The Huron Expositor, 1978-06-01, Page 17ners sae apareclatid by Bob irony. Ekiile Elmo& oat N30 2C7
Do we need an investigation?
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The association said that Loblaws Ltri-thas-been -deducting
two per cent from. cheques paid to growers, shippers and
packer-shippers for Ontario produce for 'more than a •
year. Dominion Stores Ltd. began, a discount program, too,
whereby suppliers were asked to sign a form allowing a
two-per-cent discount from the purchase price of On-
tario produce.
How can they do this? By simply saying, hey, you guys!
You better 'give us this discount or we'll .buy from some-
body else.
Those big boys have the clout to do it and it's a shame
they are, allowed to use such a clout if all the charges are .
true.
The practice has been discontinued by both the—big
chains at the request of the provincial government. I
doubt if it would have stopped in any, other way because,
apparently, it is not
Maybe it isn't. Maybe it does not contravene the Corn-
banes Investigation Act.
I submit that maybe it is immoral and the sooner it is
stopped permanently through a full investigation and
some legislation to prevent, it happening again, the better
off the.fortning community and the consumers will_be.-
You think the consumers benefit? I doubt it. That. two.
per Centprobal:Iiy went. Ink; the corporate pockets of the
big chains and little benefit went to the buying public.
. Such offensive Practices can come about when the buy-
ing power its held by half a dozen firms throughout- this
whole natirin.--This..isthe way..it is in the food business.
Not more ,than six or. seven 'huge food chains control as
much as 90 per cent of the buying of food in Canada. Such
corporate power is mind boggling.
Power tends to corruipt. AbSolute power corrupts abso-
lutely. "7-
These words mean the 'same ,thing as when they were
said> in 1887 by Lord- Acton, The sooner legislation can be
passed to prevent even the ability to wield such power:
the better off we will be. •
[By Jack Riddell, M.P.P.]
Agriculture and Food Minister
Newman has announced a
new asparagus marketing plan for
the 1978 season. The, new plan
will- include all asparagus
producers, allow for collection of
licence fees on an acreage basis,
and enable the board to
determine the minimum price for
asparagus for processing. Mr. '
Newman said that the Farm
Products Marketing Board
conducted an expression of
opinion of asparagus producers
• and 75.5% of those , voting
supported the proposal for
changes in the marketing plan.
Under the new marketing plan,
an industry advisory committee of
processors • and producers will
hold formai meetings to review
asparagus requirements and
market conditions before the
board established the 'price to
processors.
The Farm Products. Marketing
Board, at the request of the,
Asparagus Board will establish a
licence fee of $25 per acre for
1978. The maximumfee
_ approved by-the producers in the--
expression of opinion was $35 per
acre.
Premier Davies and Premier
Rene Levesque of Qiiebec met at
Queen's Park this week; and
apparently dealt with the
question 'of national unity only
incidentally. The Premiers' 13
page communique referred to
vaguely worded agreements
to end Several inter-provincial
irritants, and they spoke of
,agreement on "equity and
reciprocity" for construction
workers from one province
holding jobs in the 'other. Mr,
Leveque said that did not mean
that ho will drop a regulation
plaimed to'go into effect July 1st,
,which would require extensive
Quebec work' experience for
Ontario labourers seeking jobs in
Quebec, ' and that the two
Ministers of Labour are
continuing negotiations. He told,a
press conference that he and the
Ontario Premier should meet at
least once a year. His own
conclusion would be that the two
provinces can Centirriletheir close •
association even if Quebec leaves
Canada - "Whatever the future
may hold, they will continue to be
neighbours," he said of Ontario
and Quebec'.
There has been considerable
-.debate in recent weeks about a
Toronto tabloid "Strike", Whieh
has received a number of grants
from the Provincial Government
from the Ontario Arts Cooncil,
and Wintarlo Funds. Liberal
Leader Stuart Snaith charged •that
the Minister of Culture and
Recreation, Robert Welch, ga ve
personal approval. The tabloid is
owned by Kensington Art
Association, and has published
pictures of bullet-riddled bodies,
advocating terrorism and stating
that it "supports leg shooting
knee capping to accelerate the
demise of the old system".
