HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-10-03, Page 19News
Agricultural issues debated at all -candidates'
meeting hosted by Huron Federation of Agriculture
The Huron Expositor • October 3, 2007 Page 19
Gerard Creces
MEEMEREMNID
Agriculture was the issue on
Thursday, Sept. 27 when the Huron
Federation of Agriculture hosted an
all -candidates debate at the
Holmesville Community Centre.
Progressive Conservative candi-
date Rob Morley made opening
statements talking about capping
property values, improving the
quality of health care and farm com-
modity prices, saying it was his
party's aim to get closer to the
Quebec model.
Green Party candidate Victoria
Serda touched on the, importance of
family, one school system and the
possibilities for green technology in
agriculture. She also noted she has
a lot more experience this time
around.
NDP candidate Paul Klopp said
he was there to lobby government to
get agriculture back on its feet. He
referred to a _$300 million pledge for
risk management, regulations on
the food industry, Ontario packers
and commodity prices.
Kincardine -based independent
candiate Ron Stephens told farmers,
"I'm probably as fed up as you are."
He said he was of broken promises,
and that while he can't make any
promises for money, health and fam-
ily were of highest importance to
him.
Huron -Bruce MPP, Liberal Carol
Mitchell talked of her government's
proven track record, including the
addition of six family health teams,
the strong economy, and dollar pari-
ty as examples.
She also spoke of the province's
risk management commitments as
well as monies for Ontario
Foodland, the young farmers' pro-
gram and being the only caucus to
create supply management legisla-
tion.
Clinton -based independent candi-
date Dennis Valenta talked about
his intention to change family law
and give more rights to divorced
fathers. He accused Mitchell of
treating him with cont'hmpt and dis-
respect at her office.
He also addressed the importance
of the family farm saying, "You pre-
serve the farm and I'll do the fami-
ly."
Dave Joslin launched directly into
the need to make money more avail-
able to people, lowering taxes and
gearing up for labour shortages. due
to a retiring population. His mes-
sage was one that fewer people keep
paying more and more, something
that could be changed by reducing
taxes and encouraging investments.
Klopp hammered home the NDP's
$300 million promise for risk man-
agement funding, which would spill
backwards if there was surplus at
the end of any given year.
Mitchell said her government is
committed to Farmers Feed Cities,
and that all provinces' regional agri-
cultural differences must be
addressed if federal negotiations
were to go anywhere.
Morley said the federal govern-
ment had agriculture in its costing
plan, including $150 million for risk
management, though he stressed
negotiations were needed for pro-
ducers.
Serda said global warming is
going to make agriculture much
tougher in Ontario and while losses
should be covered, irrigation sys-
tems also need to be further devel-
oped.
Ron Stephens got a few guffaws
from the crowd when he said he
didn't really know much about agri-
culture. However, he said the gov-
ernment owed farmers and that
value must be added to the family
farm.
With no party platform, Valenta
suggested he would do for agricul-
ture whatever the voters wanted
him to do.
Joslin answered with a simple yes
when asked if his party plans to
compensate both 2005-2006 and
2007-2008 farm losses. He also
emphasized the need to get Europe
and the United States to cease what
he called their "trade -distorting pro-
grams."
On the issue of health care,
Stephens spoke about fast -tracking
doctors from other countries to
address the growing shortages, with
a graduated pay -scale to accompany.
Mitchell touched on her party's
hiring more than 5400 nurses, com-
mitment to hospital funding,
Community Care Access Centre
(CCAC) funding and hiring school
nurses.
"We sure do get a lot of promises,"
quipped Valenta, who suggested
bureaucrats do a nurse's job every
few months just to stay grounded.
Joslin raised the point of shorten-
ing shift hours for doctors and nurs-
es, getting spending under control
whereas Morley said more money
was needed to bring electronic
records online and create a solid
recruitment strategy.
Both Serda and Klopp expanded
on in-home services. Serda said
widening the mandate of non-profit
organizations could allow more and
better care.
Klopp said his party would hire
1,200 RPNs next year. He also
attacked the use of private money in
public 'hospitals and ksaid the
Liberals are taking way too long to
get the health teams up and run-
ning.
Things between Mitchell and
Klopp got a little tense when asked
about government restructuring in
municipalities. Klopp attacked the
Liberals for requesting inventories
for the municipality's assets.
Mitchell outlined the services the
province has uploaded before
addressing Klopp, saying the gov-
ernment is looking into asset man-
agement by the municipalities,
adding that drug benefits and infra-
structure are slated for further
uploading in the
future.
Morley added
his party would
put 100 per cent
of the provincial
fuel tax back into
the province, as
it's currently not
being spent.
S e r d a
addressed the
issue of down-
loading, calling it
a "cruel way of
reducing taxes
on a provincial
level." This, she
said, was just
putting the bur-
den on property
taxpayers, dri-
ving cost of living
up and killing
business.
Joslin said he's
philosophically
opposed to
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regional government.
"The government that's closest to
the individual cares for the individ-
ual," he said, adding a deregulated
economy would help municipalities
significantly.
On the topic of proportional rep-
resentation, Morley drew applause
for saying politicians should earn
their stripes and not be hand
picked. He added that it already
takes two hours to cover this riding
and by decreasing the number of
ridings, it will be rural Ontario that
suffers.
Mitchell, Stephens and Valenta
were also opposed to the idea.
Both Serda and Joslin were in
favour of the reforms while Klopp
was ambivalent - equal parts of
praise for the idea and demonizing
federal and provincial governments
for increasing the sizes of ridings.
When asked about ground water
protection and aquifers, Serda
stressed the need for irrigation and
tackling climate change.
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