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137-682: Amid criticism, the Canadian Wheat Board's Single Desk marketing power officially ended on 1 August 2012 as a result of Bill C-18, also known as the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act , which was tabled by the Harper government and passed in December 2011. The Canadian Wheat Board changed its name to simply CWB, reflecting its changed status. CWB continued to operate as a grain company, although

274-452: A de facto elected Senate without changing the constitution. Harper's Senate appointments and reform proposals were criticized for failing to address the balance of seats among provinces, possibly being unconstitutional, and for running contrary to the spirit of his previous pledges for an elected senate. Harper argued that, without appointing senators, the Liberals would have continued to enjoy

411-590: A drying oil in painting and varnishing. Although brown flax seed varieties may be consumed as readily as the yellow ones, and have been for thousands of years, these varieties are more commonly used in paints, for fiber, and for cattle feed. A 100-gram portion of ground flax seed supplies about 2,234 kilojoules (534 kilocalories) of food energy , 41 g of fat, 28 g of fiber, and 20 g of protein. Whole flax seeds are chemically stable, but ground flax seed meal, because of oxidation , may go rancid when left exposed to air at room temperature in as little as

548-461: A gravelly or dry sandy nature. Farming flax requires few fertilizers or pesticides . Within eight weeks of sowing, the plant can reach 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) in height, reaching 70–80 cm (28–31 in) within 50 days. In 2022, world production of raw or retted flax was 875,995 tonnes , led by France with 75% of the total. One of the largest regions in France for flax production

685-504: A nutritional supplement and as an ingredient in many wood-finishing products. Flax is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Moreover, flax fibers are used to make linen . The specific epithet in its binomial name, usitatissimum, means "most useful". Flax fibers taken from the stem of the plant are two to three times as strong as cotton fibers. Additionally, flax fibers are naturally smooth and straight. Europe and North America both depended on flax for plant-based cloth until

822-449: A pigment binder in oil paints , as a plasticizer and hardener in putty , and in the manufacture of linoleum . Linseed oil use has declined over the past several decades with increased availability of synthetic alkyd resins—which function similarly but resist yellowing. Flax seed and its oil are generally recognized as safe for human consumption. Like many common foods, flax contains small amounts of cyanogenic glycoside , which

959-725: A textile comes from the present-day Republic of Georgia , where spun, dyed, and knotted wild flax fibers found in Dzudzuana Cave date to the Upper Paleolithic , 30,000 years ago. Humans first domesticated flax in the Fertile Crescent region. Evidence exists of a domesticated oilseed flax with increased seed-size from Tell Ramad in Syria and flax fabric fragments from Çatalhöyük in Turkey by c.  9,000 years ago. Use of

1096-485: A BMI greater than 27. Another meta-analysis showed that consumption of flax seeds for more than 12 weeks produced small reductions in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure . A third showed that consuming flax seed or its derivatives may reduce total and LDL-cholesterol in the blood, with greater benefits in women and people with high cholesterol . A fourth showed a small reduction in c-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) only in persons with

1233-510: A body mass index greater than 30. Linseed oil , also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil (in its edible form), is a colourless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant ( Linum usitatissimum ). The oil is obtained by pressing , sometimes followed by solvent extraction . Owing to its polymer-forming properties, linseed oil is often blended with combinations of other oils, resins or solvents as an impregnator, drying oil finish or varnish in wood finishing , as

1370-405: A combine then harvests the seeds similar to wheat or oat harvesting. The plant is pulled up with the roots (not cut), so as to increase the fiber length. After this, the flax is allowed to dry, the seeds are removed, and it is then retted . Dependent upon climatic conditions, characteristics of the sown flax and fields, the flax remains on the ground between two weeks and two months for retting. As

1507-600: A crucial 2005 Commons showdown. The suit filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice did not name Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion or MPs Ralph Goodale and Michael Ignatieff —whom Harper had also threatened to sue. The lawsuit was settled out of court in 2009 with both parties not disclosing the terms of settlement. Dona Cadman said that prior to the May 2005 budget vote, Tom Flanagan and Doug Finley, two Conservative Party officials, offered her husband, Chuck Cadman,

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1644-757: A further disadvantage, because this fatty acid oxidises and goes rancid quickly, which shortens the storage time. Linola was developed in Australia and introduced in the 1990s with less omega-3, specifically to serve as fodder . Another disadvantage of the meal and seed is that it contains a vitamin B6 ( pyridoxine ) antagonist, and may require this vitamin be supplemented, especially in chickens , and furthermore linseeds contain 2–7% of mucilage (fibre), which may be beneficial in humans and cattle, but cannot be digested by non-ruminants and can be detrimental to young animals, unless possibly treated with enzymes . Linseed meal

1781-458: A lack of excess capacity" gave grain handling firms market power to raise prices above the cost of providing the service. Since 2001 the CWB encouraged greater competition among the grain companies by "operated a tendering process for approximately 20 to 25 percent of the grain destined for export." The grain handling companies had to enter competitive bids to the CWB. CWB obtained market power by selecting

1918-614: A larger minority government in 2008 , and then a majority government in 2011 . In the 2015 federal election , Harper's Conservatives lost power to a Liberal majority government led by Justin Trudeau . From Canadian Confederation until the 1993 election , the Liberal Party 's control has been the rule of who was in power in Canada, with short-lived Conservative governments to break up their long stretches of governance. Stephen Harper, then

2055-584: A majority in the May 2011 general election, the Conservative government announced its intention to remove the CWB Single Desk through legislation. In response, the CWB held plebiscites on whether to keep the Single Desk power on wheat and barley. The results were released on September 12, 2011; 51 percent of barley growers and 62 percent of wheat growers voted to maintain the board's Single Desk. Notwithstanding,

2192-454: A majority in the senate despite lacking popular support, the senate would become less and less able to function, and all of his appointees agreed to resign and seek election to the senate should his reform proposals pass. Harper launched a lawsuit on March 13, 2008, against the Liberal Party of Canada over statements published on the party's website concerning the Chuck Cadman affair. This

2329-529: A member of Parliament, and political scientist Tom Flanagan described this as "a benign dictatorship, not under a strict one-party rule, but under a one-party-plus system beset by the factionalism, regionalism and cronyism that accompany any such system". In 1993, the Progressive Conservatives were reduced from a majority government to fifth place and two seats in the House of Commons. They were displaced by

