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The Rural Voice, 2005-03, Page 16Cow Calf Producers Have your cow herd ready for better times. 2 year old powerful, quality bulls. SeeveitVA eknedeart 519-395-2631 Cell: 519-270-9122 gi INCOME 6 TAX 9 SERVICE • farm, business, or personal • complete year-round service including tax audit representation • E -File available Over 20 years' experience Quality work at reasonable rates "FREE CONSULTATION " Stephen Thompson R.R. #2, Clinton (Home #) 482-3244 (Cell #) 524-0957 12 THE RURAL VOICE Mabel's Grill The world's problems are solved daily 'round the table at Mabel 's. "I feel like I should be cutting hay," said Cliff Murray the other day after everybody stumbled in from the cold for the morning confab at Mabel's. "Well don't get stuck in the snow if you do," said George McKenzie. "Why on earth would you think about cutting hay when the weather's been about as bad as it's been all winter?" wondered Dave Winston. "The hockey season's over," said Cliff. "By the time they usually end hockey season I'm heavy into the hay." "You don't suppose the hockey guys heard Wiarton Willie say it was going to be an early spring and took it to heart?" wondered Dave. "Well they sure didn't take it to head," said George. "Imagine those players giving up millions of dollars today to try to prevent the possibility they might make a million or so less some time in the future if there's a salary cap." "Hey, I'll take a salary cap," said Dave. "Anybody who wants to give me three million, I'll happily give up the possibility of earning five or six next year or the next." "Well maybe if all these guys are out of work you can get some cheap help this summer," joked Cliff. "Hah! Hockey players farming?" grumbled Dave. "The days of the Hunter boys and Bobbie Hull are long gone." "I hope Bobbie's not still in cattle," said George. "He'd need to be playing and drawing down eight or nine million if he was in the cattle business these days." "Well, maybe this march on Queen's Park will jar loose some provincial cash and keep us going a few more months," said Dave. "Will anybody really pay any attention?"wondered George. "Farmers are such a small part of the population anymore that people, particularly the politicians, don't think we matter." "I don't know if it's all about numbers," said Cliff. "I mean there can't be many more gays around than farmers and look at all the attention they get." "Maybe we need to have some farmers come out and admit they're gay," said Dave. "They could claim they couldn't make any money because they're being discriminated against and the media would be all over them giving coverage." "What, you mean like one farmer marrying another?" asked George. "That'd never do," said Cliff. "A farmer has to marry somebody with a good solid off -farm job if they want to survive these days. You marry another farmer and you're doomed with two sets of debts in one family." "I want to marry a rich hockey player," said Dave. "You a candidate for coming out?" asked George. "Not really, but I might try anything for the money. He'd be away for six months anyway." "I just wish we could convince the government we farmers were as important to invest in as a casino," said Cliff. "Yeh that $400 million for Casino Windsor sure would have gone a long way 'for keeping cashcroppers in business," said George. "I think they're gambling that farmers are addicted enough to farming roulette that we'll spin the wheel and go out and plant crops anyway and hope for the best," said Dave. "Unless the cattle prices pick up after March 7 I might just surprise them," said George gloomily. "I think the government is addicted to gambling as we are," said Cliff. "They make so much money from lotteries and casinos and nobody complains, not like taxes." "Good god, I think you're right about this addiction thing," said Dave. "Maybe that's what happened to all the CAIS money. They took it all to the casinos and blew it at the crap table."0