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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-03-28, Page 4Sunshine tLJst Jumps 11% Lynda Hillman-Rapley Provincial legislation requires that the earnings of public sector employ- ees who make $100,000 or more must be posted and the 2011 so-called "Sunshine List" shows the number of public sector employees earning tnore than $100,000 shot up another 11 per cent in 2010, a sizable jump that put the total number of high -earning civil servants at 71,478. 'Wm Mitchell, the head of Ontario Power Generation, topped the list with a salary of $1.325 million. David Johnston, now Canada's Governor General, was paid $1,057 million in salary and bonuses as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo, Ontario's salary disclosure law was put in place in 1996, as a transparency measure to guard against runaway public -sector sala- ries. Adjusted to today's dollars, the original threshold would he about $132,000, officials said, and would wipe out three quarters of the names 00 the list. Nevertheless, McGuinty said he has no intentions of raising the entry level. "We're not changing the thresh- old," he told reporters. "It's already been set. We're not going to tinker with that" About 1.2 million people are employed in Ontario's public sector. Close to home the list includes estima- tors, legislators, munidpal employees and hospital personnel. Some of the numbers listed below do not include taxable benefits. Premier Dalton McGuinty - $208,974.00; MPP Mara Van Bom- n el-Parliancntary Assistant, Agricul- ture, Food & Rural Affairs - $133,217.04; MPP Carol Mitchell - Minister, Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs - $164,359.(19; CU) Gary Swit- zer topped the list for the Erie St. Clair Local 1 health Integration Network at $248,708. South I luron 1 Iospital Association: Debra Hunt- President/Chief Execu- tive Officer/Chief Nursing Executive - $103,664.68. Bluewater Area Runily Health 11,arn - Dr. Michael Iiurley - Lead Physician -$325,705.18. Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre Inc. - Glen Bartlett Executive Director -$120,207.75; Dr. Laura Daly - $138,907.02; I)r, Peter l'nglert - $246,478.11; Dr. Michael Hammond - $246,478.11; Dr. William O'Connor - $246,478.11; Dr. Deborah Waters -$246,078.11. The list of Ltunbton Kent District School Board employees earning $100,000 or more grew slightly in 2010 to 112, up from 100 tie previous yt'ar. "Our salaries are pretty computable with the other positions in the 70 lxxaids across Ontario," said education director Jim Costello, The so called "sunshine list," which provides the name and salary of every I.KI)SB employee earning at or above $100,000, includes all five superin- tendents, as well as former and cur- rent education directors Gayle Stucke and Costello. The list also names 53 elementary Wednesday, April 6, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 13 school principals, 14 secondary school principals, a number of vice -princi- pals and secondary school vice -prin- cipals, and three teachers. "In some cases, we have teachers who work for summer school and do some additional work for us, and sometimes that bumps them over the $100,000 mark," said Costello, point- ing to two names on the list noted as 'Secondary'ieacher/Marker; as well as one elementary teacher. "We recognize it's a time of restraint, and tithes are tough for a lot of folks, but it's demanding work, and they're well paid, well educated positions." Some of the top earners include: (including salary and taxable benefits) - Jim Costello, director of education - $179, 780.83; Gayle Stucke, director of education - $155,105.33; Ron Andru- chow, superintendent of business - $153,125.82; Joy Badder, superintend- ent of education - $153,125.82; I )avid 1)oc'y, superintendent of education - $15i3,1'25.64; Bert Phills, superintend- ent of e'dtucation - $148,546.44; Michael Risk Management Program needs support, says ag leader CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 12 that, and they'll be twice as reluctant to lis- ten to farmers the next time we come ask- ing for something" Risk management is tui insurance pro- gnun for Ontatio agticultund producers in hog, cattle, sheep, veal, mains and oilseeds sectors. In•lude'el in the Mauch 29 provin- cial budget was a self-directed RMP for the edible horticulture sector. (Farmers buy into the voluntary program through premiums and would receive a payout if the price of their commodity should fall below a set support price determined by the government. It's currently a two-way program between tanners and the prov- ince. So fu;; the federal argument against providing provincial transfers for cost of production risk management lies in its support for the twistability program that's based on margins, Stevens said. 1le acknowledged that sone details still need to be ironed out as each sector works to finalize their respective programs. "(one of the concerns that has been expressed is the premiums," he said. "There's potential claw back on the risk management program because of agrist- ability, and there could be two fees." l le said pork producers are looking at paying only one premium that's based on the net value of their risk management payout after twistability claw back. 