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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-09-28, Page 3Grant Robertson acclaimed as federal NDP candidate By Mark Noakes Goderich Signal -Star Staff The New Democratic Party (NDP) has lined up its candidate for Huron -Bruce in a federal election that could come as early as this fall, a party leader suggested last week. Grant Robertson was acclaimed as the Huron -Bruce choice to. represent the party for the third consecutive election last Tuesday. However, Robertson's nomination was overshadowed when provincial NDP leader Howard Hampton visited the association meeting. "Here's the opportunity to refocus," Hampton told the crowd of 50 people who gathered at the Goderich Lawn Bowling building. Hampton spoke of both provincial and national politics, and said people should expect an election this fall. He explained the Liberal government will likely make a tactical move in the next few months so their party won't have to go to the polls after the Gomery Commission findings are released. The findings, he said, will likely reveal the sponsorship scandal and government mismanagement of funds was widespread and went on for many years. Hampton said he believes the government will deliberately make a motion that will require a vote of confidence and it will be defeated. That, in turn, will send Canada into an early election, and the Liberals will be able to avoid a vote after the findings. When that election comes, Grant Robertson will be ready. "The moderate liberal voice in Huron -Bruce is the NDP," Robertson said, adding that Paul Steckle's views are so far to the right that it is as if he works for Stephen Harper. "The NDP is the only party that has the answers to everyday issues," said the Paisley area family farmer. Robertson also works as a Bruce County Library branch supervisor in Ripley and Lucknow and ran as the NDP candidate for Huron Bruce in the 2004 federal election and 2003 provincial election. Robertson said he'll focus on the issues important to this area, those of agriculture, small town economy and rural health care. "Here's an opportunity to focus the debate on our lives, our parents' lives and children's lives," Hampton added. Hampton said for too long Canada has been run with the Bay Street businessmen at the forefront of the government's mind. The NDP, he said, wants to bring further attention and raise questions about social assistance, electricity, the state of health care and the constant rising costs of operating a municipality. "People are working harder and longer and often have Tess to show for it," said the provincial leader who represents the rural riding of Fort Francis. Canada, and Ontario in particular, are seeing the constant increase of prices but the decrease of services, Hampton told the crowd. He said public health care is becoming more of a private affair under the current provincial government than it did under the former Conservative party. "The McGuinty government is going to make the former Conservative government look like amateurs," Hampton said. Federal and provincial downloading of services to municipalities is also another major, downfall of the current government, Hampton said. "Propertyax is paying for things it never has been designed to pay for." When the NDP was able to collaborate with the minority - governing Liberals in the spring to pass the federal budget, Hampton said the party demanded priorities that spoke to everyday Canadians. In that budget, the NDP demanded money be put towards fighting pollution, reducing tuition fees, creating more affordable housing and increasing foreign aid. The federal NDP also demanded the Liberal government scrap tax cuts for corporations and put in plans for pension protection fund for workers. "It wasn't a huge amount of money but that money that was there spoke to the needs of ordinary folks, not Bay Street (Toronto's financial district)," Hampton said. When Robertson runs in the upcoming federal election, it will be those success stories that drives his campaign. "Jack Layton and the NDP have shown that when it really matters you can count on the NDP to make the right choices for you and your family," Robertson said. Meanwhile, Robertson said he hoped Huron -Bruce finally gets the NDP message in this election. "It has taken Jack Layton and the NDP to get government to focus on the issues that matter to ordinary people. Imagine how much more could get done with more NDP MPs in Ottawa." News THE HURON EXPOSITOR. SEPTEMBER 28, 2005 - 3 Good Food Box program starts up again in Huron County By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor A county -wide program that provides nutritious food to anyone who wants to buy a box full of fruit and vegetables for $14 a month is back up and running in Seaforth and Egmondville. The Huron Good Food Box, a collective bulk purchase by the Huron County Health Unit of fresh fruit and vegetables - many of them from local producers - was discontinued last year by Huron County council during its budget deliberations. But, a petition with over 100 signatures convinced the county to restart the program again recently. "It's a win-win situation for everyone - local producers and consumers," says Dale -Ann McKichan, who helped to write the petition to save the program. McKichan, who lives near Kinburn, says she had been enjoying the program since it began and missed it when it stopped. "I just thought I'd try it and ended up looking forward to it. You count on it," she says. "I'm thrilled it's going again." Janice Dunbar, who runs the program for the Huron County Health Unit, says the Good Food Box was out of business for nine months but is making a "pretty good start" with seven drop-off locations throughout Huron Sheila McCowan, of Egmondville, holds up the produce in the monthly order of the Good Food Box. County. While the program began again this month in Seaforth, Clinton, Bayfield, Goderich, Hensall, Exeter and Wingham, it will start up again next month in Crediton and Huron Park and plans are being made to include Brussels and Walton. At its peak in 2004, the program provided 300 boxes throughout the county and so far, 145 have placed orders for boxes as the program starts up again. In Seaforth, 16 boxes were ordered this month, compared to an average of 19 in 2004. "There is a huge variety of people participating in the program from young families to seniors," says Dunbar. "We're trying to encourage the use of more fruit and veggies in people's diets." McKichan says it's a common misconception that the program is aimed at disadvantaged people, similar to the food bank. Instead, she says it's for anyone who wants good food at a good price. McKichan says the Good Food Box has allowed her to experiment with food she might never have tried otherwise, such as kohlrabi, pomegranates, leeks, kiwi and different kinds of cabbage. "You never know what's going to be in the box and there are always recipes inside," she says. While the Seaforth pick- up location was Sally's Closet on Main Street Seaforth before the program was discontinued, it will be resumed at Studio 75, a hair salon in Egmondville. Owner Sheila McCowan says she approached the health unit about becoming the pick-up location because she wanted to see the program offered again in the Seaforth area. "This is a really good program for seniors because they don't always get enough healthy food. This is one stop for all their fruit and veggies for a month," says McCowan. She adds that without a general store in Egmondville anymore, she felt that offering the Good Food program would give local residents a way to get some of their groceries nearby. Orders are taken at the beginning of the month at Studio 75 and at Sally's Closet and delivery is made the third Thursday of every month at Studio 75, which is open until 7 p.m. COntario's Furniture V4((ag) Factory Authorized Friday, Saturday i Sunday, September SO - October 2 3 DAYS ONLY FRIDAY, SEPT. SO 9-9 / SATURDAY, OCT.1 H / SUNDAY, OCT. 212-4 We have been authorized to run a Special Factory Bale for 1 weekend only! Plus, this coupon is worth a further 10% on most collections in our stores! GG G ot 6u66 FINE FIJRNTTURE CLOCKWORKS Furnifurc _arronLroo • Broyhill' � DECOR -REST CANADELag CUM= 1 V HtO LW RD LA-Z-DOY- ® Shcrmaq Clip and save even more... L TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 1 OA) OFF MOST ITEMS IN OUR THREE STORES! FREE DELIVERY AND SE1-UP! 1 G. G. GOETTLER FURNITURE INC. 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