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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2001-03-21, Page 1March 21, 2001 Si In brief Hospital gets $177,340 from • province Seaforth Community Hospital received a $177,340 provincial grant from Associate Minister of Health Helen Johns on Friday. The money is specifically directed to go toward upgrading and modernizing medical equipment and was part of $189.5 million made available to hospitals across the province. The money was awarded last week and needs to be used by March 31. "The government is very clear what we can use it for," said hospital administrator, Andrew Williams. "It's not to allow hospitals to introduce new services," he said, ' About $60,000 will go toward a sigmoidoscope and .a gastroscope, both used for diagnosis and treatment of intestinal problems. , "It goes a long way to. helping us address our equipment needs here for the community," said Williams. The hospital had no trouble finding ways toy use the funds with such a tight deadline. Some of the money will go toward upgrading the ultrasound unit, an improvement that wouldn't have happened until next year's budget. "It gives us a good leg up for next year," said Williams, adding they will be able to look at funding other areas next year with some of their forecasted needs already met through the grant. A second grant will be made next year but Williams said they have been told the bulk of the funding available has been issued now. Locally, Clinton Public Hospital received $186,272, Alexandra Marine. and General Hospital in Goderich received $233,454 and Wingham and District Hospital received $210,413. By Scott Hilgendorf Inside... Toys being sanitized.. Po9* $ Paws Atpiaydurtgihe Mardi Back. Pads 7 Farmers won't get $90o million Steckle warns only $5�o million will be given to help struggling farmers By Clint Haggart Clinton News Record Staff Area farmers were warned Saturday they won't get as much government help as they are expecting. "I do not think you will see $900 million," said Paul Steckle, Huron Bruce MP, to members of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. Farmers will be receiving $500 million from the federal government, but they were asking for $900 million. Ontario farmers want funding equal to the funds given to American farmers or farmers from Quebec. In 2000, Ontario farmers were given an average of $60 an acre. Farmers in the United States received over $120 an acre and Quebec farmers received about $110 an acre. This funding shortfall, farmers say, put them at a real disadvantage. Steckle and Helen Johns, MPP, met with the federation on March 17 to discuss issues that affect farmers in this area at the annual meeting held in Central Huron. Farmers are still concerned about the $400 million shortfall in government funding they requested. Peter Heinrich, a representative for the Heron • County Wheat farmers, said he appreciated the $500 million Lyle Vanclief, minister of agriculture and agri-food Canada, said farmers would be receiving, but that it is not a solution. Farmers receive 60 per cent of their additional funding from the federal government and 40 per cent from the province. Johns said Clint Haggart photo Stephen Thompson poses behind his truck. Thompson is a past -president and an executive memberof the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. Farmers met with Paul Steckle, MP, and Helen Johns, MPP, at the federation's annual MP luncheon. the provincial govenunent is been a member of the rural giving additional money to farmers. "We are trying to drive the numbers up, to make the feds pay more." Steckle said $900 million was asked for and the minister went forward with $900 million on the agenda. He said he doesn't know where the other $400 million went, but added, "There has never, in my seven years, caucus who rose and said 'We're giving too much to farmers.' " The federal government won't match funding given to American farmers or Quebec farmers. "We did everything we could do. We could get nothing more," said Steckle, adding, "You've [farmers] done all that you can do." Farmers can obtain .interest free loans of up to $50,000, formerly $20,000, but, said Heinrich, "it is a Band-Aid solution." Wayne Hamilton, Ontario Federation of Agriculture regional director for Huron County South, said farmers who have a poor yield may not be able to pay back the loan. Evert Ridder, chair of the Huron Federation Environment Committee, added the loans are late. He said if the farmers had received the loans in January they could buy seed at a cheaper price. It ismore expensive in April. Johns said, "We'd like to start flowing the funds by March 31." Bob Hellam, of the SN LOW, Pogo 2 Area farmers join day ofprotest By Susan Hund.rtmark Expositor Staff While Jim Cooper, of RR 3 Kippen, says he's never gotten too involved in farm politics before, he felt compelled to join last Wednesday's day of protest in Guelph. "We're all feeling the pinch pretty badly right now. This is the third year of being caught in an inflationary cycle with machinery and fuel costs going up and returns being down. And, while you can mosey through the first two years of this, the third year gets a lot harder," he says. Cooper says he knew at least 40 farmers from the Seaforth and Clinton area at the Guelph protest, which attracted 700 farmers from across the province. Cooper tracked down rubber masks of Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien and former U.S. President Bill Clinton for local farmers to wear during the protest. "One of the boys was calling all over Ontario looking for masks but I got them from a woman in Seaforth. I didn't wear the mask but I got to hold the noose around Chretien's neck. We were trying to add a little humour to the protest," he says. Jim McIntosh, of RR 4 Seaforth, also attended the Guelph protest and says he's happy with the public's positive response to the parade of trucks and machinery through the city of Guelph. "It took one and three quarter hours for us to make what would be a 10 -minute drive through Guelph and people were tooting and waving at us. The mood was good. Even the police seemed to be enjoying it," he says. McIntosh says a particularly effective statement was made by a mock funeral for the Ontario farmer staged at the rally when a Quoted 'I got to hold the noose around Chretien's neck. We were trying to add a little humour to the protest,'-- Jirrttn Coops., a .o farms, huge coffin on a farm wagon was filled with grain and farm produce. "The food was given to the Guelph food bank, showing that the farmer will always help if he can, even when times are tough," says Cooper. Cooper says he hopes members of the general public understood how important their message was of farmers needing a level playing field with U.S. farmers. "It's food, it's the sustainability of life we're talking about," he says. Paul Nairn, of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, says about 125 farmers from Huron County participated both in Gdelph and on the 401. He says the protest on' Highway 401 was "pretty impressive" with farmers who codldn't join the convoy gathring at overpasses with signs of support along the way. "I was happy with the local support and participation," says Nairn. He says the Huron pork producers, who attended an annual meeting in T9ronto last Wednesday, took enough green ribbons for 250 people to wear in support of the day of protest. Your community newspaper since 1860