Strankman ‘overwhelmed’ as grain farmers gain open market LES STULBERG Independent reporter Rick Strankman, the new MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, was in the forefront last Thursday at Kindersley, Sask., when Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to town to announce Bill C-18, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, would take effect Aug. 1. Strankman, after all, was among the 13 farmers charged in 2002 for illegally selling grain to the U.S., so last week’s announcement was a redemption of sorts. Harper announced that “the farmers convicted under the old, unjust legislation of the CWB (Canadian Wheat Board) will be pardoned by the government,” under the authority of the rarely used Royal Prerogative of Mercy. “It was a real gentlemanly thing for him to do this,” said Strankman, who in 2002 spent one week of his 90-day sentence in jail. The latest ruling has significant meaning for Strankman, who has long been an opponent of the CWB having a monopoly. He was among the 16 farmers who in protest sold their grain to the U.S. illegally. “I was bitter when I got out of jail,” he reflected Monday. Strankman, an Altario farmer, said he was pleased with Harper’s announcement and described Thursday as “a great day.” He was “moved” when the prime minister gave credit to the farmers involved in the protest. “And it is to them that much of this
victory is owed, because it is to them that the consciousness of the country on this issue was really raised,” Harper said. Strankman said it was “overwhelming” to have played a significant part in changing a national policy. Joining the prime minister — and Strankman — at last week’s news conference in Kindsersley were federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and several MPs, including David Anderson. Local farmers enthused The announcement was a move welcomed by many farmers, including those from the Stettler area. “It’s the happiest day of my life,” said Jack Rairdan, who operates a grain farm northwest of Stettler. “It is a great day for everyone who wants to do their own marketing. There isn’t any reason why the wheat board won’t survive, for those who want to use it.” Rairdan foresees an opportunity to achieve increased grain prices for his farm and maintain a better cash flow, with all the cash paid on delivery of the grain. Bill C-18 strips the Canadian Wheat Board of its monopoly to market wheat and barley grown by Western Canadian farmers, but doesn’t eliminate the grain-marketing board, which has been in existence since the Second World War. The CWB was the last grain-marketing monopoly in the world. Farmers in Eastern Canada have been allowed to market their grain outside the CWB. Erskine-area grain farmer Neil Brown echoed Rairdan’s sentiments.
Contributed photo
Drumheller-Stettler MLA Rick Strankman (right) and Cypress Hills-Grasslands MP David Anderson reminisce about their release from jail in 2002 as the pair were among those who participated in a ceremony last week that marked the end of the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board. Primne Minister Stephen Harper attended.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” Brown said. “We can sell our grain when we want, where we want and how we want. There is nothing but positive thoughts on this, and those who still want to market through the CWB are free to do so.” Strankman said that as a result of the changes, he sees the opportunity for valueadded secondary processing and linking to Asian markets. “It may eliminate grain having to go
through multiple unions and there may be more unseen financial benefits, as well,” he said. Supporters of the CWB say the grainmarketing board might not have enough quality wheat to meet the needs of international customers. They question whether the government had the right to abolish the monopoly without a vote by farmers and plan to make an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
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Tees hosts ‘the biggest little rodeo in Canada’ JOHN MACNEIL Independent editor TEES — It’s a family affair in Tees. The Meston clan remains front and centre in running the popular Tees Rodeo, the latest version of which was held last weekend. “Tees Rodeo goes back 37 years,” said organizer Cody Meston, a stock contractor who farms between Alix and Tees. “Going back to when they first started building the grounds, our family has been involved right from the start. “It’s been said that it’s the biggest little amateur rodeo in Canada. It’s been a really good event for a lot of the guys that are riding pro and have won Canadian championships. They started here and got going, so that’s always good to see … when the kids progress.” While the Mestons travel far and wide as established contractors, the Tees event is an annual homecoming of sorts for the family — and the community. “This is your hometown rodeo,” Meston said. “It’s very good for the community, with the amount of volunteer work and stuff people have done. It was all farmers and volunteers from around the community that built the beer gardens barn and the bathrooms. Every year, we try to improve on stuff. It’s teaching good values to the kids when they come down and see we’re working, and they get involved with volunteering.” Family and children are recurring themes for the Tees Rodeo, which includes events for the tiniest cowboys and cowgirls in hopes of spurring a long-term interest in the various rodeo disciplines. Along with the standard events, the expanded evening program includes wild pony rides and the pony express race, a throwback exhibiting the blazing
speed of horses and showcasing the method of mail delivery in an earlier era. Meston’s son, Cassidy, celebrated his 18th birthday in style as he won the pony express race in a flashy finish Sunday evening. It was apparent that his team of horses didn’t read the 30-kilometre speed-limit sign at the entrance to the rodeo grounds, which were packed with trailers during the August long weekend. “It’s kind of a generational thing,” Cody Meston said of his son’s participation in the pony express race. “My dad ran in it quite a bit and I used to run in it quite a bit, and now my son ran in it, so that’s kind of special.” Cassidy Meston added his first buckle to the family collection. His grandparents — Cody’s parents Cal and Susan — remain part of the Tees Rodeo production. “Everybody is very involved,” Cody said. “My grandparents used to be involved, too, when it first started. “And then, my brother is still riding pro saddle bronc. I rode broncs and bulls for quite a few years before I got into contracting, too, with my dad. My brother (Justin) generally picks up for us, too, but he was riding on the pro circuit this weekend, so we called in a buddy and he ended up getting squashed and mashed.” Meston was referring to a Sunday night accident during the bull-riding event, when pickup man Ron Boston, 31, of Alix injured his left leg after a bull knocked his horse in a chute and the horse landed on Boston. “The odd person gets bumped around, but that’s the sport,” Meston said. “It’s a rough sport, comparable to football and hockey — bones get broke and stuff, but once you get involved in it, it’s hard to quit. It’s quite an enjoyable thing.” Boston was still at the rodeo grounds a couple of hours after the crash. “He wouldn’t even go to the doctor,” Meston said, gesturing toward Boston. “He wouldn’t miss a minute of it.” Medics on site tended to Boston, along with bullfighter
Photos by JOHN MacNEIL/Independent editor
Cassidy Meston of Alix celebrates his 18th birthday in style as he wins the popular pony express race Sunday night at the 37th edition of the Tees Rodeo. In the bottom photo, Meston passes his nearest challenger, Melissa Berthiaume, in the home stretch of the final round to win the event.
Lane Stuckey, who was shaken up when the chute door was being swung shut to block the bull from re-entering the section where Boston was in distress. After a few anxious moments, the hushed crowd cheered when the horse was pulled out of the chute and again when Boston returned to his feet, with the help of fellow cowboys. In cowboy fashion, Boston downplayed the wreck. “The bull came in and it was my fault,” he said. “I got pinned in the corner — the horse landed right on me. “Other than that, it’s no big deal. The horse is good, thank God, and I’m good. I buggered up my (left) leg a little bit, kind of fractured it.” Boston said he wasn’t knocked out and he appreciated the applause from his hometown crowd.
“But I was kind of worried about the horse’s safety and wanted to get the rodeo (back) going. That’s what I was more worried about.” S T E T T L E R S H OW: A couple of local up-and-comers, Quinton Van Straten of Stettler
and Hope Skocdopole of Big Valley, finished second and third, respectively, in the breakaway roping at Tees. The next big event on the local rodeo circuit is the Stettler Steel Wheel Stampede, which runs Aug. 17-19.
Readers can also find the Stettler Independent at stettlerindependent.com