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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-04-12, Page 4Page 4 April 12; 2006 • The Huron Expositor Editorial Opinion Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seaforth, ON, NOK 1W0 This week's protest could keep us fed into the future After a long and proud tradition of feeding not only. Ontario but the world, farmers across the province are planning a protest that does just the opposite. By disrupting business at three food terminals in Cambridge, Whitby and Ottawa this week, farmers are hoping consumers and politicians both get the message - those who grow the food can just as easi- ly prevent it from arriving at your local grocery,* store. It's a step local organizers say was not taken lightly. But, after months of protests informing both the provincial and the federal governments about the"! desperate financial situation many, farmers face and with planting season only a few weeks away, it q. was time to actively demonstrate the importance of food and those who grow it.AitEs And, because many urban consumers are a little fuzzy on the details of just exactly how food gets to the grocery store in the first place, it's a lesson worth underlining. "We're reluctant to disrupt the public's access to food but the reality is farmers have been subsidiz- , ing prices for too long and we're not prepared to do it any longer," says Varna farmer Bev Hill, a mem- ber of the Grassroots Movement planning the protest. Uneven government subsidies between countries and even provinces have left Ontario oil and grain seed farmers suffering 25 -year lows for the price of their crops for several years. It's a message farmers have been sending for some time but with no response from government that provides enough aid to create a level playing field, farmers are left with two choices - get out of farming or fight to survive. Those who get out of farming will, of course, no longer be filling the grocery store shelves. But, with a little disruption to the food supply this week, those fighting for their financial lives will, -with our help, continue to keep us fed long into the future. Susan Hundertrnark Your CommusI ty Newspaper linc. 1860 E-mail us at seaforth@bowesnet.com Visit our home pale at www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com C�1 OUEBECOR MEDIA "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs." Canada 0 MI MOM Dollar signs obstruct the view in Tim Hortons' conflict Can't we all just get along? Probably not. That is an unrealistic goal since there are so many issues that so many people do not see eye to eye on. And now there's a new threat upon us, lurking across the country and into the U.S. It's contained inside a small, medium, large, or extra large red and yellow cup. Yes, I'm talking about Tim Hortons coffee. Specifically, Tim Hortons' Roll Up The Rim To Win promotion. Last month, a 10 -year-old girl picked a Tim Hortons cup from the garbage at her school in Quebec, but her fingers were too small to unroll the cup, so she asked for assistance with the unrolling from a fellow 12 -year-old student. And, ever since that cup was unrolled to reveal the words Toyota, RAV4, we've had the pleasure of watching an ugly battle between greedy parents and lawyers unroll as well. The parents of the 12 -year-old girl are demanding half of the prize, or in this case, because it would be a shame to cut a new vehicle in half, half of the money after selling the vehicle. The parents of the 10 -year-old are saying "Finders keepers." Ironically, the parents of the 10 -year-old say they initially planned to split the winnings 1-1111111111 By y J e ff i Ieuchei•t anyway, but since the dis- pute has turned so ugly, have decided not to. Let me ask you this: if you had no nails and asked someone to scratch your lottery ticket for you, and the ticket is a winner, is the scratcher entitled to half the winnings? Most of us would probably say no, but I guess when dollar signs are obstructing your view, your judgement towards human decency can get thrown off. Now the lawyer for the man who threw out the cup before rolling it up is demanding his client receive the winnings, because he's the one who paid for the cup. Unfortunately for him, law in Quebec states that once a person abandons an object he relinquishes his claim on it. But, it's not just the public who can go over- board with the promotion it's Tim Hortons themselves, who admit.to skewing the, odds in its annual promotion. In Quebec, where Tim Hortons is competing with Dunkin' Donuts; they have made the. chances of winning the RAV4 better than any- where else in the country. There you have a one in four million chance, compared to in eastern Ontario where it is one in 10 million. The same can be said for the other big prizes, just to a lesser extent. See DISPUTING, Page 6 non ve Neat, here's a vine. I'll bet I could use this to swing on. Hey, Lookit me! I'm just like Tarzan! by David Lacey • I'd say more like "George of the Jungle." i -,... SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 35.85 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. CORS. - 33.85 a year, In advance, plus (3.5.1'. USA Fgreian: 35.85 a year In vance,Plue40101rI"' , ,l.rI I3 Published weekly by Sun Wide at 11 Min SL, trtl, an condition that *Here eventdha iogttupNidlrl pied by the erroneous Item, together iM ha raasonablikelkwiance wainot be charged, but We balanceef the advertisehltieltili be appIcable ret: 711 1Pe evert of eippe_ at a wrong price, goods or:►.v1ces Mei not be eat: Me q't * an offer 10'eetl and maybe withdrawn at any *e: The Hiren r s kothaffpfleible for the loss or damage of unsolicited Manuscripts, ripts, photos or Other materials used tQr reproduction purposes. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT 40029893 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 7605 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Circulation Department P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, ON., NOK 1W0 Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association & the Ontario Community Newspapers Association 1bm Williacraft Susan Publisher Bernie Pugh Advertising / Office lundertmark ditor Dianne McGrath Front office Jeff Heuchert Reporter Marcie Riegling Composing Editorial and Business Offices - 11 Main Street.,Seaforth Telephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 527-2858 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO