HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-08-26, Page 29Three contest LamWon seat
Cand•
idates express their
Three candidates are vying for the
Lambton riding. •
Liberal incumbent Dave Smith was
the successful candidate in the May
1985 election, and is running for re-
election. Free trade is becoming a
provincial issue as the campaign pro-
gresses, and Smith has declared
himself opposed to total free trade. Ile
realizes the s trochemical industr
important in his riding. is in favour
of tree trade. and can survive, but
That is not true for all sectors. Ile ciles
food .production as one area which
-should be protected.
"Our country, has • to -maintain a
policy that at least -protects domestic
consumption; otherwise, our country
is very vulnerable", Smith said.
Another major issue is the financial
crisis in farming. Smith asserts that
not all farmers are suffering to the
same extent; quotas protect some.
Others are asked to buy on the On:
tario market and sell' on the world
market, and "the two don't mix".
Smith concedes "we are not out of
the woods yet", but believes the
Liberal caucus understands.the farm
community's problems. and is ad-
dressing them as well and as quickly
as possible. lie notes that the ministry
of agriculture budget has been in-
creased by 73 percent to 563.000.(00
since Peterson became premier two
years ago.
On. the issue of education. Smith
said the percentage of funding provid-
ed by the province 16 schools has been -
dropping over the hast to years. and
the Liberals are working to turn the
situation around,' but "it's hard to
reverse a trend in a short time".
*Smith is not in favour of official bil-
ingualism. 'minting out that some
members represent ridings contain-
ing as many as 50 national groups.
Shoreline erosion is an important
local issue in Lampton: Smith said
that at present private property
owner's can borrow money from their
municipalities at eight percent for
erosion -control measures: Ile -
believes more money should to into
protection of public properties such as
right-of-ways to the water, and that
this should be a joint cooperative ef-
fort among the federal, provinicial
and municipal governments. He said
that if the Liberal government is
elected, the recommendations of the
McGuigan committee presently stu-
dying the problem will receive an ear-
ly response.
• _. . .
Bill Steadman, senior minister at
Forest United Church. is entering pro-
vincial politics for the first time as the
P(' candidate. One.of his concerns is
AT CONFERENCE Attending the Canadian Society of Extension at t e annua Agricu tural Institute
of Canada at UWO, London were (left) Don Lobb, former CCAT principal Doug Jamieson, UWO pro-
fessor emeritus Dr. Ed Pleva, ABCA manager Tom Proof, Norm Alexander and OMAF rep Don Pullen,
1987, chairman of the 1987 planning committee. Lobb and Prout were among the presenters -
Conservationists. at Conference
AL3( :\ manager Tom Prout and
tanner 1/on Lobb presented papers at
a London conference. Excerpts from
their o;r'ners follow.
By Tom Prowl
Proper management of human and
annual waste is a water quality pro- -
blem of today's society. Specifically
in r•tira1 Ontario where a high percen-
tage of improperly installed septic
systems and intensive livestock prac-
tises have pushed water quality well
above Ministry of the Environment •
guidelines. The water quality of
hcaehes along the Great Lakes are
also being impacted as a result of
riyerine discharges high in
pathogenic micro-organisms and sep-
tic effluent from la keshore
residences.
An increased hazard to human and
animal health has occurred as a
result of high micro-organism levels
in drinking water supplies, beaches
and wading areas. Water horn
disease fall into four categories:
. fungal: parasitic: bacteria,`and-viral.
infection of man and/or animals may
occur at the site of manure storage or
land 'application or some distance
from the source as a result of
transport by water. Although not all
disease -causing micro-organisms can
survive in soil and water., several
bacteria. fungi, parasites and viruses
are known to survive from several
days to over a year in the water•
and or soil columns.
The solutions to our water quality
problems are not as simple as one
might firs) think. but can be found in
two areas: our pocket hook and our
morals.
Provincial '(ural Beaches En-
. vironmental Strategy Program is a
provincial program in response to the
rural beach closures which occurred
in 198:1 and subsequent years.
The A. B.C.A. appreciates the
Ministry of the Environment's finan-
cial support to carry out the Target
Subbasin Study on the high levels of
micro-organisms in streams, creeks.
drains, wading areas and beaches al
and upstream of Grand Bend.