2466-477: A million-dollar life insurance policy in exchange for his vote to bring down the Liberal government. Harper's government introduced 9 budgets. The 2011 budget was not passed prior to the calling of the 2011 general election , but was adopted soon afterward. Starting in 2008, each of his budgets ran a substantial deficit as a result of the 2008 global recession. Budgetary equilibrium returned in 2013, earlier than it

2603-612: A peak of $ 2.85 per bushel in September, 1920 [prices] began a slow and sickening decline to less than a dollar a bushel in late 1923." This marked contrast to the stable prices of 1919–1920 Board seemed to confirm farmers' suspicions of market trading. After the dissolution of the early board in 1920, farmers turned to the idea of farmer-owned cooperatives . Cooperative grain elevator operators already existed, like United Grain Growers , which had already been started in 1917. In 1923 and 1924

2740-551: A percentage of total fat , flax seeds contain 54% omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA ), 18% omega-9 fatty acids ( oleic acid ), and 6% omega-6 fatty acids ( linoleic acid ); the seeds contain 9% saturated fat , including 5% as palmitic acid . Flax seed oil contains 53% 18:3 omega-3 fatty acids (mostly ALA) and 13% 18:2 omega-6 fatty acids. A meta-analysis showed that consumption of more than 30 g of flax-seed daily for more than 12 weeks reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference for persons with

2877-425: A protest campaign urging Canadians as well as farmers to speak out against the government's decision to end the Single Desk. Meanwhile, the government issued leaflets explaining what would "bring marketing freedom." The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act instituted a timeline for the eventual privatization of CWB, requiring the board to formulate a plan by 2016, to be implemented in 2017. On April 15, 2015, it

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3014-401: A result of alternating rain and the sun, an enzymatic action degrades the pectins which bind fibers to the straw. The farmers turn over the straw during retting to evenly rett the stalks. When the straw is retted and sufficiently dry, it is rolled up. It is then stored by farmers before extracting the fibers. Threshing is the process of removing the seeds from the rest of the plant. Separating

3151-415: A similar oil profile to brown flax seeds and both are very high in omega-3s ( alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), specifically). Flax seeds produce a vegetable oil known as flax seed oil or linseed oil , which is one of the oldest commercial oils. It is an edible oil obtained by expeller pressing and sometimes followed by solvent extraction . Solvent-processed flax seed oil has been used for many centuries as

3288-561: A substitute for tallow in increasing marbling . In the US, flax-based feed for ruminants is often somewhat more expensive than other feeds on a nutrient basis. Sheep feeding on low quality forage are able to eat a large amount of linseed meal, up to 40% in one test, with positive consequences. It has been fed as supplement to water buffaloes in India, and provided a better diet than forage alone, but not as good as when substituted with soy meal. It

3425-479: A week. Refrigeration and storage in sealed containers will keep ground flax seed meal for a longer period before it turns rancid. Under conditions similar to those found in commercial bakeries, trained sensory panelists could not detect differences between bread made with freshly ground flax seed and bread made with flax seed that had been milled four months earlier and stored at room temperature. If packed immediately without exposure to air and light, milled flax seed

3562-418: Is Normandy with nearly one-third of the world's production. Flax is harvested for fiber production after about 100 days, or a month after the plants flower and two weeks after the seed capsules form. The bases of the plants begin to turn yellow. If the plants are still green, the seed will not be useful, and the fiber will be underdeveloped. The fiber degrades once the plants turn brown. Flax grown for seed

3699-401: Is a protein -rich feed for ruminants , rabbits , and fish. It is also often used as feed for swine and poultry , and has also been used in horse concentrate and dog food . The high omega-3 fatty acid ( ALA ) content of linseed meal "softens" milk, eggs, and meat, which means it causes a higher unsaturated fat content and thus lowers its storage time. The high omega-3 content also has

3836-542: Is added to cattle feed as a protein supplement . It can only be added at low percentages due to the high fat content, which is unhealthy for ruminants. Compared to oilseed meal from crucifers it measures as having lower nutrient values, however, good results are obtained in cattle, perhaps due to the mucilage, which may aid in slowing digestion and thus allowing more time to absorb nutrients. One study found that feeding flax seeds may increase omega-3 content in beef , while another found no differences. It might also act as

3973-416: Is allowed to mature until the seed capsules are yellow and just starting to split; it is then harvested in various ways. A combine harvester may either cut only the heads of the plants, or the whole plant. These are then dried to extract the seed. The amount of weeds in the straw affects its marketability, and this, coupled with market prices, determines whether the farmer chooses to harvest the flax straw. If

4110-554: Is an annual plant . Cultivated flax plants grow to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) tall, with slender stems. The leaves are glaucous green, slender lanceolate , 20–40 mm long, and 3 mm broad. The flowers are 15–25 mm in diameter with five petals, which can be colored white, blue, yellow, and red depending on the species. The fruit is a round, dry capsule 5–9 mm in diameter, containing several glossy brown seeds shaped like apple pips, 4–7 mm long. The earliest evidence of humans using wild flax as

4247-474: Is considered an inferior protein supplement for swine because of its fibre, the vitamin antagonist, the high omega-3 content and its low lysine content, and can only be used in small amounts in the feed. Although it may increase the omega-3 content in eggs and meat, it is also an inferior and potentially toxic feed for poultry, although it can be used in small amounts. The meal is an adequate and traditional source of protein for rabbits at 8–10%. Its use in fish feeds

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4384-477: Is easily over-retted, damaging the fiber. This form of retting also produces quite an odor. Stream retting is similar to pool retting, but the flax is submerged in bundles in a stream or river. This generally takes two or three weeks longer than pond retting, but the end product is less likely to be dirty, does not smell as bad, and because the water is cooler, is less likely to be over-retted. Both pond and stream retting were traditionally used less because they pollute

4521-550: Is extracted from the bast beneath the surface of the stem of the flax plant. Flax fiber is soft, lustrous, and flexible; bundles of fiber have the appearance of blonde hair, hence the description "flaxen" hair. It is stronger than cotton fiber, but less elastic. The use of flax fibers dates back tens of millennia; linen , a refined textile made from flax fibers, was worn widely by Sumerian priests more than 4,000 years ago. Industrial-scale flax fiber processing existed in antiquity. A Bronze Age factory dedicated to flax processing

