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10 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 24, 1995
J
News and Views
Klopp proud of NDP farm plans
BY PATRICK RAFTIS
SSP News Staff
Incumbent Huron MP Paul
Klopp, says his involvement in
politics actually began as a
child, listening to the diverse
political voices of his own
family during kitchen table
discussions.
"My father got involved in
the NDP/CCF back in the early
'60s. As a child I sat around
the kitchen table and heard my
families on both sides discuss
the good qualities of the
Liberals and the good qualities
of the Conservatives and the
good qualities of the NDP. I
came from about as well-
rounded a family as you can
get in Huron County, I think,"
said the 38 -year-old life-long
Huron resident, who lives on
his farm at RR 2 Zurich, with
his wife Heather and their two
children T.J., 9, and Heidi, 6.
Klopp entered the first of his
four election campaigns under
the NDP banner in 1985. He
ran again in 1987 and was
elected for the first time in
1990 when the NDP swept
David Peterson's Liberal's
from power.
After a full term in
government, Klopp gave some
thought to stepping aside this
time and devoting his time to
his farm and his family.
"We got elected at a really
rough time. They already had a
debt piled up and they had all
these programs running. Then
we got hit with the worst
recession since the '30s," said
Klopp, noting that the New
Democrats were forced by
economic necessity to make
such unpopular decisions as the
closing of Centralia College of
Agriculture and Technology in
his own riding, a decision he
maintains was necessary to put
an end to costly duplication of
services.
"We had six colleges running
all about half full. Well we
better make some decisions
here, because that's operating,
and we could have real savings
and still have a place for
students to get to school (at
other agricultural colleges in
the province)."
"So I thought about, did you
really need this. You've got a
farm, you've got a family. But
then I'm not a quitter. Then I
started to think of some
benchmarks," said Klopp,
pointing with pride to his
government's institution of
Farm -Plus program,
Commodity Loans Program
and other initiatives for
farmers.
"Those things could have
been done years ago. They
could have been done when we
really needed them. Well we
stili need them now, but we
should could have used that
kind of stuff back in 1978/79,
1980. I think that the brains
were there then, but I think the
government was lobbied too
hard by banks and they were in
with the banks. We got in
finally and we just got hold of
the farm community and they
came up with these ideas."
Klopp feels the Liberals and
the Tories have treated rural
voters as an afterthought,
copying for the most part, NDP
ideas for this sector.
"I heard one Liberal guy
down in Essex say we should
have a rural caucus. Well, we
already have one - it's called
RAC - I'm the chairman."
He points out that the Tories
Huron MPP Paul Klopp visits with Hensall Nursing Home residents Dorothy Wilfong
and Evertt Gallagher during a campaign stop at the home, May 11.
(photo by Patrick 'Raftis)
Common Sense Revolution
platform when launched a year
ago did not make mention of
farmers or rural Ontario.
"We brought that up in the
house and there was silence.
They didn't ask Elmer
Buchanan one question for
three weeks," said Klopp,
adding that the Conservatives
then came out with a separate
document for rural Ontario.
"And they said, 'well that's
what we were going to do all
along," he said skeptically.
Klopp feels that leadership is
the most important issue in the
current election, and area
where he feels NDP premier
Bob Rae's thoughtful approach
gives the party an edge.
"At the end of the day, you
do need a leader that is going
to be listening at the table and
Say, 'I think there's been
enough discussion,' and I agree
with him. Somebody, some
time has to make a decision
and you need someone who's
really listening - and I've seen
that in Bob (Rae). '
"I think it's also that we've
been a government that's acted.
We've heard that comment
over and over," said Klopp.
"I think that's been our
strongest point and that's what
we'll have to keep doing. We
haven't just told everybody
what they wanted to hear."
Klopp feels Liberal and
Conservative promises to cut
taxes are unrealistic.
"They say they're going to
do that, and they say they're
going to save all the services.
They say they're going to keep
all the colleges open and we're
not going to have any pain for'
anybody. Well, most people
aren't buying that nonsense. I
think we've been straight with
people. We've raised the taxes•
three years ago along with
expenditure controls. We taxed
people though, at the higher
end. We did promise we we're
going to bring more tax
fairness in. We've put in a
minimum corporate tax. All the
other provinces have minimum
corporate taxes. So, we did
that. But, this election we also
didn't make an election budget
where we said we'll drop some
taxes and pretend there isn't a
problem."
Klopp feels the NDP
government has set a course of
steady "achievable" goals in
terms of bringing down the
provincial deficit. A more
buoyant then expected
economy combined with
savings to be realized from
reductions in government could
lead to an even faster demise
to the debt than the party has
previously suggested, Klopp
speculated.
