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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-06-28, Page 26PAGE 6A —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1979 Pnef. furrow' Wonder off wonders! This column is no longer a voice crying in the boondocks about the desecration of agricultural land in the province. Two or three times in the last 12 months, I have decried the decision by the Ontario government to allow a 320 -acre amusement park near Vaughn, 20 miles north of Toronto. Now, Canada's self-styled national magazine, Maclean's, has joined the chorus. It's too late, of course, because all the decisions to bring this cartoon platoon to Canada have already been made. It is refreshing, though, to have such a prestigious publication as Maclean's take a rather cynical view of the park. Rod McQueen penned the piece. He started it by saying that the appalling American attacks on Canada, such as the War of 1812, are repelled. But the insidious invasions like border television and Canadian Club luncheon toasts to U. S. presidents, roll on McQueen calls it a cartoon platoon led by Yogi Bear and Fred Flintstone. Maclean's opposes the move strictly on American money being poured into Canada. I suppose that, too, is important, but I have been against it simply because it will engulf fafrZ. mare acres than the 320 inside the park. For those of you unfamiliar with the planned park, it will be called Canada's Wonderland, a $105 -million deal, financed jointly by Taft Broadcasting Company and the Canadian investment partner, Great -West Life Assurance Company. These two giants 'have formed Family Leisure Centres of Canada Ltd. The entrepeneurs have gone through- six years of battle with local people plus bureaucratic hurdles such as the Foreign Investment Review Agency and the Ontario Municipal Board and the Ontario Cabinet. The Cabinet, by the way, smiled indulgently through CLASSIFIED • A. For sale FARMALL Cub tractor with attachments and chains. Phone 528- 2108.-25x TWO Grain Bins, com- plete with aerator. Phone 529-7717.-26 NC .. BALED hay for sale. Contact H. O. Jerry, RR5 Goderich. Phone 524-2855 days cr res. 524-9300.-25- 26-27 B. Custom work BULLDOZING, Allis- Chalmers No. 650, with six way hydraulic blade. Bill Robinson, RR2 Auburn, 529-7857.-13tf D. Livestock BOAR AND GILT SALE 130 Yorkshire and Landrace. Health ap- proved, IOP tested and Maitland Manor Farm, July 7. Don Henry, R.R. 2., Bl.uevale, Ont. 519-335- 3240.-26,27 b.c. FOR SALE: Service age York, Hamp and Hamp. York boars, also open gilts. Bob Robinson, R.R. 4 Walton, 345-2317.-26-28 E. Farm services EQUIPMENT LUBRICATION NIGHT: Edward Fuels, in con- junction with Bluewater Truck Centre, is pleased to present an "Equip- ment Lubrication, Night" with Harry McKenzie (Senior Staff Technical Rep for Shell). If you are concerned with the proper lubrication and performance of your equipment, keep this date in mind: WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 at 8 p.m. at Bluewater Truck Centre, Airport Rd. Goderich.-26,27 AR CLAY — Silo Unloaders ,Feeders Cleaners Stabling Leg Elevators Liquid Manure Equipment - Hog Equipment BUTLER — Silo Unloaders Feeders Conveyors FARMAYIC Mills Augers, etc. 'ACORN — Clean.rs Heated Waterers WESTEEL.ROSCQ Granaries 1aL-Hog Panelling LOWRY FARM SYSTEMS MR 1, Kincardine, Ont. Phone 31S -S286 Foreign owners up 60% here While foreign owner- ship of agrigultural land has decreased by over 200 percent in Ontario the last two years, it has increased by 6Q percent in Lette.s ale app•ec.ated by Bob ir� ji@aie RO Eim .a On, NSB 2C I H on County. :.,; - . ,. {yq:t;- ..one parcels of the red tape because members, apparently, favored the plan from the beginning. Why? Well, because it will provide 250 permanent jobs -- a paltry number considering all the farm land that will be gone forever -- and -2,500 seasonal jobs: As a professor of journalism, I should be happy that some students will get summer jobs at the park. I would rather preserve the farm land than give students a summer job in Wonderland, no matter how beautiful it may become. I can see it in all its phoney glory now. I would rather see acres of new -mown hay or grain than Yogi Bear or that stupid, nincompoop of a Fred Flintstone. No man can be that stupid. The park will feature rides, shows, shops, en- tertainment, a man-made, 150 -foot -hill and a 100 -foot wide waterfall. It is one of five U.S. parks owned by Taft Broadcasting along with 16 U.S. radio and television stations. How did Taft and Great -West get together? Through a conversation between Lloyd Taft and Canadian Paul Desmarais of the huge Power Corporation one of the biggest conglomerates in Canada. Desmarais and Power Corporation control Great -West Life. See the corporate connection? Great -West has, according to Maclean's, committed $23 million to the new company for 25 percent of Canada's Wonderland. That, then, is where your money goes, my friends. To help an American company build a leisureland on some of the best farm land in the province. The company hopes each Canadian family that visits this tinselled wonderland will spend $60 in an eight-hour visit. Cheez! Sixty bucks? I am not, as quoted in the Maclean's story, against children having fun. But $60 sounds, well, like a ripoff to me. But I'm just a little old horse farmer in the