4658-561: Is gripped by rubber belts roughly 20–25 cm (8–10 inches) above ground, to avoid getting grasses and weeds in the flax. The rubber belts then pull the whole plant out of the ground with the roots so the whole length of the plant fiber can be used. The plants then pass over the machine and is placed on the field crosswise to the harvester's direction of travel. The plants are left in the field for field retting . The mature plant can also be cut with mowing equipment, similar to hay harvesting, and raked into windrows. When dried sufficiently,

4795-541: Is known formally as " Her Majesty's Government". The term Harperism was coined and used by some in the Canadian media to describe the Harper's policies and style during his premiership. The term has been used pejoratively to describe what some see as Harper's authoritarian approach to his cabinet and in the prorogation of the 40th Canadian parliament . The federal governments of Justin Trudeau and Stephen Harper fulfilled

4932-512: Is limited. Raw, immature linseeds contain an amount of cyanogenic compounds and can be dangerous for monogastric animals, like horses and rabbits. Boiling removes the danger. This is not an issue in meal cake due to the processing temperature during oil extraction. Flax straw left over from the harvesting of oilseed is not very nutritious; it is tough and indigestible, and is not recommended to use as ruminant fodder, although it may be used as bedding or baled as windbreaks . Flax fiber

5069-433: Is nontoxic when consumed in typical amounts. Typical concentrations (for example, 0.48% in a sample of defatted dehusked flax seed meal) can be removed by special processing. The soils most suitable for flax, besides the alluvial kind, are deep loams containing a large proportion of organic matter . Flax is often found growing just above the waterline in cranberry bogs. Heavy clays are unsuitable, as are soils of

5206-479: Is not revolutionary and the government of Canada is behind compared to other nations and even some provinces." In 2011 Stephen Harper violated copyright when he sang the song " Imagine " without permission of the owner in a video that was later uploaded to YouTube . As a result, the video was removed by request of Yoko Ono ’s publishing company. Although Canada's 2012 Copyright Modernization Act permits non-profit performances of copyrighted songs like "Imagine", it

5343-428: Is produced when retting, and it would corrode the metal. If the water temperature is kept at 27 °C (80 °F), the retting process under these conditions takes 4 or 5 days. If the water is any colder, it takes longer. Scum collects at the top, and an odor is given off the same as in pond retting. 'Enzymatic' retting of flax has been researched as a technique to engineer fibers with specific properties. Dressing

5480-421: Is stable against excessive oxidation when stored for nine months at room temperature, and under warehouse conditions, for 20 months at ambient temperatures. Three phenolic glucosides — secoisolariciresinol diglucoside , p-coumaric acid glucoside, and ferulic acid glucoside—are present in commercial breads containing flax seed. After crushing the seeds to extract linseed oil, the resultant linseed meal

5617-573: Is still not legal to upload recordings of such performances to the Internet. While Her Majesty's Governments of various political stripes have traditionally used the term "Government of Canada" to describe the government in its communications materials, the Harper government broke that tradition for two extended periods. From taking office in February 2006 until October 2007, the government was branded " Canada's New Government " and from late-2010 to mid-2011 it

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5754-642: The 2006 federal election The scandal was known as the In and Out scandal . Parliamentary hearings into the issue led to a deadlocking of various committees, and then to the snap election in 2008 . On 6 March 2012, charges were dropped as part of a plea deal in which the Conservative Party of Canada and its fundraising arm pleaded guilty to exceeding election spending limits and submitting fraudulent election records, and agreed to repay $ 230,198.00 for its role in violating Canadian election spending laws. In February 2012,

5891-724: The Canada Elections Act , and sentenced to nine months in prison. Although the majority of Conservative seats were from the Western provinces, the majority of names which Harper put forward to the Governor General for appointment as Cabinet Ministers were from Ontario and Quebec, in the interests of regional balance. The new Conservative Cabinet was substantially smaller than the prior Martin government because it initially did away with junior ministers (known as Ministers of State , and previously Secretaries of State). Several pundits in

6028-518: The Canadian Alliance (the successor party to the Reform Party) in 2002. In 2003, Harper and Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay agreed to merge their parties into the new Conservative Party of Canada. Harper was elected leader of the new party in 2004. In the 2004 election , the Liberals were reduced to a minority government due to a government spending scandal and the success of

6165-720: The Mediterranean and the Romans used it for their sails . As the Roman Empire declined, so did flax production. But with laws designed to publicize the hygiene of linen textiles and the health of linseed oil, Charlemagne revived the crop in the eighth century CE . Eventually, Flanders became the major center of the European linen industry in the Middle Ages . In North America, colonists introduced flax, and it flourished there, but by

6302-863: The North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization Treaty, American producers continually complained. Despite numerous challenges and much posturing by the United States , the World Trade Organization ruled in 2003 that the Wheat Board was a producer marketing body and not a system for government subsidy although the decision has since been overturned. In fact, Canadian producers have almost no government subsidy while their American and European Union counterparts are heavily subsidized. The attacks on

6439-785: The Reform Party of Canada in Western Canada , the Bloc Québécois in Québec , and the Liberals throughout the country due to vote splitting . Harper was elected in 1993 as a Reform MP. He resigned before the 1997 election and became an advocate of the Unite the Right movement, which argued for a merger of the Progressive Conservative and Reform Parties. Harper went on to win the leadership of

6576-628: The Robocall scandal emerged regarding attempts at voter suppression targeting non-Conservative voters in 200 ridings during the 2011 election. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Elections Canada investigated the calls but ultimately did not refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions . Michael Sona (a Conservative campaign worker in the riding of Guelph ) was later found guilty of one count of willfully preventing or endeavoring to prevent an elector from voting in an election, an offence under

6713-425: The confidence of the House of Commons. The Harper government often relied on the official opposition Liberal caucus abstaining in whole or in part in order to allow confidence measures to pass. The government lost its first confidence vote on a Liberal sponsored censure motion on March 25, 2011, prompting Harper to seek dissolution and the calling of the 2011 general election. The principal motions of confidence in

