HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-03-27, Page 39•
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The InteXPO tleti of tlie figures 1 the
WOO gOVOMMent:14white paper on tax
isuesuz4001r00, ter-
tre***e'Ae* media are shocking
#00 aPP410* according to th9,,Pritarto
Federation 7443014#0`,::(
From an emergency 07,FeetitiVe Meeting
held i.n lere414:zrePt 25, OFA president
Rant Pelissero" said, "While figUres don't
interri#*.04, 0141,1.Y10 vary." lie said the
vi4hi .te paper,IlrePared. at the request of
PulaPee Ott Michael Wilson, is "one-
aidecland not Current:"
"For instance, in discussing the decline in
land value* the white paper stops at 1981.
Shim then, land values have plummeted,
especially in western Canada where they
were hit by drought"
"Seine of the colt prisons used in th6e
study and reported in the media are il-
logical," rthaSere said. "To compare the
'Worth of the average farm to the worth of
the average Canadian family is comparing
apples antioranges. It would be more credi-
ble to show a biashiess-to-business com-
parisora."
The white paper's figures on the rate of
return on equity may look good on paper, if
it's interpreted to be 19.3 percent fOr the
years between 1975 and 1983, "But farm
groups aren't talking about the golden days
of the seventies. According to the tables in
the white paper,for 1982 and 1983, farmers
have been losing on their equity. The crisis
has been in recent years," Pelissero said.
Another illogical comparison, Pelissero
said, is between the value of farm land and
trading stocks. "The fact that the value of
rural real estate has increased means
nothing. A farmer can't dump his business
as easily as he could shares on the Toronto
Stock Exchange. Equity, or paper value,
doesn't put the kids through school or put
shoes on their feet." Pelissero said.
to addition, reao4eAu i, tne, mute •
PaPer *Owe that in 102 , end 3,the.
amainal value at lands and hifildkodecitn" •
ed significantly. 5.1hiee'eg00441eAe are the
crisis years, and thirsaVOitY• of. the Pro-
, WOW is AffuSettwhenthe interpretations
incorporate figures from
'The white paper's interpretations should
not be read in isoIntiOnk and, the contents of
the 64 -page document cannot aeOurately be
summarized in a brief newS story,' Pelissero
said, "The Farm .Credit COrpOratienklid a
thorough study on Canadian fanners which
showed that 17 percent are in severe finan-
cial stress, seven percent are in mederate
distress and the remaining 76 percent are
more stable because they have the
minimum equity needed to give them a
reasonable chance to Survive in
agriculture."
"This is a far cry from the white paper's
interpretation that only 32 percent are in
distress eategory‘ The contradiction in
figures, both from government depart-
naents; proves only that there is no definitive
statement on what is happening' in the farm
sector. As president of an organization that
represents over 24,000 farrn families, I can
only say that there is more than enough
cause for concern, and that these cold, im-
personal government. palms don't reflect
the reality in the country."
He said the OFA• will be discussing the
white paper with government and elected
officials soon, and he will be reminding
them all of the statement made by Prime
Minister Mulroney at the recent First
Ministers' Conference. Mr.1V1iikoney said,
"I don't know that. there's an area of our na-
tional economic life where there has been a
greater productivity increase in the lag 15
years than Canadian agriculture. I don't
know of a sector that has received less in
return in terms of reward for that individual
11
effort.
Ducks Unlimited
Canada to spend
$39 million in 1985
A record $39 million will be invested by
Ducks Unlimited Canada during 1985, to inn -
prove nesting habitat for migratory water-
fowl.
- According to the Hon. W.J. McKeag,
president of •the wetlands conservation
organization, plans are in place to develop
51,750 acres of marshlands across the coun-
try during the current year. The goal is 3,000
acres above the 1984 accomplishments.
At the annual meeting the Board of Direc-
tors held in Winnipeg during the first
weekend of March, directors approved a
1985 action plan that called for the con-
struction of 397 marshland projects ranging
in size from about 15 acres to several thou-
sand acres. Virtually every project involves
construction of dikes, water level control
structures and channels that operate as
systems to control wetland water levels at
agreed limits. Most projects are located on
farms where Ducks Unlimited has been
given right-of-way access by the lan-
downers.
Alberta can claim the greatest number of
projects planned with 95 (111 in 1984). Inten-
tions in the other provinces (Numbers of
projects completed in 1984 in brackets) are:
B.C. 50 (27); Saskatchewan 41. (47);
Manitoba 47 (28); Ontario 40 (29); Quebec 22
(16); and Atlantic Canada 32 (29).
The directors also approved setting up of
new offices in Whitehorse, Yukon and Tim-
mins, Ontario. A 10 -year wetland agreement
signed with the territorial government of
Yukon will become operational this sum:
mer. • Biologists and engineers from DU
Canada will team up with Yukon govern-
ment biologists in detailed surveying of
several key wetlands.
In Ontario nevv, projects are planned in the
Great and Little claybelt areas, northeast of
Toronto. Expansion of agriculture and set-
tlement in these areas has been a catalyst
for marshland conservation before key mar-
shes disappear.
