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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-09-09, Page 8PAGE 8—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 198,7 CLIP 'N' SAVE CLIP 'N' SAVE -41111P- The weather is cooling, the leaves are changing colour, the tourists are leaving & the snow will soon be falling but ... It's "PRIME TIME" at THE PARK HOUSE. WEEKLY EVENTS Monday thru Friday: Lunch Specials only 53.50 'Monday & Tuesday: 5 to 6 p.m. Canned Beer $1.75 Wednesday & Thursday: 5 p.m. ".Appy Hour" - Free Appetizers Wednesday & Saturday: WING DING - PLUMP & Jt'I('Y CHICKEN WINGS AT SPECIAL PRICES Single 52.95.Double 55.50 The Park House 168 West St., Goderich 524-4431 Join us for .... Good Food, Friendly Staff & Entertaining Events Overlooking Beautiful Lake Huron 1 Farm News HANTS 1N, --CLIP 'N' SAVE s i\LLGO ALE fit O ,ON HOSE SO4 p.FASN ,NANO KVO 50 1\1000010.9i OR1NWOO® S ideal Interior Latex Velvet Reg. $21.99 i9?4.s 4 ideal Interior Alkyd Eggshell Reg. 528.9; ideal Interior Latex Semi -Gloss Reg. $25.95 NOW ONLY 21?4 ideal Interior Alkyd Semi -Gloss Reg. $28.95 Free trade slammed from page 1 the Canadian system of mark* 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 - anent 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. "When the free trade talks began, everything - and I stress the word 'everything' - was on the table," Riddell stated. Riddell said the uncertainty about free trade has farmers in a quandry over business decisions. "Some can't decide whether to buy more quota. Some wonder whether to sell out now, while. the going is still relatively good." Supply management is vital to the pro- sperity of some sectors of the Canadian agriculture industry. "For dairy, turkey, egg and broiler pro- ducers, supply management has made all the difference," allowing them to "weather tough times better than most other groups," Riddell said, and voiced his opposition to any tampering with the systems. "I'm not prepared to see these suc- cessful marketing systems bargained away in a free trade deal and the govern- ment I represent is not prepared to see them bargained away." He said he would not want to see Ontario farmers go from "a system of orderly marketing to a chaotic system of ups and downs". Riddell said not only must marketing boards be retained, but some form of border controls such as tariffs and health standards, must remain in effect as "underpinnings," to the system: "If our system remained in place without border controls," he stated, the United States producers could flood the Canadian market with their surplus com- modities. "The cost of removing the surplus from the market, place (through purchase by marketing boards) would be staggering," he said, adding that itwould be the Canadian producers who .. would ultimately bear the cost of surplus removal. Meanwhile, Riddell pointed out that the Americans have a' "very effective border control system," and would be unlikely to reciprocate a Canadian open border policy. He warned that removal of tariffs which keep large American producers out of the. Canadian market could spell the end of the FEATURE REPORT family farm system here. Any one of the large American chicken producers, Rid- dell said, "could supply all of Ontario with chicken". Riddell said his government has made their postion on the issue clear to the negotiators and the onus is now on farmers, individuals and collectively, to make their positions known. "It is clearly not enough to just sit back and hope somebody else is protecting the interests of Ontario farmers. The negotiations are now at the critical final stage - it's really now, or never as far as getting your concerns across to the federal negotiators." PERTINANT PRINCIPLES Nelson Coyle, information officer for the Canadian Chicken Marketing agency tried to shed some light on the definition of free trade and what it would mean to Ontario Producers. He said there are five basic principles Which would pertain to all commodities in a free trade agreement: - All tariffs, without exception, would be phased out, he said. - All existing marketing agencies would be "grandfathered, " which means no new agencies would be allowed to be set up. -- Supplemental imports, above and beyond existing quotas, would be allowed. - Health standards, packaging and labell- ing between the two countries would become "harmonized": - The basic powers of supply manage- ment, including quotas, would be retained. These principles could lead to an erosion of Canadian agriculuture for a number of reasons, according to Coyle, who said that preservation of supply management would mean little unless "the market is preserv- ed," through border controls. Phasing out of tariffs, rather than im- mediate removal would delay the effect, however, he said, it would also discourage future investment in Canadian Agriculture by Canadians. One of the measures being considered by negotiators is opening of borders to pre- packaged foods. Suoh pr oduc-ts, shipped in- to Canada in large quanities, could cheap- ly supply restaurants here, possible limiting the amount of home-grown pro- duce they would consume. This, said Coyle, would prevent much of "the new 'investment which the (Canadian agriculture) industry is currently generating". Coyle maintained some optimism that pressure from organized agriculturalists could force negotiators to avoid making a deal that could be damaging. "If anybody can force a deal from the negotiators for exceptions, it's the dairy industry," Coyle said. . ' In addition to free trade with the USA, Coyle also believes farmers must be con- cerned about the General Agreement on Trade ,and Tariffs (GATT) talks, which also involve •Eurpopean countries. At GATT, the United States is proposing a complete global removal of financial sup- port for agriculture. A complete free enterprise system would leave only the largest producers able to compete, he noted. -It's going to keep farmer organizations hopping for a while, following GATT," he said. CLOSE SUBSIDIARIES "The NDP beleives trade should strengthen the Canadian economy," said Huron NDP candidate Paul Klopp, adding that "Free trade will not solve," all the problems in Canadian Agriculture. In fact, he claims, it could have the reverse effect. "A comprehensive arrangement will allow multinationals ( corporations) to close down their subsidiaries here," and supply the Canadian market from produc- tion facilities located in the United States. "The bottom line is, while it might be a great deal for big business, it will be a -bad deal for the ordinary working people," said Klopp. FAVORS DEAL Huron Progressive Conservative Can- didate Nico Peters was the only speaker on hand to vnirP an opinion in favor of the free trade talks initiated by the federal conservatives. "My party, and I, myself, support the trade negotiations that are now going on," he said. "We can't afford to lose markets we have worked so hard to build up," he said. Peters claims "a full two-thirds," of the food produced in Canada was exported in 1985. "And now you tell me that we have to live in a Canadian -only market," he asked? While he said provisions for "orderly marketing," should be included, "I will support a fair deal that is equitable for both sides". TIME FOR INPUT While free trade negotiations are under the jurisdiction of the federal government, the provinces' input will have an effect on the deal, said Riddell in response to a ques- tion from the audience on the amount of power Ontario will have to block a deal. "I'd be less than honest if I didn't tell you that no province has a veto," said Riddell. _-'.However, there area number of things_ the provinces have jurisdiction over, and the 'feds' do not." Riddell said an individual province could change their labelling regulations, in- crease health standards and increase sub- sidies, to combat the effect of lost ,border controls. "I can't see the prime minister signing a deal when he knows Ontario won't accept it, when he knows Quebec won't accept it." Whalen responded that the farmers themselves can make a differences "If every farmer here wrote. aletter to.. 1 ( Canadian negotiator) Simon Reisman and told him what impact free trade would have on his industry, he can't ignore it." Telegrams, and phone calls, added Coyle, can be even more effective than letters. EToueau q--) cant. Paf2E'TL Want to Look Slimmer? For a slender fit a "Tummy Control .Panel' Regular Fit Tummy Tucker This slender fit is by 'Snazzie'. A polycstcr blend pant that is com- pletely machine washable. Available in navy. grey. toffee and winter white. Sizes 8-16 Reg. 42.00 ti The 'Tummy Tucker Pant' and any other pant in store is 20% OFF ... Now until September 19, 1987 semarg's LADIES' WEAR 36 North Street, Shoppers Square, Goderich ph: 524-8572