HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-01-06, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2005.
A year in review
A look back to the stories in the news in 2004
Ontario’s annual meeting, members
raised $400 in donations.
recommendation allowing
East to withdraw from the
District fire area board.
membership pin.
2)04
Wav
Chelsey McLellan of Brussels and
Aaron Richmond of Ethel were
nominees for the Ontario Junior
Citizen of the Year Award.
The Ontario Superior Court
granted a further extension to
financially-troubled Acre T Farms
Ltd., which was under court
protetion from its creditors.
Majestic Women’s Institute
member Yvonne Knight was
presented with her 40-year
Farm equity means debt to some
Continued from page 4
other healthy foods like the
proverbial hot potato in response to
their 50-something girths.
For many, farm equity, created
and passed down by hard-working
men and women who broke the land
and nurtured it into productivity, has
become farm debt.
Beaming 4-H parents still nod in
excitement as children, proudly
clutching ribbons, scan the crowd
for their eyes.
But for this generation of farm
families, encouraging sons and
daughters to lake over the family
farm is fraught with unprecedented
questions. And unprecedented risk.
For a country so hooked on
sustainability, you'd think ensuring
the sustainability of Canada’s
farmers would be the first priority of
government.
Pivotal players in a primary
sector, farmers take sun and seeds
and soil and water and smarts and
turn them into food. A kind of
magic, really, bred in the bone from
a lifetime of waking early to help in
the barn, of watching parents “figure
it out” on the kitchen table every
winter, of helping to work up a crop
in the spring, tend it over summer
and take it off in the fall.
Year after year, it is a dance that
esonates through the family to its
/oungest member, imparting a sense
. if rural rhythm that lasts a lifetime.
Sure, a motivated kid from the city
an study farming and make a go of
t, but no amount of training is going
o turn displaced workers into
aimers.
When
uture of farming to become so
incertain
way from the land, ancestors weep.
And communities shudder.
Where does Canada stand in its
upporl for farming? This October,
)ntario's Huron County Federation
»f Agriculture asked me to speak on
ust that. The picture is not a pretty
>ne.
According to the latest (2003)
Jrganization for Economic Co-
iperation and Development
governments allow the
that young people turn
Students from Hullett Central
Public School spent a day job
shadowing with employees from
Wescast Industries.
A new chamber of commerce was
launched to provide all businesses in
Huron East with equal access to a
number of opportunities and a voice
for municipal issues.
During the Huron County
committee for the Dairy Farmers of
(OECD) report on measures of
support to agriculture, Canada’s
farmers are losing ground.
Per farmer support in Canada
during 2000-02 averaged $10,000
U.S., amongst the lowest of all
OECD countries and almost half the
$19,000 U.S. received by American
farmers.
Put anther way. Canadian farmers
received 53 per cent lower levels of
support than American farmers.
While per farmer support in Canada
fell nine per cent below average
OECD levels, it rose in the U.S.,
exceeding those levels by 73 per
cent.
Measured on a per hectare basis,
support for farming in Canada
during 2000-02 declined by 57 per
cent from 1986-88 level
During this same period, per
hectare support to American farmers
increased by 14 per cent. As a
result. Canada’s farmers received 51
per cent lower levels of per hectare
support than did their American
counterparts.
As a proportion of gross farm
receipts, support to Canadian
farmers in 2000-02 declined by 44
per cent from 1986-88 levels;
Canadian farmers now receive 39
per cent less support as a proportion
of farm gate receipts than the OECD
average.
During 2000-02, total per capita
support for farming in Canada
declined by 33 per cent from 1986-
88 levels and now falls 35 per cent
below average OECD support
levels. During the same period, per
capita support to American farmers
increased by 18 per cent and now
averages close to 20 per cent above
OECD levels.
Canadian farmers received 55 per
cent lower levels of per capita
support than did their American
counterparts.
And it’s not as if Canada.s farmers
are slouches on an economic level.
During 2000-02, Canada.s farmers
contributed, on a proportional basis,
close to 60 per cent more to the
gross domestic product and created
12 per cent more jobs than American
Several Brussels and area girls
were heading to Treasure Island,
Florida for a performance with the
Seaforth District All Girls Marching
Band.
Over 200 secondary school
students from across the region were
in Blyth for the annual Sears Drama
Festival.
North Huron council approved a
farmers.
During this time. Canadians
continued to enjoy the third lowest
food costs of all OECD member
nations.
Canada’s farmers are losing
ground. They deserve the policy
respect of government.Commodity
politics
politics, so Canada's farmers need to
speak in one voice.
A minority government provides a
unique opportunity.
undermining farmare
Toronto,
in the
Corbett.
The Grey Fire Department
received a new custom-designed
pumper.
Justin Peters of Blyth and goalie
for St. Mike’s Majors in
scored his first goal
OHL.
Twins Chris and Adam
sons of Charles and Abi of Brussels,
w-ere competing in the Spring
Classic hockey tournament in
Slaney and Prague, Czech Republic,
as members of the Huron-
Perth ‘AAA’ Major Bantam
Lakers.
Huron East residents were ready
to tackle the issues facing their
municipality, according to a recent
community survey.
Young student fi I makers from
across southwestern Ontario were
able to express their creative talent
through submitted entries to the third
annual Imago Student Film Festival
being held in Clinton.
Just half a year into the their new
term. North Huron council
vacant seat to fill,
administrator John Stewart
letter of resignation from
DeVries, one of two representatives
for the Blyth ward.
For the third consecutive year, the
number of Avon Maitland District
School Board students successfully
completing the provincial literacy
test exceeded the provincial ave
rage.
Gas prices had risen considerably
in the past month, frustrating
motorists more and more every day
and it didn’t appear there was much
hope of the prices dropping any time
soon.
Members of Huron East council
agreed the municipality should own
all its facilities as council opened its
May 18 with a long discussion on
how recreation and day care should
be funded.
It was noted, arenas need revenues
of $1,000 per day to break
even.
had a
Clerk
read a
Ralph
Continued on page 7
Ontario’s new free vaccines will protect kids
The government of Ontario is helping kids stay safe from chicken pox, meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal disease.
Here’s how it works:
• Vaccine for pneumococcal disease is now available free for children born on or after January 1, 2004.
• Vaccines for chicken pox and meningococcal meningitis are now available free for one-year-old children bom on
or after September 1, 2003.
• Five-year-olds and high-risk people of any age who haven’t had chicken pox can also get the free vaccine.
• Twelve-year-olds, 15- to 19-year-olds and high-risk people of any age can get the free meningococcal meningitis vaccine.
For more information, talk to your doctor or local public health unit. Call 1-877-234-4343. TTY 1-800-387-5559.
< )r visit HealthyOntario.com.