Although not the only source, rural
land use is a major contributing fac-
tor to the problem of high levels of
micro-organisms.
Locations to be studied are the
.watershed under Ausable Bayfield -
Conservation Authority. the beach at
Granit Bend and two drains. The I)es-
jardine Drain is a 21.3 km squared
basin of the Parkhill Creek and is
located immediately upstream of
Grand Bend. The Khiva Drain is the
headwaters of the Desjardine Drain
and 8.7 km squared in size and the
suhhasin selected for the study.
Khiva .suhbasin statistics will en-
compass size, number of livestock
farms. type of livestock farms•( beef,
dairy, poultry, swine), number of
livestock farms out of livestock and
number of improperly installed sep-
tic systems (9 out of a total of 151.
Best management practices im-
plemented are livestock access o
cn-
trol; eavestroughing, properly
ed septic systems and yard run-off
control through the use of concrete
walls, gutters, covered manure
storage, liquid manure storage earth
berms and catch basins to redirect
surface' run-off from adjacent fields
away from barn yards.
The Province has a cheap ,food
Policy which leaves little excess pro-
fits for farmers to pay for expensive
structural services which do not in-
crease their profit margin. 11 society
demands low food prices at the
grocery store. then society will pay
through grants and subsidies to
farmers.
The present economic situation of
agriculture leaves most far►ners
without funds to make improvements.
Should society only- pay for iin-
prpvements in areas where there are
peaches and bathing areas?
Should society offer a grant pro-
gram - for five years followed by -
legislation and fines?
As individuals. what value do you
give -to have public beaches and
bathing areas'.'
The larger question relates to the
total water quality of our lakes. Socie-
• ty presently uses the lakes as a sink
for wastes and then pays the cost of
purifying the water for consumption:
Icy Donald Lobb
In 1981/82 a small group of farmers
in the Maitland and Ausable-Bayfield
watersheds organized a co-operative
approach to reduce their soil losses.
and crop production costs. A technical
support agency evolved which came
to- be known as the Huron Soil and
1% at er a orlservatJnr1 ►esu I1�.
"District" directorship included ap-
poinlees•from affected conservation
authorites, government agencies and
agribusiness. with their numbers to
be balanced on the grass roots side by
appointees of the Soil and Crop Im-
provement Association - including
designates of the Federation of
Agriculture and Christian Farmers:
Strong grass roots influence insures
practical solutions to local needs.
Recently the OMAF component has
administered a provincial grants pro-
gram for soil conservation work.
Field work with farmers has been a
priority for the district, and work has
included earthen erosion control
structures. grassed waterways, wind-
breaks. pasturerenovations, and crop
production tillage projects.
"Projects" are emphasized as op-
posed to -demonstrations. com-
parisons or experiments, because the
first priority is to learn how to use a
new tillage.system as part of the pro-
duction package.
The greatest effect of the district
program. though no precise measure-
ment 15 possible. is in the ripple effect
which develops around successful
cooperators. As much as 60 percent
•
of the crop land in some
neighbourhoods is now coming under
some form of soil _conservation
practice. •
The high adoption rate by project
cooperators may be attributed to its
philosophies and project/cooperator .
policies. For example:
1) Rather than solicit cooperators,
the district should respond to farmer -
requests for assistance.
2) Rather than teach. the district
should provide a technical support
program.
3) The primary objective of pro-
jects is to gain practical experience
with conservation practices - not to
demonstrate. Demonstration puts ex-
pectations too high
and
csissuggests
ot a
level of competence
established. As a result, a whole
neighbourhood can be misled or
disillusioned:
41 Projects should NOT include
comparisons between production or
tillage systems until the cooperator
has reasonable experience and skill
with the new conservation system be-
ing evaluated.
_5► To accelerate the learning pro-
cess. cooperators are encouraged to
work together and share information.
6) Cooperating farmers must do the
field work themselves. The district
supplies equipment and technical
assistance as applicable.