6850-477: The right to strike from Canadian public service workers as purported solutions to the effects in Canada of the global economic crisis . Outraged opposition parties formed a coalition intending to call a vote of non-confidence that would have toppled the Harper government, but he avoided the impending vote of non-confidence by asking the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until January 26, 2009. Following

6987-438: The straw from the fiber. Heckling is pulling the fiber through various sizes of heckling combs or heckles. A heckle is a bed of "nails"—sharp, long-tapered, tempered, polished steel pins driven into wooden blocks at regular spacing. In September 2009, Canadian flax exports reportedly had been contaminated by a deregistered genetically modified cultivar called 'Triffid' that had food and feed safety approval in Canada and

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7124-514: The wheat pools were created to buy Canadian wheat and resell it overseas. The Alberta Wheat Pool , the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool , and Manitoba Pool Elevators quickly became giants in the industry and displaced the private traders. However they did not hedge against falling prices (instead relying on provincial government guarantees), and during the price collapse of 1929, they effectively went bankrupt. The majority of farmers did not want

7261-618: The "minimum volumes under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act," the monetary penalties were not hefty enough to impact on railways that generate revenues of roughly $ 200 million per week. In 2006 the four top grain handling companies in Western Canada— Agricore United , Saskatchewan Wheat Pool , Pioneer Grain , and Cargill held nearly 50% of the primary storage capacity. According to University of Saskatchewan professor, Murray Fulton, "This level of concentration, along with

7398-633: The 19th century, when cotton overtook flax as the most common plant for making rag-based paper . Flax is grown on the Canadian prairies for linseed oil, which is used as a drying oil in paints and varnishes and in products such as linoleum and printing inks . Linseed meal, the by-product of producing linseed oil from flax seeds, is used as livestock fodder . Flax seeds occur in brown and yellow (golden) varieties. Most types of these basic varieties have similar nutritional characteristics and equal numbers of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids . Yellow flax seeds, called solin ( trade name " Linola "), have

7535-470: The Board in place. The government relented by creating the Canadian Wheat Board for the 1919 crop only. Farmers got a guaranteed price for that crop, paid immediately, and later a further payment once the Board had completed the year's sales. This system of guaranteed prices and distributed income was extremely popular and when the Board dissolved in 1920, many farmers were livid. It certainly did not help that, "from

7672-461: The Board was given the authority to set statutory maximums on wheat, oats , barley, flax , and corn between December, 1941 until expiry after the war. Membership was made compulsory for Western Canadian farmers in 1943 via the War Measures Act , now with the purpose of aiding the war effort. In April, 1943 the Board was also authorized to buy rapeseed and sunflowers . Between 1958 and 1970

7809-468: The CWB Single Desk was about personal freedom—the freedom to market their production of crops in the manner they choose. The Single Desk control of price and the ability of farmers to deliver wheat and barley created an interest in other crops, causing a surge in acres of canola and pulse crops—crops with no delivery or price controls. This led to a decline in wheat acres and an increase in other crops. Now, with equal delivery opportunity, relative prices are

7946-463: The CWB and keep it Canadian farmer owned rather than selling it to foreign corporations. The group was rebuffed despite having a higher offer, ($ 349 million?) on grounds that they had not raised the funds. (the time frame was artificially short for the kind of offer FNA was attempting). On 12 June 2015, the Department of Finance released draft legislation to handle the tax consequence to farmers, and to

8083-410: The CWB that represented a percentage of the expected return for that grade from the pool account. After the end of the crop year, July 31, an interim payment and a final payment were paid to farmers, in addition to their initial payment, and so they would have received 100% of the return from the sale of the grain they delivered, less all overhead costs of the CWB. The initial payments were guaranteed by

8220-479: The CWB was chaired by William Craig McNamara , and he managed to perennialise the CWB in 1965, which was until then subject to amendments by Parliament when they periodically extended the Board's duration. McNamara convinced Parliament to end the time limit in the Act, thereby creating a permanent Board. CWB control over interprovincial shipments of feed grains became a public issue during the grains crisis in 1969 to 1972 and

8357-567: The CWB was governed by a 15-person Board of Directors, of which: Upon the implementation of Bill C-18, the original elected board was removed and was replaced by four directors, appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Agriculture, as well as the president, appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister. Until 15 December 2011, compliance with

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8494-549: The CWB would lose statutory privileges such as the Single Desk within five years of the signing. One of the aims of the Conservative government since coming to power in January 2006 was to end the Single Desk marketing power on Western Canadian wheat and barley. The Conservatives had been unable to get this change approved by Parliament because they held a minority of seats until the May 2011 federal election and all opposition parties supported

8631-403: The CWB's Single Desk control of non-feed wheat and barley—Ontario has its own marketing board, but it is not compulsory. There had been calls by many groups to abolish the Wheat Board. Many of these groups took their fight to the Internet to spread their message and gain support for their cause. While many were focused on the Canadian Wheat Board, others concentrated on international wheat boards,

8768-582: The Canadian House of Commons are matters of supply (motions and bills concerning the budget and spending government monies) and the motion in reply to the Speech from the Throne . The government may also designate any vote to be a matter of confidence, and opposition parties may introduce motions that explicitly express a lack of confidence in the government. During this period of Harper's tenureship, he began to increase

8905-531: The Government of Canada so that farmers received payment even if there was a deficit in the pool account. Initial payments were set below expectations for the crop year, a risk factor that was built in to guard against the event that price expectations are not met. Prior to the December 2011 passage of Bill C-18, An Act to reorganize the Canadian Wheat Board and to make consequential and related amendments to certain Acts ,

9042-422: The Harper government kept 85 percent of complete and partial pledges. When only completed, realized pledges were calculated, Harper's government, in their last year, kept 77 percent of promises while the Liberal government kept 53.5 percent. The book notes that Harper's pledges tended towards transactional pledges which target sub-populations while Trudeau's government's promises were transformative. Harper chose

9179-604: The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, reorganized the CWB to market grain through voluntary pooling. Unlike the United States, Canada had a tight grading system established by the Canadian Grain Commission and enforced by the CWB. This enforcement made it "possible to extract premiums for higher quality grain that is not possible in the United States." In an open market system Western Canadian farmers lose

