The Rural Voice, 1989-12, Page 59NEWS
At that gathering, Peterson praised
Riddell's work as minister, noting that
since taking over the portfolio Riddell
had introduced several new programs,
increased his ministry's budget by 72
per cent, and had always spoken with a
loud voice for farmers.
But two years later, almost to the day
and in the middle of a meeting of provin-
cial agriculture ministers, the rug was
pulled out from under Riddell's feet.
Riddell says he still does not know
why he was replaced.
"If someone can get an explanation,
I would dearly like to hear what it is," he
says. "I approached the premier on at
least two different occasions and I also
approached the second most powerful
man in cabinet, Bob Nixon, the treas-
urer, to ask for an explanation ..."
"Well, I never did get a reason and
whatever is appearing in the newspapers
is pretty much conjecture on the part of
the news media. After talking with me
they say this is what they're hearing
across the province, the fact that maybe
the premier did not want as strong a
commitment to the agricultural industry
as I was giving it with my rather loud
voice in cabinet."
The other conjecture is that perhaps
the premier wasn't too sympathetic to
Riddell's agricultural land use policy.
Riddell has pushed to get a land use
policy in place which would keep as
much land in agriculture as possible.
"Because the day is coming when
we'll need that land. I think it's a terrible
legacy to be leaving our children ... not
enough land to produce the food that is
necessary to feed the people of this
country. And it makes us reliant on im-
ported food, which of course will raise
the price of food substantially ..."
Riddell says he was not getting much
support for his land use policy and
wonders out loud if he made too many
"bad friends" because of provincial
spending restraints. "When you're told
you have to pull so much out of your
budget and change your programs in
order to come up with that savings, it
doesn't make the people very happy, the
people that you're serving ..."
Riddell adds that he realizes his
removal from cabinet could have been
the result of a combination of reasons,
but says it would be nice to get an
explanation directly from the premier.0
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