McKeag said that the fastest growing
component of Ducks Unlimited Canada is
the contributor services department. The
number of contributors 18 1985 is expected to
rise to 50,000 from 42,000 in 1984. Only four
years ago there were less than 7,000 con-
tributors, he said.
Of the totaLl$15,,,,budget ofr$39,31.5,0(10,/overl
10 percent or $3,725,000 will be obtained"
from Canadian sources.
Conservationists in the United States con-
tinue to provide the greater part of the
revenue with $35,280,000 in U.S. contributor
funds expected. Most of the money in both
countries is obtained through banquets and
auction sales. Private, corporate and in-
dividual donations also are obtained.
McKeag said that a report to the meeting
by staff biologists indicated a generally
much improved winter snowfall situation
across Canada. "This should result in a
much larger run-off of melt water into
wetland basins and better waterfowl nesting
conditions than over the past three years. In
some parts of the prairies the situation was
becoming critical for waterfowl. Loss of
wetlands through indiscriminate drainage
during periods of low water has been signifi-
cant as well. This kind of loss is more long
term," McKeag said.
By the end of 1984, the 47 -year-old private
organization had developed 1,843,900 acres
of wetlands in Canada from an investment
during that period of $216,173,000.
A video tribute to
Canada's sports legends
Most Canadians beyond their early
twenties can recall with crystal clarity ex-
actly where they were and what they were
doing when Paul Henderson scored the
winning goal with 34 seconds remaining, in
the final game of the 1972 Team Canada -
Soviet Union hockey "series Of the cen-
tury."'
Henderson's goal and Team Canada's
----thrilling_ cornp-fromthehind_Vigt_na
Moscow, after being down 3-1 in -the series,
resulted in an outpouring of intense na-
tional pride and celebration in all partsof
Canada.
Sport fans can now relive the thrills of
that particular goal and series, as well as
the remarkable achievements of more
than 20 other legendary Canadian athletes
during the past six decades, in an award-
winning, 112 -minute documentary, "Great
Moments in Canadian Sports.
It is a treasure of vintage film clips,
from the 1920's through the 1970's,together
with interviews with fabled Canadian
superstars who fondly reminisce about
their remarkable achievements.
The film, narrated by Red Storey and
produced as a public service by The
Prudential Insurance Cbmpany of
America, now available for purchase on
• videocassette, with all net proceeds
donated to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
The film features such greats as Lionel
• Conacher, Canada's athlete of the first'half
century; boxer Jimmy McLarnin, winner
of the world's welterweight championship
in 1933; Olyriipic and World Champion
• figure skaters Barbara Ann Scott. and
Karen Magnussen ; and swimmers
• Marilyn Bell; Who 18 1954 at age 16 became
the- first person to swim across Lake On-
tario, and Graham Smith, winner of six
gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth
•Games in Edmonton.
1:n addition to Paul Henderson's goal and
Team Canada's 1972 triutnph, the careers
Of hockey's Maurice "Rocket" Richard
Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Lester Patrick,
Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Bernie Geof-
frion and Darryl Sittler are profiled.
From the world of football comes Jackie
Parker, whose fumble recovery and 91 -
yard run _led Edmonton Eskimos to an _
upset victory over Montreal in the 1954
Grey Cup, and Russ Jackson, the greatest
Canadian-bom quarterback in CFL
The Win includesICIordiem Dancer win-
ning the Kentucky Derby in 1964 and Sandy
Hawley who, in 1973, became the first
jockey to achieve 500 thoroughbred racing
wins in a single year. Skiers Nancy Greene
and Anne Heggtveit recall -their Olympic
gold medal triumphs in 1960 and 1968.
Track and field is represented by Van-
couver's Percy Williams, sprint champion
at the 1928 Olympics and Diane Jones-
Konihowski, winner of the Commonwealth
Games pentathlon in 1978. Other segments
range from the famed schooner Bluenose,
winner of the international Challenge race
in 1923, to baseball's Fergie Jenkins, the
best major league pitcher Canada has ever
produced.
111•1111,111EMINIMMIIIMIMINIL
CIVIC CORNER
Thursday, March 28 -the Recreation and
Community Centre Board Will meet in coun-
cil chambers at 7.30 p.m.
Friday, March 29- the joint town -PUC
committee will meet in the council
chambers at 8,15 a.m.
Monday, April 1- Goderich town council
will meet in the council chambers at 7.30
p.m.
Tuesday, April 2- the Day Nursery Com-
mittee will meet in the council chambers at
4.30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 2- the Police Commission.
will meet at 5 p.m. at the Bedford Hotel,
it 0;00
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0111iitifaititoqd, Loiidon
613.1783
PhOno,tOrapp Intim nitO,
AtIVPANCE$
•• "Of THE 'WART OF
DOWNTOWN VARNA"
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(For Indoor at Outdoor Usi,/
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482-7103
•••••., .,`%11,6"`
L
Saturday & Sunday'
March 30 & 31 1
You Con Enjoy a I
15 p.c. Bucket
of Chicken For
only $9.25
KvtuckyFriedChicken
94 EK.G114 AVE. E., GODERICH
524-7359 •
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401P •
Whenyou buy the air-conditioning special
value package on selected models gave
$1 00. °SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY
GODERICH
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