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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-04-26, Page 5Opinion The Huron Expositor • April 26, 2006 Page 5 r Prime Minister needs to act immediately to take Canada's food supply. out of jeopardy The following is an open letter to Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper Prime Minister of Canada Dear Prime Minister, On April 5, Canada's farmers stood shoulder to shoulder on Parliament Hill to demon- strate to all Canadians that our country's food supply is in seriousjeopardy. It is in jeopardy because Canada's farmers can no longer afford to pay higher and rising costsof producing food for Canadians. It is in jeopardy because Canadian farm income is showing the three worst years in history. It is in jeopardy because Canada can no longer attract or keep its young farmers because they cannot afford to farm. Prime Minister, it is disgraceful that a -wealthy, progressive. and socially just society like Canada shows disregard for its farmers and its food production supply. Farmers and food production are taken for granted in this country. _ This uniquely Canadian situation is unacceptable. Other developed, and even less developed, nations demonstrate that theyvalue domestic food production and its contribution to their nation's economy. They support their farmers. Canada's farmers and Canadians of all walks of life deserve better. It is imperative that Canada immediately recognizes the importance of food production and the importance of sustaining a diverse, productive and profitable domestic food sup- ply. Shortly after farmers left Parliament Hill last week you stood in the House of Commons and said: "Nothin is more important than the family farm. The farm has been a critical element m the formation of our nation." Prime Minister, we submit the family farm will continue to e critical to the development and well being of our nation: And yet, our farmers are struggling to plant crops and raise livestock, are working in a stressful and uncertain business environment and are losing money. Farmers and our farm families are being forced out of production. Action is needed now - immediately. Your government needs to act now to recognize the additional programs developed by farmers to address the farm income crisis. Your government needs to act now, in col- laboration with the provinces, to provide ade- quate funding to these programs to ensure the survival _ of Canada's farms that are so important to our nation. Your government needs to act now on farm income and critical trade issues to provide stability and predictability so our innovative Canadian farmers can grow and develop our industry to its full potential. We took you at your word when you told the House of Commons that "we cannot really talk about sovereignty as a nation if we do not have a strong role in the production of our food." Prime Minister, the time to take a strong role in the production of our food is right now. Canada's farmers and the Canadians who depend on them cannot wait. Sincerely behalfyo,f Canada's farmers, Bob Friesen, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture Laurent Pellerin,President L'Union des Producteus Agricoles Dick Klein Geltink, President, British Columbia Agriculture Council Bill Dobson, President, Wild Rose Agricultural Producers Ken McBride, President, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan David Rolfe, President, Keystone Agricultural Producers Ron Bonnett, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Frazer Hunter, President, Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture Vince Kilfoil, President, Agricultural Producers Association of New Brunswick Eddy Dykerman, President? Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture Mery Weisman President Newfoundland & Labrador Federation of Agriculture Jacques LaForge, President, Dairy Farmers of Canada and others Shoe factory proposal expected to be addressed by Seaforth APRIL 22, 1881 The dust which arises from Main Street is becoming very offensive, and the council should have the street watered. We notice that J.M. McGregor, formerly of this town, and son of Daniel McGregor of Harpurhey, has let the contract for the erection of a $10,000 brick building in Winnipeg. John Ward who has moved into his new residence on Goderich Street, Seaforth came pretty near having a fire on Good Friday. The children had been playing in the stable with matches and set fire to some straw. When noticed, there was a lively blaze, but a few pails of water quenched the flames, and no serious damage was done. APRIL 27, 1906 It is quite probable that in a very short time the ratepayers of Seaforth will have an important manufacturing proposition submit- ted to them for their approval. The proposition, in an informal way, has been in the hands of the mem- bers of the council for some time, and will shortly be laid before them in a formal manner. The proposition is -for the establish- ment of a shoe factory here. George Baldwin has disposed of his musical instrument business in Seaforth to Richard Peck and this week removed to St. Thomas where he has embarked in a much larger business. Charles Wright, formerly of McKillop, who rented the farm of Henry Monteith on the 3rd conces- sion has got comfortably settled in his new home and is busily' at work getting in his spring crop and putting things in general in order. APRIL 24, 1931 The barns on the farm of Joseph Hugill, 5th concession of McKillop township, Town Line, were com- pletely destroyed by fire on Monday evening last. The barns consisted of two buildings and a large poultry house and their con- tents, which included a fine cow, two yearlings, two sheep, four lambs, 100 hens and some turkeys council in 1906 besides a large amount of feed and some implements. Thomas Farquharson, of Hamilton, and formerly of Hensall, is spending the summer months here and will be caretaker for the bowlers' green. We believe George Armstong of Hensall intends erecting as soon as possible, a new bank barn to take the place of the one destroyed by fire on Sunday. J.0 Kelly, son of Mrs. R. Kelly of Seaforth, has been appointed post- master at Windsor, pro tem, follow- ing the retirement of the postmas- ter Mr. Casgrain. Mr. Kelly was a former assistant in the Seaforth post office. APRIL 27, 1956 No decisions were reached with respect to solving the accommoda- tion problem that exists at Egmondville school when a joint meeting of Tuckersmith council and Tuckersmith area School Board was held this week. Huron farmers are faced with substantial losses if inclement weather continues much longer, Huron County Federation of Agriculture Representative Jerry Montgomery said Wednesday. Billie Cook, Port Credit, visited with Mr. and Mrs. George Coyne of Dublin. APRIL 22, 1981 Erin Carnochan, 11 -month-old daughter of Brad and Sharon Carnochan of R.R. 4 Seaforth, may have expressed it best. "Oh -oh, oh - oh," were her words, according to her mother, as she watched a Saturday night fire destroy her father's barn and 500 pigs. Seaforth merchants are planning a series of Main Street promotions for the next year, and will if there's enough interest, name a Business Improvement Area board of man- agement. Tuckersmith council is well on the way to passing an animal con- trol bylaw limiting the number of pets and livestock kept in residen- tial areas of the township.