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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2000-04-05, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2000. Letters to the editor MP urges people to act on scholarship THE EDITOR, I am writing further to my letter of March 1, in which I relayed information concerning the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation’s Excellence Awards. Today, I am again asking for your help in communicating related information to students, and their parents, who are enrolled in secondary school (in Grade 12) with the intention of enrolling in post-secondary education. In 1997, the newly installed Lieutenant Governor of Ontario established The Hilary M. Weston Foundation For Youth. Each year, Mrs. Weston donates her federally paid salary, as lieutenant governor, to this foundation to support youth- related initiatives. In keeping with this philosophy, the Foundation is the principal sponsor of First Connection. First Connection is sub-divided into three primary areas of concentration; career development training, placement with Ontario companies and sharing experiences. T-o do this, First Connection provides a $3,000 bursary to each student, which may be used to help finance further education. It should be noted that First Connection is administered, in conjunction with a number of existing youth initiatives, by the Council for Canadian Unity. This would include programs such as Experience Canada, which is a national program allowing young Canadian graduates to encounter their fellow Canadians in other provinces.. First Connection is open to Grade 12 students from across Ontario. To be eligible, students must demonstrate excellent communications skills, satisfactory academic performance, and be active in their school or community through volunteer work or other activities. Complete criteria and application forms are available online. Applications must be received by the program administrator (by mail or by fax) no later than April 17. Additional information can be secured by calling 1-888-566-8066 (fax: 1-888-666-6696) or on the web site at www.ccu- cuc.ca/firstconnection.html. Paul Steckle, MP Huron-Bruce. I would encourage interested individuals to act quickly. Writer lists concerns with Bill C-17 THE EDITOR, The well-meaning Bill C-17, the Federal Animal Cruelty Act, was originally brought forward to severely penalize persons who willfully mistreated or starved their livestock or pets. Unfortunately, if the act passes as presented it opens a wide avenue for animal rights activists to push their agenda against all common and accepted livestock operations and legal hunting and fishing. For those involved with livestock farming, bio-medial research, fur harvesting, hunting and fishing, the changes contained in Bill C-17 as currently framed represents a very serious threat to their livelihood, recreation and residency. This bill has already received first reading. It is no secret that animal rights activists have successfully lobbied the federal government to secure the changes reflected in Bill C-17. Seventeen of the 18 recommendations from these groups were incorporated by the Justice Department. The risks - leaving aside the government’s best intentions, if Bill C-17 is left as is: - cattle farmers risk criminal prosecution for such common practices as dehorning, castrating, and hot iron branding or ear tags (182.1); - kosher slaughterhouses risk criminal prosecution for not stunning livestock prior to killing (182.1(1) or 182.1(b); - livestock farmers risk criminal prosecution for transporting injured or sick animals to slaughterhouses (182.1(1 )(a) or 182.1(2)(c); - bio-medical researchers (in food, cosmetics, chemicals) prosecution for testing which results in any pain or suffering (182.1(l)(a); - anglers risk criminal prosecution for even putting a worm on a hook (1 82.1( 1 )(a), 182.19 (b) or 182.1(2)(a); - hunters risk criminal prosecution medicine and risk criminal for accidental wounding or for using archery equipment (182.1 (1 )(a), 182.l(l)(b) or 182 (l)(a); - trappers risk criminal prosecu tion for using a live holding trap (182.1 (1 )(a), 182.1(l)(b) or 182(l)(a). The Federation of Anglers and Hunters seems to be the only group watch dogging these groups and their narrow agendas. It is time all concerned organizations banned together to stop this madness. Call your MP now. Peter Steer, Lucknow and Area Game Management Club. Process disappoints PROTECT Bluewater Kennel Club OBEDIENCE CLASSES Trainer: Ruth Oesch Starts Tuesday, April 18 at the Seaforth Agricultural Building 7- 8 PM BASIC LEVEL 8- 9 PM ADVANCED LEVEL Preparation for novice trials. $80.00 for 8 week course Bring toys and treats & Rabies cert. To register early or more info call: Florence Pullen @ 233-7-896 or Kelly Carter @ 482-5543 THE EDITOR, On March 10, Ontario Pork held a press conference to release the findings from an assessment conducted by Komex International on 50 liquid manure storage system sites on hog farms in Southwestern Ontaiio. PROTECT (Presenting Recommendations on Township Environmental Concerns Together) had previously indicated it would issue a response once it had a chance to review the report. PROTECT would like to emphasize that it fully supports Ontario Pork’s initiative to conduct a study and to make the results available for public review. We commend Ontario Pork on their proactive approach in accepting ownership for the problems and concerns faced by their industry. By taking this “first step”, they have determined a direction in which all agriculture producers and community members could work together on addressing the environmental issues at hand. In response to the findings of this report, PROTECT would like to acknowledge our disappointment with the process. After being asked to participate in the study, we were arbitrarily excluded from meetings to review the draft and final reports. We were denied the opportunity for open discussion on the data and to contribute to the conclusions. Our review of the published report and the press announcement raises serious concerns. Initially 100 sites were selected by Ontario Pork to participate in the study. Komex then chose a sample of 50 sites from that list to reflect a representative variety of factors and conditions. The question is, “Were the original 100 sites a random representation of all barn sites?” ■ For example, if producers thought their sites were suspect, would they have volunteered to participate?” The possibility of a favourable bias is something to keep in mind when reaching conclusions. Komex was cautioned to consider the impact of building perimeter and field drain tiles. These tiles could very well allow leaked contaminants from storage tanks, to escape the site, therefore reducing the site readings. The report makes no reference to this. We mention this as another possible source of favourable bias. Of the 50 sites in the sample, eight sites or 16 per cent “appear to be impacting groundwater.” Given this, PROTECT takes exception to the conclusion that “the results do not raise serious concerns of extensive environmental impacts of hog manure storage facilities.” The study indicated this was a one per cent sample of the 5,100 pork producers. Given that many pork producers have several facilities, the sample was probably less than one per cent. Even if we accept a one per cent sample rate, it suggests that 816 (ie. 16 per cent of 5100) storage facilities have problems. We feel that is cause for concern. PROTECT feels the press release did not acknowledge the full extent of the problem. While the focus of the study was on leaking facilities, it also revealed 11 other sites (22 per cent) that had impacts unrelated to leaks. Each of these had “nitrate concentrations in groundwater above the drinking water guidelines, along with elevated chloride concentrations.” Thus the one per cent sample indicates there could be problems at a further 1122 sites (ie. 22 per cent of 5100). All together, 19 sites, or 38 per cent, indicated serious problems. 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