Voting packages to be mailed next week
The CWB today announced that MNP, a chartered accounting and business advisory firm, has been contracted to administer a Prairie-wide plebiscite on the future of the organization.
Allen Oberg
“Through this Prairie-wide plebiscite, farmers will be asked if they want to sell all wheat and all barley through the CWB’s single desk, or through an open market,” said CWB board chair Allen Oberg.
Oberg noted that MNP LLP is the company that oversees CWB director elections, and has the experience and resources required to ensure proper administration of the process.
“I encourage all farmers to vote and make their voices heard on the future of the CWB,” Oberg said.
MNP has created a Web site (www.cwbvote.ca) and phone line (1-877-780-VOTE) to provide detailed information about the plebiscite to farmers.
“Ballots will be mailed to more than 68,000 wheat and barley farmers next week,” said plebiscite coordinator Ian Craven of MNP. “There are two plebiscite questions, one on barley and one on wheat.”
Farmers who have grown wheat in the past five crop years are eligible to vote on the future of the single desk for wheat while farmers who have grown barley in the past five crop years are eligible to vote on the future of the single desk for barley. Those who have grown both in the past five crop years are eligible to vote on the future of each crop.
Producers with an active permit book in either the 2009-10 or 2010-11 crop years and who have delivered wheat or barley in the past five crop years (2006-07 to 2010-11) will automatically receive a ballot in the mail later this month.
Other producers who have grown wheat or barley in the past five years can apply for a ballot now. (See backgrounder for more information.) To apply, download an application to vote from www.cwbvote.ca, or call 1-877-780-VOTE (8683).
Voting packages should arrive in farmers’ mailboxes by July 22. Farmers who expect to be mailed a ballot and have not received one by that date should call 1-877-780-VOTE (8683) or visit www.cwbvote.ca. Farmers have until Aug. 8 to establish their eligibility to vote. Completed ballots must be postmarked by Aug. 24, 2011.
For more information, please contact:
Maureen Fitzhenry
CWB media relations manager
Tel: (204) 983-3101;
Cell: (204) 227-6927
[email protected]
Backgrounder
Election timeline:
- June 28 – CWB chair Allen Oberg announced a farmer plebiscite on the future of the CWB.
- July 6 – MNP named as the plebiscite administrator.
- July 11 – Voting packages will be mailed to 68,000 farmers.
- July 22 – Voting packages should be received by recipients; farmers who did not receive a package but believe they are eligible to vote should apply for a ballot.
- August 8 – Deadline to apply for a ballot.
- August 24 – Deadline to mail a completed ballot.
- September 8-9 – Tabulation of results at MNP office.
- September 9 – MNP to announce results.
Voter eligibility:
- All Prairie producers, as defined by the CWB Act, who have delivered wheat and/or barley at least once in the past five crop years, and had an active permit book or are listed in an active permit book in 2009-10 or 2010-11 will receive a voting package.
- Producers who grew wheat and/or barley in the past five years but did not deliver to the CWB can apply to be added to the voter list.
- Eligible crop years are 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11.
- Each eligible producer is entitled to one vote.
- Wheat farmers will receive a ballot with the wheat question. Barley farmers will receive a ballot with the barley question. Those farmers who grow both wheat and barley will receive both ballots.
Producers can be added to the voters list by:
- Securing confirmation from MNP that you delivered wheat or barley to the CWB during either 2006-07, 2007-08 or 2008-09 but did not appear in an active 2009-10 or 2010-11 permit book; OR
- Submitting an application form to MNP if you grew wheat or barley in the past five years but did not make deliveries to the CWB.
Applications must include either a copy of a grain delivery receipt or a cash purchase ticket from a licensed elevator or grain dealer for wheat or barley in the qualifying years, or a statutory declaration witnessed by either a Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public.
MNP is responsible for verification of producer eligibility and issuance of voting packages to eligible producers. Application forms will be available via email, fax, postal mail, or a PDF form downloadable from the website. The statutory declaration will be part of the application form.
Plebiscite questions
Wheat
A) I wish to maintain the ability to market all wheat, with the continuing exception of feed wheat sold domestically, through the CWB single-desk system
B) I wish to remove the single-desk marketing system from the CWB and sell all wheat through an open market system.
Barley
A) I wish to maintain the ability to market all barley, both malting/food, with the continuing exception of feed barley sold domestically, through the CWB single-desk system.
B) I wish to remove the single-desk marketing system from the CWB and sell all barley through an open-market system.
