The group Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board have received the green light from the Manitoba Court of Appeal to pursue a legal claim against the federal government.

The chair of the group, Stewart Wells of Swift Current, says the court action follows the privatization of the Canadian Wheat Board by the Harper government.

He says the Friends of the Wheat Board is calling for the return of 150 million dollars to farmers that were marketing wheat and barley through the Wheat Board in 2011 and 2012.

The legal action also calls for 10 million dollars in punitive damages, and with interest accruing since 2012, he says the total claim is about 190 million dollars.

For the last 8 years, the Friends of the Wheat Board have argued the Harper government did not have the right to transfer 150 million dollars in cash assets away from farmers and direct the money towards payment of restructuring costs and the government of Saudi Arabia and the grain company Bunge.

The Friends argue the seizure added to the gift of wheat board assets that was made to G3 Limited, which is owned by the government of Saudi Arabia and the grain company Bunge.

Bunge has since sold its shares to the government of Saudi Arabia which now owns most of G3.

Wells says The Friends of the Wheat Board will now seek certification as a class action lawsuit.
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