Practical measures such as
reducing the number of
schoolboards in the province,
as suggested in the Sweeney
Report, are among the ways the
government could act to cut
costs, said Klopp, adding that
he's not talking about
combining efficiently -run
boards in Huron and Perth
(both boards have stated their
opposition to such as move),
but notes that there are some
boards in the province with 10
or less schools which could be
candidates for amalgamation.
Klopp takes aim at more
drastic deficit reductions such
as those proposed by Tory
leader Mike Harris as
unworkable.
"Mike would say we're just
going to cut and slash and burn
right away. Well that isn't what
you do. You take a slow and
deliberate approach and the
goal is you're going to have
something better at the end.
Klopp feels his party's
government has made some
progress. toward reducing the
level of voter cynicism.
"I think it's gone down a
little bit because I've also
heard, 'you know. I don't agree
with everything that you and
Bob Rae have done, but, by
gosh, you've acted.' And that's
some thing 1 know I didn't
hear in 1990 and in 1985 and
'87."
Jobs are the number one
concern of the electorate in this
election, according to Klopp.
"Jobs, keeping jobs in rural
Ontario. And I think there's a
bit of credibility there with
what we can do to help.
Because of JOCA, jobsOntario
Training, there's 700 people in
this county that are not now on
Welfare.
"That's what we've got to
keep doing. We have a STEP
program now where when you
work when you're on Welfare
you don't get dollar for dollar
earned taken off," said Klopp,
adding that the latter move was
an initiative of the previous
Liberal government "and we've
kept iL"
Klopp says Liberal and
Conservative promises to cut
Welfare benefits and bring in
"workfare" programs would
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hurt more people than they
would help.
"Think about it. I mean, if
there's work out there, a lot of
people want it. And what are
you going to do? Well, they're
going to go out and clean up
the side of the roads, cut trees
down and stuff. Well, what are
we going to do with the county
guys?"
Klopp he's heard more
people concerned about
companies paying employees a
decent wage telling workers
"we can get Welfare people at
seven bucks an hour. You guys
better start working for that."
At the same time, Klopp
concedes his own government
has been forced to freeze
family benefits and in some
cases "ratcheted back," some of
diem.
"But I dont take any
happiness in that. We just had
to make a lot of tougher
decisions. But, I didn't brag
about it."
Klopp feels his grounding in
a variety of areas makes him a
good representative for Huron
Riding.
"As a farmer you're a small
business person. You know
what it's like to be a laborer
and a manger at the same time.
"I come from a family that's
had strong, political roots in all
the parties and I think that's
helped as I've listened. It's
always interested me I've
enjoyed the debate and making
my own mind up. And I think
that's my biggest asset. That I
try to be human about it."
A
You are cordially invited to attend the
ANNUAL MEETING
of the
Children's Aid Society
of Huron County
on Wednesday, May 31, 1995
at the Rivermill, Benlniller Ilan
RR #4, Goderich, Ontario
Business Meeting: 7:00 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Peter Marshall
His presentation will emphasize the positives of
workint; with children and their families.
A social time will follow.
Memberships ($5) available at the door.
or may be purchased in advance at
the agency offices.
413 MacEwan Street
Goderich. Ontario N7A 4M 1
RILIBERAL
ELECT
JOHN JEWITT
YOUR PROVINCIAL LIBERAL CANDIDATE
IN HURON
Farmed for 40 years in
Mullett Township
Long-standing member of
the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture
Hullett Township Councillor
from 196810 1980
Hullett Township Reeve
from 1974 to 1978
Seaforth and District
Community Centres
Building Committee Rep
Blyth and District
Community Centre Building
Committee Rep.
Lite -long resident and
supporter of small business
in Huron County
RILIBERAL
John Jewitt's life long commitment to Huron has mcluded.the
commitment to support local small business both in word and in
deed
"Being involved in the Agricultural industry, and
experiencing first hand the issues facing farmers and
small business otvites , gives John Jewitt the right to
speak on our behalf at Queen's Park. Hi'e in rural Ontario
should support one of our own." Con Eckert, McKillop
Rural Ontario has always made a positive contribution to the
success of the Province as a whole Huron County owes to itself to
send somebody to Queen's Park who will continue to be a Rural
Voice.
1L/BERAL
For more information or a ride to the polls on June 8 call
JOHN JEWITT CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS
Seaforth Committee Room,
24 Main Street, Seaforth (519) 527-0909
Authorized by the C.F.0 for the John Jewitt Campaign
A