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The Rural Voice, 1979-11, Page 12lack of parts when needed. In busy seasons it has taken two months to obtain a part that is needed immediately. One farmer complained that he was still waiting for a part for a current model disc after four months. Bill Crawford, OFA fieldman for Huron County, said that he doesn't get too many complaints that can't be solved. He said that most of the problems result from lack of communication. "One of the parties gets angry and then they don't talk with each other anymore," he said. "When I get called in, the first thing I do is to re-establish dialogue. After that it usually works out." He advises that there is one best way to handle problems. If a problem crops up he advises the farmer to talk to the dealer or supplier first. Often the dealer is bound by the rules of his supplier or manufacturer. Every manufacturer has a troubleshooter called "a blocker", who is supposed to keep relations between his company and the customer amiable. So the dealer who can't solve a problem himself, turns to the blocker. But, being human, the blocker may try to shield his company from the annoying complaints of the buyer by suppressing the problem instead of solving it. Then the dissatisfaction sets in. Mr. Crawford advises farmers to write directly to the company involved, with copies to the OFA fieldman. He has found that in the great majority of cases the problem will then be solved in short order. Mr. Crawford said that most companies will lean over backward to keep their customers happy, and even when the buyer obviously has no legal rights they will often share the cost if there is some doubt as to responsibility for the problem. It is all part of public relations. A farmer who has read somewhere that company X is accused of poor service will remember this for years afterward and try to avoid buying from that company. As long as farmers use this concern without abusing it, many problems will be solved without leaving a bad taste afterwards according to many of the people concerned. Opinionated Why are farm women a minority at meetings? BY ADRIAN VOS The wife of the small businessman (include farmer) usually does as much work to build up the business as the husband does. Yet, when it comes to recognition, she is usually far behind him. He can contribute to the Canada Pension Plan. If she wants in she must go through legal contortions to qualify. When the feminists say that the women of the world are treated as inferior parts of the human species, they have much evidence on their side. Nevertheless, strident accusations against everything feminine in the old-fashioned sense of being more loving than men, and better suited to bring up children than men are, has done much harm to the just cause of women. If they had acknowledged from the start that women are equal to men, but also different, their cause would have been infinitely stronger. Compared to many parts of the world, Canadian women take a much greater part in the workforce away from home. Women working at outside jobs in Canada are at a level of 39%. Only Denmark with 42% and the USA with 41% are higher. To my view, this doesn't necessarily mean that these women want to work away from home. I'm sure that in many cases they would prefer to stay home to look after the household and the children. For farm women who don't work outside, but work alongside their husband, it is often a matter of choice. But that they don't get recognition outside their home is, for the most part, their own fault. They have the same opportunity to take part in the shaping of farm policies as do their husbands, but the great majority prefer to stay home and let Joe do it. That women are not rejected by the men of the farm is shown time and again. Grace Stalker was elected to the OFA executive until she resigned. Colleen Brown is as respected as any of the men on the OFA executive now. Grace Austin of Ashfield has been a driving force in the Executive of the North Huron local of the NFU for many years, and Mrs. van Breda is known provincewide for her activities in the NFU. More locally, Geraldine Fortune and Beverly Brown are on the Huron executive, with Gerry a regional director. Clara Keller from the Perth Federation also is listened to when she speaks at OFA directors meetings. Nevertheless, at any farm meeting the PG. 10 THE RURAL VOICE/NOVEMBER 1979 women are a small minority. Why? Being a farmwife is as much a job as being a farmer. But if women are content to keep in the background. nobody is going to draw them to the fore. Being a farmwife means having the same duties as the man. It also stands to reason that she won't get them unless she fights for them. If she is content to have her rights confined to her family. other women don't have the right to fog ce more on her than that. They should try to persuade her that she stands to gain by going out and taking part in mixed society. Women shouku orknun's compensation and disability pensions; for the Canada pension plan; for every social plan that applies to men. But they won't get them unless they join organizations and start fighting. They might be surprised at how much support they would get from the men. Women should go out and take courses available to them at little or no cost. They should go for public speaking courses, so they would get confidence in speaking up at meetings. They should take courses in writing letters to the editor, so they can make their views known to other people. They should publicly take credit for their accomplishments instead of hiding their talents under a bushel. In short, they must come out of their shell and take their rightful place beside men. Not a half step behind them as in many Eastern countries, but neither a step ahead of them as many women libbers would like to see. The parable of the talents is still applicable today. For those who don't know it, it was a tale told by Jesus as an illustration of his teaching. He said that everyone must use the talents he has. In his example, one buried his talent, so it wouldn't be lost. Well, he didn't lose it but other people used theirs as working capital and doubled it in due course. When the cautious one was called to account for his use of his talent, he said cockily: "That's what I started out with. i didn't lose any of it, did I?" That's not good enough. not for the man in the parable, nor for the farmwife of today. A talent given should return at least interest and at its best be working capital so it may be doubled or tripled. Everyone has a talent. The talent should be discovered and developed to bring fulfilment to the owner and succour to the community.