HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times-Advocate, 2002-10-16, Page 5Reply to Helen Johns
Thank you, Helen Johns, Ontario Minister of
Agriculture and Food (OMAF) for your reply to my article
on the water quality of Lake Huron which recently
appeared in this community newspaper. Your interest is
appreciated.
The point of my article is very simple. There is a
provincial standard for recreational water safety in
Ontario of 100 e-coli per 100 ml. of water. It is the
responsibility of the Provincial government to ensure
those standards are met. You mentioned the many world
-class plans and programs developed by OMAF and the
farmers of Huron County. Despite all the effort, the situa-
tion continues to get worse. That would tell me the
actions taken to date, as good as they may be, are not
working.
Anyone who has studied the situation has long ago
conceded that most of the pollutants that come into our
waterways and Lake Huron come from agriculture. Even
farming associations agree with that. Yes, there is some
from septic tanks, and rarely from faulty municipal
sewage systems . The Minister noted that maybe some of
the pollution comes from wild animals. There may be
1000 or so deer roaming the County, but there are one
million hogs, a quarter of a million cattle, and 5 million
poultry. You get the picture.
The e-coli counts spike up dramatically whenever
there is a rain. (Thank God we had a dry year). If the pol-
lution problem was septic tanks, e-coli rates would be
consistent rain or shine. However, rain does cause runoff
from farm fields. That runoff floods into our waterways
with its manure residue. It contains not only e-coli, but
phosphates which have once again endangered Lake
Erie, (as reported in the Globe and Mail last week) along
with nitrates, antibiotics, and steroids which come from
liquid hog manure and other livestock.
My article is reportedly balanced and fair. It said
pointedly that independent farmers cannot be blamed
for pollution. It has more to do with the system under
which they operate. Farmers have been left with the
responsibility of cleaning up the excessive animal sewage
generated, especially by intensive farming operations. If
this were an industrial situation, and oil or acid were
flowing into our waterways, there would be hell to pay.
Somehow the intensive farming operations, which are
really agricultural factories not normal farms, are treat-
ed differently.
The main winners from intensive farming operations
are: the meat processing companies who fatten their
profits; and the Ontario Government which reaps taxes,
and favourable balance of trade numbers. In Huron
County last year farm gate revenues were $ 645 million,
a significant rise from previous years. What is the antici-
pated per annum target for 2004 ? How about $ 1 bil-
lion? We all know what that kind of growth will do to the
pollution in Lake Huron. We can’t hold our own the way
it is now.
The losers to the resultant higher levels of pollution is:
nearly everyone else: the residents of the County as their
property values decline; families, as visiting relatives stay
away from the unsafe water; retailers and service
providers whose businesses will decline or fail as tourists
avoid the polluted beaches of Huron County. It is not a
stretch to say the present levels of water pollution, if not
reversed, will once again result in widespread illness and
even death.
The Minister said "yes" to the question, it is possible to
have a flourishing agricultural industry in Huron County,
and reach provincial standards for water quality 100 e-
coli . To make that come true, there will have to be: per-
manent staff to measure water quality consistently;
enforcement officers active in the County, substantial
penalties for those not adhering to regulations both on
the farms and all Lakeshore residents, as
well.(Lakeshore resident organizations have passed reso-
lutions advocating septic tank inspections and correc-
tions.) Intensive livestock operations must be limited to
what the land can accommodate. Most importantly,
financial and other resources must be provided by both
government and meat packing companies to assist farm-
ers to manage excessive manure economically and safe-
ly.
But those are details. At the end of the day, there is a
general conflict of objectives between those who favour
the growth of intensive livestock operations, and those
who favour safe water for the public. Neither group is
malicious. They are just protecting their interests. What
is needed is a Government of Ontario policy as to which
of the two priorities will prevail when push comes to
shove---growth of intensive livestock operations or safe
water. When these two priorities come into conflict--and
they do-- the Ontario Government must decide which
priority best serves the common good of all citizens.