7) Cooperators must. from the
beginning, be sufficiently committed
to underwrite the cost of the project
themselves. I In the past, participa-
tion incentives by government -
initiated soil conservation agencies
have not resulted in farmer
adoption.) -
8) The main priority on projects is
directed toward quality rather than
quantity. Projects are lo' be under-
taken in situations where the poten-
tial for success is high. 'in terms of
specific application and cooperator
commitment. Program adoption
depends on farmer success. Farmer
success, in turn. becomes the best ex-
tension pool available. It is farmers.
not extension .workers,who will
ultimately sell soil conservation
practices.
Observation which should he con-
sidered by other groups with similar
objectives:
1 I Those farmers who are willing to
purchase or adapt equipment early
are the adopters and will probably be
successful.
2) Agency -supplied equipment is an
important tool in the adoption pro-
cess. but minimize its availability.
This weeds out the free -loaders.
:1) Do NOT be patient- with non -
committed cooperators. Get rid oL
them quickly. We have wasted time
and credibility by working with the
curious, the incompetent, and people
who are looking for crop production
short-cuts.
4) Do have written policy which ex-
plains exactly what is expected of the
cooperator and present it to him
before work proceeds. Misunderstan-
dings waste time and can hurt the
program.
5) Agribusiness can either sell or
kill the program. Get it involved!
6) Grass roots -organized programs
will produce the most positive and
permanent results. However. they re-
quire far more time than most
farmers can freely give. An oppor-
tunity for input and high grass roots
profile in the administration of such
an organization may be all that is
practical in creating its credibility.
7► Though growing pains have been
experienced by the district, coopera-
tion af the local level has been ex-
cellent. The corporate or multi -
agency aproachdoes provide a broad
base of facilities and resources which
would not otherwise be available. The
water quality/soil conservation
priorities of the participants has been
served well as a -joint venture in
cooperation with farmers.
The extension worker for a'grass
roots organization such as the iluron
Soil and Water Conservation District
faces a unique and difficult challenge.
He must serve his superior - the mid-
dle management bureaucrat, who
would like to claim credit for suc-
cessful in -field programs. At the same
time, he should serve the wishes of the
grass roots movement, knowing very
well that it is THEiR input and in-
fluence which will make the program
successful. Ultimately, as the motto
for rhe Canadian Society of Extension
suggests, you can only permanently
help people by -encouraging them to
help themselves.
Times -Advocate, August 26 1987 Page 13A
views on election issues
the future of the family farm. He
noted that his party has promised a
'guaranteed base price to stabilize
farm commodities. This would benefit
land prices as well.
Steadman would also like to see a
diversified economy in Lambton. The
petro -chemical industry is the domi-
nant force around Sarnia, but Stead-
man.thinks there is a potential for
new job opportunities in small
businesses and services if more
tourists can be attracted to the area.
"This is called Canada's Bluewater
Land. The Liberal environment
minister comes down every few
months and says 'we'll clean up the
environment'. The petro -chemical in-
dustry looks after the environment
quite well. The area should be por-
trayed as a good place to live and to
work". Steadman said.
Steadman said'a PC government'
would seek provincial and federal
monies to assist municipalities tocon-
trol erosion of waterfront parks and
public beaches if high water damage
continues to erode the Lakeshore.
Steadman said the Conservatives
are also committed to decentralized
health services. He brought up the
fact that ambulance. service has been.
removed from Alvinston. which is the
centre of southeast Lambton.This has
meant that. Watford and luphemia
and Warwick townships are 20 to 25
miles away from an ambulance.
- Steadman said there is a need for
strong representation of Lambton, as
some felt the present representation
was "quiet and invisible".
4 s
Grant Reynolds, the NDP candid-
' tate in Lambton, cites car insurance
as a main issue provincially. Ile
believes certain categories such as
- young, accident:free drivers are pay-
ing too much to private insurers and
a governemnt-run system would be
much cheaper.
Reynolds, who lives on a farm, is
also concerned about the troubles on
the agricultural scene.
"Farmers must receive more help.
or we as a society are in deep trou-
ble", Reynolds said. Noting that "tell-
• ing consumers we are raising prices"
is a "no -no". Reynolds concludes that
"until someone comes up with a bet-
ter answer, subsidies are the only way
_ to get money into the hands of the
farmers".
Reynolds puts farmers into three
classes: those already out. those
whose serious difficulties are reveal-
ed when the hank forecloses or the
for -sale sign goes.up on the gate. and
the ones who are left to try and sur-
_ vive under conditions such as 20 -year-
old wheat prices.
