By George Crowell
Early in March 2015, we of COMER were surprised and delighted to learn that the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) had just endorsed our “Call for Renaissance of the Bank of Canada” which had been on our website for several years without attracting much attention. Having written the “Call,” and having contributed to support of the NFU for many years, I was especially excited, and immediately made a phone call to the President of the NFU, Jan Slomp. As we got acquainted, we discovered strong common interests in social justice and environmental preservation, especially as relating to our food and money systems. Subsequently I joined the NFU as a non-farmer associate member. When I discovered that the NFU was holding its annual convention in my home city of London, Ontario, November 25-28, I decided to attend.
At the convention I was greatly impressed by the commitment of NFU farmer members to producing healthy, organic foods through environmentally sound practices, with a sophisticated scientific emphasis on improving and protecting soils. The meetings were well organized and a spirit of warmth and concern for human welfare prevailed. I was invited to speak briefly to a plenary session. I thanked the NFU for endorsing our “Call,” and, for those unfamiliar with our money system, explained how the private banks are able to monopolize for their own benefit the power to create money out of nothing, a power which we need to shift to public control for public benefit. This could be done, as we have been saying here at COMER for thirty years now, through returning to proper use of our publicly owned Bank of Canada.
When I saw that resolutions were being presented at the convention, I drafted the following:
Be it resolved that the National Farmers’ Union urges the government of Canada under the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cease opposition to the lawsuit of the Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform (COMER) against the government of Canada for failure to carry out the mandate of the Bank of Canada Act; and
Be it further resolved that the NFU urges the government of Canada immediately to begin using the Bank of Canada, as mandated, to provide essentially interest-free loans to all levels of government in Canada for infrastructure, social programs, and debt retirement. This resolution was passed on November 28 in a vote that, as far as I could tell, was unanimous.
I recommend membership in the NFU not only for farmers, but also for nonfarmers who can join as associate members for $65 per year. Check out their website. They are working for a food system that could benefit all of us.
Our Comment
George Crowell is a long-time member of COMER, who’s sterling and unceasing efforts to educate and activate have been invaluable initiatives in the cause of monetary reform.
Imagine how effective it would be were other unions to follow the lead of the National Farmers’ Union?
Hats off to the National Farmers’ Union for their commitment to human welfare.
And thank you, George, for showing us the way!
Élan