9316-554: The NDP tied with or surpassing the Conservatives and others show the Conservatives with a slim lead. In May 2012, the Tories dipped into second place behind the NDP, but the NDP quickly dropped again. In April 2013, the Conservatives dropped in second place in the polls behind the Liberals and their new leader Justin Trudeau . The Liberals would keep their lead until 2015. Upon the beginning of

9453-573: The Nadon appointment was invalid, and that the federal government could not unilaterally amend the Supreme Court Act . Harper subsequently nominated Clement Gascon to the position instead. Flax Flax , also known as common flax or linseed , is a flowering plant , Linum usitatissimum , in the family Linaceae . It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates . In 2022, France produced 75% of

9590-555: The National Farmers Union, said "The message can't be any clearer". Others argued that the voter's list was flawed, as it included many small or part-time producers who may not deliver to the Board, as well as non-producers such as landowners whose livelihood might not solely rely on farming. In December 2008, the draft modalities text of the Doha Development Round was revised such that upon signing in its revised form,

9727-520: The Senate to seek election to the House of Commons. Harper had long been an advocate of an elected Senate and appointed four senators ( Bert Brown , Betty Unger , Doug Black , and Scott Tannas ) based on the result of Alberta Senate nominee elections . Harper introduced legislation to provide for elections to advise the prime minister on whom to recommend for appointment to the Senate and to cause appointed senators to serve fixed terms, to, in essence, create

9864-411: The Single Desk. The Conservatives also lost a court battle to unilaterally dismantle the CWB without an act of Parliament. In the aftermath, Harper and then Minister of Agriculture Chuck Strahl stated their intent to continue with the removal of the traditional role of the CWB, particularly in regards to barley (which is generally a more corporate crop), perhaps through Parliamentary action. After winning

10001-532: The Trust which will hold 49.9% of CWB in trust for farmers (proposed section 135.2 of the Income Tax Act). No news release was issued to explain the legislation. An explanation of how the legislation works is included in the 48th edition of Carswell's Practitioner's Income Tax Act and Carswell's Taxnet Pro. Premiership of Stephen Harper The premiership of Stephen Harper began on February 6, 2006, when

10138-769: The U.S. Canadian growers and the Flax Council of Canada raised concerns about the marketability of this cultivar in Europe where a zero tolerance policy exists regarding unapproved genetically modified organisms . Consequently, Triffid was deregistered in 2010 and never grown commercially in Canada or the U.S. Triffid stores were destroyed, but future exports and further tests at the University of Saskatchewan proved that Triffid persisted in at least two Canadian flax varieties, possibly affecting future crops. Canadian flax seed cultivars were reconstituted with Triffid-free seed used to plant

10275-403: The Wheat Board that attempted to pay the same price that they would get for their grain in the U.S. Supporters of the board and labour unions believed the CWB gave individual farmers increased marketing power in a world market which got them a higher price than they would have otherwise gotten, not only through the efficiencies of scale, but as well by exercising oligopolistic marketing power on

10412-528: The Wheat Board were, at the time, one of the major irritants in bilateral relations between Canada and the United States. The fact that the Wheat Board primarily marketed crops produced in Western Canada became a source of alienation and even Alberta separatism for many Western Canadian farmers. Farmers in Eastern Canada (east of Manitoba) and most of British Columbia (non-Peace River) were exempt from

10549-551: The appointment, citing the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador 's belief that constitutional convention stipulates that a Newfoundlander should have been named to the court in the rotation of Atlantic Canadian Supreme Court representation. On October 3, 2013, Harper announced the nomination of supernumerary Federal Court of Appeals judge, Marc Nadon to the Supreme Court to replace the retiring Morris Fish . The appointment

10686-469: The balance of his cabinet in order of precedence . Unlike previous Prime Ministers of Canada, Harper insisted that the Prime Minister's Office had the right to choose which reporters ask questions at press conferences, which, along with other steps aimed at limiting and controlling media access, created conflict with national media. It was reported that the Prime Minister's Office also "often [informed]

10823-424: The benefits of a grading system. Since 2006 when the Conservative Party came to power, Chuck Strahl , then Minister of Agriculture, worked towards the end of the Wheat Board's Single Desk, including the replacement of government appointees to the Board of Directors in favor of individuals who oppose the board's Single Desk, a gag order on Wheat Board staff, the firing of the pro-board President, and intervention in

10960-410: The best bid as one seller as opposed to a large number of sellers (namely farmers) attempting to negotiate the best price. "The CWB's mandate was to pay farmers a base price for their grain, identify markets, negotiate the best price, deliver the goods, issue advance cheques and make final payment after the crop was sold. If the wheat market went up, farmers pocketed the profits. If the market went down,

11097-552: The bill also set a timeline for the eventual privatization of CWB. On 15 April 2015, it was announced that a 50.1% majority stake in CWB would be acquired by Global Grain Group, a joint venture of Bunge Limited and the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company, for $ 250 million. CWB was combined with the grain assets of Bunge Canada to form G3 Canada Limited. The third-highest sales year for wheat industry in Canada

11234-518: The board. From the standpoint of supporters of the board, however, this was not a viable alternative as a dual market would effectively end the board's Single Desk power and any perceived benefits that it may have given farmers. Opponents argue that because the perceived benefits farmers received from the CWB increases their land value, elimination of the CWB Single Desk would lower the value of their land. Lower land prices would make Canadian farmers more competitive but could also leave many owing more than

11371-482: The business practices of these companies and hostile to their positions of power. Farmers were impressed by the success of state-led marketing as it was practised during World War I . The government created a series of boards in and around the war, each with progressively more power to control the grain trade. The Board of Grain Commissioners of 1912 was purely for regulation (to supervise grading, etc.), but by 1915

11508-448: The crop steadily spread, reaching as far as Switzerland and Germany by 5,000 years ago. In China and India, domesticated flax was cultivated at least 5,000 years ago. Flax was cultivated extensively in ancient Egypt , where the temple walls had paintings of flowering flax, and mummies were embalmed using linen. Egyptian priests wore only linen, as flax was considered a symbol of purity. Phoenicians traded Egyptian linen throughout