Reynolds. mentioned interest-free
or low interest loans as two possible
methods of assistance.
Erosion of Lakeshore and river pro-
- perry -must also he addressed.
Reynolds said. He credited the Peter-
son government for taking some ac-
tion. but said there \vas still ••a 101 it
work to to dome", and countering ero-
sion was "more financialburden than
individual property owners could
absorb•'. -
On the local scene. Reynolds
brought up the topic of ambulance
service. )le said many people in his
riding were upset when. the am-
- bulance service serving the
Alinslon-Glencoe area was sold. and
the new owner moved the Alvinston
unit to Glencoe. Pr•eviousl'..both
places hada unit. People are. upset
over the increased time to get. to a
hospital in Jr1 emergency.
;i.
'Brigadoon' nostalgic experience
The unbeatable team of set
designer Brian Perchaluk and
lighting director Grant T. Sn ith who
worked so well together for us with
"Babes In Arms", now create a stun-
ning mystical city of Brigadoon at
Iluron Country Playhouse.
Within a very small stage space. -
made even smaller by a full nine -
member ensemble in the open or
chestra pit. no less than five major
sets and three generalised area sets
are ingeniously created. A beautiful
free -form shaped scrim, edged in
painted tree trunks and leafy bran-
ches, successfully create the feeling
of the mysterious city that appears
throught the mist. Later the same
transparent .screen allows for
flashbacks to be played out in con-
trast to the New York bar scene.
depicted succinctly by a gaudy roll-
on stand-up wet bar. -
The other sets, reminiscent of the_
old wood, rag -tag designs of
Shakespearean Stratford; are appeal-
ing and effective as the decor of 1787.
"Brigadoon", written by Lerner
and Loewe in the late 1940s, is one ver-
sion of a love story done with a heavy
hand, perhaps in reaction to.the gid-
dy extravaganzas of the Busbie
Burkley era.
in order to preserve the miracle of
the city that only appears once every
100 years. a young American traveller
to Scotland must be prepared to give
up everything for the love of the
maiden from Brigadoon.
The story of how he falls in love and
the agonizing decision he must make
are the main threads to the plot. In-
terwoven is another internal love
story of the young residents of Briga-
doon, and the eternal love triangle
that also threatens to destroy
Brigadoon.
The songs and dance numbers that
move the •plot along are romantic.
dramatic and sentimental. Here you
will find yourself humming along to
such golden oldies as "Come To Me,
Bend To Me", "There But For You Go
i", and "Almost Like Being In Love".
Some dramatic moments of acting
are provided by Allen Craik as the
jilted lover Harry, from Brigadoon.
Forced to attend the wedding of his
former love Jean, Harry (Craiki
steals the limelight With some
brilliant Highland dancing, complete
with intricate steps over the tradi-
tional crossed swords and swirling
kilt.
The other dance numbers.
choreographed by Susan Gattoni,
make considerable use of the special
ballet training of Diana Cartwright in
the part of Maggie. especially in the
sentimental pantomime on the pre-
nuptial day. Enjoyable as ballet is to
watch, it somehow seems out of
context.
Director Steven Schipper appears
to have deliberately chosen to main-
tain the mannered, stereotyped ac-
ting style of the 'fifties. The hand-
holding. arms -around -the -waist ac-
tions of the two leads, Tommy and
Fiona, as they sing "The Heather on
the Hill" is straight out of those good
old movies.
It, matters not how he acts. (or as
soon as he opens his mouth to sing. the
full, mature, rich voice of Paul
Masser as "Tommy" fills the theatre.
Perfectly matched to him, Allison
Grant as "Fiona" brings to the stage
a voice of operatic clarity. Her ac-
quired Scottish accent works to
enhance her attractive, pert, inter-
pfetation of the lovely but lonely
maiden who falls in love with the
outsider.
Karen Skidmore is lovably looney
in the stereotyped, comic relief role
of Meg, who takes a shine to many a
man, and makes no bones about it.
She even sings about it.