In such a scenario, premier Ernie Eves would put the
question to his cabinet. They would discuss it for a long
while, because it is a complex issue the government’s
responsibility, the money, the taxes, the political implica-
tions, the farm vote, the tree huggers, the media, next
election, the commitment to implement to Walkerton
enquiry recommendations. Finally, it would be put to a
vote.
The Minister of OMAF would seem to have a particular
tough decision to make. She is involved with both agri-
cultural objectives and the protection of our water safety.
Despite these conflicting interests, I am confident she
would do the right thing.
How would the Premier vote? How would the
Government vote? As a citizen of Ontario, how would
you want them to vote?
No, the priorities can’t be equal. We’ve tried that.
JOEL ROCHON
Incorrect information
Dear Editor:
In response to a letter published in the Times-
Advocate on Oct. 9 entitled ‘Reality Check’, reference
was made to statistics about spousal homicides. In the
article, the author indicates that 52 men were murdered
in 2000 and 69 were murdered in 2001. This is incor-
rect. The numbers cited by the author actually refer to
the murderers: in fact, 52 men murdered their spouses
in 2000 and 69 men murdered their spouses in 2001.
The statistics for women who murdered their spouses
remained the same - 16 for both years. This information
is available on the Statistics Canada web site at
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020925/d020925b.ht
m The article also called into question a statement that
53 women and children had been murdered in Ontario
since June, 2000. This information - including the names
of the women and children, how they died and who mur-
dered them - can be found on the Ontario Women’s
Justice Network web site at http://www.owjn.org
Sincerely,
PAM HANINGTON, Women Today of Huron;
MICHELE HANSEN, Women’s Shelter, Second Stage
Housing and Counselling Services of Huron, Box 334,
Goderich, Ont. N7A 4C6
Reality check response
Dear Editor:
This letter is in response to Michael Foreman’s letter
to the editor in last week’s edition of your paper ‘A reali-
ty check’. Mr. Foreman needs a reality check; in fact I
would be bold enough to suggest that Mr. Foreman
needs a medical check for a diagnosis of ‘dyslexia’.
It never ceases to amaze me what people will do to
make a personal political statement, including outright
lies and totally incorrect information. Unfortunately it
often sounds official and can sway people’s opinion espe-
cially when apparent ‘facts’ are spouted.
Mr. Foreman quotes statistics from the recently
released Stats Canada report with specific reference to
spousal homicides. I was so surprised by the data that I
decided to do some research of my own and look at the
same report. And what should I discover? That Mr.
Foreman took the information and totally turned the
data around. All the numbers he spouted were exactly
backward! Shame on you Mr. Foreman...shame on you!
The following statement is directly from Stats Canada.
Spousal homicides increased in 2001 for the first time
in six years, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday.
“The number of men accused of killing their current
wife or ex-wife rose to 69 in 2001 from 52 in 2000, with
virtually all of this increase occurring in Ontario,” the
agency said. “The number of women accused of killing
their husband - 16 - was unchanged from 2000. One
homicide was committed by a same-sex spouse.”
As you can see, no matter how hard Mr. Foreman tries
to distort reality with his blatant lies - the homicide rates
do not lie and cannot be denied. (To use his own words).
The numbers are completely backwards to what Mr.
Foreman spouted in his flaming missive against women.
It is due to individuals like Mr. Foreman that women
have to fight so hard for rights and equality.
Unfortunately he also feels it necessary to attack the
non-profit agencies who work so hard in our communi-
ties to help the victims of these events and the people
who ‘unwittingly support’ us.
