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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-03-11, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987. Letters to the editor Debt Review designed to drive farmers out THE EDITOR, The Federal Farm Debt Review Board plods onward to it’s inevit­ able conclusion. Although most of its victims’ final judgements are yet to be concluded, there is every indication that its original pur­ pose, or intent, is being fulfilled. The National Farmers Union (NFU) has been consistent on vocalizing the real purpose of the Board, a clearing house for financially pressed farmers. Our position was stated at the time of the Board’s establishment, that it failed to address the basic farm financial crisis. It appears that the operation of the Board to date, resembles a Social Experiment with farm fami­ lies as guinea pigs. Hopefully the silence of the majority in the farm community is simply out of hope­ lessness and not an uncaring attitude, orworse an allegiance (out of fear) of lending institutions. We in the NFU believe it is time to stop the charade. Whether the mechanics of the Board are working badly, whether some workers of the Board are inept, biased or even malicious, or whether the time spans are inadequate, the fact is, in our opinion, the mandate of the Board cannot deal with the problem. On Nov. 9/85, a considerable number of farmers, led by seven general farm organizations, con­ fronted our Agriculture Minister in front of his Elgin Constituency office and spoke with one voice. They demanded Farm Debt Legis­ lation that would embodv the intent * ‘to keep the farmers on their farms.” It is a Canadian tragedy that some farm leaders’ resolve^, has since weakened to the point of accepting less than that “intent”, and agreed to give the current Debt Review Board a chance to work. The solution to the escalating and ever-widening current Farm Financial Problem is to be found in recent history, in the preamble to Rules of cable programing explained THE EDITOR, Due to various phone calls being received about the new (Brussels) T.V. channel and the filming of local events for this channel, 1 feel it necessary to make a few clarifications. •1. This is an AMATEUR production. •2. The camera is to be used only to film events to go on the new channel. •3. Weare OFFERING to film events to go on the new channel. •4. This service is being provid­ ed by volunteers and is FREE. •5. If the organization involved would not like the event tobe on the T.V. channel we will not film it. •6. If the quality of the film after shooting is poor it will not be aired. •7. The events will not necessar­ ily be aired the day after. In most cases it is likely that the film will not be seen by anyone for 4 or 5 months. This can be specified by the organization involved. This service is being provided by the cable company, to the people of the community, for their benefit only. The cable company thought the town of Brussels would like their own channel to broadcast local events on. Some other towns in the area have begun to use this service and have found it to be fun. It enables a town to advertise itself as a busy growing community. It would give shut-ins a chance to see events they would otherwise miss. Please do not misunder­ stand. This is not a big production. We are doing this for fun and in fun. BETH CRAWFORD the Farmers. Creditors’ Arrange­ ment Act of the 1930’s. “The present indebtedness of certain farmers - is beyond their capacity to pay; - and it is in the National Interest to retain such farmers on the land as efficient producers, and for such purpose it is necessary to provide means whereby compro­ mises or rearrangements may be affected of the debts of such farmers, and also to simplify the operation of the Bankruptcy Act with respect to farmers gener­ ally.” The above is a totally different package than what we have been stuck with in 1986. Before farmers or anyone else pass judgement on the reason or moralilty of such legislation, consider the following typical situation. A farmer has debts of $500,000 and real assets of only $250,000. If he has not signed all the incriminating documents asked for by his Lender, it is possible that the two parties may make a deal. The deal would no doubtbegoverned only by their collective imaginations. If he has signed those documents and whe­ ther he accesses the Review Board or goes it alone, he no doubt has only a short time to get used to the idea of becoming an unemploy­ ment statistic. His assets will then be disposed of for the $250,000 or less, to someone else, in actuality a * ‘ write-down ’ ’ by his Lender on the operation. A multiplication of this scenario is devaluing land prices considerably. However the re­ maining farmers will have a much more “competitive edge” through a decreased cost of production because of the devaluation of their land. A recent speech by a Lending Institution spokesman implored the “good farmers” to speak out against the “bad management farmers receiving writedowns.” I submit that was a further request for farmers to break ranks and collaborate with the enemy. The continual threats by Lending Insti­ tutions of withdrawing funding, is now a reality. We as farmers should remind the public that it wasn’ t all our idea to use those vast sums of money anyway. It would appear that it is now in the National Interest that a Full-funding Institu­ tion be set up to replace Farm Credit Corporation to totally ser­ vice the Farming Industry. As the Chartered Banks are replaced as Lenders certain funds should be provided by them to this new venture. Under the Canadian Constitution, whose money is it anyway? ROBERT KING, Committee Member National Farmers Union Farm Financial Crisis Comm. R.R. #2 Rodney, Ont. 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