Huron Expositor, 2001-02-14, Page 6S-THHI MINION 1TOA, F•lareary 14, 2001
News
Johns sees becoming associate
minister of health as step up
By Tim Cumming
Goderich Signal Star Editor
Despite losing her
Citizenship portfolio, the
Member of Provincial
Parliament (MPP) for Huron -
Bruce, Helen Johns, says
she's glad to be
Ontario's new
associate minister of
health.
"It's a bigger
ministry, I see it as
m o r e
responsibility," she
said. "I see that as a
step up."
The budget of the
health portfolio is
more than $20 billion, many
times larger than the size of
her previous ministry.
She says her own polls
show health is the number
one concern of her
constituents and she's glad to
be part of that ministry.
"The biggest issue for my
constituents is health care,"
said Johns. "I'm happy to be
there to represent the rural
(perspective) on health care."
Ontario Premier Mike
Harris shuffled his cabinet
on Thursday, Feb. 8. Harris
moved Johns from her old
post as minister of
citizenship, culture and
recreation (with
responsibility for women's
and seniors' issues).
Johns, as associate
minister of health, will serve
under the new Minister of
Health and Long -Term Care,
Tony Clement, the former
minister of municipal affairs.
"Tony and I were elected
at the same time," said
Johns. "I like Tony and I
think it will work out well,
we're both positive about it,
I think it will be a good
experience."
The two ministers
sharing the health
workload planned to
discuss their new
roles this week, she
said.
The decision to
have two ministers
involved in the
health portfolio was
made because of the
size and importance of the
ministry, Johns said.
There have been two
ministers attached to the
ministry before, said Johns,
who explained that a
minister responsible for
long-term care was attached
to the health ministry in
about 1998.
She said she enjoyed her
previous portfolio of
Citizenship, Culture and
Recreation (with
responsibility for women's
and seniors' issues) which
included such areas as
libraries and heritage
buildings and being involved
in the Canada Summer
Games.
"I'll miss that part of it,
there's no question that some
of the cultural events locally,
and throughout the province,
are wonderful events," she
said.
Johns was first elected
MPP for Huron in 1995. She
served as parliamentary
assistant to three cabinet
ministers between 1995 and
1999. She served as
parliamentary assistant to the
health
minister, was
later parlia-
m e n t a r y
assistant for
environment
and energy
and, later,
energy, science
a n d
technology.
Johns, who
has a Masters
degree in
Business
Administration
from Simon
this cabinet is very focused
on business and jobs."
There is no sign of
recession, said Johns, but
there is a "slowing" of the
economy which this cabinet
will address.
The Ontario government of
Mike Harris
created
separate
Quoted
'It's a bigger
ministry, I see it
as more
responsibility.1
see that as a
step up,' --
Huron -Brute MPP
Helen Johns
Fraser
University, served for 15
years as a financial controller
for a number of small and
medium-sized businesses
before running for office.
"I have a lot of business
experience that I'll bring to'
cabinet," she said. "I'm sure
all of that experience will be
utilized (in health)."
Political pundits have said
the most recent Harris
cabinet shuffle suggests a
political shift to the right of
the political spectrum.
Johns, however, disagrees.
"I don't see it as a right or
as a left shift," she said. "I
think what this is is a focus
on business and jobs. I think
Huron federation
optimistic new ag minister
will help farmers earn more
By Scott Hilgendorff
Exprpsitor Editor
The Huron Federation of Agriculture has
hopes the newly -appointed minister of
agriculture will make more progress than
outgoing Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman.
"I'm a little optimistic he can get things
done," said Neil Vincent, vice president of
the Huron Federation of Agriculture.
Hardeman was one of only two MPPs
dropped in a cabinet shuffle last week. Also
gone is local MPP Helen Johns of Huron -
Bruce. She has gone from minister of
citizenship to a minister without portfolio.
In Hardemen's place is
Ottawa -area MPP Brian
Coburn, representing Ottawa -
Orleans.
Raised on a farm in
Cumberland, in Eastern
Ontario, Coburn was also
involved in politics for 18
years and is a past mayor of
Cumberland.
Those credentials are part of
what gives Vincent, a
Wingham-area farmer, hope
for the new minister.
