Supply Management Fog

History can teach us why and how things came to be.  Bill C-176, as discussed previously (see Blog Posting Lesson #1: #ChickenMafia History Lesson ) led to the creation of Canada's Supply Management system of today.

An Internet search led me to a submission made to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture re: Bill C-176 - 2 Feb 1971 by the United Grain Growers (“UGG”).  UGG had subsequently donated its historic archives to the University of Saskatchewan Library, Department of Agricultural Economics, who cataloged and listed the documents on the Internet for schmucks like me to find.   If you are a proud schmuck, here is the link:

Box 91, Folder 17, University of Saskatchewan Library, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ref. # KF1718.W55 1971, b24167496, Catalogue # 902001621757 http://www.umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/collections/complete_holdings/ead/html/ugg98.shtml

I ordered the document as an Inter-library loan, and 2 weeks later and $10.00 lighter, I have it in my sweaty hands.  Here is UGG's document submitted to the Federal Government in 1971, clearly stating their opposition to Supply Management.  Unfortunately, just about all of their warnings became true over the last 43 years.

Read these 12 pages to better understand why Supply Management is a bad idea, such as:

• Individual rights
• efficiency and flexibility from secondary and derivative industries
• agriculture efficiency
• geographic proximity between production and use
• mutually agreed vs. unilateral edicts
• one size doesn't fit all, there are different needs and issues on a Canada-wide basis
• protections for the public
• personal freedoms
• SM is a powerful solution without a clear problem to solve
• SM given excessive powers without adequate direction, constraints, supervision, accountability, or oversight
• SM will have a negative impact on the in-farm and local economy.
• loss of export sales of commodities
• SM's market interference

Have we grown up enough in the last 43 years to be able to admit that UGG was right, and the lobbyists for the millionaire farmers were wrong?

If we're not yet ready to admit the obvious truth, when will we be ready?

Time's Up, CFC

Chicken Farmers of Canada ("CFC") has an important role to play in the Supply Management System for chicken.  Under the Federal-Provincial Agreement for Chicken, 2001 CFC agreed, and was made responsible for a number of issues, including working co-operatively with all the other parties.  With all of the problems in the supply management system, I wanted to know how well CFC was doing in its role.  I asked CFC for objective evidence to show they were doing an excellent job, and achieving success.  My letter to CFC (with corrected typos from original version) is available here.

Unfortunately, it seems somebody at CFC decided that they would not respond to my written requests.  Whether that decision was made by the CFC Board, or Mr. Michael Dungate (Executive Director of CFC), or the janitor, or somebody else, or nobody; I don't know.

The full set of email correspondence from me to CFC, & receipts proving delivery to CFC is available here.

I have tried to ask the necessary questions of CFC; acting for myself, other Small Flockers, and the Canadian public in general.  I believe I was polite and respectful.  In spite of these positives, CFC consistently chose to leave it as a 1-way monologue, from me to CFC, with no response in return.

That is most unfortunate.  It is actions and decisions like this which gives governments a bad reputation.

I can only assume that CFC feels quite superior and arrogant, and they will not stoop so low as to recognize me as a concerned citizen with legitimate questions, nor as a stakeholder.  It appears that CFC feels they can safely disrespect and ignore me.

I don't take kindly to people or organizations who disrespect and/or ignore me.  I don't know anybody who does.

Fortunately, there is the Farm Products Council of Canada ("FPCC").  FPCC is responsible for administering the Farm Products Agencies Act ("FPAA"), as well as supervising and directing the national boards, including CFC.

Under the FPAA, FPCC is responsible for receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints against the FPAA, and the national boards.  And do I have a complaint against CFC!

If CFC happens to be skulking around this Blog, then CFC needs to understand that Time's Up!, you've had your chance.  I have now filed a letter of complaint against CFC, and asked FPCC to intervene on my behalf.  The letter of complaint to FPCC is available here.

Let's hope that FPCC is willing to listen, investigate, and help.