The Rural Voice, 1986-09, Page 15same. They have organized a
group called POPP (People Op-
posed to the Park Proposal).
POPP spokesperson Laurie
Golden maintains that without the
park the Bruce will stay much as
it's always been; change will come
slowly, and people will continue
with their current diverse lifestyles.
St. Edmonds reeve Brad Davis
says that a national park could
provide 50 jobs for area residents.
He is not about to approve a
referendum. "Council was elected
by a majority of the people who
were aware of the park issue, and
there has been a survey of the
township residents that showed a
majority approve of the park
idea," he says. Just a yes -or -no
ballot would not protect local in-
terests nor would it leave the coun-
cil much room to negotiate with
senior levels of governments, he
maintains. "If there is to be a vote
on every issue, what is the point of
holding elections?" Davis told The
Rural Voice that the township's
decision has been made and that it
is now up to the other levels of
government.
J. M. "Jiggs" McArthur,
Tobermory farmer, says that he
wants no part of the proposed
park, although his farm wouldn't
be included in the proposed area.
McArthur says he is fed up with
regulations and outside meddling.
"It just came out two weeks ago
that you can't cut anymore
firewood, except for your own use;
it's got to be 16 inches on the
stump. Maple and ash don't grow
that big up here on this rock. It's
got nothing to do with the park;
it's the county bylaw. But that's
your government! We've been
escaping all this kind of stuff; but
we're going to have it, that's all
there is to it. If we get this park it
ain't going to help any of us people
here, not a bit."
McArthur says that tourists can
now come and go in the area as
they please and that setting up a
special park isn't really needed. He
feels that once the government
"gets its foot in the door," the
freedom now enjoyed by local
residents will soon be gone.
"This is my property; my kids
have most of it now, but you don't
see any private property signs," he
says. "As long as skidoos or
anyone else wants to use my pro-
perty — as long as they don't do
any harm — well, go to it. True,
we are not in the park ...at the
start ...you (the government) got
Jiggs McArthur: "I don't know what they mean when they say this
area is unique. When 1 was a soldier in the war I wouldn't tell anybody
where I was from because they would make fun of you. My sisters
have all moved away, but I like to hunt and fish and I was a war
veteran and it was pretty nice to get home where it was quiet — so 1
stayed here and raised my family. I like the free life."
to tell the people you're only going
to take a little bit ...you don't get
anything if you tell a guy 'I'm go-
ing to wipe you out.' If you want a
load of gravel, you say, 'Oh I just
need a wheelbarrow -load or two.'
This is the way the white man
works, then he gets a little more
and more greedy. But they can't
put that stuff over on us
anymore."
Although he concedes that the
park likely will not have much ef-
fect on the land or the farming,
McArthur contends that many
local farmers still oppose it. "We
don't see any need of it (the park).
We don't want Toronto or we
would be there. I don't want to go
down there disturbing anyone and
I don't want anyone disturbing
me. You pay your taxes, you got
your home, and I got mine — here.
"I worked damn hard when I
came on here in 1949; it was tough
going. I have worked in the bush,
my wife has worked, and my kids
have worked so we could hold this
place. We don't feel, at the tail end
of it, to be chased the hell off."
Shirley Johnstone and her late
husband, J. P. Johnstone, a
former warden of Bruce County,
have been active in the community
for years. Her property, in the
southern part of St. Edmonds
Township, will be completely sur-
rounded by the proposed park.
Since she was a bride, Johnstone
has been active in the family
business, which has consisted of a
farming operation (complete with
grain, cattle, and combines), a
lumbering and saw mill enterprise,
and a small tourist accommoda-
tion service. Johnstone continues
to run the tourist accommodation
with family help and works in
SEPTEMBER 1986 15