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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-02-22, Page 5r- THt HIP 1 EXPOSITOR, FEBRUARY 22, 1989 — 5A Brazil offers 'experience of a lifetime" Two local men have returned from a 5,500 kilometer bus tour through Brazil. Bryan Vincent and Bill Wallace are par- ticipants in the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program and recently accom- panied a group of 30 other rural leaders in a 17 -day study tour of Brazil. In this ex- perience of a lifetime in the South American nation, they got a first hand glimpse at Brazilian agriculture, social issues, politics and people. On January 13 the tour group landed in Rio de Janeiro, where they were introduced to Brazil, and told what to look for on the tour. Mr. Wallace says they were told Brazil is a land of great contrast between the very wealthy and the very poor, and that there is a very small middle class in Brazil. The country has only been industrialized for about 20 years, and 80 per cent of the na- tion's population live at or below the poverty level. The minimum wage in Brazil is $45 American per month, but even ads isn't observed. The poor Brazilians live in squallor, and have little education and little perception of a better life. Brazil has seen two generations of dic- tatorship, and the country is m need of political evolution. The group was told of such things, but the purpose of the tour ws for them to see for. themselves. The tour group was given a day and a half to see the sights of Rio, including Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Corcovado, a statue of Christ. On January 15 Mr. Wallace and Mr. Vin- cent loaded onto the tour bus and headed for Belo Horizonte, a mining district. Afterthat they went to Cristilina, another mining area, where precious stones and jewellery could be purchased from children in the streets. Here they saw more of the country's resources and history. They saw the capital of Brasilia, the next stop on the tour. Mr. Vincent explains Rio was formerly the capital of Brazil, but about 30 years ago Brasillia was formed to pro- mote immigration to the country's interior.. The city is new and its construction was completely planned when built, down to a manmade lake in its centre to provide humidity. On the other hand, Mr. Vincent says Brasilia is stictly a government city with almost no industry. The group learned that there are an estimated 40,000 phantom jobs in Brasilia -government department heads hire and pay employees who never show up for work, and one can speculate where the department heads are really funnelling their paychecks. While in Brasilia Mr. Vincent and Mr. Wallace met with a lot of government agen- cies and Canadian Embassy officials to learn of Brazil's political, economic, and social policies. They noted some policies which par- ticularly stand out when compared to Cana- dian policies, such as that virtually nothing can be imported into Brazil. The country stays .uninvolved in the world market to keep the balance of trade within its own borders. The two men heard a story from a Brazilian who tried to import a car from America; but after seven years of rusting unused, the car still hadn't cleared customs and was eventually ordered it sent back. This policy means certain items are more expensive than they should be in Brazil. For example, the country will make its own car radios that cost $50 each to produce, when they could get them for $5 on the world market. While in Brasilia the group also met with the Minister of Agriculture, and learned about Brazil's massive agricultural poten- tial and its weaknesses. RRSP Winter Interlude /On hrhol, .tirajorrh Comnunin Hospital 'ouid like u, thank each and even • -anon and busrnesi that made Winter Interwar such u success Even donor 'non of nnu, materials and se", 'r ,,. • i reetth appreciated Without e•vervoru- , help evening would not have been rem. •r •Spe 'l, • ,hon. , r(, everw n, 'll.: Duo ill 'kr ar using us to gree rhrn a memorrh 4fter man rrr, , ire hnn,n ,am in I WO Inane. you for voile support Smeereh thr Lith Staff al The .Sea,rth Communir, Hospital BILL WALLACE AND BRYAN VINCENT trace the path of their recent 5.500 kilometer bus tour across Brazil. The two men recently returned from the whiwt was part of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program. Corbett photo. Mr. Wallace says Brazil has 250.000.r hectares of land which could be deve, open. This represents 80 per cent of the nau.in's land. Yet the country is currently the world's second