter plan protestTue May 16 2006
By Leah JanzenA Teulon cattle rancher delivered eight blank 2006 census forms to the NDP government yesterday to protest the province's plans to build more slaughter facilities in Manitoba.
Frances Kwasny said the uncompleted forms -- seven come from neighbours who support her protest -- are her way of indicating disgust in the province's plan.
"I'm frustrated because this was done through the back door and it wasn't discussed with the industry,'' said Kwasny. "There is absolutely no need for these slaughter plants at this time."
For each census form not completed, the provincial government will lose money in equalization. Kwasny says she's willing to hurt the province's finances because she is angry with Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk for forcing cattle ranchers to pay $2 from the sale of every cow towards building new slaughter plants. The $2 charge -- known as a check off -- is intended to raise about $10 million over the next several years to invest in new slaughter capacity. Manitoba has been looking at expanding its slaughter facilities since 2003, when the mad cow crisis closed off Canadian ranchers access to U.S. markets.
Manitoba has very little slaughter capacity and most animals had been shipped to the U.S. for processing. It's estimated every Manitoban who doesn't get counted by the federal government through the 2006 census will mean a loss of $36,000 in equalization payments and other transfers from Ottawa to Manitoba.
leah.janzen@freepress.mb.ca
Ranchers Refuse Census In Slaughter Plan Protest
Posted on Tuesday, May 16 at 17:04 by claytonrumley
From Tuesday, May 16th's Winnipeg Free Press:
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One of the main reasons for the huge losses ranchers had to suffer during the BSE hysteria was the lack of slaughtering facilities in Canada. Big business used this fact to ruin ranchers, while enriching themselves.
If these ranchers insist on the "free trade" solution, like many farmers who want to dismantle the Wheat Board, to hell with them and more power to the Manitoba government who want to bring on a Canadian solution for the benefit of all, and not just a special interest sector.
Here in BC the use of non registered and non inspected slaughterhouses and backyard slaughtering will be outlawed this Fall. I have no problem with it, except there are very few registered abattoir facilities in the province, which could bring on a blackmarket in bad meat.
We're very lucky that we have a small, privately owned, government inspected facility within half hour drive from our ranch, which we have been using since it opened, but there are no others for hundreds of km. But then, "market econonomy" is supposed to solve all problems. Does it really, or cause more ?
Ed Deak, Big Lake, BC.
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