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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-09-29, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011.Continued from page 15apprenticeship program to helpyoung people get the start in farming they need to ensure that a new generation of farmers living and raising families in our communities. The NDP has also been a long- time supporter of Risk Management. We will continue the program, working with the Official Opposition in Ottawa, to get the Federal Government to come to the table and invest in Ontario agriculture for once. We will also work on issues like ending the agri-stability clawback. PM: Our communities benefit from providing fresh and healthy local food. The food sector is the second largest employer in Ontario. Our farms need to be profitable to have a prosperous rural community. We recognize that our food system is facing some big challenges. Farm incomes are mostly negative. The number of farms is declining, while the age of the average farmer is rising. We need to make some changes to ensure our farmers have to have a stable and reliable income. We need to provide easier access to healthy food for Ontarians. This can be achieved by creating a healthy school food program. We need to invest in community food programs that promote access to healthy food and cooking and nutrition classes. The Green Party will provide tax credits to farmers who donate to food security systems. There are too many barriers hindering the success of local and family farms. We need to get rid of these “one-size-fits-all” regulations and shift to regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations. Tax penalties need to be eliminated, and we need to reduce zoning restrictions to make it easier to have local food projects and innovative sources of farm income.Income stabilization programs needto be improved so that they are more accessible to family farms. They need to cover a wider range of products and not penalize farmers who experience bad years. We will promote programs to support financially sustainable local food programs. We can co-ordinate planning across ministries and consult diverse stakeholders on programs, regulations and legislation by establishing an Ontario Food and Farming Policy council. Farmers that exercise stewardship practices that provide community benefits (such as clean water, habitat preservation and carbon storage) would be rewarded. CS: I grew up on a dairy farm, and I know the struggles of the farmer. The Family Coalition Party has always believed that the family farm is one of the basic building blocks of Ontario’s economy. Legislation to protect and encourage the development of agriculture will ensure the stability of rural communities, and help ensure that there will be a continued good supply of quality produce at affordable prices. Supporting farmers strengthens the local economy. Policies and legislation to enable the farmer are crucial. For example, if we can keep our local abattoirs in business by changing the legislation to support them instead of the current one that forces them out of business; this would be a huge step to ensure the viability of agriculture in the community. More accessibility to provincial programs is another step to assisting the farmer in his operation. In addition, promoting local food in hospitals, schools, and other institutions strengthens the marketfor local farmers, and provides amuch higher quality of food for the consumer. To assist and ensure a new generation of farming, we need to expand the programs on agriculture in the schools to promote knowledge and understanding of the agricultural industry to our students. Giving incentives and a break to new farmers will ensure the sustainability of agriculture tomorrow. DV: Cut taxation, cut read tape, cut all government subsidies, stop government meddling in how you choose to farm and what you chose to farm! Big job? You’re right, so we may as well get started! I don’t like protectionist policy, however, we should protect not just farmers but all business from unfair trade! 4. Ontario was hit hard by the 2008-2009 recession. There are fears another recession is imminent. What would your party do to counteract the detrimental effects of such a downturn? CM: We have worked extremely hard to get the economy on track after the worst recession in 80 years. Ontario Liberals made some bold decisions, and created a tax system that would move us ahead and make us more competitive. Our tax package, including the HST is forecasted to help create 600,000 new jobs. We are on the right track. Ontario has recovered more jobs than were lost in the recession. Ontario is leading the way in Canada in job creation and attracting international investment, due in part to our competitive tax system. In 2010 Ontario attracted foreign investment worth $6.1 billion US, and auto sales and manufacturing sales have risen. Tax reforms make businesses more competitive byhelping them afford to invest in newequipment and technology. Since 2003, Huron-Bruce has received funding for a variety of economic development initiatives, including recent announcements of $15.7 million for the Goderich Port expansion, $1 million for Pioneer Hi-Bred and $128,250 for Green’s Meat Market and Abattoir. These investments will strengthen the local economy and create jobs. Is there more to do? Of course. Let’s continue to work together to strengthen the economy in Huron- Bruce. LT: During the last eight years the McGuinty government has increased spending by 77 per cent while revenues have only grown by 10 per cent. It took 23 premiers over 136 years to incur a provincial debt of $148 billion. In just eight years a Liberal government has doubled that debt to almost $300 billion. Our annual interest payments alone are in excess of $10 billion; we are a have-not province. Dalton McGuinty’s tax and spend approach to government has been a job killer with the loss of 300,000 jobs and unemployment rates above the national average for the past four years. Job creation is a priority that will help Ontario lead again. Our plan includes a $35 billion investment in jobs with infrastructure spending on priorities like hospitals and highways. Energy policy will be treated like economic policy, expensive energy experiments are killing jobs as they drive up the cost of doing business in Ontario. Reducing corporate taxes and eliminating costly red tape along with putting more money in the pockets of consumers by reducing their taxes will help strengthen our economy in the long term. GR: The NDP is also the only party proposing a rainy day fund to be set aside in