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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1977-06-02, Page 17elteferZlimesativocafe June 2, 1977 SECTION TWO Page 17 Premier attends Exeter picnic Davis criticizes Riddell SIGN HERE PLEASE — Scott Jamieson, right, was among the many local youngsters who had Premier William Davis sign an autograph at Friday's picnic in Riverview Park. Many of the youngsters had a Copy of the Davis charter for the Premier to autograph. T-A photo Election system is good provincial candidates agree • 5,. MAIN STREETING — Prior to Friday's picnic at Exeter's Riverview Park, Premier William Davis did some main streeting. He's shown here with his wife, Kathy, shaking hands with some of the people who were on hand to greet him. T-A photo Candidates meet and debate in South Huron District. High School A LIBERAL SERVING — Jock Riddell hands out plates of barbecued beef to Mike Soldan and Don Mantey at the Pineridge Chalet, Monday night, More than 1,800 people attended the Jock Riddell Beef Barbecue, Staff photo GATHER FOR SPEECH—A portion of the large crowd which attended Monday's Jack Riddell beef barbeque listen attentively to a speech by the incurnoent Huron-Middlesex MPP. T-A Photo Premier William Davis this week accused Huron-Middlesex Liberal candidate jack Riddell with not levelling with the voters in the riding. During , an address to about 400 The provincial election cam- paign trail hit South Huron District High School Monday as the three Huron-Middlesex candidates fielded questions from students on preservation of farm land,. unemployment, regional government and nuclear energy. Conservative Anson McKinley criticized the NDP policy of freezing farm land and described the NDP figure of 26 acres of farmland going out of production per hour as "ludicrous". "There is no shortage of farm land and I see no shortage of land in the future", he said. "There is a lot of farm land we consider marginal that is only marginal until someone decides to work the land". "Naturally I disagree", said Huron-Middlesex NDP candidate Shirley Weary. "I don't think the ND? party has any intention of hurting the farmer but the overall picture of the people must be considered", she said. Liberal candidate Jack Riddell outlined the difference between land going out of production and land being "paved over", "There is all kinds of land going up in weeds and this is the kind of land Agriculture Minister William Newman talks about being brought back into production". "Probably we can bring marginal land back into production but it will cost the farmer twice as much more", he said. "The cost of purchasing prime land is more than marginal land SQ the costs equal out", said McKinley. "A farmer on marginal land can produce results if he can buy the land, drain it, and work it at a good price", he said. The provincial candidates also debated party policies people at a picnic in Exeter's Riverview Park on Friday, Davis chastised Riddell for con- tinuing to say that the Progressive Conservatives would force regional government towards unemployment. Riddell criticized the Davis charter and the Conservative promise to create 100,000 jobs a year for the next decade. "If Davis is going to perform this miracle in the next ten years where has he been for the last ten years?" he asked. "What Davis doesn't tell us is that the economy is already creating about 90,000 of these annually by itself." McKinley said expansion of the private sector is the only way to provide more jobs. "Profit has become a bad word but our country lives on 'profit", he said. An executive committee recommendation to Huron County Council Friday that pictures of past wardens be taken at the June session of council and be made available to any warden wishing to buy a copy sparked a variety of comments from council, The committee advised council that it would make arrangements for the pictures to be taken and would arrange to obtain prints for individual wardens who wish to purchase them at their own expense. ' Turnberry deputy-reeve Harry Mulvery objected to council charging past wardens for the prints and suggested that the prints be given to the wardens. He said it was "pretty small" of the county not to pay for the pictures. Goderich reeve Bill Clifford said he would have to vote against any motion for council to buy prints for the wardens adding that council should watch for these "fringe benefits". on the area if they again form the government. "Tell him from me that he doesn't know what he's talking about," the Premier suggested to PC candidate Anson McKinley "Government jobs are a deadend street". McKinley criticized the NDP proposal to increase the minimum wage to four dollars an hour. "It would put people out of work right, left, and centre", he said. Weary defended the NDP $4 minimum wage proposal and said some people find it difficult to live on starting minimum wages. , "I don't think those of us who are well paid should be too quick to say the other fellow shouldn't get too much", she said. Seaforth deputy-reeve Bill Dale said he appreciated the gesture by Mulvey but pointed out that if he wanted a picture of himself he could buy it himself. A second proposal by the executive committee, this one for a golf tournament for council members, department heads, wardens and clerks of neigh- boring counties, touched off some unusual questions from council. East Wawanosh reeve Simon Hallahan wanted to know if anyone on the executive com- mittee knew if council members would have protection at the tournament. Committee chairman Bill Morley said he didn't know what kind of protection Hallahan wanted adding that one member of council had had a nasty ex- perience at one tournament in the past. He said he didn't know if the county was willing to supply "tin pants" but suggested that anyone Who feels unsafe on the golf course could stay in the club house and play cards. who earlier in the day had been in a debate with Riddell on the topic at a meeting at Goderich Collegiate. The Premier was also critical of the Liberal candidate's suggestion that an election was not needed or