Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to Mr. Measner and Mr. Ritter. I'm glad we had the opportunity to hear your testimony today.
Let me say that in pretty typical fashion, Mr. Ritter, you have tried to overcome differences, to find some common ground, and to find a way out of what is obviously a very difficult situation that could have some profoundly negative consequences for Canadian farmers, especially in western Canada. So I appreciate your constructive approach.
Some of my questions have been addressed in at least part of what you said, so I'll maybe run through these all together and then between the two of you you can decide how to respond.
During my time as Minister responsible for the Wheat Board a number of years ago, in consultation with buyers around the world, which I had on a very regular basis, I found two things. First of all, those buyers typically did not like the prices the Canadian Wheat Board was seeking, because from the buyer's perspective, they were always arguing that you were asking too much, which I suppose is typical of a buyer. But they did like the board's consistency in terms of its behaviour, the long-term relationships that the board built up, the fact that they could deal with certain people in the sales staff on a consistent basis over time, that the board was very good at providing before-market and after-market services. And accordingly, in that relationship they had a great deal of confidence not only in the product but also in the personnel.
I wonder if you could tell us, as my first question, whether those factors are still critical in terms of the board's success internationally and whether or not the current controversy and the public risk that the board may be diminished or may disappear is having an impact on buyers in the international sphere.
Secondly, domestically, when addressing this issue of confusion or potential future confusion in the board's mandate, people involved in, for example, the milling sector, the malting business and so forth, either in Canada or in the United States, would always say they could probably make either system work from their perspective as a buyer of a certain product. But what they worry about is having a little of both, where they would never know exactly where they would stand. I wonder if you could comment on that situation.
Thirdly, the allegation has been made that the board has not done contingency planning in relation to a number of matters, but most especially what happens in the event that a plebiscite succeeds and therefore the process and the act is triggered, and so forth. Reference was made to contingency planning.
Mr. Measner, I think it would be important for you to give us the assurance in as much detail as you can, as the chief executive officer of the board, that this contingency planning has been in fact undertaken and that the board is in a position to cope with unforeseen circumstances should that contingency arise.
Finally--I think this question is most especially directed to Mr. Ritter as chairman--I wonder if you could explain the practical process that you go through to choose a chief executive officer of the Canadian Wheat Board. What is the process by which that is done--in particular, the process by which Mr. Measner was selected? Can you speak in specific terms to the performance of the current chief executive officer? I know you've offered some general comments, but I think it's important for members of Parliament to hear your views as chairman of the board. What do the directors think of the job Mr. Measner is doing?