HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-01-24, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013.Act ‘takes advantage of reasonable people’Continued from page 15
and the entire search performed by
the OSPCA can be recorded. “It’s
your property and your right.”
Noble painted an intimidating
image of the current OSPCA, saying
that a chief inspector who had
arrived shortly before his resignation
indicated to the board that every
farm was a potential for the group to
make money through fines and
settlements. He said that, after that
attitude had become ingrained in
several members of the board, the
rest left. Noble also stated that the
employees of the OSPCA are
ridiculously over-compensated,
indicating that, when he retired, he
made far less as a professional
firefighter than some of them.
“There are currently three people
at the OSPCA on the Sunshine List,”
he said. “As a professional
firefighter, I made $40,000 a year
when I retired. I figure that job is
more important than sitting and
giving a board direction.”
He said that Ontario needs change
and, if it doesn’t realize it, the
OSPCA is going to make it very
difficult to be a farmer or for anyone
who wants to raise animals.
MacLaren took some of his time
to talk about how the Liberal Party
of Ontario has no intention of
changing the OSPCA Act and stated
that both the Conservatives and the
New Democratic Party (NDP) were
interested in doing so. He said that
people need to get out in the next
election and vote for change and to
give their local MPPs
encouragement to question the
OSPCA Act, regardless of their
political leanings.
“Even some Conservative MPPs
need some encouragement to tackle
the issue,” he said.
Like all the panelists, MacLaren
had horror stories about the OSPCA,
including repeating some comments
made by their chief inspector, Hugh
Coghill, which MacLaren feels
shows the inability of the group to
work with others.
Coghill, according to MacLaren,
said he would “like to put a farmer in
a cage on the back of a truck and
drive them around town,” in an
attempt to show a farmer how
animals must feel.
“What an attitude that is. How can
we deal with that?” MacLaren asked
the audience. “There is no time to
think we can talk to these people, to
find equal ground. Some farm
organizations have tried that and
they have failed. They are taking us
in, sucking us in and taking
advantage of the fact that we’re
reasonable people.”
MacLaren said that the group is
untouchable because they have no
oversight and work under the rules
of a charity.
“That allows them to do what they
want without anyone influencing
them,” he said.
The group discussed several other
issues before taking questions and
statements from the floor including
the devastating effect having their
rights read to them on their own
property can impose on a farmer.
Some even mentioned cases where
people have been hospitalized due to
heart attacks, strokes, stress and
attempted suicide while dealing with
the OSPCA.
Continued from page 12
that it IS absolute, not relative – and
incorporate it into our lives. The
Apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness...” (2Tim
3:16) There would be no need for
teaching, rebuking, and correcting
if, as some suppose, “Truth is up to
each person’s interpretation.” The
New Testament also holds that
God’s word itself “is living and
active...It penetrates even to
dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart.” (Heb 4:12)
Who’s judging now? Not any
human agency, but God’s own word.
It provides a reference point by
which we may live, choosing its
paths with the Holy Spirit’s help.
Young people may chafe at
standards of morality they perceive
as “old-fashioned”, especially in the
area of premarital sex. But
humourist Phil Callaway said
something at his daughter’s
wedding reception that reflects the
wholesomeness and helpfulness of
God’s standards. He commended
the young couple, “Thanks to both
of you for not opening your
Christmas presents in September.
Sadly, the world we brought you
into teaches you to wait for nothing.
Like you, Ramona [Callaway’s
wife] and I didn’t share a pillow
until our wedding night. We’ve not
regretted it for a single moment.”
Looking for local heroes
There are so many people out there who do
so much to improve their community.
Now you have a chance to say thanks.
Nominate that special person for the 28th
Annual Citizen Citizenship Awards.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area
and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the
community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the ballot
and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee
should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and he or she didn't win,
please feel free to try again.
I nominate
as Citizen of the year for
I feel she/he deserves this award because
Nomination Deadline April 30, 2013.
Name and phone number of nominator
❑Blyth
& area ❑Brussels
& area
Fender bender
A minor collision saw two vehicles damaged in Blyth early last week. A delivery truck and a
pickup truck collided in front of the Blyth Library, resulting in one of the vehicles running into
the building. (Denny Scott photo)
Don’t
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Christmas
in Sept.
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