The Rural Voice, 1992-05, Page 52NEWS
OFA DIRECTOR
CLASHES WITH MP
OFA director Tony Morris of
Bruce county challenged Huron -
Bruce MP Murray Cardiff at the
annual Members of Parliament
Dinner of the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture, March 28,
to tell Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney he was misleading the
Canadian public in saying 102
countries of the 108 in GATT didn't
support Canada's position on Article
11.
In fact, Mr. Morris said, only 31
countries bothered to file positions on
agriculture and of those, only nine
countries had any position on Article
11. Of those nine, 60 per cent
supported the Canadian position. "It's
very upsetting that the government
would go on national television and
say that," Morris said of the Prime
Minister's speech to assembled farm
leaders before they left for a tour of
Europe in late February.
It was one of two clashes between
Morris and Cardiff at the meeting.
Cardiff reacted angrily after being
chided by Morris for not knowing
whether or not chemicals like DDT
were still being used in Mexican food
production. Bill Wallace, chairman of
the Huron Federation's Trade and
Finance Committee had worried
about an unfair advantage Mexican
farmers might have because of lax
environmental standards that allowed
them to use chemicals banned here.
Cardiff said he didn't know for sure
DDT was used in Mexico. Morris
said a man in his position should
know. "You'd better find out," he
said.
Cardiff objected. "I don't like the
connotation that I should bloody well
know if DDT is being used in
Mexico." He said he couldn't know
everything but he could find out
within hours of when government
offices opened if Moms wanted.
Morris also clashed with M.P.P.
Paul Klopp over packaging changes
that would give consumers a clear
understanding whether food came
from Canada or abroad.
Several questioners asked about
Stratford Farm Equipment marked the opening of its new office and parts
department with an open house attended by 1000 on March 27. Cutting the
ribbon were (left to right) Sjerp Vandermeer, Darryl Winhold, Dan Brown and
Bill Brown, Straford Farm Equipment, Paul Sim, Case, Gary Tye a, -:d Rod
Betteridge Stratford Farm Equipment, London, Peter Mosey and Serge
Boudreau, Case.
labeling to educate consumers on
Canadian products. Wallace also
called on the Federation government
to use its funding to the Consumers
Association to pressure the group into
being fairer to farmers.
In other issues discussed included
the Amendments to the Game and
Fish Act , Bill 162. Morris warned:
"The Ministry of Natural Resources
wants the crown to take ownership of
wildlife from the Amoeba up."
"This bill has been a real pain in
the butt for me," MPP Klopp said. He
pointed out there will be
opportunities for hearings on the bill
when it goes to second reading and
he expected changes. "There has to
be some common sense."0
GREY MPS BRIEFED
ON FARM
CONCERNS
From GATT negotiations to
ungraded lumber to the need for
better policing in rural areas, Grey
County farm groups briefed their
Members of Parliament April 11 in
Roclyn.
MPP Bill Murdock and MP Dr.
Gus Midges were present to speak on
the briefs and field questions. MP
Perrin Beatty was unable to attend.
Dr. Midges said that unless he could
see more advantages from the North
American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), "I can't say I can really
stand up and support it."
Murdock said couldn't support
Bill 162, the amendments to the
Game and Fish Act in its present
form. On ungraded lumber, he said
Elmer Buchanan, Minister of
Agriculture, had promised changes to
let farmers use their own lumber in
farm buildings without it being
graded but nothing had come of the
promise yet. In Grey County, he said,
building inspectors seemed to be
using some common sense because
he had had few complaints.
There were complaints about
AINSIs (Areas of Natural and
Scientific Interest). Murdock said
there's nothing wrong with the
concept, only the implementation in
Grey. He said changes in the
administration of the local MNR
office gave him hope for
improvements.0
AND THE
WINNER IS...
Rural Voice recently attended the
Chesley Farm Show. A draw was
held for a toy replica of an Allis-
Chalmers baler, donated by Mullen's
Farm Service of Chepstow. The
winner is Donna Miller of Paisley.0
48 THE RURAL VOICE