required at this time. It was pointed out that Riddell had voted on the rim- confidence issue "knowing full well that his actions would force an election". The audience beard the Premier say that he doesn't usually get involved in local issues, but he had broached the two subjects to set the matters at rest. Attendance Counsellors plan session The annual meeting of the Ontario Association of Coun- selling and Attendance Services will be held at Huron Park from June 2 through June 5. Registration will take place at Huron Hall at the Agricultural College between 2 and 5 p.m., Sunday afternoon. The theme of the convention is "Families in Conflict". The more than 100 delegates expected to attend will be of- ficially welcomed at a wine and cheese reception party at 7,30 p.m. sponsored by the City of London Board of Educationby W. E. Fleck, regional director for the Ministry of Education. The keynote address Monday morning at 9.15 a.m. will be delivered by Dr. Benjamin Schlesinger of the Faculty of Education in Toronto. He will be speaking on "Children and Families Through The Looking Glass." In • the afternoon, Dr. . Schlesinger -.will „head ,a-plenty session on "Sexuality and the' Student." The evening will feature an old fashioned country hay ride and a barbeque with the compliments of the town of Exeter. Tuesday morning, J. Lockerbie and 0. Watson will speak on attendance reporting procedures and federal juvenile legislation. A number of workshops will be carried out Tuesday afternoon and in the evening delegates will enjoy a banquet. provided by the Huron County Board of Education, The conference will 'conclude Wednesday morning with tours of the Old Mill in Blyth and the Huron County Museum in Goderich and a golf tournament at the Exeter course. Don Young is the attendance counsellor for the Huron County Board of Education and he is instrumental in setting up arrangements for the conference at Huron Park. TEACHERS ELECT Sister Loretta Hagen of St. Mary's Separate School in Goderich was elected president of the Huron-Perth unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association at the annual meeting here Wednesday night. She succeeds Gaetan Blanchette' of Goderich. Other officers are: vice- presidents, Ingeborge Marshall, Goderich, and Mike Dewar, Stratford; recording secretary, Teresa Woods, Stratford; corresponding secretary, Inez Haid, Hesson; treasurer, Sister Audrey Dumouchell, Stratford; councillors, Paul Nickel and Percy Lauwaert, both of Strat- ford. Adrian Pontsieon of Clinton was named to the board of directors. Close to 2,900 persons attended the Jack Riddell,beef barbeque at the Pideridge Chalet Monday night anti the incumbent Huron- Middlesex MPP criticized the Davis government on a number of issues. On the subject of unem- ployment Riddell said, "A Liberal government would stimulate small businesses by putting 100,000 jobs on the market within one year. He continued, "We would He said that anytime one's op- ponent gets difficult or fails to level with the people, it suggests to him that that candidate is in trouble. "He's concerned about what's going to happen to him on June 9," Davis remarked in a final reference to Riddell, He went on to point out how pleased he was that Anson McKinley had decided to contest the election for the Conser- vatives, noting that the former Huron warder: knows the problems of the riding and how to solve them. Terming the June 9 vote the most important election in On- tario's history, Davis said he was seeking the support of every resi- dent of the province — not just on a partisan basis — because a strong Ontario is vital to the future of Canada. He said the Liberals were not demonstrating any sense of direction in their campaign and he predicted the people of On- tario did not want to follow in the path that the NDP were suggesting. "I believe in young people, and they don't want handouts," he said in reference to the NDP policies: "Tell your friends and neighbors how important this election is and that Anson's party knows where it is going," he urg- ed the partisan supporters at the noon picnic. "My belief is he , (McKinley) will represent this riding after June 9," Davis concluded. In his brief remarks to the crowd; Anson McKinley also noted that his bid to seek election was gaining considerable momentum. "We started out as underdogs, but that's no longer the case and we're fighting on an even basis," he said. The Stanley Township farm manager said he had never seen a campaign geared to electing an opposition member and a member of a third party at that. He suggested that for a more effective voice, the riding voters should vote PC. "The issue in Ontario is the threat of'socialism and a Liberal member can do little to halt that," he predicted. Exeter Mayor Bruce Shaw was the chairman for the picnic in the park and was on hand to welcome Premier Davis and his entourage when they arrived in Exeter shortly after noon. The Premier's bus stopped at the town's administration office and after brief comments from Davis and Shaw, the two men and their wives did some "main streeting" on their way to the park for the picnic. subsidize the creation of new businesses with help of 20 percent to a maximum of $2,000 for each new employee," "The Davis charter talks of 100,000 new jobs. But, he's not telling about the 85,000 jobs which the economy helps create each year without any additional measures," added the. Huron- Middlesex Liberal candidate. Riddell deplored the spending of the present Conservative government saying, "We must The education system in Ontario is as good as any in the world said both Anson McKinley, PC candidate for Huron- Middlesex and Jack Riddell, Liberal candidate. Mr. McKinley and Mr. Riddell were participating in a lively debate at the North Middlesex District High School Wednesday afternoon when they made their comments, The students and teachers were able to ask the candidate of their choice any questions they wished, and one of the most pertinent to the students was asked of Mr. McKinley, A grade 13 student demanded of Mr. McKinley what his chances were •of getting a job when