11645-416: The departure of Michel Bastarache . By and large Cromwell's nomination was well received, with many lauding the selection; however, dissent has been noted surrounding the nomination. First, Harper bypassed Parliament's Supreme Court selection panel, which was supposed to produce a list of three candidates for him to choose from. Second, Newfoundland and Labrador Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy criticized

11782-408: The driving force in making cropping decisions, leading to an appropriate mix of crops based on relative global demand. Some opponents of the board's Single Desk power suggested it should be replaced by a 'dual market' system. This was presented as a compromise where board supporters could continue to sell their wheat and barley through the board and board opponents could have the option to sell outside

11919-412: The early 20th century, cheap cotton and rising farm wages had caused production of flax to become concentrated in northern Russia, which came to provide 90% of the world's output. Since then, flax has lost its importance as a commercial crop , due to the easy availability of more durable fibres. Flax is grown for its seeds, which can be ground into a meal or turned into linseed oil , a product used as

12056-415: The early part of the 20th century where farmers effectively competed with each other to sell their grain, effectively putting them at the mercy of big agribusiness and the railroad monopolies, believing that would reduce farm incomes. The counter-argument is that producers of non-Board crops such as canola do not seem to have this problem. Although the Board was reformed to meet free market conditions under

12193-408: The election campaign in summer 2015, the three main federal parties were neck and neck with about 30% each in most polls. The Liberals ended up edging out the other parties during the campaign, and won the 2015 Canadian federal election . For most of Harper's tenure as prime minister, he led a minority government meaning he relied on the support (or abstention) of other parties in order to maintain

12330-478: The election in October 2008, the Conservative led in all polls. The Conservatives led in every public opinion poll released from March 2010 to the election. From January to September 2009 and again from January to February 2010 several polls showed the Liberals tied with or slightly leading Harper's Conservatives. The Conservatives continued to maintain 37–39% support after the election. In March 2012, some polls showed

12467-444: The election of farmer elected members of the Board of Directors. Ian Robson, whose great-grandfather helped start the co-operative pool system, argued that a multi-generational small farmer like himself depended on the CWB to balance the power of the railway. Robson claims that, "We're captive to the railways, and you can see how that's turning out. Transport Canada is supposed to safeguard our interests, but they're afraid to antagonize

12604-401: The fiber. The stems are then pulled through "hackles", which act like combs to remove the straw and some shorter fibers out of the long fiber. Several methods are used for retting flax. It can be retted in a pond, stream, field, or tank. When the retting is complete, the bundles of flax feel soft and slimy, and quite a few fibers are standing out from the stalks. When wrapped around a finger,

12741-407: The field in the spring. Two ways are used to harvest flax fiber, one involving mechanized equipment (combines), and a second method, more manual and targeting maximum fiber length. Flax for fiber production is usually harvested by a specialized flax harvester. Usually built on the same machine base as a combine, but instead of the cutting head it has a flax puller. The flax plant is turned over and

12878-541: The first Cabinet headed by Stephen Harper was sworn in by Governor General Michaelle Jean . Harper was invited to form the 28th Canadian Ministry and become Prime Minister of Canada following the 2006 federal election , where Harper led his Conservative Party to win a plurality of seats in the House of Commons of Canada , defeating the Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin . Harper led his Conservatives to win

13015-489: The first to realize the benefits of the US market. In a September 2011 plebiscite (referendum) conducted by Meyers Norris Penny, 62% of CWB farmers voted that they wanted to keep the wheat board and its Single Desk power. Proponents of maintaining the CWB stated that the collective bargaining power of the wheat board gives farmers a better price than they would have if they were individually marketing to large multi-national corporations. CWB opponents disagreed, arguing that there

13152-402: The flax is the process of removing the straw from the fibers. Dressing consists of three steps: breaking, scutching, and heckling. The breaking breaks up the straw. Some of the straw is scraped from the fibers in the scutching process, and finally, the fiber is pulled through heckles to remove the last bits of straw. Breaking breaks up the straw into short segments. Scutching removes some of

13289-399: The flax straw is not harvested, typically, it is burned, since the stalks are quite tough and decompose slowly ( i.e. , not in a single season). Formed into windrows from the harvesting process, the straw often clogs up tillage and planting equipment. Flax straw that is not of sufficient quality for fiber uses can be baled to build shelters for farm animals, or sold as biofuel, or removed from

13426-508: The following jurists to be appointed as justices of the Supreme Court of Canada by the governor general: In keeping with Harper's election promise to change the appointment process , Rothstein's appointment involved a review by a parliamentary committee, following his nomination by the prime minister. Rothstein had already been short-listed, with two other candidates, by a committee convened by Paul Martin's previous Liberal government, and he

13563-409: The government absorbed the loss. Nothing was subtracted from the farmer's share except the cost of marketing and delivery." Arguments in favour of privatization believe that farmers should be allowed to opt out of the board. Others believe that they could get a better price for their grain than the board itself and would like to market their own grain. For many Western Canadian farmers, the argument over

13700-568: The government had seized control of all wheat exports to help the war effort, and by 1917 futures trading on the Winnipeg Exchange was banned. In 1917, the new Board of Grain Supervisors was given monopoly powers over wheat, and fixed uniform prices across the country. Soon afterwards, the Board took over marketing of other crops as well. Farmers were worried that after the war, prices would crash and various agrarian groups lobbied Ottawa to keep

13837-400: The government removed the Single Desk on August 1, 2012 ignoring the plebiscites' results. In defending this policy, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz claimed the CWB plebiscites were seriously flawed and that the Conservatives' election victory gave them a mandate to remove the Single Desk. According to the CWB, the government advanced the timetables to Christmas 2011, prompting them to launch

13974-410: The inner woody part springs away from the fibers. Pond retting is the fastest. It consists of placing the flax in a pool of water which will not evaporate. It generally takes place in a shallow pool which will warm up dramatically in the sun; the process may take from a few days to a few weeks. Pond-retted flax is traditionally considered of lower quality, possibly because the product can become dirty, and

14111-628: The majority of their campaign promises and scored highest on fulfilling their campaign promises compared to any other "Canadian government over the last 35 years", according to an August 30, 2019 publication based on research at Laval University . The 237-page publication, Assessing Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Government. 353 promises and a mandate for change, includes the work of "two dozen Canadian academics". They found that Justin Trudeau's Liberal government kept 92 percent of pledges, when complete and partial pledges were added together, while

