If a Manitoba canola farmer received more than one ballot for the Manitoba Canola Growers Association’s (MCGA) election they should contact the MCGA’s office for clarification, MCGA executive director Delaney Ross Burtnack said in an interview Wednesday.
One Manitoba farmer told the Manitoba Co-operator he received two ballots for the election underway, in which five candidates are vying for four positions.
The MCGA’s office closes Thursday for the year and opens again Jan. 4, 2002.
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Unfortunately differences in record-keeping between canola buyers and how farmers sell their canola can sometimes result in one farmer showing up in the association’s canola checkoff database more than once, Ross Burtnack explained.
“Say a husband, wife, son and brother all work for the same farm and each of them sold canola,” Ross Burtnack said. “If we receive records that say John Smith, as well as John J. Smith, as well as J. Smith all from the same farm we can’t actually assume that’s the same person because that could easily be the father John, or the son John J. or the wife Joan. As much as it could definitely be a duplication unfortunately we don’t do that. We do deduplicate the list. There are 9,000 names on the list. We do go through and do our utmost to deduplicate it, but they can also sell under the corporate or partnership name so it’s possible they would get two ballots selling as John Smith or selling as Smith Farms.”
Based on MCGA bylaws there are three ways a canola grower may be eligible to vote:
- As an individual.
- As a designated eligible person representing a corporation.
- As a designated eligible person from a business partnership.
“There are legitimate ways that a farmer may qualify for additional votes, but certainly there are going to be errors in a database this large,” Ross Burtnack said. “While we do our best it’s a challenge as we work with these elevator (and other buyers’) systems that have different record keeping methods.”
Election ballots were mailed to MCGA members Dec. 14, but this is the first MCGA election with online voting as an option instead of a mail-in ballot.
“On the ballot (members received by mail) there is a user ID and password.” Ross Burtnack said. “Individuals can go to the website… and enter their code and vote anonymously.
“It’s exciting. We’re not using as much paper, it’s faster and it’s set up in a way that… (the) system prevents multiple voting. One code can’t vote twice. Whether you vote online or mail your ballot in whatever is received first is the vote that is taken.”
While the MCGA hold elections every two years, this is the first since 2015 to require an election, as the previous two saw candidates acclaimed.
Avenue 4 Communications is conducting the election for the MCGA.
Ballots must be received at Avenue 4 Communications’ office on or before 4:30 p.m. CST, Jan. 14, 2022. Online voting closes at 5 p.m. CST on Jan. 15, 2022.
For more information growers can also contact Réjean Vermette, Returning Officer for the MCGA 2021 Election of Directors, Avenue 4 Communications, 1740 Wellington Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0E8, by phone at 204-946-5001, fax 204-946-5121 or by email.
In the running
Here are the biographies of the five candidates as posted on the MCGA’s website:
Pam Bailey
I’ve had the honour and privilege to serve on the board for the last four years. I am a grain farmer alongside my husband on his family’s farm in Dacotah, and recently we became entrepreneurs and new parents. I hold a degree in horticulture from Dalhousie University and am a Professional Agrologist with the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists.
During my time on the board, the canola industry has had its fair share of challenges, though, I’m proud of what the board and staff have accomplished in that time. Some of my personal highlights are seeing the creation of a National Canola Marketing Program while being a part of that steering committee, being the first female board member, representing MCGA at Ivey School of Business’ Leadership at Its Best program, and being able to utilize my knowledge and skills to help farmers and better serve Manitoba’s canola industry.
Jackie Dudgeon
I grew up in Morden MB and my dad runs a grain farm near Darlingford Manitoba. My husband and I are currently in the transition process with my dad and we just recently bought our own farm. Growing up I wasn’t as involved as other farm kids but after high school I fell in love with the Ag Industry and working with farmers. They are the most resilient people I have ever met and I have been working in the seed industry for about 10 years, dealing with many different suppliers, retailers and farmers. I also am the MB/SK/YT Director for the Canadian Young Farmers Forum and am involved with the MB Young Farmers. I am looking forward to providing an industry perspective to the Manitoba Canola Growers!
Warren Ellis
Our family has owned and operated a pedigreed seed farm and seed business for a century at Wawanesa Man. Karen and I were married in 1984 and have one son and two daughters.
Some of my education includes an Ag Diploma from University of Manitoba, Certified Crop Advisor (past), various business management classes, futures and option trading, and human relations.
Some past involvement on boards includes, Manitoba Seed Growers Association, SeCan, Manitoba Provincial Exhibition, and Manitoba Canola Growers Association.
I really enjoy being part of a board and industry whose focus is to add to the good work already completed. One area that could be improved is the producer’s ability to take advantage of high prices without having to make unrealistic production guarantees.
The canola industry will continue to grow, and through grower boards like the MCGA, producers will be a part of its success.
Charles Fossay
I operate a fourth-generation grain farm in partnership with three of my brothers and a nephew four miles north of Starbuck, Man.. We grow wheat, barley, oats, flaxseed, canola, soybeans and corn. I have been a director with Manitoba Canola Growers for eight years and I am looking to serve one more term as a director.
I have been involved with several provincial farm organizations and have served on various committees over the last 40 years. I have a wealth of experience in representing Manitoba grain producers on issues of agricultural policy, in dealing with board governance and with board finances.
Currently, in addition to serving on MCGA’s board of directors I represent Manitoba canola producers on the Canola Council of Canada and represent Manitoba’s crop commodity groups on Keystone Agricultural Producer’s board of directors.
I look for your support in becoming a director of MCGA.
Fiona Jochum
Fiona Jochum is a young farmer from St. Francois Xavier, Man. Growing up on the family farm and being involved in the community sparked her interest in agriculture. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Diploma of Agriculture and a Bachelor’s Degree of AgriBusiness. Fiona worked in crop protection research, sales, ag policy, and travelled to Australia where she worked on a grain farm, before returning to work full time on the family grain farm. Working in various sectors of the agriculture industry gave her a broader understanding of agriculture across Canada and globally.
While Fiona likes a challenge, some of the adversities of canola (flea beetles, heat blast, diamondback…) threaten to bump it from the title of “Fiona’s Favourite Crop”. By joining the MCGA, Fiona hopes to continue the drive to advance the canola industry in Manitoba, finding solutions to the challenges farmers face.
