HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-02-22, Page 1616—THE BRUSSELS POST, FEBRUARY .22, 1978 \
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Ready to ride, Sunday at the Optimist poker rally
•
Whelan speaks to CF
OPP lays charges
One charge was, laid Under the Also on Sunday, ,Rebruary 10
Criminal Code. Murray .1. Ducharme of
During the week, there were Brussels was driving a sno-jet oil
nine motor vehicle collisions sideroad 10 11, south of
which caused an estimated' concession 10 4 11, Grey
$7200.001n property damage and Township, and-in attempting to
injuries to two persons, clime• a snowbank, broke his
On Sunday, February 19 , ankle.
During the week Februatay 13 - David B. Heger of R.R.1,
19, officers at Wingham Wingham and John Renwick of
Detachment con ducted 29 R.R. 1, Clifford, both driving snow
investigations. vehicles were involved in a
14 chtarges were laid under the collision on concession road 18,
Highway Traffic Act and Twenty- East of Huron County road 12,
five warnings were issued. HoWiek Township, David B.
Five chargeSWerelaid under the *ft suffered Minor injuries as a
Liquor Licence Act: result of the collision.
The farmer is paying a lot more
for the privilege of feeding the
country, Canada's agriculture
Minister Eugene Whelan • told
farmers at the Canadian Feder-
ation of ' Agriculture's annual
Meeting-File cited a dr'Op in net
income to thelfarmer of 11% and
an expected drop this year of six
percent.
Part of this could be remedied,
he sajd, if farmers took advantage
of legislation that is in place now
for their protection. "All of you
know my position on marketing
boards..." "
He went on to compare the
prices paid by consumers for
products that are regulated • by
supply management marketing
boards to prices on the free
market. In all cases, he said, that
the regulated product, changed
little in price, gave the producer a
decent income and the consumer
a reasonable price, while in the
U.Sv,) without the benefit of a
regulatory agency the prices
fluctuated wildly, from sky high
to depressingly low. Over there
neither the consumer nor the
farmer was happy, he said. Right
now Mr. Whelan said, consumers
see beef prices up and figure the
farmer is making a profit at their •
expense.
He complained bitterly that the
stabilization program was being
abused in some provinces. "I
heard of a case where apple -
producers were told they would
only get paid a feW cents a bushel
for their produce. They were 'told
not to worry. Why? Because
Whelan would y. make up the
difference.:" He went 'on to say"
that theSe are dollars out of our
pockets and that he would not
allow the stabilizationfund tebe
abused.
He called on hog. prodiger
organizations to have their people
produce` more hogs, for in 1977
. Peter Hannam; President of the'
Ontario Federation. of
Agriculture, will speak at the
Clinton High School on Monday,
February 27 at 8:30 p.m. on the
subject of the O.F.A. policyontthe
property tax reforms being
proposed by the Ontario govern-
ment.
This special meeting has, been
called by the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture in order
to give all interested persons an
opportunity to discuss with Peter
how the proposed property tax
reforms will affect the farming
community and what the O.F.A.
policy is towards these -reforms.
Charles Munro of Embro did
not, stand • for re-election as
president of the Canadian
Federation of Agriculture at its
annual meeting last week. He had
come full circle, he said, and it -
was fitting that he would end his
presidency where it has begun, in.
Quebec City, nine years earlier.
On food prices, he presented
statistics compiled by U.S. agri-
cultural attaches, that showed
that almost every food item costs
less in minutes worked than
anywhere else in the world.
"Canadian consumers take it
much too much for granted that
they will continuously have avail-
able to them an adequate supply
of high quality cheap food. I
doubt if it ever crosses the mind
of Canadians at all that unless
they are prepared to pay the
price, the farmers will -simply
cease to produce," Mr. Munro
said.
He challenged every farmer
acid every farm organization to
better acquaint consumers with
the real cost of producing food.
Exports of agricultural products
outrun imports by $800 million to
one billion dollars every year. The
contribution to our trade balance
has been an important factor in
the nation's economy, "We have
Seen large imports of U.S. pork
this year. Our fanners are
'Competitive with the American
farmer, - but otir pork is
untorripetitive at the wholesale
level,' Mr. Munro said.
'Parrners should. not have to,
and they Will not, tolerate the
pressure for more and more
efficiency in production if the
inefficiencies are' elsewhere inthe
SyStent,''
Mr. Munro also cOniniented on
the upcoming feed Strategy
Conference and' expressed
years, he said with heavy irony,
"I think I got my point across. We
may see them meeting a bit more
frequently in the future."
