Pro-wheat board farmer tossed from Commons gallery

A Manitoba farmer stood up in the visitor's gallery of the House of Commons to chastise the government over its move to end the monopoly power of the Canadian Wheat Board.

Dean Harder was quickly removed from the gallery, but not before yelling at the government and displaying two protest signs.

Harder's action was applauded by the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance, which issued a news release and picture of Harder with his signs.

"Mr. Harder’s frustration with how this issue is being handled is understandable," Gilbert Ferre, vice-chair of the alliance, said Friday. "We are also very frustrated and angry with the Harper government’s unwillingness to listen to farmers or consider in any sort of serious way all the implications of killing our Canadian Wheat Board."

Legislation to transform the board from a mandatory seller of wheat produced in Western Canada, to a voluntary marketing agency is now before Parliament and is set to be voted on Monday in the House of Commons. From there, if the government's majority holds, the bill would move to the Senate.

Gerry Ritz, the federal minister of agriculture said Friday he was hopeful the legislation would be given royal assent in time for the beginning of the new year.

Harder's signs read "Save the Single Desk" and "Lies", repeating concerns of wheat board supporters that multi-national grain companies stood to benefit most from the changes.

The alliance describes itself as a non-partisan organization focused specifically on the Canadian Wheat Board. Its members see advantages to producers in having a single desk sell their wheat.