14248-579: The media about Harper's trips at such short notice that [it was] impossible for Ottawa journalists to attend the events." Before the 2011 election, the Canadian Association of Journalists wrote a letter to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics strongly criticizing the Canadian government for severely restricting access to documents that should be made available to Canadian citizens. The CAJ stated, "Open government

14385-475: The media described Harper's Cabinet as moderate, and a tempering of the Conservative Party's roots in the Canadian Alliance and Reform. Unlike his recent predecessors, Harper did not name one of his colleagues to the largely honorific post of Deputy Prime Minister . Harper did, however, name an order of succession to act on his behalf in certain circumstances, starting with Cannon, then Jim Prentice , then

14522-400: The newly united right-of-centre opposition party. Harper went on to lead the Conservatives to win a plurality of seats in the 2006 election and formed the smallest minority government in Canadian history. The Conservatives won 124 (or 40.3% of the total) seats in the House of Commons of Canada in the 2006 election while receiving 36.3% of the popular vote , and won 143 seats (or 46.4% of

14659-469: The number of locomotives. Western Grain Elevator Association 's director, Wade Sobkowich, argued that railways were increasing profitability by reducing capacity. At a time when grain farmers are competing with crude oil producers for rail cars, they are not succeeding in getting the rail cars they need. In 2014, even though CN and CP were threatened by Transport Canada with fines for not meeting

14796-589: The other primary target being the Australian Wheat Board , before the AWB itself converted to a private firm, leaving the CWB as the only significant agricultural State Trading Enterprise (STE) exporter worldwide, if one ignores Chinese State-Owned Enterprises (SOE). On 7 December 2008, CWB permit book holders voted in favour of maintaining the wheat board by electing four pro-board candidates with one marketing choice candidate being elected. Stewart Wells, president of

14933-486: The popular vote in 1997 . The Conservatives have previously come very close to a majority with 37.7% of the popular vote (12 seats short) in 2008 and with 35.9% of the vote (6 seats short) in 1979. Harper led the government through the longest lasting federal minority government in Canadian history, which ended when he achieved a majority victory in 2011. From December 2006 to August 2008, the Conservatives and Liberals exchanged leads in opinion polls. From September through

15070-482: The popular vote outside of Quebec. This was only the second time in Canadian history that a federal government was formed without a substantial number of seats from Quebec. Media speculation was the Conservatives would need to win in excess of 40% of the popular vote to form a majority government , the stated goal of Harper in the 2011 election . However, the Liberal Party was able to win a majority with only 38.5% of

15207-515: The private traders to return, and now it also seemed impossible for them to own their own marketing companies, so the idea of a government marketing board was revived. The Canadian Wheat Board was re-created in 1935 with the aim of controlling grain prices, so as to benefit farmers devastated by the Great Depression . During the Second World War , the authority of the Board was expanded, and

15344-408: The railways." Before the CWB was sold by the federal government to foreign investors in 2014, the CWB owned 3,375 CWB railway cars. By 2014 CP was shaped by CEO Hunter Harrison and American activist shareholder Bill Ackman . Americans own 73% of CP shares while Canadians and Americans own 50% of CN. In order to improve returns for their shareholders, railways cut back on their workforce and downsized

15481-448: The resumption of parliament, Harper introduced a new budget which was allowed to pass when members of the Liberal caucus abstained from the vote. As prime minister, Harper recommended the appointment of 38 persons to the Senate of Canada . All of these senators were members of Harper's Conservative Party. Three ( Michael Fortier , Fabian Manning , and Larry Smith ) subsequently resigned from

15618-450: The risk of contamination. The CWB also surveyed wheat farmers and found many did not want GM wheat. The CWB presented research and the views of wheat farmers to the government. The farmers delivered their wheat and barley to grain elevators throughout the crop year. The Board acted as a single desk marketer of wheat and barley on behalf of prairie farmers . Upon delivery to an elevator, farmers received an initial payment for their grain from

15755-421: The scope of what bills of the government could be considered confidence measures, reflecting the increasing willingness of the government to trigger an election based on favourable polling conditions. Harper precipitated a national controversy, which threatened to overturn his government, by fielding a spending bill in the fall of 2008 which would have stripped taxpayer funding from political parties and taken away

15892-418: The selling side, especially for Durum wheat, although the evidence of this is weak or non-existent. A study conducted in the mid 1990s suggested that farmers gained on average a premium of $ 13.35 a tonne on wheat as a result of the board's Single Desk, although the study and its methodology was widely refuted. Supporters of the Single Desk feared that an end to the board would put farmers in a situation like in

16029-399: The stalk. The first step in this process is retting , which is the process of rotting away the inner stalk, leaving the outer parts intact. At this point, straw, or coarse outer stem ( cortex and epidermis ), is still remaining. To remove this, the flax is "broken", the straw is broken up into small, short bits, while the actual fiber is left unharmed. Scutching scrapes the outer straw from

16166-401: The straw (stem) from the fiber, and one for further separating the broken straw and matter from the fiber. The second part of the process brings the flax into a state for the very finest purposes, such as lace , cambric , damask , and very fine linen . This second part is performed by a refining machine. Before the flax fibers can be spun into linen, they must be separated from the rest of

16303-617: The total) in the 2008 election while receiving 37.7% of the popular vote. In the 2011 election, the Conservatives won 166 seats (54% of the total) with 39.6% of the popular vote. Conventional wisdom before the 2011 election previously held that winning a federal majority without significant support in the province of Quebec would be near impossible. The Conservatives disproved this, winning an eleven-seat majority with only five seats in Quebec. The Conservatives won considerably more popular support outside of Quebec than they did elsewhere, carrying 48% of

16440-400: The usable flax fibers from other components requires pulling the stems through a hackle and/or beating the plants to break them. Flax processing is divided into two parts: the first part is generally done by the farmer, to bring the flax fiber into a fit state for general or common purposes. This can be performed by three machines: one for threshing out the seed, one for breaking and separating

