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51 Main St., Seafort
527-1681
Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2004
$1.25 includes GST
lasitasdilmascsesdas
15 Main St. Seaforth
527-0794
In brief
Devereaux
shopping
for doctors
for Seaforth
at health
recruitment
fair
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
Two family doctors for
Seaforth are on the top of
local hospital recruiter
Gwen Devereaux's
shopping list as she
follows the Health
Professionals Recruitment
Tour through Ottawa,
Kingston, Hamilton,
London and Toronto this
week. '
"We just did Ottawa last
night and there were a few
doctors interested in
Seaforth. The important
thing is to be here and
invite them to the gala
we're holding in Stratford
in November," she said
from her cellphone in
Kingston. -
"I'm focussing a great
deal on Seaforth this year
because there's a more
urgent need. This is the
first time we've had
orphan patients in
Seaforth and we do not
want that situation to
continue," she said.
Along with the family
doctors for Seaforth,
Devereaux said she'd be
looking for a general
surgeon, a radiologist, a
psychiatrist and an
internal medicine
specialist for the Huron -
Perth region.
The recruitment tour is
funded • by the Ontario
Ministry of Health and
Long-term Care and the
Ministry of Northern
Development and Mines.
It gives over 90
underserviced
communities . in the
•province the opportunity
to showcase lifestyle,
educational and
employment opportunities
available for doctors,
autos and other health
care professionals.
ATV stolen
in Seaforth
An all -terrain vehicle was
stolen from an unlocked
shed on Daly Street in
Seaforth, sometime during
the past month, reports the
Huron OPP. •
Police learned of the theft
of a 1989 Polaris 200 cc
Trail Boss, valued at
$2,000, on Sept. 13. The
ATV was not registered and
there was no insurance on
the vehicle.
Anyone with related
information is asked to Call
the Huron OPP or Crime
Stoppers.
SPS students
star in bus
safety ad...
pag• 6
Rem Murray
discusses NR
lock -out...
page 12
Farmers urged to join lawsuit versus U.S.
Canadian Cattlemen for Fair Trade rep speaks at meeting at Brussels Livestock
Canadian government has to
use the World Trade
Organization or Free Trade
Agreement to get the border
open.
"Our government is doing
nothing there right now," said
Paskal. "You have to get
aggressive against these
Americans."
Paskal said before the BSE
crisis, Canadians sent more
than one million head of
cattle across the border on an
annual basis, which amounts
to 500 loads a week or a 100
loads a day.
"The government's not
going to do much unless you
tell them. You've got to raise
hell here," said Paskal. "It's
not the most comfortable
thing to do, but it is
something that is imperative
that we do."
The CCFA is seeking $150
million in damages under
Chapter 11 of NAFTA (North
American Free Trade
Agreement). The lawsuit was
launched last October, but
the U.S. government was
officially notified about it on
Aug. 12. Litigants can still
sign up for the case until
Sept. 30.
In August, the CCFT
began a letter writing
campaign and sent letters to
U.S. politicians including
President George W. Bush
and to Canadian politicians
including Prime Minister
Paul Martin about the
financial ruins producers are
facing because of the closed
Se. CCFA, Pogo 3
By Jason Middleton
Expositor Staff
More than 300 local beef
farmers packed into the
Brussels Livestock building
on Monday night to hear
about a multi-million dollar
lawsuit against the U.S.
government in a bid to force
the reopening of the Canada -
United States border to live
cattle.
Many local farmers were
hesitant towards supporting
the lawsuit and one even
wondered why he should not
just start finding a new job.
Scott Johnston, a beef
producer from Bluevale,
introduced himself as one of
the youngest beef producers
in the room.
Johnston said that in the
time it takes to complete this
lawsuit he tnight have to give
up farming for another job.
"I don't have that much
time." said Johnston. "I'm
screwed."
"In a year and a half I
might as well go ahead and
get another job." he said.
Rick Paskal, spokesman
for the group Canadian
Cattlemen for Fair Trade
(CCFT) and Alberta feedlot
owner. was guest speaker at
the meeting.
"It's serious business what
we're here to talk about
tonight," said Brussels -arca
farmer. Ross Procter. who
hosted the meeting along
with a group of local
producers. The
border closure happened
Jason Middleton photo
Brussels -area farmer Ross Procter listens as Alberta feedlot owner Rick Paskal, spokesman for
the Canadian Cattlemen for Fair Trade, shares information about a multi-million dollar lawsuit
being launched against the U.S. government at a public meeting Monday night.
more than a year ago after
the discovery of a single case
of bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) in an
Alberta cow.
