The Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-02-08, Page 2Page 2 - Lueknow Sentinel, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 1978
The Lucknow Sentinel
A
LUCKNOW, ONTAR10
"The Sepoy Town
On the Huron -Bruce Boundary
Established 1873.- Published Wednesday
Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd.
Robt. G. Shrier - president and publisher
Sharon J:» Dietz - editor
Anthony N. Johnstone -. general manager
Subscription rate, $10 per year in advance
Senior Citizens rate, $8.00 per year in advance
, U.S.A. and Foreign, $14 per year in advance
•
Business and Editorial Office Telephone 528-2822
Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Lucknow NOG 2H0
Second class mail registration number - 0847
•
Blame media
Two Huron MPs blame the media for
the lack of understanding the average
urban Canadian hasfor the situation. of
the farmer in this province and the
agricultural industry in this country.
In his opening remarks to the Meet
The MPs dinner presented by the Huron
Federation of Agriculture, MPP Murray
Gaunt, Huron -Bruce, criticized the large
urban papers for 'their lack of interest in
the agricultural industry in the province.
If an agricultural bill is before the
house at Queen's Park, said Gaunt, the
press gallery is virtually empty except
for a handful°who represent agricultural
publications. However, he added, if
some insignificant . piece of legislation
not related to -agriculture is presented,•
the press is crawling all over the place.
Thereare very few urban people. who
understand the farming situationand
more important, urban press do not
understand the complexities- of the
industry either said. Gaunt. The. burden
of the -communication is with them and
they are not interested nor do they
understand.
The urban press, especially the large
dailies, of this country do not realize the
impact of agriculture on Canada's
economy.
INCREASED. PRODUCTIVITY
In 1931 in Canada, one farmer fed
himself .and 10 other people. In 1951,
one farmer fed himself and 16 other
'people. In 1976, one farmer fed himself
and 53 other people. If every other
industry in Canada had this good °a
record, there would be no inflation in
Canada today because we could, boast of
a National Productivity which would be
the envy of the rest of the world. The
farmers' productivity inthis country has
increased 300 percent in 75 years:
Yet, the farm :income fell ,19 percent
last year, 13 percent the year before and
this year there is expected to a further
drop of 6 percent. The farmer takes this.
drop in his income at a time when other
industries and professions are crying if
they are not allowed a 6 percent increase
in 'income for the year.
Jack Riddell, MPP for Huron Middle-
sex commented that the media play up
the cost of living and blame it on food.
He observed that . Federal Agriculture
Minister, Eugene Whelan, does his best
to' put the proper perspective on this.
As a believer of marketing boards,
Whelan finds himself arguing with the
Minister of Consumer and Corporate
Affairs, said • Riddell,, because the
Ministry is a combination of~Agriculture
and Food. There is no way he said, that
the ministry should be both agriculture
and food. "Food implies consumer and
is a product. It should not be' in the
agricultural ministry:`"
"We have to make the big urban
papers," said Gaunt, "We must get the
facts' before the people. They -won't.,
resist higher food prices if they
understand the industry."
' NOT SIGNIFICANT -
Huron Agricultural Representative,
Don Pullen,°told the meeting that only
1.3 percent of the Ontario budget is
allotted to the Ministry of Agriculture
and Food. "This is nota very significant
amount when you think of the
significance . of agriculture to ,this
country's economy and to the Canadian
people," said Pullen. It is a reflection of
the government's opinion of • the
importance of agriculture in this
province.
Members .of they ,press in Huron
County are .doing their , best to present
the information and the perspective
necessary to keep the farmers of this
county informed and to help the
non -farmers understand the situation of
the farmer.
All of the Huron County papers were
represented. at the dinner:, Rhea
Hamilton for The Blyth. Standard, The
Brussels Post, and The Huron Exposit-
or; • Henry Hess for the Wingham
Advance -Times; Sharon .,Dietz '. for The
Lucknow Sentinel and- The Goderich
Signal -Star; Shelley McPhee for the
.Clinton News -Record; Ross Haugh- for
the Exeter Times -Advocate and the
Zurich Citizen and Keith Roulston of the
Rural Voice. The London Free Press
and the Stratford Beacon -Herald were
also 'represented. It was noted however,
that CKNX Wingham did not attend.
Huron County papers consider the
agriculture industry in this county to be
our major industry. and farrn news ora
farm page a significant news aspect of
our papers.
RESPECT AGRICULTURE
'Werespect'that Huron County is the
leader in this province in most improved
farm land,in production of crops, in
livestock and poultry numbers, in beef
cattle marketing, and near the top in
milk production and pig production.
We would like to see the same respect
for the agricultural industry in the large
urban papers and the same obligation to .
inform their readers who live in the
towns and . cities about the . farmers'
situation and help them to understand
the farming industry, its significance
and relevance to their lives.
Perhaps, big city news editors would
sit up and take notice if the farmers of
Ontario could stage. a three week walk
out.
Maybe even our city cousins would
look again, if shelves were bare when
they went to their grocery store
cupboards.
But it's like the story ofthe country
mouse who went to visit his cousin. who
lived in the city, how do we make our
city cousins understand?
The Counter Meeting to be staged by
the Ontario Federation of Agriculture in
Ottawa on the same day as the Federal
government's National Food Conference
should attract national attention and if it
was planned by any other industry in
reaction to the political gimmic kery of
the federal ,government, the national
press and the large urban dailies would
pounce on it tike a cougar on Arabbit.
