HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-09-09, Page 11
INCON1'O#ATr 1 HI. 1U1A T1 S1 ANItARD hHI'. HA) F 1F.1.L) ,7t UT,
NO, 36
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1987
50 CENTS
Free trade would turn Canada
into "a great 'big national park,"
BY PATRICK RAFTIS
"If we had true free • trade with the
Americans on everything, then we could
turn Canada into a great big national park
for them to play in," former federal
Minister of Agriculture Eugene Whalen
told over 200 people at a meeting organized
by a group of Huron and Perth County
agricultural producers at Holmesville
Township Hall, on Aug. 3.
"Supply Management After Free
Trade?" was the topic of the three-hour
panel discussion organized by the Huron -
Perth Supply Managed Commodities Com-
mittee. The panel included Whalen, Pro-
vincial Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell
and Nelson Coyle, information officer for
the Canadian Chicken Marketing Agency.
Dr. Harry Brightwell, Member of
Parliament for Perth riding and Lambton
MP Sid Fraleigh were also invited to par-
ticipate, but withdrew their acceptance
after learning who the other panel
members would be. Fraleigh and
Brightwell, both federal Progressive Con-
servatives, sent letters explaining their
decision to be read at the meeting.
Both indicated they did not wish to be
drawn into partisian politics with the
Liberal members of the panel so close to
the upcoming provincial election.
Brightwell said such an encounter could
prove "to the detriment of the candidates,
including the one from my own party".
Both stated they would be pleased to par-
ticipate in discussions on free trade with
area farmers at any time after the Sept. 10
election.
OCTOBER DEADLINE
Also controversial, was the organizers'
decision not to include Riddell's fellow
Huron Riding candidates on the panel.
"We didn't want to turn this into an all -
candidates meeting," explained chairman
Bill Jongegan, adding the October
deadline on the "fast -tracking," of the free
trade talks between Canada and the
United States was the reason for holding
the meeting at this time.
Ultimately, Huron NDP candidate Paul
Klopp and Conservative hopeful Nico
Peters were each given five minutes, after
the panel members had delivered their ad-
dresses, to give their views on the topic.
EUGENE WHALEN
Whalen, a former minister in the Pierre
Trudeau Liberal government, is now presi-
dent of Agricgltural International
Development Association of Canada. He
told the audience the Americans view free
trade as an opportunity to "export their
chaos," and "mismanagement," into the
Canadian market.
The flamboyant former minister said
farmers must speak up now, to prevent
their supply management systems from
being eroded in the proposed dealings with
the Americans.
"I don't know why in heaven's name,
you're not doing more (speaking out) as
farmers — you're supply -managed system
will disappear," he warned.
"No matter how efficient you are — and
you are at the most efficient now that
you've ever been — you can't compete,"
with the Americans without supply
management, he explained.
Whalen suggested it would be unfair of
the federal government to consumate a
deal that would jeopardize the existing
marketing systems.
"We built a system — we, the producers,
the provinces and the federal government,
working together in the true spirit of Con-
federation. When they suggest you can't
have any more supply -managed products,
that's against the Charter of Rights."
Whalen said supply management in such
sectors as the dairy, poultry and egg in-
dustries, has made Canadian farmers
more efficient, not less -so, as some
detrators have suggested.
He said free enterprise agricultural
systems, which leave producers free to
produce more goods than the market can
absorb are a "waste of energy, com-
modities and resources — when you know
what the market can consume and you can
control it."
NO SECTOR SAFE
Beef and pork farmers, many of whom
favor a' free trade arrangement with the
USA, would also stand to lose by an agree-
ment, said Whalen.
"Do you think for a minute, that they
would let you keep Tri -partite Stabiliza-
tion," he asked?
. American farmers, said Whalen, envy
the Canadian system of marketing boards
and supply management.
"I've heard American farmers say 'you
have a good system here, but they would
never allow us to have it in the States,'
because the USDA (United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture) would never give up
it's power," to the boards, he said.
Whalen concluded with a warning to
farmers not to trust the American and
Canadian free trade negotiators to keep
their best interests at heart when making a
deal.
"Don't believe anyone, when they say
they're not discussing destroying your
system," he said.
ALL ON THE TABLE
Huron MP and provincial agriculture
minister Jack Riddell also said it would be
"naive," of farmers to assume their
marketing system was not being discussed
by the negotiators.
Turn to page 3 •
It wasn't quite 9 a.m. but these kindergarten students were getting into their school work
anyhow. September 8 marked the first day of school for thousands of children, and at
Clinton Public School, Mrs. Hogan's class was eager to begin Adam Leppington ( left )
Jonathon Richter, Heather Jewell and Leonard Steep were the first to dig into the sand.
Below. crossing guard Doug Bezzo assists students crossing Highway 8. This is Mr.
Bezzo's first year on the job. ( Anne Narejko photos
SUMMER VACATION'S
OVER,
IT'S BACK TO
SCHOOL
Piano factory has one
week to obtain capital
By Anne Narejko
CLINTON - At this point, things don't look
very promising for Canada's last remaining
piano factory. They are on their last exten-
sion to secure operating capital for the fac-
tory which is $1 -million in debt, leaving
them seven days to do so.
Last week, owner Paul Ryckman was
given an additional two week extension on
the August 31 deadline before unsecured
creditors could take action to close the doors
at Draper Brothers and Reid Ltd., putting
the other eight of 35 employees out of work.