largest exporter of soy- beans, and 80 per cent of the orange juice in North America comes from Brazil. "Ontario is just a drop in the ( agricultural) bucket now. If they ever develop those 250 million hectares you could, pave Ontario over and no one would notice the difference," remarked Mr. Vincent. Both men said they found the biggest bar- rier to the development of Brazil to be the lack of an infrastructure to allow transpor- tation, communication, etc. in the country's interior. In the small town of Cristianopolis they got the chance to meet some small town Brazilians. In the time they were there Mr. Wallace says they learned a lot about the average Brazilian, and how they feel they have no control over the government. One plague to the Brazillian people Mr. Wallace learned of is the huge rate of infla-, tion. The official rate of inflation last year was 960 per cent. So for a farmer who wants to borrow money, this would mean for every $100 he borrowed he would be paying back $1,000 plus interest. "Can you imagine trying to cash flow a farm operation where you've got inflation you can't deal with," commented Mr, Wallace. Mr. Wallace and Mr. Vincent saw rivers red from soil erosion, huge agriculture research projects, projects to facilitate far- ming in hilly terrain, a $26 billion dam operation, the huge role co-ops play in the Brazilian agricultural community and Canadian hoisteins being used in Brazilian co-op dairy operations, while touring the scenic Brazillian countryside on the tour bus. On the last day of the tour they saw the social realities of the nation when they visited a Sao Paulo slum. Mr. Vincent says they saw an eight acre area which housed 8,000 people. They saw shack after shack constructed of patches of plywood and sheet metal, with open sewers 'running between the shelters. QUEENSWAY Yt Mallace says the people are pro- •..,, an.. au dress themselves well in modern American fashions so they can work in stores in cities. And in virtually every shack a television could be found. One recurring theme the men saw in Brazil is it is a country of contrasts - par- ticularly contrast between the very rich and the very poor, `And the sad thing was, the more you learned, the more it seemed the government wanted it to stay that way," says Mr. Wallace. Mr. Wallace says the trip, like many of the activities in the Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program, was a personal learn- ing experience and not simply a part of a course. "It's always good to see a flip side -different cultures, different people- it's the whole thrust of the course," he says, In an earlier North American tour, the leadership group took a bus across much of Canada and the United States to learn more about our own local systems, and the Brazilian tour gave the program par- ticipants an international experience. "If you want'to be a leader you have to know what's going . on outside your own sphere," says Mr. Vincent. "You don't go into the course expecting to emerge as minister of agriculture," says Mr. Wallace, adding however, that it does give one the confidence to express themself. The purpose of the course is to take people who have been involved .in agriculture and have demonstrated 1eatership .and .give them information to make .them better leaders. For Mr: Wallace and Mr. Vincent the leadership course will end after a final ses- sion in March. What have they got out of it? The first thing they say is 29 new friends -the other course participants. They also have. access to the networking system generated by the leadership program. Cur- rently there are 60 graduates of the course in Ontario ,from a variety of agriculture related backgrounds, and in two years there will be 30 more graduates. These and other resource people may be available and able to help each ()the- i:i the future. Ano uut ,..ve been made more aware of t . napnenine a politics, the business Serve Your Future With CIBC 1 3/8% DUBLIN EXTENDED HOURS For RRSP Business Only SA-. URDAY, FEB. 25 9- 12 NOON WEDNESDAY, MAR. 1 9 - 8 P.M. Rates sublet, to change without notice Rates available on request 345-2030 Flai=ta=t =tt<===inQtiC=ttC===aaa=al=d> •(i Vet% [j • At FUTURES HAIR DESIGN by SHELLY and TRUDEE %d'ea Ltd PERM SPECIAL 24.95 ata time for Easter NOW TILL MARCH 18 F FREE COFFEE AND BALLOONS TRAVEL SIZE OF OUR NEWEST SYSTEM �E PROFESSIONAL SHAMPOO WITH EVERY CHEMICAL SERVICE 3 Main St. 527-1783 Seaford, BOB & BETTY'S VARIETY-& GIFTS SEAFORTH 527-i 680 Radtelhaek "YOUR LOTTERY TICKET CENTRE" DEALER A.S.C. NEW STORE` HOURS STARTING