he is finished the three or four years of university he is now considering. Mr. McKinley responded by saying the government must provide the private sector, both large and small businesses, with the economic environment to make them competitive on world markets. This, said Mr. McKinley, is the only sound way of providing jobs. In addition, Mr. McKinley added that people must get •over the idea the government should supply everyone with a job just because they have a university education. "The government must provide the economic environment to allow for an expanding economy to provide meaningful jobs,"said Mr. McKinley, "but the in- dividual plays an important role in the decision of whether they get a job or not." Mr. Riddell was asked about the Liberal party's policy con- cerning the present Farm Marketing Program and he responded by saying if the Liberals formed the government they would attempt to intervene strive toward a balanced budget. Fairly tough measures will have to be taken to cut the fat," Talking about regional government and the closing of hospitals, Riddell said, "Davis has these two on the back burner just waiting for a majority government.' In reply to several suggestions at the recent Conservative nomination meeting that he is "a voice in the wilderness", Riddell replied, "If I was in the wilder- with the federal government to get equitable tarriff agreements to help farmers. Mr. Riddell also lashed out at NDP policies saying farmers must not be frozen on their land with guaranteed incomes. Mr. McKinley had a similar question then thrown at him and Mr. McKinley lashed out at the NDP policies as well. "I believe farmers do not want government regulations and all kinds of subsidies. The farmers have been backed into a corner by the federal governments domestic and foreign policies and something must be done!" Mr. McKinley was then asked by a teacher at the high school if Polls open Saturday Ontario voters will have three opportunities to vote in the province's 31st general election. While a voter may cast only one ballot, the franchise may be exercised on • any one of three days: June 4, June 6, and June 9. The first two dates are advance polls, available for any qualified voter who expects to be unable to vote June 9. June 4 and June 6 are the ad- vance polls -- defined by The Election Act as the Saturday and Monday immediately preceding election day. Hours for voting at these advance polls are noon to 9 p.m. EDT. Because Returning Officers have been directed to hold their advance polls in easily accessible locations, handicapped and elderly voters are encouraged to vote at one of the advance polls. On election day, June 9 the polls will open at 9 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. EDT. ness, my voice sure echoed off the trees in the hospital closing situation," Riddell also touched on calling of the election at this time saying, "We have several instances to prove minority government was working. We introduced policy on returning core curriculum to our school systems and 85 percent of these amendments were adopted by the government," Riddell said another example of minority government working was the "innoculous farm the Davis government's proposed changes in the Assessment Act would be a first step to govern- ment control of what and how much a farmer could produce on his land. The proposed changes referred to would have the far- mer paying property on his home and an area around it with the government paying the taxes on the land. Mr, McKinley stated im- mediately, "There would never be anyone telling farmers what they could grow regardless of who paid the taxes on the land as long as I was in the legislature." Mr. McKinley went on to say this idea of government con- trolling the land if it pays the taxes on it is a white elephant. Mr. McKinley stated "If the government wanted to tell us what to grow on our land they could do it without paying our taxes." Mr. McKinley explained that the government's proposal would be a direct means of transferring tax dollars from the provincial to the municipal level with no strings attached making the local ,governments economically stronger while.relieving farmers of high property taxes. Both Mr. McKinley and Mr. Riddell agreed housing costs are too high and must be rectified by making it attractive for investors to make mortgage money readily available for home building and perhaps subsidizing interest rates would be a good in- vestment. Mr. Riddell added his party would attempt to cut some of the red tape developers have to go through before they get houses on the market. Mr, McKinley said the government must be careful of putting artificial input into a free economy as consideration must be given to the laws of economics. WHY THE RUSH? Following Tuesday night's acceptance of the budget, Exeter Councillor Ken Ottewell said he would like •to see it completed much earlier next year. He noted it was a long, drawn out process. Mayor Bruce Shaw said he thought the same thing for several years, but noted that the 1977 budget approval was about the earliest he could recall. He noted that it couldn't be done much sooner. "I don't know what the rush is," Clerk Eric Carscadden remarked. He said if this year's budget had been considered earlier, there was no way council could have spent $27,000 on a new police office. He also explained that the audit of last year's books was not completed until the end of March and not much budget preparation could be done prior to that, "The main thing is to not go overboard on capital ex- penditures until after the budget has been set," commented Councillor Ted Wright. He added, "We came in with amendments and some of these were accepted." He continued, "The Con- servatives wanted to throw a paltry five million dollars into a farm program from a budget of over 13 billion dollars." Joe Hogan of Exeter was chairman for the program which included entertainment by the Bradley family from Clinton, the Miller family of Dashwood and Brenda Creces, also of Dash- wood. Debate paying for warden's pictures Incumbent hosts barbecue Riddell criticizes Davis