Not that Heather said so -- she took the the high road and stuck to facts -- but I get the impression that Honey Council can see the hand writing on the wall and is now fighting a rearguard battle to maintain, or appear to be maintaining, control of CFIA's agenda on the border prohibition.  My personal take on things is that CFIA is waking up to realize that they have been mislead on the border issue by the special interest biases that are inherent in CHC and CAPA, and are proceeding towards eliminating all involvement with bee prohibitions as quickly as they can.  I also get the impression, from speaking to several sources, that the importation of queens is a forgone conclusion -- only the details are in question.

The reason for a special CHC meeting now, in October, just before the BCHPA meeting in Kelowna , not later at the CHC convention in Winnipeg in January, is -- in my opinion -- that many in the CHC are quite concerned that the ABA could finally vote to leave CHC at the ABA annual meeting in early November.  The ABA has entertained motions on the question almost every year for the last ten years and more, but the motion has always failed, sometimes by a narrow margin.  However, if the ABA forms a commission this year -- and there are indications it will -- the ABA will become financially much stronger than CHC, and have roughly the same size of representation.  Along with the adherents to CHPA, ABA could eclipse the weakened CHC.

Although CHC is fairly sure the ABA will not leave, CHC cannot afford \to take a chance.  Currently, CHC's best hope is to undermine support in the  ABA membership for pulling the ABA out of CHC, by appearing to toss western beekeepers a bone.  That bone is support for US mainland queens.  They'll likely also dangle the hope of future packages and/or a totally open border.  They are making a big show of finally taking these matters seriously, now that they have lost their influence and the end of the prohibition is in sight.

Right now, it appears Honey Council is struggling to try to regain leadership in the industry they claim to represent, but which they have fractured into two camps through arrogance and insensitivity.  After being a major roadblock to the aspirations of many, CHC will now attempt to seem to be a leader the action to open the border to queens.  IMO, there is really no need for the upcoming meeting they have arranged at great expense, if it is only to discuss queen importation.  The border will open to queens -- under permit -- anyhow, and IMO, the big, expensive meeting would be all for show and face-saving.

That makes me wonder if there is another, hidden, agenda.  Could the meeting be an effort to obtain a tacit agreement for renewal of the blanket import prohibition when it comes up for renewal shortly?  Those who want queens now must be very careful not to give CFIA the impression that they are willing to trade away the right to import packages soon, or even two-way border traffic in bees.  Although CFIA will, hopefully make up its own mind, CFIA may be tempted to renew the ban if it thinks that the industry would accept another two years of such interference.

 As for packages from California, they are a real possibility not too far down the road, especially if those in favour of an open border make a point of writing and phoning provincial and federal politicians, and civil servants, to point out the need.  They might also point out that CFIA has been far too cozy with Honey Council and CAPA, and that CFIA should be doing their own, independent due diligence, using sources both north and south of the Canada/US border, and in Europe, not exclusively biased Canadian sources.

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