Call for Gerry Ritz to resign!
March 27, 2008
Gentlemen:
May I request that your Members vote against Bill C-46, yet another clumsy attempt to avoid following both the letter and the spirit of the C.W.B. Act, and defeat a Bill that will not reflect the right of farmers to decide by fair and legal plebiscite their choice of marketing. Bill C-46 also removes several important guarantees for farmers. Please ensure that all legal provisions of the C.W.B. Act are followed for any changes in grain marketing.
Secondly, Mr. Ritz, in reply to a question in the House on March 13th from Mr. Layton, admitted that he had asked for personal confidential information from the C.W.B. concerning farmers who had taken part in an organic pilot programme. He maintained that he had received no information, and so had done nothing illegal.
The act of demanding this confidential information is in itself illegal, whether or not he received it. Mr. Ritz contravened the Privacy Act by making such a demand, and is yet further proof that the Minister feels he is above the law.
By his reasoning, a bank robber who fails to steal any cash in a botched attempt is not guilty of criminal behavior. I believe that the police would interpret the criminal law differently.
This attempt to illegally obtain personal and confidential information shows clearly that Mr. Ritz is unfit to be a Minister of the Crown, and I request that your Parties demand and obtain the resignation of this Minister.
Thank you for your consideration,
Phil Bladen,
Box 235, Preeceville, SK.