HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-09-02, Page 6GRADUATION
JOHN MCKERCHER
Lorna and Caitlin McKercher are
pleased to announce the
graduation of John McKercher
from Osgoode Hall Law School
with a Bachelor of Law degree.
He was the recipient of the silver
medal as the graduating
student with the second
highest cumulative grade point
average. John is the son of Don
& Charlotte McKercher, R.R.#1
Dublin and will be returning to
Seaforth in September to article
with Devereaux Murray LLP.
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41- Living In support of
people with an intellectual disability
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On September 4 vialoirtialccepslain roceNsuannd County will be
Smoke-Free.
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11,
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ft4 Bylaw intonation kits are available at
the Huron County Health Unit, It unIcipal
and at www.huroncounty.ca
or questions regarding the WI"
Or violations, call 5.19-482-3377
For more information and resources on quitting smoking,
call the Huron County Health Unit at 482-3416 or
1-877-837-6143 if long distance.
Putting Health First
Environmental Tobacco Smoke Bylaw #21, 2003
PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2004.
Letter to the editor
Hunting recommendations please OFA
THE EDITOR,
Many Ontario farmers and their
organizations are unhappy with the
McGuinty government's current
approach to dealing with the issues
in the farming sector.
We've had the municipal drainage
outlet program yanked from under
our feet without any consultation or
warning, and we've been
overwhelmed by a series of
government-initiated consultations
on other topics that could have
serious negative consequences for
farming.
However, when things go well, we
need to acknowledge success. OFA
and the province's farmers are
pleased to see many of their
recommendations included in
hunting regulation changes
announced by Hon. David Ramsay,
Minister of Natural Resources. The
THE EDITOR,
I would like to thank Todd Edgar
for his comments in last week's
paper concerning the BSE issue, and
I would like to add some comments
of my own.
When my neighbours recently
asked me one night how I was
feeling, I replied that I was in the
beef industry; that should tell her
everything.
Her response was "ah, just another
whining farmer."
Now I know she was just teasing,
and she most definitely did
apologize, but it did trigger a
reaction when two, yes two, cull
cows will not pay for my doctor's
prescription for high blood pressure
pills, then I don't consider it
whining. Nor when those same two
cows will not even pay for a tankful
of gas in my truck, I don't consider
that whining.
minister described the changes as
part of a sustainable wildlife
management program, and OFA sees
the changes as a means of providing
better balance in the deer population.
These changes will allow for
additional deer hunting in many
parts of OntariO this fall, something
OFA and farmers have been seeking.
Rapidly-expanding deer populations
have resulted in damage to farm
properties and crops by marauding
herds of deer. Farmers have been
asking for a means of reducing this
damage, and MNR's willingness to
listen and respond positively to
agriculture is a welcome change.
We're hearing the government
wants to talk with farmers and their
organizations in search of an
alternative to 'the municipal outlet
drainage program. If such talks can
produce an effective alternative,
Since cull cows that brought $700
- $1,000 prior to the BSE outbreak,
now only bring $50 (or in many
cases even less) I wish someone
could tell me what the answer is.
Some might suggest selling the
cows, but at such a staggering loss, it
would be a hard pill to swallow.
Off-farm income looks attractive,
but the workload makes it highly
unfeasable. On the other hand, it's
not fair that the entire income from
my wife's three part-time jobs has to
be used to subsidize the farm.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not
looking for your sympathy, just your
understanding. And please
understand this; that while the BSE
crisis is slowly destroying the entire
beef industry in our country, it is
tearing the heart, and the hell out of
rural Canada.
Thank you.
Les Caldwell
something that will yield the most
efficient use of tax dollars, OFA will
welcome those discussions.
Because of the value of municipal
drains, OFA will insist on continued
provincial government investment to
ensure the long-term future of the
municipal drain infrastructure. We
need to know these time-proven
concepts will not be lost to rural
Ontario.
If there's an intent to engage in
productive consultation, OFA is
interested. If the objective is merely
aimed at distracting farmers from
the important, things they have to
focus on, we will ask our
government to rethink its strategy.
Farmers across Ontario have every
right to be concerned when they see
their provincial government cutting
funding to programs that have given
good value to the industry for years.
In recent weeks, dairy, pork and beef
producers have taken hits from the
government for programs that have
provided valuable tools to improve
the genetics and the efficiency of
their operations.
At a time when OMAF Minister
Peters is embarking on a series of
discussions across the province
aimed at developing a 'new vision'
for Ontario agriculture — presumably
to find new efficiencies for the
industry — it makes little sense to
eliminate programs that have proven
their worth.
The provincial government must
stop chipping away at agriculture
and take a stand to demonstrate
support for Ontario farmers and the
things that are important to them.
Too often we are getting
announcements of program cuts
with no accompanying statements of
support or rationalization.
We need the Ontario government
to recognize agriculture as a priority
investment. Other government
cabinet ministers must become
engaged and offer their support for
Minister Peters as he seeks increased
expenditures for Ontario's second
largest economic engine. It's time to
end the slow destruction of OMAF
and what it should mean to farmers.
Ron Bonnett, President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture.
Farmer tells his side