Today a grown man was nearly brought to tears
My Dad, Howard, the man who raised me and has been a farmer for all 60 years of his life was in the tractor feeding bales of hay. Smiling and laughing as my niece, his granddaughter, Tennessee sat next to him wide-eyed taking in and loving the wonderment of a life on the farm. My dog ran beside me, exhausted by a marathon run for such tiny legs but happier than can be helping contribute to our farm. And me watching the gates of each pen while trading sneaking blows of an intense wagging tongue match with Tennessee. All three of us laughing over the fun of our work.
I realized today, this may be the last time I'll get to experience these sort of life defining moments. That my niece may not even remember this moment. That my father who face shows the lines of hardships, sorrows, love, life and mostly laughter. Who's weathered the pains of drought, BSE and personal lose, could be forced to forever give up on the one thing that held him up strong through all these trials. Family
All these thoughts brought me to the brink of tears. I don't want to lose my heritage and my families way of life. Today all I ask is that you listen. This is not a case of who's right or wrong, this is simply me, trying my best to speak up for the family farms of Alberta and the world. We are a small voice but like any voice an important one.
Please put a stop to Bill 6
Bill 6 as is being instated by Alberta's NDP government will force farms and ranches under OHS rules and workers compensation regulations. It's a bill that has the best of intentions, it is intended to prevent injury or death on farms. By all rights it sounds like the logical solution to this problem. It gives the same equal rights to farmers that all workers should rightfully have.
Here's the problem. We don't want those rights, and we never asked for them. Family farms are unlike any other workplace in the world and family farmers are unlike any other job in the world. We can't be ruled by the same common safety practices as every other job. Because it will quite simply kill an already dying industry. Those affected by this bill were not consulted or given a voice on the matter.
Family farms exist because we are unlike any job. We exist, not for profit, not for financial gain, we exist for one reason and one reason alone. Love.
A love of the land, a love of animals, a love of family, and a love for life. As noble as the intentions of Bill 6 seem they do not protect these values. The entire scene I described above, which I lived today, and have a million times before in my 28 years ends with this Bill. A group of people that live day to day on a tight budget will be forced to change their way of life and pay for things that will only hinder their job and stifle their chances to survive. My Dad, will be forced to take and pay for courses to run the tractor he has worked on and with his entire life. So will I, and my brother, and my sisters. My dog, Hobbes, could be deemed a potential risk and would be tied up instead of being allowed to enjoy her natural inclination towards work. Helping out our neighbors during harvest time would be a thing of the past, Since they are not employees. 4-H clubs involving large animals are at huge risk to being a thing of the past. I can’t even choose to help my Dad with simple chores around the farm unless he pays into WCB for me, whether I’m paid or not. Worst of all, my niece, Tennessee, who wants nothing more in life than to help out her family with feeding cows, can't join us anymore. Not only that, but the amazing wide open spaces to explore that define growing up in the country will now be cut off to her by government regulations. Her own home will now be regulated and restricted to her by her government. Family farms are unique in being reliant upon the next generation and being a job where you live in the exact same place as you work. Though calling it a job is wrong, it's not a job, it's a life and that's a big difference
I've lost many friends to farm accidents. You know what never came up? Who is going to compensate us for this lose? Or who will pay my bills when I'm injured? Because we're not a normal workplace, we're a family. Workers compensation doesn't help get hay off the fields, it doesn't feed our animals. It doesn't go out in -40C snowstorms to carry a cold newborn calf to a warm shelter and dry it off with a blanket. Family does that. When bad things happen a family works together to get through the tough times. Family farms are a beautiful place to grow up, and sadly death can be a part of that life. But we don't shelter ourselves from it, we come to realize through our farm, and sometimes the tragic loses, that life is so beautiful because of how short it can be.
Bill 6 is a fast reaction to horrible accidents. It's an attempt to bubble wrap our world. If you want to keep family farms alive and also keep us farmers safe, the solution to this problem is much more simple and at times hard to deal with...
Trust us.
Trust us, to protect our own. To protect those we love and to do the very best we can. Trust us to find the solution to this problem, through education and information. Redirect the money from this Bill into free training programs and farming education. Let us continue to live our way of life. And know that tragedies will happen. That's sadly life and will always be life, no matter how hard we try to fight it. The Bill implies that the government does not trust farmers with their own lives and safety. This Bill doesn't make farms safer, it kills the family in farms and just means that when something bad does go wrong, the farmer pays an even bigger price.
A last bit of very important information that should also be known. Farms are allowed to follow and have OHS and workers compensation like any other business or work place, but it is not required. Making it mandatory with Bill 6 is a nail in the coffin of family farms
This bill can save lives, yes. But it kills something else entirely. It kills family farms, the love and care they put into the land and animals. It pushes farming one step closer to being run only by corporation's where that land and those animals become just a number that needs to match up with the bottom line of making a dollar. 98% of farms in Alberta are family run. We are known the world over for innovating safe farming practices, ethical animal and land treatment and being at the forefront of agriculture. Don't let that die with the passing of this bill
If you treat us like any other workplace, we become that... work. Family farms die and in it's place we get more factory and commercial farms.
I don't write this to get a congrats from my fellow farmers for having the same worries as them. I write this to everyone else out there, especially my friends and family that voted for change in this province and country. You wanted change, and you wanted a government that listened to it's people and was more open minded. Now's your chance to prove it. A true open mind realizes that sometimes they make a mistake. Bill 6 is a mistake. The NDP needs to hear this from it's supporters, not just the opposition and a small minority. I believe that most of us are truly good people and only want the best for each other. Farmers just want to keep our families and to keep providing food for the world. Help us be heard. Keep family farms alive, don't let us die unheard. Prove you are truly a change, not just a swing to the other side of the political spectrum. The strength of a majority can only be respected by how it treats it's minority. Give us a reason to respect this change. Please give us farmers a much needed hand. Our country and province can only be strong when we work together and listen with open hearts and minds.
We've raised our voice, please listen
(If you'd like to help, please voice this to your local MLA and sign this petition to stop Bill 6. If I have tagged you in this note it’s because I know you’re a strong voice who’s opinion I respect and this is an issue you may not be aware of)
https://www.change.org/p/agricultral-minister-alberta-ag-minister-oneil-carlier-ndp-bill-6-enhanced-protection-for-farm-and-ranch-workers-act?recruiter=433121758&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_page&utm_term=des-md-share_petition-custom_msg&fb_ref=Default