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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-04-19, Page 4MD's By Murray Gaunt 1- Opposition Members :of the Legislature. Committee studying OHIP premium increases accused .Health .Minister Timbre!! 01' oivino the Committee a document that had, been altered or tampered with to conceal opposition within the Ministry to increasing health premiums. The .document .was a response by Ministry staff to a report on ways of controlling health' costs. Under threat of subpoena-.-by the Committee. Mr. Timbrell reluc- tantly produced two pages which. - had been removed from the original document. and replaced with 41 4 letter from Ontario Farm workers may be exempt *from Health Act. Jack Riddell, Liberal M. P. P. . for Huron Middlesex, served notice today that the Liberals will move an amendment 'to Bill 70, the proposed new Occupational Health Act, so that farm workers will be excluded from immediate coverage. The new legislation is expected to be presented for Third Reading later in the current session of the Legislature. "We tried to get a similar amendment through dur- ing the committee stage," said . Mr, Riddell, "however, it was debated debeated by the combined votes of the NDP and the Conservatives." " We sincerely hope the other parties will appreciate the im- portant differences that exist between agriculture and the other sectors and support the amend- ment," he added, A Post Classified will pay you dividends, Have you tried one? Dial Brussels 887-6641, Tractors cause III SEAFORTH-AYR-CAMBRIDGE III COLOURING CONTEST WINNERS Marlen Vincent congratulates Darlene Moore of Egmondville and Steven Van byk of R-R-4 Seaforth. The young artists won the Pancake, Days colouring contest sponsored by Vincent Farm Equipment. SEAFORTH 527-0120 HI 4 — THE BRUSSELS POST APRIL 19, 1978 F of A to promote corn marketing The Huron County Federation of Agriculture decided it must take a more active part in gaining names for the petition for a vote on a corn marketing plan when it met for its April meeting Thurs- day in Ethel. Gordon Hill of Varna was leader of the move to get the County Federation more involved' in the drive for names. The petition was put into circulation last fall by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and so far has only gained about 850 names As the time for planting crops approaches, many farmers are anxious to being work oil the land. But in the planting rush many will forget about safety. Larry Swinn, public relations coordinator for the Farm Safety Association of Ontario, says tractor-related accidents caused 18 fatalities on Ontario farms last year. According to the statistics compiled by the Association, these tractor-related fatalities ac- counted for neatly 40 percent of the total number of farm fatalities in 1971. "These accidents could have been prevented if fainters were more safety conscious." Tract& rollovers, resulting prinutrily front tin safe operating practices and lack of commit' souse caused the majority of (as of March 20). The petition must be signed by 1500 farmers in the province who have sold more than 400 bushels of corn in any of the past three years before the Ontario Farm. Products Mark- eting Board will consider calling for a vote on a marketing plan for corn!, Mr. Hill said that the 850 names didn't seem like much. He said that Huron's showing of about 100 names so far wasn't, a very good showing for a county that "has as much potential for Treasurer Darcy McKeough defending his decision to raise the premiums by 37.5%. The original pages included a strong attack on the concept of health insurance premiums, terming them regressive and costly to administer. It is interesting to note that the report of a joint advisory committee on medical _costs last year said "(hose who arc self- sustaining should pay their way" tuid the government should study 'those now 'exempt from paying OHIP premiums to sec how many could afford to pay them. The Health Ministry's "proposed response" was that it supported the principle of means testing and endorsed the idea that those who (mid afford to pay for 01-11P should do so. Meanwhile, physicians in Ontario will receive an average fee increase of 6-1/4 % on May I. him the provincial health insurance plan, according to Health Minister Dennis Timbrell. Mr. Timbrell told the Legisla 7 ture that 'the increase will cover the period ending December 31 tuid "complieS with both the letter -and spirit" of the federal' Anti-Inflation Board guidelines. Negotiations are to begin in May for a 1979 payment schedule. Until now, the Government has mid physicians who participate in the health insurance plan 90 per cent of the OMA schedule. Physicians who opt out of OFHP may charge 100 per cent of the OMA schedule, or even above schedule, provided that they tell their patients before treatment. 