To date, Mr. Ryckman has been told he
has a guarenteed loan of $400,000 from the
(lntorin rin\rp,nnmont ('nrnnr-,tion •,nA �..,
has found an investor, Robert Reid, to carry
out building rehabilitation.
Other avenues have been dead ends. The
Royal Bank and Federal Business Develop-
ment Bank have not come through.
Getting the operating capital is Mr.
Ryckman's only problem. He has orders
which number over 1,200, triple last year's
orders.
Unless a major announcement is made by
the government or a private investor very
soon, Canada will lose its last piano factory
and Clinton will lose an employer - an
employer which has offered jobs to craft-
smen for 112 years.
Tykes win All Ontario
CLINTON - The Clinton Tykes went on the
traditional ride around town on the old fire
truck on September 7 to celebrate bringing
home a provincial championship.
The team won the All Ontario champion-
ship at an eight team tournament held in
Bolton on September 5 and 6.
Also playing in the tournament were
teams from Bolton, Bowmanville, Thorold,
Tillcnnhnra Sfrthrov, Valley Fest. and
Blenheim.
Clinton went undefeated in their five
games, beating: -Bowmanville 6-5 in eight
innings; Bolton 7-1; Blenheim 18-17;
Thorold 6-4; Blenheim 9-3.
A more detailed account of the tourna-
ment, along with a picture, will be carried in
the September 16 edition of the News -
Record.
Council defers decision on
seeking approval authority
Action has been deferred by Huron County
Council on a recommendation that it ask the
provincial government to delegate the ap-
proval for certain planning functions to -
county council.
The recommendation was made at coun-
cil's regular September session during a
report presented by its planning and
development committee. However, fears
expressed by some members of council that
such action could have serious ramifica-
tions prompted deferral of the issue until all
members of council have had time to review
a detailed submission on delegation
prepared by the planning and development
department.
In the report presented by the committee,
council was told that the Planning Act
allows delegation by the provincial govern-
ment of some planning functions to county
council.
The report recommended council ask for
formal delegation of: Approval authority
for plans of subdivision; approval authority
for plans of condominium; approval
authority for part lot control bylaws; ap-
proval authority for road closings°pursuant
to specific sections of the Planning Act and
review of zoning bylaws as per the
minister's interest, including official plan
conformity, minister's zoning orders and
provincial policy.
Bayfield Reeve Dave Johnston was the
first to raise concern over the committee's
recommendation and said he feared Huron
County is trying to assume control of all
planning.
"I would like to know why you feel the
county would be able to do a job better than
the local municipalities," hF asked county
planning director Gary Davidson.
Mr. Davidson replied that the final ap-
proval authority does not rest with the
municipality currently, but with the pro-
vince and as a result projects often are bog-
ged down waiting for a provincial decision.
"This ( delegation) would bring the deci-
sion one step closer to the municipality," he
said. Delegation would not take any authori-
ty from the local municipality, he added.
Mr. Johnston, however, said he felt the
planning and development department
could be putting the county in the position of
possible conflict with one of its member
municipalities. In his opinion, the county is
not in that position at present since the onus
of final approval is at the provincial level.
Committee
negotiates to
obtain ownership
of landfill site
The Holmesville landfill Site Committee
is negotiating with current owner George
Lavis to obtain ownership of the landfill site,
currently shared by six municipalities.
Goderich Administrator and secretary of
the committee, Larry McCabe and Public
Works Commissioner Ken Hunter are
negotiating with Lavis on behalf of the com-
mittee, which includes representatives of
the towns of Goderich and Clinton, the
townships of Goderich and Colborne and the
villages of Lucknow and Seaforth, on a deal
that would see ownership of the site
transferred from Lavis to the committee for
a nominal amount.
A draft agreement has been circulated to
the respective councils of the participating
municipalities for consideration within the
next few weeks. The proposed agreement
calls for the group to be responsible for any
problems relating to landfill, past or future
and to pay for all surveys and legal costs, in-
cluding costs incurred by Lavis.
Under the agreement Lavis would no
longer be the owner and operator of the site,
but would continue to supply fill and cover
material for the site at an agreed price.
McCabe said the agreement, which has
not yet been approved by any of the councils
involved, is still in the negotiation stage, so
he could not release details on potential
costs to the municipalities.
If an agreement is reached, as McCabe
expects one to be within the next few mon-
ths, costs may also be shared by the Town of
Seaforth and Tuckersmith Township, if they
are accepted as users of the site under a
separate agreement now under
consideration.
.N
Mr. Davidson argued, however, that the
situation of possible conflict already exists
under the current system since the provin-
cial government usually goes along with
county recommendations on such planning
functions. An elaborate system of checks
and balances, however, usually allows the
municipality to say no to a development if it
does not want it, he said.
"Problems occur, however, when the
municipality and county have given ap-
proval to development and the ministry is
dragging its heels."
Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle said that since
the planning and development department
is involved in the drafting procedure for
such functions as bylaws, delegation of ap-
proval authority to the county would very
likely place it in a position of conflict.
Mr. Davidson again argued that the poten-
tial for this scenario already exists under
the current system and that delegation
would not increase the risk of that happen-
ing. "If a local municipality does not ap-
prove a bylaw, there is no bylaw," he said.
Mr. Johnston supported Mr. Mickle's sug-
gestion that council defer action on the
recommendation until members of council
have had more time to study the detailed
report. He also suggested that Mr. Davidson
or a representative speak to each of the
local councils on the report during the defer-
ral period.
Council .will again consider the recom-
mendation at its regular October meeting.
CLINTON PUBLIC
HOSPITAL
BUILDING FUND