Mr. Whelan also said he would
like to see the agricultural
countries organized on the same
basis ' as the —oil producing
countries, for food is ultimately
the currency of the world.
concern over indications of the
government's thinking. It seems
that the thrust of the food
strategy is aimed at higher
efficiency, improved productivity,
and a lowering of the level of
protection, he said. Then, if
necessary, stabilization plans in
order to give farmers a stable
return and consumers fair prices.
A possible two „price ;system
and even export embargoes are
also in the thinking of the
minister of Consumer and
Corporate Affairs. He pointed out
that every country in 'the world
'has higher tariff protection for
its farmers than Canada, and
unilateral lowering of protection
would hurt the Canadian farmer.
As an example of some , non-
tariff barriers he cited the case of
Canadian wheat sales to Japan. lit
order to bolster. the Japanese
grain farmer, the government of
that country buys Canadian wheat
at $2.97 a bushel, delivered, and
sells it to the millers for $6.53 per
bushel. The profit is used to'
support the Japanese farmer. As
far as protection for agriculture is
concerned, Mr. Munro said, that
primary agriculture has an
average tariff of 2.05%, This
compares with mannfacItirecl food
7,96%, textile 17%, clothing
21%, furniture 15%, paper
products 6%, and so On. •
He praised the government for
the leadership given in the
international trading community
on a grains agreement.
He reiterated his conviction
that the family farin is the only
Way farming in this country will
survive, but he had, some
criticism too. He urged More
consideration of shared labour
and machinery and other capitl
costs.
Short Shots.
(Continued from Page 1)
the local Brussels area students
are in the play so watch for the
date of Fiddler On The Roof"
and plan to attend.
** * * *
Students of F. E. Madill.
Secondary School got an
unexpected' holiday last
Thursday. The teachers were out
-on strike. Huron County
Secondary teachers are rotating
strikes to enforcelheir demands
regarding the two issues on which•
negotiations broke down, sick
leave credit gratuity and how
many pupils a teacher will
handle, during a teaching day.
Salaries have been settled. No
doubt some students welcomed
the holiday but if this strike
continues for a long period of time
what damage are they going to do
to the students progress? It could
cost them their year. It will
particularly concern those who
anticipate entering university this
fall. It could be a long drawn out
deadlock between teachers and
the board for E. C. Hill, chairman
of the negotiating team said it is a
question now of who is running
the education system and the
board cannot afford to give in..
* * * * *•*
It is amazing to read, or hear,.
so many complaints about
mothers-in-law. Complaining,
interfering, nosy, fault-finding
ones and those who hold tight the
apron strings, all of these cause
trouble and estrangement in
families. Mothers of sons seem to
be the most , often • mentioned
offenders. None of this was true
as far as my mother-in-law Was
concerned. She was a gracieus
lady, kind and understanding and
certainly set an example for me.
Early in the life of our two sons, I
determined to mind my own
business, when they married and
to keep my, mouth shut. Having
no daughters ()Piny sown, alai
..happy to have two daughters-in-
law, who along with our sons and
grandchildren, are a' great source
of comfort to me at this time. If
they have any complaints about
their mother-in-law, I have not
heard them. (They are much too
nice to mention them anyway.) I
try girls! I try!
******
High school
(Continued from Page 1)
by the board he agreed is "always
possible."
Two issues divide the sides.
One concerns sick leave credit
gratuity which currently provides
payment of up to half a year's
salary when a, teacher resigns or
retires without having used up
sick leave_entitlements.
The board feels the teachers
.Must be 50 years, old and have
12 years of service before being
'eligible • for the payment.
Teachers oppose this stipulation .
' Another ' problem in
negotiations appears to be a
clause which stipulates how many
pupils a teacher will handle
during a teaching day. The
teachers had the clause in the last
contract and want it renewed but
the board says if isn't workable.
The board argues the teachers
are already protected by a
pupil-teacher ratio ranging front
16.8-students to one staff to 17.2
students. to one staff, including
guidance counsellors, principals,
vice-principals and other support
staff.
Salaries have been settled.The
teachers have agreed to a 7.5
percent increase, resulting ill an
average salary of $23,200,
including a cost-of-living
payment, up $1,550 froth the
previous average salary.
The minimum saslary for a
teacher with no experience and
mini/110M qualifiCations will
increase from $10,73046 $12,50.
The it Axiiintrn salary Will be
$25,55(1
FA pres
Hannam
Clinton
Canada bought $100,000,000. in
United States poik, which he
• strongly condemned as inferior in
quality.
On the GATT negotiation he,
had. some strong Comments also.
The agriculture ministers of the
different countries found their;
agriculture so important that they
had decided to meet every five
CFA head retires