01-1IP then reimburses the patients to a maximum of 90 per cent of schedule. Doctors in the plan cannot bill patients for the extra 10 per cent or more. When the OMA schedule is no longer used as the basis of 01-1P payments. opted-out doctors will these fatalities. "Many accidents occur be- cause farmers rush too much. To get crops planted farmers work overtime, often beyond their physical capabilities." This creates the potential for injuries. This season Mr. Swinn sug- gests farmers slow down and take extra time to do the work. Working the land in a logical manner will put the farmer ahead in the l• ,,g run. Before taking the equipment out on the field, Mr. Switm suggests farmers make sure the tractor is well maintained and in safe working order. "g4ittiprnent breakdowns costs the farmer valuable time. To Make tip the lost time farmers have to run the tractor faster than ever. This invites accidents.' Corn as. Huron", He said more effort had, to be made than passing the petition around at meetings, that it has to be a more personal approach, Federation president Alan Walper admitted that "perhaps we've been lax" in, the drive for names but noted that the Federat- ion had held a special meeting on the topic and it had been discussed several times at month ly meetings, He said he felt if corn producers want the plan, they should do the work of getting bill patients according to the OMA fee schedule and those in the plan will bill on the basis of the new OHIP schedule of benefits to come into force next May 1. This will be roughly 6-1/4 per. cent .more than the existing OMA schedule (approved.May i, 1977) which is being used as the starting point. A six-month reduction in retail sales taxes which is part of the federal budget package will mean a six-month reduction from 7 per cent to 4 per cent in Ontario, and a loss of revenue of $433 million. Two-thirds of, it is made up to Queen's Park by the Federal Government. The share paid by Ottawa, about $289 million, means the reduction will have about the same effect on the provincial treasury as a direct sales tax cut from 7 to 5 per cent. the names, Mr. Hill agreed that it should be corn, producers who do the work but that they must make more effort to go out and get signatures. Lesley Caldwell of Blyth stated that he had found that once the proposal was explained to farmers in their homes they were happy to sign but they want to know about what they're signing. Carl Heminway of Brussels questioned the 400 bushel of sales stipulation and wondered if the proposed plan would prevent those who normally grow corn for their own use from selling that corn in the future. Mr. Hill said there was no such intention. It was finally agreed to get the township federations to organize a drive for new members. Guest speaker for the meeting was Mel Maclntyre, Executive Secretary of the Ontario Mutual Insurance Associations who ex- pained about new farm insurance policies offered by most of the 52 farm mutual insurance companies in the province. In the course of a question period he warned farm- ers against the use of poly- urethane insulation blown into barns and left uncovered. if the insulation is covered, he Said, it is perfectly good insulation but if left uncovered it can turn a small fire into a raging inferno in a few minutes. Some fire departments won't even let their crews go near a building if it has such insulation because of the danger of flash fires, he said. Roy Pattison of East Wawanosh reported -on the progress of the 1978 International. Plowing Match near Wingham, saying, that more space than ever before had been booked at this stage. Shirley Weary, spokesperson for the Huroncounty high school teachers made a presentation at the meeting to outline the teachers version of events prior to and during the current strike in county high schools, (The board of education had made a similar presentation at the Federations March meeting in Hensall). She said that at the beginning of negotiations the Board had deleted 19 of 23 items included in last years contract. Eventually she said the dispute came down to two outstanding issues. She denied that teachers were trying to work in extra jobs through their fight for a reduction in workload. What teachers want, she said, was an evening-out of the work- load.'She sited an example of one teacher who taught 95 students while another teaching .the same subject in the same school had to teach 200. It would be fairer if each had about 160 students to teach, she said. . . She said that the only solution to the strike seemed to be if people applied pressure to get arbitration' brought in. She was generally received politely by the farmers present but later when Jim McIntosh of Tuckersmith township brought in a resolution calling for both sides to submit to binding or voluntary arbitration (he said he had the resolution before,he know teachers would be presenting their case) the move did not receive such a warm reception. After three speakers had begun the debate George Underwood of yurnberry town- ship made a motion to table the resolution. It was quickly second- ed and approved. Report from Queen's Park 40 % farm accidents get fee rise