Vincent said a major issue
for farmers in Ontario is the
need for help from both the
provincial and federal
government to strengthen the
revenue farmers receive.
Feb. 6 was the date
Canadians have earned
enough money to pay for a
year's worth of food yet in
mid-January, people have already earned
enough to pay the share of that money that
goes to the farmers.
"We're not asking for raises. We're asking
for the bare cost of production, bare
breaking even," he said.
"Something has to be wrong when the
aircraft industry, which is profitable, can be
offered a subsidy to compete with a foreign
market."
He said farmers are asking for similar
support to help them compete with the
United States and other foreign markets.
He hopes Coburn will make more
progress in this direction than was seen by
Hardeman, who Vincent says operated
slowly.
"He dragged his feet coming through with
legislation," said Vincent.
Huron and Bruce County have been in the
spotlight in relation to nutrient management
issues; first with a study of Lake Huron
water and high counts of e -coli found from
both human and animal waste and this
summer with the Walkerton water crisis.
But area farmers have been waiting for
more than a year for anticipated legislation
that would govern nutrient management
(manure storage and use) and the
development of major livestock operations.
Without provincial leadership, Vincent
said individual municipalities are coming up
with inconsistent ways of handling the
issues with bylaws and restrictions until
provincial legislation is in place.
In some instances, Vincent said
moratoriums are about to expire that were
placed on any further construction of large
livestock operations by some municipalities
last year.
Now, he said those municipalities don't
know what to do.
"Personally, I feel we've been let down by
the government for something they could
have done in a year," said
Vincent.
He hopes Coburn will
"move forward" rather than
place emphasis in reducing
contact with farmers.
To handle budget cuts,
Hardeman closed several
ministry of agriculture
resource centres, including
one in Clinton.
This eliminated personal
contact farmers could have
with experts in farming from
horticulture to dairy
specialists.
Instead, farmers were asked
to rely on internet sites to
access information and
advice in farming practices.
Vincent said the original
mandate of the ministry was
to educate people but by
eliminating resources like their local offices,
they are failing to do this.
For example, he said the ministry is not
helping people, caught up in fears about e -
coli contamination in their water, understand
that bacteria is an important part of life.
"I believe they got away from their
mandate," he said, adding there are few
programs to help children understand where
their food comes from.
With the stress on accessing information
by internet, the local federation no longer
has access to speakers who could help
educate large groups of farmers about new
practices or problems in the industry.
The Huron Federation of Agriculture
meets again on Feb. 26 where Vincent
expects they will discuss what direction to
take with the new minister and how to
encourage him to help address their
concerns.
He also encourages people to send letters
to Coburn outlining their thoughts on the
current issues facing farmers.
Coburn's Queen's Park office is: 77 Bay
Street, 17th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, MSG
2E5.
Quoted
''We're not
asking for
raises. We're
asking for the
bare cost of
production,
bare breaking
even,'-
N.N vim.11t, vic,
president of Huron
Federation of
Agriculture
ministry of
citizenship as
part of the
cabinet
shuffle,
"signalling
the impor-
tance of
working with
Ontario's
many diverse
c 0 111 10 -
unities
according to
a govern-
ment news release.
Timothy Hudak is the new
minister of tourism, culture
and recreation and Cam
Jackson is the new minister
of citizenship (and minister
responsible for seniors).
NOTICE OF
ANNUAL MEETING
The 125th Annual Meeting of the Members
will be held in the
OFFICE BUILDING
of
McKillop Mutual
Insurance Company
91 Main Street South, SEAFORTH, Ontario
on
Wed., February 28, 2001
at 1:30 p.m.
• To receive and dispose of the 2000 financial
statements and Auditors Report:
• To appoint Auditors;
• To transact any other business that may
properly come before the meeting;
• To elect Three Directors;
• The retiring Directors are Matt Haney, Walter
Mcllwain, and John Tebbutt. All are eligible
for re-election. Matt Haney has chosen not to
let his name stand for re-election.
• Any person wishing to seek election or re-
election as a Director must file his intention to
stand for election in writing with the Secretary
of the Company at least seven days in
advance of the Annual Meeting
(By -Law No. 21 (d) ).
Ken Jones FCIP
Secretary -Treasurer -Manager
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