> So, Kevin, you get those big, bad migratories sent back south. Or set up
> a cumbersome bureaucracy, that has little understanding of agricultural
> deadlines.  I expect Allen Dick and Dave Eyre to point out that this
> *can* be done... But the dismantling of our present migratory system
> would cause enormous disruptions, causing a lot of folks the loss of
> their livelihoods, both on the grower side and on the beekeeper side...

I hear my name mentioned here.

I'm not sure what I am supposed to say.  I hope I am not expected to support
arbitrary restrictions based on fear and ignorance and bloated beaurocracies,
because I don't.  I can, however say, yes, I have seen it done -- and it ain't
pretty.  ...And it stays forever.

When Canadians first considered an embargo on bees from the USA many years back,
because of tracheal mites, my predictions of the outcome of border closure were
pretty much what Dave describes.

Border closure, when it came, did a lot of damage to Canadian beekeepers and the
supporting suppliers.  It also did some good for those who were prepared.  Did
it ever do enough good to justify the pain?  Or did it do more damage than the
mite it slowed down?  I doubt that question will ever be truly resolved.

To this day, Alberta does not strongly support national or provincial border
closure and insists on reconsidering the issue annually -- much to the annoyance
of the rest of Canada.  Alberta Beekeepers, when faced with these lose/lose
decisions, weigh the options very carefully and try to chose the path of least
pain and damage and greatest opportunities over one of 'high principle' and
restrictions of personal liberty and opportunity.

In Alberta, individual freedom of opportunity is cherished over some vague idea
of 'general good' and unless hard facts are there to prove that a restriction on
movement will result in a very obvious and tangible benefit to beekeepers and
the population at large, it gets turned down every time.

Let them truckers roll - 10-4!

allen