SUN. FEB. 26 8:30 to 9:00 pm NOW ON DISPLAY ST. PATRICKS & EASTER CARDS BY HALLMARK Queensway honors volunteers The Kippen UCW were with the inthians. Neil Regan, president of the Rest - residents of Hensall's Queensway Nursing dent Council, presented Queensway Aux - Home Monday afternoon to play Bingo. diary ladies with pins with their natnts Everyone certainly looks forward to Mon- and Volunteer printed on them. The event day afternoon bingos. The Christian ended with a time of fellowship and Reformed Singers performed for a "full refreshments. It was a special afternoon house" Monday evening. Residents when residents and staff could express thoroughly enjoy singing along. - their appreciation to the many wonderful Because Tuesday was Valentines Day, a volunteers who show their love by simply traditional day of expressing love and ap- being kind. " preciation, residents decided it was an ap- On Wednesday, the Baking Club met and propriate day to honor the volunteers. under the able direction of Marlene Peck Reverend Vipperman led the worship ser- made fruit balls and chocolate bars. They vice with a sermon on "What is Love'. He discovered to their chagrin that the fruit told all the most important point to ball recipe allows no substitutions. We ate remember is simply to be kind. Following them anyway. the service, Luella Hall read a poem about Library time and coffee hour occupied volunteers. Lloyd McDougall whistled two residents Thursday afternoon. They rein - numbers. Myrtle Rodd sang a solo `Sweet troduced themselves to the many books in Hour of Prayer', and the Queensway choir, the activity room library. The National with Joyce Pepper as pianist, did several Geographic film "Yukon" was viewed special Valentine songs e.g. "Let Me Call Thursday evening by many residents. You Sweetheart", "Let the Rest of the Friday morning residents gathered in World Go By", and "You Are My Sun- the Activity Room for Fun and Fitness shine". Mildred Gingerich read from Cor- Turn to page 12A Three Links entertain Zurich group Hensall Correspondent SUSAN HARTMAN 262-2449 Zurich Senior Citizens were entertained by Hensall's Three 1.inks Seniors at the Hen- sall group's February meeting last Tuesday. It was decided to send a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and, all were reminded of the card party on February 28. Happy Birthday was sung for all of those who have Birthdays in February. Nellie Riley read a poem "Prescription For A Laugh". Progressive Euchre was played and prize winners were; ladies' high Marie Gelinas, second Freda Moore, Men's high Margaret Mole, second Annie Finkbeiner, Lone,hands Elsie Carlisle . and closest Birthday Luella Willert. Lunch was sensed by the social commit- tee, Gertie Moir, Ruby Bell and Ida Dickert. HENSALLSHUFFLEBOARD The top scorer at Shuffleboard in Hensel] on February 13 was Eileen Dowson with 381, for six games, followed by George Dowson 277. Five game winners were Emma Camp- bell 278, Jay Hogg 274, Percy Campbell 273 and Ross Marshall 272. UNITED CHURCH Youth Sunday guests at Hensall United Church on Sunday were the Explorers, Brownies, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ven- turers. All groups repeated their purpose. The Junior Choir's anthem was "Can you imagine". The Gospel lesson was Luke 10: 25-37. Rev. Wright's sermon was "Who is my brother?" Walter Spencer greeted worshippers. A time of fellowship followed the service and was hosted by the finance committee. Next Sunday there will be a special offer- ing for the Canadian Food Grains Bank. World Day of Prayer will be held locally at Hensall United Church Friday, March 3 at 2 p,m. The speaker will be Rev. Mark Gaskin, new minister at the Presbyterian Church. Everyone is welcome. 1 Division Of Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited PRODUCER MEETING CROP PLANNING SEMINAR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 - 11:00 a.m. South Huron Recreation Centre - EXETER WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 - 11:00 a.m. Brussels Community Centre - BRUSSELS THURSDAY, MARCH 2 - 11:00 a.m. Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 309 - LUCKNOW In order to properly arrange for lunch accommodation, please contact your nearest Cook's Branch to advise which meeting you plan to attend. Confirmation would be appreciated by February 20th - Exeter February 21st - Brussels and February 22nd - Lucknow. HENSALL 262-2410 "Where you can trade with confidence" CENTRALIA KIRKTON 228-6661 229-8986 WALTON 527-1540 887-9261 ATWOOD A.MRERLEY 356-2292 395-3601 1