back country crying bitterly as this insidious gobbling up of farmland continues unabated. Because it won't just be Unless you worked at least 20 weeks in the past year, these changes could apply to you. In December 1978, Parliament changed the Unemployment Insurance progra-m. Changes -starting July 1 mean that some people will - have to work longer before they can qualify (or Unemployment Insurance benefits. Please remember, these UI changes affect only those claims which start on or after July 1, 1979. And, the changes May or may not apply to you. So please rdad on to see if you are affected. (You'll find terms such "Weeks of Work'; "Qualifying Period", "Variable Entrance Requirement" (VER), and "Unemployment Rate" marked by an asterisk (*). For easier understanding, see the box "Explaining UI terms" at the end of this message.) Here are the details of those changes. Have you worked 20 weeks ormore hi your Qualifying Period*? If so, this message does not apply to you: For you, the number of weeks you need to qualify for regular UI benefits and for UI ill- ness and maternity benefits, or the one-time benefit at age 65 has not changed. Are you working for the first time? To get UI benefits, you will usually need 20 Weeks' Work*, no 'natter where you live. An exception to this would be if you were on a training course approved by the Canada land in Huron, totalling 3,989 acres are owned by people with foreign adresses, as compared to 2,423 acres in 1976. That amounts to about .5 percent of the total acreage in Huron County. Since there is no in- formation on citizenship, some of these people could be Canadians living abroad, or people in- tending to immigrate and farm the land them- selves. In 1976, all of the land under foreign ownership was owned by people living in the United States. In the 1978' sur- vey, people in Germany, England, and Belgium also owned land. Recent purchases of farmland can be traced through the payment of the Land Transfer Tax, which foreign non- residents must pay at a rate, -of 20 percent of the purchase price. In Huron County, the tax has been collected on seven pur- chases. Of these, one was a foreign non-resident purchasing 250 acres of " farm larld.ti intended to immigrate t Ontario. The individual is now living here and farming the property. One exemption from the tax was granted to a foreign -controlled Ontario corporation which purchased 100 acres in Huron County. This exemption was granted because its activities were viewed as beneficial to Ontario. The company was to introduce new technology to farming and would be exporting Ontario breeding stock. Concern has been expressed that cor- porations are being set up to channel foreign money into farmland purchases. In Huron, 4.68 percent of the agricultural land area is owned by a total of 102 corporations. Records held by the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial 320 acres under this phoney fairyland. The surroun- ding area for 10 miles will be permanently affected by hamburger stands, motels -hotels, reptile houses and ,_gawd knows what else. Triple that amount of land will be affected. And most of the profits will go back to Uncle Sam, too. Relations reveal that the majority of Ontario corporations that own farmland have directors who are residents of the province. In fact, the .majority of farmland prices is ex- pressed. Local farmers feel that foreign pur- chases are willing to pay higher prices for far- mland. -these companies are For 1978, in Huron i n c o r p at a t4 -y faan *. , ,"E `u farmer to farmer farms. .., sales of Class 1 land, In addition to the extent without buildings, took of foreign ownership, place at about $1,100 per concern for increasing acre. Sales of farmland, 2-4-D is praised The pesticide 2,4-D got some unexpected praise last week from Liberal ranks in the Ontario legislature. Liberal agriculture critic Jack Riddell (Huron -Middlesex) said before the government thinks of banning 2,4-D, it should consider its im- portance for the farm industry as almost equivalent to penicillin for the general public. Premier Will am Davis asked where Riddell had been during debate over the use of the pesticide last week. Both op- position parties" have been attacking Environment Minister Harry Parrott for refusing to ban the spraying of the pesticide in school yards. Davis suggested Riddell make his views known to Liberal leader Stuart Smith. including buildings, to foreign buyers, also took place at an average off $1,100 per acre. Huron County shows the greatest increase of foriegn ownership of farmland compared to other Ontario counties. Foreign ownership is decreasing generally, but has increased significantly in Huron, Bruce, and Grey coun- ties. For example, foriegn gwnership has decreased by 27,000 acres in Frontenac County, and by 24,500 acres in Hastings County, but has increased by 60 percent in WATER WELL DRILLING "79 YEARS EXPERIENCE" • FARM • SUBURBAN r INDUSTRIAL • MUNICIPAL • • FREE ESTIMATES • GUARANTEED WE1..:S • FAST MODERN EQUIPMENT • 4 ROTARY & PERCUSSION DRILLS "OUR EXPERIENCE ASSURES LOWER COST WATER WELLS" DAVI DSON WELL DRILLING LIMITED 4 Rotary and Percussion Drills PHONE 357-1960 WINGHAM Collect etylIs Accepted "ONTARIO'S FINEST WATER WELLS SINCE 1900" . StartingJuly 1, ere i1I- -b-e some changes made to Unemployment Insurance. Employment