The
Moister has now backtracked
ftoth earlier statements that the
tabloid had no connection with
the Art Association, and has said
that a cheque for a further grant
will be blocked until "a full
• review", is run on the group,
Open
Friday
Nites
'till 9
Jack's Jo' tting4s t
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, JUN
11
New plan for asparagus
Many months ago a few intrepid farm writers were
suggesting to anyone who would listen that some type of
investigation was necessary between 'the farm gate and
the dinner, table.
The charges then were exactly those being brought up
now: That the buying practices of the big food chains in
Canada did, not appear to , be lily white. In other words,
those big chains were demanding kickbacks and demand-
ing-extra money for display spaces among other things.
This writer has been carping about the major food
chains in this, country since Bill Bewman wore short pants.
On a number of occasions, I have detailed the intricacies
of both Loblaws and Dominion stores and how they are
capable of interfering ,along the food chain because of the
tremendous power they yield. They own the trucking
firms, the flour mills, the shipping lines, the sugar com-
panies, the' wholesalers, the distributors, even the pack-
agers in some cases, as well as the retail outlets.
Whether they do interfere has never been proved but
the potential is certainly there. .
Now comes Peter Hannam, president of the Ontario
Federation of.,Agriculture, front-and-centre to say the big
food chains are interfering. His' remarks ,were taken seri-
ettsly and.a committee to investigate has been-formed,- And
it may lead to a full-scale judicial inquiry or a royal com-
mission. •
_I hope it does- _ ,
I vaguely recall some years ago when the old food
prides review board was in existence that ,big food chain
officials refused to divulge a lot of information the board
wanted. 'Officials said the board had no. legal reason for
demanding the information so they could go suck eggs.
It's different this tirbe around. Even a couple of mem-
berS of the legislature are suggesting that these complaints
of kickbacks, if true, are bordering on,,criminality...
The whole can of worms was prompted by some brave
people within the Ontario Fruit Growers Association.
-After 35 years
Gordon. Bennett retires .refires.
After 35 years Of service to
Ontario farmers, R. Gordon. Ben-
nett will retire June 1 as, deputy
minister of agriculture and food.
Premier William G. Davis has
announced- that he will be suc-
ceeded by Kenneth E. Lantz, who
has been assistant deputy for
production and rural development
for 15 years. -
"Gordon Bennett's dedication,
to agriculturat progress has won
him the friendship and respect of
Jarrners throughout the
province," said Agriculture
Minister Bill Newman.
"There is no way of measuring
his contributuion over the years to
the development of our
agricultural community. There
have been vast changes in the
business of producing and
marketing food. Mr. Bennett has
worked tirelessly to help Ontario
meet thete challenges and main-
tain our position as a pacesetter in
farming.
"We will miss his warmth of
personality as well as ,his ex-
pertise, but I hope the Govern-
ment may sometimes be able to
draw upon his wealth of ex-
perience."
Born on a Wentworth County
farm, Mr. Bennett, graduated
from the Ontario Agriucltural'
College in 1943 and became an
assistant agriZultural representa-
County. Later tive in Middlesex
he moved to Glen• garry and Huron
ounty "ag rep." Counties as, the c
In 1951 he moved to the
ministry'shead office . as an
associate director in charge of 4-1-1-,
AgriculturalC lib ':He has -
always maintained his ties with
the youth of rural Ontario and is a
former president of the Canadian
Council pn 4-H Clubs.°
Mr. Bennett was named as-
sociate director of the Extension
Branch in 1956.. He became chief
agricultural office'r in 1958, chiei
of jthe Marketing Division, in 1961
and assistant deputy minister in
1962. He has been deputy
minister since 1975.
Mr. Lantz was born on 'a farm
in North Easthope Township in
Perth County. A graduate of
O.A.C., he killowed Mr, Bennett
'as assistant ag rep in Middlesex
from 1945 to 1948: 'He headed the
Stormont County office from 1948
to 1951, and the Kent —County
office from 1951. to 1958.
Mr. Lantz moved to head office
in 1958 as associate director of-the
Extension Branch. In 1960 he was
appointed extension director, and
'in 1963 assistant deputy minister.
• "His extensive experience in_
all phases of extension work will
combine with his specialized
knowledge of soils and crops to
make .Ken Lantz a top-flight
successor to Gordon Bennett,''
Mr. Newman said.
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