Huron Expositor, 2009-05-13, Page 4,' r
Page 4. M4gr.13,.�009, . • The HuronHuron
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Eating pork won
Ore you swine flu
Area pork producers must be wondering what
they did to deserve the latest infringement on their
livelihood.
Afterdifficult times the past few years, the lat-
est hardship they're experiencing is the term "swine
flu" useC""id,, �
to label a fast -spreading virus across the
globe. 1�^2•a"fM&''s �' Y 4.. . Y-fY 41;G• 'it'?y
The flu virus, H1N1, has resulted in people fearful
of pork products in the event they might catch the
virus and die.¢
Nothing could be further from the truth
But when countries - China, for example, along
with eight others - ban the import of Canadian pork,
it doesn't help one bit.
As of Monday, May 11, there were 14 new • con-
firmed cases of H1N1 flu virus in humans, bring-
ing the total number of cases in Ontario to 76. And,
while none have yet been reported in the Huron -
Perth region, the closest case is in London, Ont.
With the World Health Organization (WHO) rais-
ing the pandemic flu alert to Phase 5, one step away
from the highest level indicating a global outbreak,
preparations are underway to deal with actual cas-
es locally. Area hospitals are screening patients for
the virus, but it seems only a matter of time before
it arrives.
Adding to the confusion of consumers is the herd of
2,200 pigs on an Alberta farm who caught the virus
from a sick carpenter working in'their barn. What
sine people fail to realize is that so-called swine flu
cannot be transmitted through the consumption of
pork.
While WHO and the World Organization for Ani-
mal Health have jointly communicated that -there
is no justification for trade measures to be imposed
on pork or pigs that can be attributed to the flu vi-
rus, prices dropped dramatically last week, down to
$125 a pig, down by $25 a pig from late April.
But, farmers continue to battle against the miscon-
ceptions as they step up the biosecurity measures
on their farms to prevent the spread of the virus.
"We will . continue to stand up for Canadian pork
producers and ensure that they are treated fairly
by China and all members of the World Trade Orga-
nization," said Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry
Ritz last week.
"We are encouraging Canadian families to support
struggling hog producers by picking up some pork
next time they go to the grocery store." q
It's the least we can do.
The Mitchell Advocate
stir., patriotism
even when you're not a hockey fan
I must confess that I've never
really been much of a hockey
fan.
I grew up when girls weren't
allowed to consider hockey as
their sport and without broth-
ers, I never spent much time
in the arena watching hockey.
My mom was a huge fan of
professional sports including hockey, baseball
and football but I always found it far more
entertaining watching her enthusiastic out-
bursts than whatever a bunch of guys were
doing on the TV screen.
And, my kids have never been all that inter-
ested in playing hockey.
So, I'm kind of surprised that I'm watching
Jim Balsillie's attempt to buy the bankrupt
Phoenix Coyotes and NHL Commissioner
Gary Bettman's attempts to stop him with so
much interest.
Maybe it's because Balsillie was born in Sea -
forth. I don't know if Balsillie, who grew up in
Peterborough, lived here long enough to strap
on skates and wobble around the 'ice at the
Seaforth arena as a toddler but he certainly
seems to share the same passion for the game
as the majority of the town's population.
Or maybe the struggle appeals to my basic
sense of justice. As a billionaire, Balsillie is
far from your average underdog. But, as a Ca-
nadian trying to bring a seventh NHL team -
which had its origins in Winnipeg - back home
to the frozen north from the Arizona desert, he
gets me waving the flag and bursting into a
Ron&bave
I'll be glad when we're grown up and
finished with school and all we have
to do all dayisplayl
Susan
Hundertmark
chorus of 0 Canada!
It just seems ridiculous to ex-
pect a game played on ice to
thrive in the southern United
States.
The whole idea reminds me of
a trip my husband and I once
made to Texas, where, while it
was past Labour Day, the tem-
perature was 107 Fahrenheit.
We were melting in the heat and escaped into
a mall to cool off in the air conditioning and
to shop. But, despite the southern geography
and the sweltering climate, the only items up
for sale were heavy sweaters and other bulky
clothing suitable for a Canadian winter.
We were even more astounded to come across
a huge ice surface in the middle of the mall
where a few kids in shorts and t -shirts were
gliding by on their skates.
All of the pools and water parks had been
closed because the kids were back in school but
we could have cooled off had we only thought
to bring our skates on our vacation to Texas.
Heading back out into the oppressive heat,
we could only shake our heads at the strange
juxtaposition in a country that never lets logic
or nature stand in the way of what money can
buy.
It's unlikely I'll buy a ticket or even tune in
to a televised game if Balsillie wins the battle
to bring the Coyotes to Hamilton.
But, I will keep cheering on his effort to bring
another piece of Canada's game back where it
belongs.
You mean Mom
and bad don't
keep doing that
for us?
by bavid Lacey
Ho! Not only that,
but sometimes parents
have to go into a
"home", and guess
who pays for that'
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