• “Canada’s New Government” hasn’t allowed the Canadian Wheat Board to advertise its views on single desk marketing of barley and wheat since the announcement that a plebiscite will be held.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t money being spent on the debate. The amount of propaganda coming out of Minister Strahl’s office, espousing the pro-marketing choice side of the issue, points to the likelihood that there is staff dedicated solely to the dissemination of articles on this topic alone. That, along with what must by now amount to a considerable sum spent on shuttling the Minister himself around the country to speak on the issue, must surely have expenses mounting.

Timely, too, and not inexpensive (although for members of Parliament, the postage is free) is our own MP’s newsletter which arrived this week. Fully half of it is devoted to the government’s side of the plebiscite debate. The question is, how is this different from paid advertising in “recognized” media?

It much reminds me of the age-old NDP ploy of having its local political (workers) re-write and sign a party-contrived form letter to newspapers, just as an election was being announced. In some ways, “Canada’s New Government” is not unlike Saskatchewan’s Old Government.

• A reader suggested I should give a pat on the back to Kipling’s snow removal effort. So I will. These fellows start early and finish late following any significant snowfall and it is much appreciated.

by Michael G. Kearns