The Canadian Wheat Board’s board of directors has
recommended against removing limits on third-party spending during
elections of CWB directors, as proposed last week by the federal
government.
“The existence of a limit guards against the possibility of a third party
having a disproportionate voice in an election,” said CWB board chair
Larry Hill. “Removal of the limit would introduce potential for a
well-financed third party to play a significant role in a particular vote
and possibly influence a result. This could undermine the integrity of
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the election process and perception of fairness.”
Hill said the decisions surrounding who is elected to serve on the CWB
board — and how that process is structured — should be left to farmers.
He said the CWB as an organization is committed to remaining neutral as
to the outcome of director elections and will not act to influence the
results.
“Our board is guided by the principle that the CWB director elections
should be fair and impartial and be perceived by the participants as
such.”
Hill also pointed out that the CWB Election Review Panel, established by
the federal government in 2005 to undertake a comprehensive review of the
director election system, recommended that third-party limits be
maintained, noting there was no consensus to change the limit.