case of further economic downturns. This will be done so that the province of Ontario does not have to go to the banks and international money markets to borrow money with high interest rates – costs that take funds away from important services like healthcare and education. That helps keep jobs inour communities.The NDP has a comprehensive jobs plan. We will provide a $5,000 credit for any business of any size that creates a new job for any Ontarian regardless of background. We will also provide a further $3,400 tax credit for any business that invests in training new workers or upgrades the skills of current workers on new technologies or equipment. As well, the NDP will invest in apprenticeships and training for the skilled trades. These are paying jobs with a large demand for workers. It’s time government gave the trades the attention they deserve. Independent economic study after study has shown that the other parties’ approach of across-the- board giveaways to the banks and biggest most profitable corporations do not create jobs. Targeted investment in businesses of all sizes does help create jobs. That is why the NDP has developed our tax credit plan. We will also reduce small business taxes to four per cent, supporting our local employers and keeping jobs in our small towns. PM: 1. Fight for good jobs and a fiscally responsible government. A) Lower income taxes on families and local businesses to stimulate job creation. B) Reward efficient use of resources and responsibly balance our finances with a revenue neutral tax on waste, pollution and carbon emissions. C) Balance the budget by 2015, saving billions in debt and ensuring our tax dollars are spent on ALICE BROTHERS Alice Marie Brothers passed away peacefully at her residence, Cedarcroft Place, Stratford on Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. She was born in Brussels in 1916 and had lived in Scarborough for many years before returning to Brussels and finally to Stratford in 2006. Alice was predeceased by her husband Lyle Brothers after 66 years of marriage and two daughters Darlene Robb and Dolores Brothers. She leaves behind a daughter Nancy Brothers (David Doyle) and three grandchildren, Geoff Robb (Corinne), Simon Brothers (Jenn) and Brianne Brothers, as well as two great-grandchildren Myles and Oliver Brothers. Alice lived a long and healthy life filled with her church, her music, her family and her many travels. For many years she was a piano instructor and church organist and treated many residents with music in the local nursing homes. She will be dearly missed by all who came in contact with her. Friends and relatives may attend the W.G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron St., Stratford on Friday, Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. until the time of the memorial service at 11 a.m. The Venerable Dr. Lorne Mitchell will officiate. Burial of Alice Brothers and her husband Lyle Brothers will take place in the Brussels Cemetery on Saturday at 10 a.m. As expressions of sympathy memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation through the funeral home at 519- 271-7411 or www.wgyoungfuneral home.com OLIVE CLARKE Olive Clarke of Atwood passed away peacefully at Listowel Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. She was 98. Olive was the beloved wife of the late Albert Clarke who predeceased her in 1980. She is survived by daughter Mona and her husband Albert Hutton of Listowel and son Bert and his wife Min Clarke of Atwood. She will be missed by grandchildren Deb Hutton and husband Tim Hudak of Toronto, James and wife Sharon Hutton of Kitchener and great-grandchildren Andrew, Zachary, Ben and Meredith Hutton and Miller Hudak. She was the dear sister of Evelyn Carter of Seaforth and Ina McGrath of Egmondville and sister-in-law of Helen Williamson of Walton. She was predeceased by her parents Thomas and Gertrude (Forbes) Williamson, a daughter in infancy, sisters Olda and husband Russell Jervis, Florence and husband George Nesbitt, brothers Herbert Williamson, Norman and wife Evelyn Williamson, Roy and wife Kathleen Williamson and brothers-in-law Lorne Carter and Michael McGrath. Olive’s family invited relatives and friends to share their memories at the Brenneman Funeral Home, 141 John Street, Atwood on Friday, Sept. 23 where the funeral service to celebrate her life was held on Saturday, Sept. 24. Rev. Michelle Owens and Rev. George Russell officiated. Interment followed in Brussels Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to Brussels Cemetery or VON Perth-Huron would be appreciated by the family. www.brennemanfuneralhome.ca KAY McCREERY Catherine “Kay” (Callahan) McCreery, formerly of Brussels, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 at Caressant Care Nursing Home, Listowel. Born in London on May 23, 1919, Kay was in her 93rd year. Kay was the beloved wife of the late Murray McCreery (July 30, 2006) and will be sadly missed by her brother Bud Callahan and his wife Phyllis of London and her sister-in-law Jean Menzies of RR 1, Listowel. She was also loved by her friends Larry and Pat Keffer, Tom and Linda Stevens and Howard and Brenda Turner and her nieces and nephews. Kay was predeceased by her brother Jack and brother-in-law David Menzies. Friends were received by the family one hour prior to the funeral service which was conducted on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. from the Gorrie Visitation Centre of the Schimanski Family Funeral Home. Rev. Jeff Hawkins officiated. Burial was at Molesworth Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Listowel Hospital Foundation. Online condolences may be left at www.schimanskifamilyfuneral home.com Candidates pledge to avoid another recession Improve Sales the EasyWay Looking to attract more customers this fall? There’s a handy way to do it, advertise in our Fall Home Improvement section for exposure to the readers you most want to reach. Promote your products, services, suggestions and special offers alongside articles that touch on everything from landscaping to basement renovations, kitchen and bath remodels, window replacements and a whole lot more. To find out more about the business-building opportunities in this special section coming out on October 20. The Citizen Deadline for advertising is this special section is October 14 Fall Home Improvement Call Ken or Lori today 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114. REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. ALL ARE IN COLOUR 4x6 - $4.00 5x7 - $5.00 8x10 - $8.00 Phone to order ~ 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 Obituaries Continued on page 22