16577-512: The use of flax as an industrial fiber. Flax seeds are 7% water, 18% protein , 29% carbohydrates , and 42% fat (table). In 100 grams (3.5 oz) as a reference amount, flax seeds provide 534 kilocalories and contain high levels (20% or more of the Daily Value , DV) of protein, dietary fiber , several B vitamins , and dietary minerals . Flax seeds are especially rich in thiamine , magnesium , and phosphorus (DVs above 90%) (table). As

16714-423: The value of their reduced land. Retiring farmers selling their land could be faced with a much reduced retirement fund but new entrants into farming would be able to purchase land at lower cost. (This is all based on the theory that the CWB provided a net benefit to farmers, which was never proved.) Some CWB opponents have argued that much of the lower quality land is in close proximity to the US border and would be

16851-458: The waters used for the process. In field retting, the flax is laid out in a large field, and dew is allowed to collect on it. This process normally takes a month or more, but is generally considered to provide the highest quality flax fibers, and it produces the least pollution. Retting can also be done in a plastic trash can or any type of water-tight container of wood, concrete, earthenware, or plastic. Metal containers will not work, as an acid

16988-415: The wheat board for most farmers and elevators was mandatory under threat of punishable by fines and/or imprisonment. Farmers from Eastern Canada and most of British Columbia were not controlled by the Canadian Wheat Board and were able to market all their grain on the open market. The area of British Columbia known as The Peace River District fell under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Wheat Board. Bill C-18,

17125-477: The wild species Linum bienne , called pale flax. The plants called "flax" in New Zealand are, by contrast, members of the genus Phormium . Several other species in the genus Linum are similar in appearance to L. usitatissimum , cultivated flax, including some that have similar blue flowers, and others with white, yellow, or red flowers. Some of these are perennial plants, unlike L. usitatissimum , which

17262-461: The world's supply of flax. Textiles made from flax are known in English as linen , and are traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes, and table linen. Its oil is known as linseed oil . In addition to referring to the plant, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant. The plant species is known only as a cultivated plant and appears to have been domesticated just once from

17399-584: Was 2011–2012 when the CWB "sold $ 7.2-billion worth of grain to more than 70 countries, $ 4.9 billion of which was paid back to farmers." By the early 20th century in Western Canada , grain purchasing, transportation and marketing were dominated by large companies headquartered outside the region, such as the Canadian Pacific Railway and the trading companies which dominated the Winnipeg Grain Exchange . Producers were deeply suspicious of

17536-403: Was Harper's choice. Harper then had Rothstein appear before an ad hoc non-partisan committee of 12 members of Parliament . This committee was not empowered to block the appointment, though, as had been called for by some members of Harper's Conservative Party. On September 5, 2008, Harper nominated Thomas Cromwell of Nova Scotia Court of Appeal to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by

17673-525: Was also a major foreign policy issue for the Harper government, who withdrew Canadian troops from Afghanistan in 2011. As a result of economic sanctions against officials of the Russian government stemming from the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation , Harper had to contend with a sharp reduction in trade with Russia. Harper's Conservatives gained criticism for improper election spending during

17810-474: Was announced that a 50.1% majority stake in CWB would be acquired by Global Grain Group, a joint venture between Bunge Canada—a subsidiary of Bunge Limited , and SALIC Canada—a subsidiary of the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company, for $ 250 million. The remaining equity of CWB will be held by its member farmers. The sale to G3 took place while a "Farmers of North America" led group of Western Canadian farmers attempted to raise funds to purchase

17947-417: Was branded the "Harper Government". The former was the subject of ridicule by other parties and some media commentators, while the latter was criticized by some academics and former civil servants as a partisan misuse of government resources. This is "political marketing", as constitutionally, any Government of Canada administered by a Canadian Ministry—Harper's premiership being the 28th Canadian Ministry —

18084-543: Was challenged by both Ontario lawyer Rocco Galati and the Government of Quebec as being contrary to the appointment criteria of section 6 of the Supreme Court Act . In response, Harper referred the criteria issue to the Supreme Court, as well as the question of whether the government's amendments to the criteria were constitutional. The Supreme Court subsequently ruled in Reference re Supreme Court Act, ss. 5 and 6 that

18221-696: Was discovered in Euonymeia , Greece. The best grades are used for fabrics such as damasks , lace , and sheeting . Coarser grades are used for the manufacturing of twine and rope , and historically, for canvas and webbing equipment . Flax fiber is a raw material used in the high-quality paper industry for the use of printed banknotes , laboratory paper ( blotting and filter ), rolling paper for cigarettes , and tea bags . Flax mills for spinning flaxen yarn were invented by John Kendrew and Thomas Porthouse of Darlington , England , in 1787. New methods of processing flax have led to renewed interest in

18358-568: Was no evidence of better returns for farmers. At this time, farmers already had the ability to market all the crops save wheat and malt barley independently, meaning it is possible to succeed marketing grain without board oversight. This, however, may make farmers more susceptible to fluctuations in the commodity market and to focus more of their time on the business aspect of farming, rather than farming. The Wheat Board attempted to offer producers more options in its latter years—for example, farmers could sell their wheat with binding forward contracts to

18495-605: Was originally predicted. Harper's economic policy included a multitude of new spending and reduced government revenue revenues due to reductions to the Goods and Services Tax and corporate income taxes. Harper campaigned on a pledge to increase defense spending and has cut it in real terms. As with any Canadian government, the principal foreign relations issue is the relationship with the United States , Canada's closest neighbour and largest trading partner. The ongoing War in Afghanistan

18632-405: Was removed. Only non-feed wheat and barley remained controlled by the CWB. The Canadian Wheat Board was instrumental in stopping the genetically modified (GM) wheat of Monsanto in 2004. As a united voice for wheat farmers, the CWB conducted market research which showed that international markets did not want GM wheat and would reject wheat exports from Canada if GM wheat was approved, because of

18769-595: Was the first time a sitting prime minister had sued the opposition for libel. The $ 2.5-million suit named "The Liberal Party, the Federal Liberal Agency of Canada, and the unnamed author or authors of the statements published on the Liberal website". The articles at the centre of the lawsuit were headlined "Harper knew of Conservative bribery" and "Harper must come clean about allegations of Conservative Bribery". Those articles questioned Harper's alleged involvement in financial offers made to Cadman to sway his vote in

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