Knock Knock

Rob Bernshaw

Rob Bernshaw, Columnist, Pincher Creek Voice

Knock Knock
Who’s there?

Is it hope and faith amidst the seemingly endless erosion of our rural farm life, and the roots of our pioneer heritage that is Canada?

With the recent federal government’s cuts to the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration(PFRA), what will happen to families currently in the PFRA system as pasture managers and professional cowboys? Will rural life disappear from the Canadian Landscape altogether and a Coruscant like planet emerge, giving forth flashes of light; glittering for all to see?

Change is inevitable as it is part of daily life, some accept change quietly, patiently moving forward with determination and a spirit that would make our pioneer ancestors proud. Some look at change as a purgatory that they would rather avoid at all costs.


We all are crying for less government in our lives, but yet when it happens we are seemingly ill prepared to move forward and fail to see the trees through the forest of doubt and despair that occurs when our livelihood is threatened.

Because of the rural lifestyle and the hardiness towards adapting through tough times, the rural cowboy and farmer will find ways to move forward as the true pioneers they are. With that in mind and with recent federal legislation also changing the role of the Canadian Wheat Board, it appears all three western provinces Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, could soon have new wheat commissions in place. These commissions would fill a void in areas that greatly affect wheat research, grain quality, market development and advocating for the farmer. This is news that as time marches relentlessly forward is good to hear and is one way of moving forward from less government in our lives.

As pioneers in adapting, what would the cowboy do if bucked off their favorite horse? Would the true pioneer walk away and turn their backs on the future or would their pioneer roots take over and the cowboy would pick themselves up and be right back in the fray, riding forward with determination and a spirit that has always prevailed amongst the rural community.

There is a saying when a door is shut, a window opens to opportunities, that we may not see in the hour of despair immediately following a massive change to the status quo.

Let us all help to preserve the rural way of life by picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off and finding windows of opportunities, that are always open for viewing, when our eyes and mind have been opened, to see what has been in front of us all the time.

A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change.  ~Earl Nightingale (American Entertainer 1921 - 1989)

Have a great day everyone, by going out to face your world with a renewed hope, determination and perseverance, in your pioneering abilities, of adapting to change!