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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1979-05-16, Page 5New fam program outlined Letters company agricultural which I to the major have disaster — can another five with the Sincerely, Peter D. Schalin Tim««-Advocafe, May 1$, 1979 By JACK RIPDELL MPP Huron-Middlesex During the expenditure estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Minister, William Newman, highlighted some programs, one of which, the new Farm Productivity Incentive Program, I would like to outline as I know from the enquiries I have received, is Continued from page4 terest we paid on our federal debt was $1.3 billion; in 1978 it was $5.6 billion. Increase 129 percent. 3) in 1978,13 percent of the total federal budget was devoted solely to interest payments on the federal debt. This would be like every working Canadian paying $560 just to cover the federal government’s in­ terest obligations. 4) since 1968 annual federal spending has in­ creased 105 percent. 5) since 1968 the annual federal deficits have in­ creased 496 percent, 6) due to ravaging in­ flation, what would have cost $1.00 in 1968 cost $1.94 in 1978. Increase 94 percent, (Inflation is caused by a number of factors, but the most important factor is irresponsible government policies). This is a record of mon­ strous incompetence and utter disregard for the welfare of the Canadian people. How can thinking Canadians support such mis­ management? When will we stop judging Pierre Trudeau on his TV image and start judging him on his managerial capabilities? We have had eleven years of financial we afford years? of interest to the farmers. This program replaces the Capital Grants program and is aimed specifically at retaining soil productivity and reducing erosion. Eligible projects under the new program include grassed waterways, manure storage facilities and alternate livestock watering facilities. Also included are projects to demonstrate er.osion control. In addition the Incentive Grant Program will be available to farmers who did not use their full entitlement under the Capital Grants program. Such farmers may apply for grants to assist in the building of livestock barns, milk houses, poultry barns, silos, green houses, tobacco kilns and maple syrup facilities. To qualify a farm must produce $1,000 worth of agricultural goods annually. The maximum grants for erosion control, manure storage and production facilities is $3,000 with a maximum of $1,500 for stock watering facilities. For the first year of the program the Ministry has allocated $12.8 million, This figure also includes some carry over from the old Capital Grants program. During the estimates I commented on four concerns DONATING BLOOD — Thelma Rice of Red Cross team sits with Barb McLelland as she donates blood at Exeter Public School last Tuesday. T-A photo regarding the agricultural and food industry. I was critical of the investigation being carried out by the Royal Commission into Food discounts. Having attended some of the hearings and talking to others including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, who have participated in the hearings, I concluded that the in­ vestigations were a built-up or a whitewash report. I told the Minister that it was my opinion that the Commission staff has adopted the attitude right from the beginning, that nothing is wrong with discounts. The Commission lawyer and staff have not been aggressive in digging out the answers, I am also extremely disappointed Commission’s policy of allowing executives to refuse to an­ swer questions which might put them at a competitive disadvantage. In my opinion this is precisely what the Commission was set up to dig out. Another issue I dealt with was the obvious lack of considera tioh the agricultural industry received in the budget speech made by the Treasurer. I felt that there was no better time to make a major commitment agricultural industry when the devalued dollar offers the industry the opportunity of increasing our markets through increased exports and replacing expensive imported foods, recognizing that this opportunity comes at a time of record high interest rates and extremely high capital costs. Agriculture is without a doubt the major resource industry in Ontario and deserves much higher priority and much more serious commitments from the Government than jt has been getting. The budget of agriculture and food was for all intents and purposes reduced by 1.6 percent. My next major concern was the future of the Marketing Boards. I have always been a proponent of Marketing Boards as the concept was to protect farmers from the often wide income swings associated with the gluts and shortages characteristic of most agricultural products. We need Marketing Boards and National Supply Management Programs in this country in order for our farmers to compete with the American Producers who have lower capital and labour costs and a superior climate for growing a wide variety of products. However, associated with Marketing Boards and National Supply Management Systems are production quotas and quota values and I indicated that I felt something should be done about the escalating quota values. We have ex­ perimented with supply management for some years now and perhaps the time has come to ask whether it is doing the job it was intended. I have a real concern for the young farmers who would like to get into the farming business and it is practically impossible because of the closed shop characteristic of marketing boards, the quota values which is beyond their reach and the way quotas are handled at the present time. I asked the Minister if he would give me the benefit of his thoughts on Marketing Boards and production quotas and how our young people can ever hope to get started in the business of farming. I also spoke on Foreign Investment of farmland which I have already dealt with in previous articles, and the land use document en­ titled Foodland Guidelines, released by the Government last year. I expounded on the Guidelines. I admitted to the Minister that the guidelines are for the most part constructive, if only the Province would make it mandatory, as we need a piece of legislation, a policy, a framework that will allow municipalities to plan for the future with an eye to preserving agriculture. Attorney General Roy GOOD BOY — Jason McFalls, playing Little Jack Horner, gets a big plum on his thumb in the spring program at Exeter Public School, Thursday. Staff photo McMurtry tabled the government’s discussion paper on Occupier’s Liability and Tresspass to Property in the Legislature this week. The White Paper describes legislation proposed to limit the liability of property owners towards people who enter their lands, and to the extent the categories of land to which entry is prohibited without the landowner having to give notice. The proposals are intended to safeguard the rights of landowners and at the same time encourage them to make land available for recreational activities. As protection against tresspass, the proposed legislation would raise the fine for trespassing from $100 to $1,000 and would permit the courts to impose t FREEZER TIME Buy now while our stock is plen­ tiful. Excellent Selection Of Models to choose from on convicted trespassers the costs of prosecutions. It would also allow the courts to compensate landowners for damage caused by trespassers to property or crops. The proposed legislation would add orchards and fields under cultivation to the category of land to which entry is prohibited without the landowner having to post signs or give other notice. Under the present law, only lawns, gardens and enclosed lands are included in this category. The proposals also call for limiting the liability of owners to persons who enter their land to a duty to take reasonable care to ensure their safety. This duty would not be owed to persons en­ tering land for criminal purposes. 8 cu. ft. *239 12 CM. ft. *279 18 cu. ft. ’329 IScu.ft *299 23 cu. ft. ’349 FREE DELIVERY S WHITING'S MAIN ST Exeter COACH HOUSE TRAVEL SERVICE NEW NAME AND LOCATION Formerly Exeter Travel Centre WE RE AT 377 MAIN STREET ORIGINALLY BUTLER'S DEPT. 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