I am the Executive Director of the Tilbury Information
& Help Centre and the former Executive Director of the
Huron United Way, both outstanding non-profit agencies
that deserve full community support. My staff work every
day with families and individuals who encounter violence
and hatred and life-threatening situations. We have a
team of dedicated volunteers to help us to our work
because we never have enough funding to do it all our-
selves. Thank God for those wonderful volunteers! And
‘hats off’ to Michele Hansen, Executive Director of the
Wednesday, October 16, 2002 5Exeter Times–Advocate
Editorial&Opinion
10 YEARS AGO
October 14, 1992 - With recreation finances in
better shape than they thought, Zurich council gave
the go-ahead to a $56,000 plan to repair and
upgrade the Babe Siebert Memorial Arena.
25 YEARS AGO
October 13, 1977 - Wayne
Horner, Hay Township clerk and
lifetime resident of the Zurich
area is moving to St. Paul, Alberta
next month. He will be clerk-
administrator of the community
which is about 135 miles north-
east of Edmonton.
Breaking a three-foot hole
through a cement wall in the side
of Bridgett Pharmacy on Main
street in Ailsa Craig,thieves made
off with $10,000 worth of stolen goods over the
weekend.
Getting awards at Friday’s Commencement at
South Huron District High School as top students in
Grade 12 were Mary Warburton, Heather Little,
Paul Van Esbroeck and Carolyn Perry.
Reg McDonald had the distinction of being the
first person to skate on the surface of the old Exeter
arena in 1937. Now 40 years later, Reg again has
the distinction of being the first person to skate on
the ice at the new South Huron Rec Centre. He was-
n’t leaving that opportunity open to anyone else
either. While attending a dance at the rec centre on
Saturday night, he noticed ice making was in
progress. After the dance he went home, picked up
his blades and returned to take the first skate. The
exact time? Would you believe 3.14 a.m. on Oct.
13? Witnessing the event were Kirk Armstrong, Jim
Guenther, Bill Van Bergen and Gladys McDonald.
40 YEARS AGO
October 13, 1962 - Exeter Kinsmen’s Harvest
Jamboree held Friday night in the Exeter arena
attracted over 1,100 people who whooped it up and
hoofed it to the tunes of two district bands,
Desjardines orchestra and Stu Baird and his
Collegians.
Harvey Pfaff, Exeter Postmaster resigned as area
co-ordinator for the emergency measures organiza-
tion.
Exeter and District Co-Op announced this week it
has plans to erect a new store and office facilities at
its location near the CNR station. A 30 foot exten-
sion will be added to the new warehouse erected
last year on the east side of Station Street.
45 YEARS AGO
October 15, 1957 - More than half the students of
Zurich Public School were confined to their homes
because of an epidemic of Asian flu. Official opening
of the school will be held despite the sickness.
The opening of the new $120,000 Hensall Public
School Friday evening was attended by students,
parents and interested citizens. A former teacher,
Miss Mattie Ellis with 36 years of service in the
teaching profession had the honour of cutting the
ribbon to the new school.
Principal Greta Lavender of Zurich Public School
cut the ribbon to officially open a new $40,000 two-
room addition to the school.
Bill Batten of Exeter was elected president of the
Mid-Western Zone of the Christian Young
Councillors Convention at a rally in Owen Sound
this weekend.
55 YEARS AGO
October 16, 1947 - Ray Wuerth is the new presi-
dent of the Exeter Badminton Club.
Exeter public school trustees secured an extra
room in the Exeter Legion Hall to relieve the con-
gestion in the over-crowded classrooms in the
school.
Evelyn Desjardine of Grand Bend carried off the
gold medal in elocution at the contest sponsored by
the W.C.T.U.
A meeting to wind up the operations of the
Exeter District War Time Committee was held in
the council chambers on Friday.
Exeter Boy Scouts, and leader Ted Buswell gath-
ered eight tons of scrap paper on Saturday.
80 YEARS AGO
October 15, 1922 - Early Thursday morning the
barn of Mr. Paul Masse in Hay Township, north of
Dashwood was completely destroyed by fire. The
season’s crop and a team of horses were lost when
a lighted lantern as overturned by a cat.
On Tuesday of this week, the Exeter Times pur-
chased the Hensall Observer printing plant.
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
See REALITY Page 6