As an added interest -for area
theatregoers, this unusually large
cast of 30 brings many local young
people to the stage. From Exeter are
Jeremy Brock and Melanie,Phillips:
GOLDEN AGE CLUB
Golden Age Club members are
reminded that their first meeting of
the fall season begins on September
2, 1:30 p.m. at St. Johns Parish Hall.
Irom Parkhill is Karen Sheil: and the audience is drawn into the world
of the Scottish highlands and the town
ol Brigadoon as surely as the
American travellers in the story. 11 a
nostalgic journey and a tearful love
story are to your liking then this pro-
duction of Brigadoon is for you.
The show runs until September 5 on
the- main stage at. Huron Country
Playhouse.
'ou try -
Playhouse.
Chantelle Crabbe is from Grand
Bend. Nine-year-old Chris Bennett
and Jennie Such at 15. round out the
younger members of the cast.
As piper Beth Bodkin begins to
wend her way frorn the back -of the
theatre, down the aisle. and onto the}
stage to herald the beginning of this
well known and well -loved fantasy.
WINTER'S COMING - One of the entries in the Sat. morning Sand-
castle Day parade. "Grand Bend Winter Carnival",.was meant to re-
mind us of the fun times even during the winter. that happen in The
Bend.
Boat Leuched
Boating incidents were the topic of
conversations this August 22weekend
as the winds shifted around to the nor-
thwest quite suddenly Friday night.
Sandcastle Days -and the -sandcastle
building competition were complete-
ly blown away.
About 1-1:30 p.m. on Saturday. a
26 -foot, Sea ray- type cruiser.
registered out of Sarnia and owned lis
Jerry Barclay. put out from -Grand
Bend 1Iartxou• after mooring in the
Bend overnight. The cruiser. named
"For Play 'I'o " reportedly had four
adults and live children on board.
Harbourmaster Dave Gill
estimated the waves were about six
to eight feet high at this time. Ile also
staled that Barclay is an experienc-
ed and worthy boater. However. it
was apparently too rough and the
children. especially. felt the danger.
Barclay reportedly turned back
towards the harbour but did not have
enough -power to battle the force of the
waves. Wearing lifejackets. the
children 1 wider 14 years of ager were
put over the side ol the boat al Sun
Beach in Southcotl Pines where the
water is relatively shallow. about 20
feet from shore. They all made it to
shore safely.
It was hoped that with less weight,
onboard. the cruiser could then pro-
ceed, but waves continually pounded
over the transoms as the boat .nosed
toward the shore. Eventually the
engine became soaked and failed.
The ('oast Guard. and the o.P:P.
had been called but without power
there was nothing left to do but beach
the cruiser at Sun Beach.
Concerned residents went ti► the.
beach to aid in securing the vessel.
trying to prevent -damage to the hull
by padding with old tires. toplo avail.
The cruiser. secured with -heavy ropes
to the railway -tie footing at that point.
lists Irom side 10 side with each,wave
on the rock strewn beach. Attempts
to refloat the boat will commence as -
soon as weather permits. •
- Also on Saturday. the double -
masted schooner "Wanderer'- was
sighted. in the heavy wave action off -
the (;rand Bend pier. proceeding
southward under motor power. The
sailboat circled hvit•e as many
onlookers watched from the shore,
but -apparently made no attempt to
enter Grand fiend Harbour or make
any radio contact with (;rand Bend.
They were then observed to raise
their sails and proceed southward
towards Sarnia.
11 was later learned that
"1Vanderer" had been in touch with
the ('oast Guard and had reported
that they had engine trouble. and
were returning to sail power to
achieve the Sarnia destination.
The schooner made it to "Pat's
Point". • in the vicinity of Kettle
Point; ipperwash. where it foundered
on the rocks. confplelel• disabled.
('oast Guard out of Detroit rescued
the three•hoaters by helicopter.
LIFE $ A BEACH -- All passengers. made it to shore Saturday after-
noon, when. Sarnia boater Gerry Barclay was forced to beach his
cruiser "For Play Too". at Sun Beach, Southcott Pines. Eight foot waves
swamped the engine, preventing the vessel from returning to Grand
Bend Harbour.
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FINANCIAL
CENTRE
Go de rich
519-524-2773
1.800.265.5503
1 Yr 1. I 1
sits INSi1i1E0 Within limn•
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