"BSE. what docs it mean'?
In Alberta it means hull shit
extraordinaire. That's all that
it is - hull shit," said Paskal.
According to the CCFA
website thcy have two goals -
re -opening the border to beef
and cattle products as soon as
Local hydro
workers helping
restore power
in Florida
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Editor
Several local Hydro Onc workers arc in Florida helping
to restore power to areas devastated by Hurricane
Frances.
"Poor Florida has been hit very hard and our workers
are there restoring the electrical distribution network.
They're putting it up and hopefully it won't get knocked
down again by Hurricane Jeanne," says Hydro Onc
spokesperson Al Manchee.
Five staff members from Hydro One's Clinton work
centre, including Len Muegge,of Clinton, Paul
Middegaal, of Londeshoro, Randy Bilke, of Exeter, Daryl
Gill, of Grand Bend and Ron Matthews, of Listowel. left
for Florida almost two weeks ago with "a small army" of
270 lines staff in 130 trucks.
Two Seaforth-area men, Bob Carnochan and his
nephew Jared Carnochan, also joined the three convoys,
through a travelling Toronto crew.
And, while Festival Hydro workers have been
approached to join the effort, president Bill Zchr, of
Stratford, says nothing has been finalized yet for another
trip.
• "People in Florida had been out of power for 10 clays
and were delighted to sec them. We're getting all sorts of
positive comments from the people in Florida," says
Manchee. •
Local workers are part of a team fixing broken poles
and restringing wire conductors at Stuart, Horida which
is just south of West Palm Beach.
"They're working 16 -hour days in hot, humid
conditions. It's up as high as 115 Fahrenheit with the
humidity so they have to drink water every 30 minutes.
It's punishing work, but gratifying," says Manchee.
Sharon Carnochan says her son Jared, a second year
apprentice with Hydro One, called home Saturday night
"tired but very excited to be a part of it (the relief effort)."
She says he told her that the Canadians are receiving all
kinds of praise for their participation.
"There arc signs on front lawns saying, 'Thank you
Canada' and Jared said one restaurant manager gave them
a free meal when he found out they were hydro workers
See CANADIAN, Pogo 2
possible and obtaining
compensation for the
arbitrary manner in which the
border was closed and kept
shut by U.S. officials.
Paskal said there arc a few
options available to cattle
farmers in Canada.
The farmers could prepare
a legal case. which he is
already undertaking and
could take two years to settle,
build more slaughter
facilities, which could take
two years to build, stay at the
status quo or advocate to
Americans that opening the
border is will be good for
them.
"We have to go into the
United States and convince
American politicians that this
(opening the border) is in
their hest interest," said
Paskal.
Paskal explained that the
Bylaw has town smokers
fuming or butting out
By Jason Middleton
Expositor Staff
Smokers across Huron
East arc either fuming about
the new Huron County
smokcfrec bylaw, which
came into effect Sept: 4. or
are willing to take their butts
outside.
Many kcal residents have
differing opinions about the
new bylaw.
"It's a person's own
prerogative whcthcr thcy
want to smoke or whether
thcy don't" said Ross
MacDonald. who quit
smoking 17 years ago and is
feeling the effects of
smoking in his lungs.
"1 used to smoke, but I'm
paying for it now," said
MacDonald, who was
supposed to get knpc surgery
and was all set to get the
operations done until an
anesthesiologist told him he
would not survive the
operation because of
condition of his lungs.
MacDonald said that if the
idea of the bylaw is to stop
people from smoking then it
will not work.
"There's still going to he
cigarettes — I don't care what
they do," he said, but agrees
smoking should not be
allowed in restaurants.
"Smoking in here and
those donuts ... no," he said
at a table in Janet's Donuts.
But MacDonald has a hard
time believing smokers will
smoke outside during the
winter.
"I can't pictures those guys
sitting out there in an other
month or so. it'll he d little
fresh out there in the cold,"
Jason Middleton photo
Sean Trottier, a cook and bartender at the lager House, has a
smoke break outside the Seaforth restaurant.
said MacDonald. who has been smoking since
Casual smoker, Bertha he was 11 said the new
Taylor, said that she will not bylaw "sucks."
go outside to smoke. So, she "Canada is supposed to be
just will not smoke when a free country," Scott said,
she's out. adding there are different
"It doesn't bother me to options for smokers rather
not have a cigarette. I won't than going outside.
go outside to have one," said • The cleaner air inside
Taylor. Janet's Donuts does not ,
Bruce Scott, of Seaforth, See SE/WORTH, Page 2