'Ihe fanners' argument for permanent risk management would be bolstered if enrolment is high and stays consistent over the years. Stevens doesn't want to see a repeat of low enrolment that came in the second year of the RMi' for Ontario grains and oilseeds producers. After the prices of those commodities dropped to a record low in 2005 and 2006, the province in 2007 pledged its support for a three-year pilot project to offset those losses. Enrolment was hl*x in the first year. Stevens said, but many farmers dropped out during the second and third years when market prices began to rise again. When producers drop out of the program, "that takes away our argument for making it a permanent program. 'that's partly why it took this long to get it," he added. Jack Kroes believes risk man- agement can benefit Ontario farmels for long-term income stability, lie operates a family hog farm west of Clinton and knows first-hand how tickle the industry can he. From 2006-2009, he lost money Ie'caust' cx)st of production was too high. He said 2010 was a break-even year. A stable, cost prtxduction insurance program that protects farmers when their commodity prices dip is attractive, he said. "For sure I'll be going in on it, because 1 know things are reasonably quite well right now in the pork industry, but we know what could happen a few years down the road," Kroes said. "It really hurts to see so many farmers exiting the industry; a lot of times it's no iV1.1((1 ',t I t -LOO .'111.•• %If 1% f N111:1 , n,,ut f ti \f•tt t•3 I\\f \101:1 (11%.,(INf •11 ,,,, ,, hn,f,ee rf,•r 4„,, 235-0363 fault of their own.” Risk management will also help small family farms stay afloat during tough times. 'the chances of industrial farms filling the vacuum left by small farms rises when it becomes too expensive to produce. 'That's not what Iluron consumers want (0 see in their back- yards, according; to Kroes. Gllfoyle, superintendent of education - $131,664.17; and County CA() Larry Adams - 162,247.20; David Carey - Treasurer & Deputy Chief Administra- tive Officer - $140,729.25; County of Lambton - Ronald Van Borne Chief Administrative Officer - $160,485.96; John Innes - General Manager, Financial Services/Treas- urer - $119,610,25; James Kutyba - General Manager, Infrastructure & Development - $136,492.99; George Mallay - General Manager, Sarnia Lambton Economic Partnership - $111,341.66. Municipality of Lambton Shores - John Byrne - Chief Administrative Officer -$144,492.08; Municipality of Bluewater - Lori Wolfe -Chief Administrative Officer -$120,199.70; Municipality of South t luron - Roy 1 Eardy - Chief Adminis- trative Officer -$113,006,38/ Find the full list including county, education, jtldicituy, etc., on the web site: http://www.fln.gov.on.ca/en/ publications/salarydisclosure/2011 / "Christian farmers is strong on family farms, and if von don't have cost production, farms are just going to keep getting larger and larger. And that's not what the public wants... They would rather see family -sued farms running their oper- ations," he said. 1 le agrees with Stevens that the majority of farmers need to think long-term and sign up for risk man- agement in order for it to survive. Pilot and ad-hoc programs aren't sustaina- ble, he added. "As producers, we dl)I't't like these ad-hoc programs that throw money out to put out a fire," he said. "That's not what we as farmers want. We want long-term support that we can count on, so it's banka- ble for the tuttun;' Gardening with Native Plants Workshop Presented by the (.rand Bend Community Foundation Environment Committee Matey wildlife species are losing habitat at an ever-increasing rate, most often as a result of human activity. We can heli) by creating a wildlife habitat on our own properties and throughout our communities. By planting native plants, we can create balanced, sell - sustaining, low maintenance micro -environments that support birds, butterflies and a water variety oI wildlife species. WHEN: April It), 20 I I , t) a.m. to noon WHERE: Grand Bend Community I lc alth ('entre Community Room PROGRAM: Native Plant Gardening; - Larry Cornelis, Naturalized 1.andscaping Specialist Composting -- Nelson 1,apurtee, Gardener cxtraordinaire ('ase study: The (;rand Bend Community' Garden 1iayley 1larrttord, Owner, Earthly Designs Grand Bend's Unique Flora -- lan Jean, Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist, Ausahle Bayfield Conservation Authority COST: $15 per person, including coffee and treats. CONTACT: Register by April 13. Contact Frieda Dobson at the Grand Bend Community Foundation at gbcf(aThay.net or by phone (519) 238-2190