and Immigration Commission for at least 14 weeks in the year before your Qualifying Period*. Then you would only need 10 to 14 weeks, depending on the Variable Entrance Requirement* where you live. Are you starting to work again? If you're corning backto work after being away a year or more,you'll usually-need- 20 sually-n-eed20 Weeks of Work* in your Qualifying Period* before you can qualify for UI benefits. This applies wherever you live. This 20 -week rule won't apply, however, , if you were in any of the following situations for a total of at least 14 weeks in the year before your Qualifying Period*. These are the situations that count: 1. You were getting temporary woiiker's disability compensation from a provincial program; 2. You were receiving sick or maternity leave payments; 3. You were out of work because of a labour dispute at your place of work; 4. You were on a Commission -approved training course; 5. You were on UI claim; 6. You were working in insurable employment. So for first-time workers and those coming back to work: A. If you were in any of these six situations for a total of at least 14 weeks in the year before your Qualifying Period*, then you need only 10 to 1-4 Weeks' Work* in the Qualifying Period*, depending on the VER* where you live. B. If none of the six situations fit your case,you will have to have worked at least 20 weeks to qualify for UI benefits. NOTE: If you .are returning to work after being away more than one year, the"20-week rule will normally apply to you. Did you get UI benefits in the \ last year? - If you got UI benefits in your Qualifying Period*, there are new rules that may apply to you - unless the Unemployment Rate* in your area is over 11.5 per cern. 1. If a claim you had in the last year has not run Out, you may be ableqo renew it. 2. If yours is classed as a new claim, you will need the usual 10 to 14 Weeks' Work* depending on your local VER*, plus up to six "extra" Weeks of Work*. The number of "extra" weeks you'll need depends on how many weeks you got on your previous UI c.atm. You need one "extra" week ( up to a maximum of six) for every week you got over the VER* needed in your area. Here's an example: You need 12 Weeks' Work* in your region (your local VER*) to qualify for benefits the first time. On your last claim, you dreW 15 weeks' benefits before going back to work. Now, you would need the usual 12 weeks, plus three "extra" work weeks. (That's the difference between the 12 weeks you need- ed to work and the 15 weeks of benefits you drew. In total you would need 15 Weeks' Work* to qualify again within one year. The most anyone needs anywhere is 20 weeks of work to qualify. Again, please remember, when the Unemployment Rate* in your area is over 11.5 per cent, this rule won't apply to you. You'll need only 10 Weeks' Work* to qualify for regular UI benefits. Other changes have been in effect since January 1979: • The weekly benefit rate was reduced to 60 per cent of your average insurable earnings (from 662/3.per cent). • Most people employed for less than 20 hours a week are no longer covered by UI. • Higher -income claimants may have to repay part of UI benefits drawn in the 1979 tax year. This will only affect people whose income, including UI benefits, is over $20,670. This will be explained when you get your 1979 tax return. These things haven't changed: Just as a review, these points haven't changed: • You may still get UI illness and maternity benefits and the special benefit paid at age 65 if you've worked 20 weeks in your Qualifying Period*. • There's still a two-week waiting period before UI benefits start. • To get regular benefits, you must still be available for and looking for work each day you are on claim, • You must report any work and earnings while on claim. • You can be disqualified from getting benefits for up to six weeks if you quit your job voluntarily, you were fired for mis- conduct, or if you turned down a suitable job offer. • You can still appeal a decision by Ul to deny you benefits. ro Explaining UI terms: *Weeks of Work This means weeks of work that are insurabi'e for Unemployment Insurance. Most employment of 20 hours or more a week is insurable. *Qualifying Period What UI calls your Qualifying Period is the 52 weeks before we start your claim. Or if you had a claim in the last year, it's the time since that claim started. *Variable Entrance Requirement (VER) To qualify for Unemployment Insurance benefits, you must have worked from 10 to 14' weeks in insurable employment during your Qualifying Period*. The exact number of weeks depends on the Unemployment Rate* in the economic region where you live. (See below.) If you don't have enough weeks to qualify when you file your claim, we keep your applica- tion in the computer file. If the Unemployment Rate* changes so you then have the weeks you need, we will send you a notice. *Unemployment Rate For Unemployment Insurance, the Unemployment Rate used for each of the 48 economic regions of Canada is not the current monthly Statistics Canada unemployment rate in each region. It is a three-month average .,,of seasonally -adjusted monthly -unemployment rates. Canada's Unemployment Insurance Program Workingwith people who want to work. ' Employment and ` Emploi et Immigration Canada Immigration Canada Ron Atkey, Minister Ron Atkey, Ministre