Because of the serious nature of the
situation, the press should' be making
headlines �of the event and. the Counter
Meeting should create =a stir that. just
may cause a wave 'of interest in the.
agricultural industry in. Canada.
Tusket,
Yarmouth County,
Nova Scotia,
January °27, 1978.
Editor,
The Sentinel,
Lucknow, Ontario.
Sir:
Despite numerous attempts to
suppress it, the book "Bilingual
Today, French Tomorrow" has
become one of Canada's all-time
unadvertised best sellers. The
author of this book, Lieute ant
Commander J. V. Andrew, Can-
adian Armed Forces (Retired),
has completely and courageously
exposed the devilish plot of Pierre'
Trudeau, Gerard Pelletier and
Marc Lalonde_oYconvert Canada
from an English-speaking country
to a French-speaking country.
"Bilingual Today, French To-
morrow" is "must" reading for
every English-speaking person
who intends to remain in Canada.
We ignore this book at our peril.
If your local bookstore doesn't
have it you can order it at $3.50 a
copy postpaid from: The Canad-
ian League of Rights, Box 130,
Flesherton, Ontario. NOC 1E0.
Very truly yours,
Malcolm Patterson.
To the Editor of the Sentinel:
Canadians should speak Eng-
lish as well as French ' so our
young people . would get along
better. What 'can we do at this
hate date to show our French
Canadian friends the handicap
they are passing on to their
children by not teaching them the
universal language of Canada and
the United States today?
Although I have passed my 91st
birthday I would like to contribute
a°word re this topic, we hear so
much about today and where
better than in our local news-
paper.
I remember as a boy listening
to men ' on the . street _ corner in
Ripley talking not English but
Gaelic, their natural tongue and
how flattered they were 'I could
say a few words of Gaelic to them.
However, 'they had the interest of
their childrenvery much at heart
and would not deprive them of
one of the most important assets
we have in North America today;
a general knowledge of' the
English language. No way will
Our children grow up to -be second
class citizens as our French
speaking people call themselves
today.
This is not the people's fault. I
may be wrong, and I have some
real good Catholic friends whoa, I
sure don't want to offend, but ' I
think the Heirarchy of the Roman
church is partly to blame. While
they no doubt speak fluent
English themselves they made no
apparent ' effort to teach the
younger generation this, as I see
it, and why continue to carry on
this political strife to the next
generation.
If we have both English and
French, we can make ourselves
understood almost anywhere in
the world. But what a handicap
for our children if they can't
„,,;espeak English in North America
today.
Can we not get this message
across to our French Canadian
friends so we . would have
harmony in Canada instead of
strife?
J. A. MacMurchy.
Box 35, Ripley, Ontario,
NOG 2RO
January 31, 1978.
The Lucknow Sentinel,
Lucknow, Ontario.
tT •
Did anyone ever hear of Elijah
Potts who lived in Lucknow at one
time? His wife was Margaret
McPherson b lieved to be from
the Lucknow. area. A grandson,
Jack W. Diet le, of California is
seeking information.
Mrs. Gladys Arnold,
Research Sec. Bruce -Grey
Genealogical Society.
Box 855,
Exeter, Ontario,
' •'NOM1SO
January 17th, 1978.
Lucknow Sentinel,
c/o The Editor,
Lucknow, Ontario
Dear Editor:'
Please find enclosed four press
releases concerning "White Cane
Week". White Cane Week will
run from February 5th, to 11th,
1978 and as you probably know is
a week in which the Canadian
National Institute for the Blind
promotes Eye Safety. This pro-
gram is for information only and
not for raising funds: As most
members of the CNIB are blind
themselves, we are really inter-
ested in getting across to the
public "Eye Safety and Protec-
tion''. .
I do hope that your newspaper
will run at least some of these
before and during "White Cane
' Week", as it is basically a service
to the public. ' Thanking' you in
advance for your co-operation, I'
remain.
Yours sincerely,
(Mrs.) Donna Webster,
Member of the Huron -Perth
Advisory Board for C.N.I.B.
To the Editor:
For the .pasf year -and -a -half the
Ontario March of Dimes has been
the target of - - a barrage of
unwarranted criticism by Mrs.
Irene Croot, a long-time employ-
- ee who'was dismissed in Septem-
ber, 1976 for insubordination.
Having no wish to discredit Mrs.
Croot, who obviously' does not
fully understand our current role
in the communityrthe Ontario
March of Dimes has maintained a
• discreet silence. That silence cost
the 1977 . campaign just over
$17,000.
Now, further adverse publicity
generated by Mr. and Mrs. Croot
is threatening the 1978 campaign.
This could result in a drastic
reduction of our services 'to
Ontario's physically disabled pop-
ulation.
Since our first responsibility is
to the disabled, we feel we must
refute the many unfounded
charges that have been levelled
against us by the Croots. The
attached release presents our
answers to the questions raised in
the press and elsewhere.
B. LEE RULLMAN,
Executive Director
February 3rd, 1978.
In the fall of 1976 the Ontario
March of Dimes regretfully were
forced to dismiss a long-time staff
member, Mrs. Irene Croot. The
reasons for her dismissal were
her insubordination and lack • of
co-operation with other staff
menibers, which', in retrospect,
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