The Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-11-19, Page 5Lueknow Sentinel, Wednesday, November 19. 1986—Page 5
Guaranteed profits for farmers needed: reader
Dear Prime Mter:
1Ve are no longer willg to play games
with our food supply!
e will not risk having our family go
hW
hungry because of some global condition
or disaster over which you have no control.
We canna tolerate the danger of consum-
ing food that has been treated by
chemicals considered unsafe by Canadian
health and safety standards. We will not
allow the cost of our daily bread to be dic-
tated by any corporate profit picture!
We want and will support action that will
guarantee the viability and profitability of
our Canadian farmers such as, land set
aside programes, production management
andlwo price marketing systems that en-
sure our farmers the opportunity for
profit.
We prefer that the necessary production
quota does not accumulate value so young
farmers can get started in business and
protect consumers from paying for
something that has no value. We prefer
marketing board policies that are flexible
enough to allow a producer to also be a pro-
cessor, distributor and retailer, provided
that we were assured of a quality food pro-
duct. We prefer that the concept of the
family farm be encouraged and upheld, to
ensure a. broad distribution of wealth. We
recognize that this requires trade
agreements that would prevent food Pro-
ducts from entering into Canada until they
exceeded the Canadian cost of production.
We will support a food tax- credit for
disadvantaged Canadians as willingly as
we now support the child tax andproperty
tax credit system.
Our family of four, two adults and two
children, spends about $4,500 annually for
food. A 15 per cent increase in our grocery
hill wo dd cost us less than two weeks
wages,
We have received a report from your
agriculture minister John Wise that in-
dicates Canadian Farmers produced over
$20 billion worth of agricultural products
last year and while doing Si spent $15
billion, That $15 billion would have to
return to the Canadian consumers' pocket
in the fOrm of employment business and
interest income. The way we look at the
situation, a 15 per cent increase in food
prices would result in % or 10 per cent of
that increase coming back to us in the
form of employment income. That
represents a net cost to our family of 2.8
days pay, if the products were Canadian
grown.
Please don't be so short sighted that the
health of our most vital industry and our
secure food source is sacrificed for the
sake of three days pay.
Mr. Mulroney, you will hear from some
people that our Canadian marketing board
system is responsible for gouging us by
two to three per cent: We do not consider
ours -elves gouged when a primary pro-
ducer makes a profit, We all have to profit
from our endeavours. We can only be
•gouged when we have sacrificed our
freedom and security and become forced'
to relron suppliers outside the protection
of our borders.
We don't want you to gamble on world
• markets to provide us with "cheap" food
and while we support your position on free
trade, it must be recognized that to be free,
trade must also .be equal and we- prefer
that the rest of the world aim for our stan-
dards rather than us being reduced to
world standards.
So please act now Mr. Prime Minister
°Jecause tomorrow for many good Cana-
dian farmers is one day too late!
Respectfully yours,
Jim and Pat Boak and family.
To the reader:
The reason that we have made this a
public letter is to ask for your support of
our opinion by writing to your local MP or
MPP or te the Prime Minister expressing
your views. Our present and future food
supply is very important, and we are sure
that our governments recognize the fact.
But they cannot be expected to take cor-
rective action •until we, the consumer and
taxpayer make our desires known.
Remember, right or wrong we elected
these people to represent our best in-
terests. That makes it our responsibility to
inform the elected what our interests are.
If they do not respond, then we have the
right to withdraw our support, This is
Canada, we have guaranteed rights and
freedoms that few other countries every
dream of. Only by our own neglect will we
sacrifice our right to freedom,
Please support us with your letter,
Jim and Pat Boak,
Rondeau Park,
Morpeth, Ontario,
NOP , 1XO.
674-0449.
Homemakers need local donations
• To the Editor:
As with Many non-profit community ser- ,
vice organizations, fund 'raising is a con-
tinual and ongoing requirement.
Our organization, Town and Country
Homemakers, provides an extremely
valuable and vital service to many in-
dividuals in Huron County. We are com-
mitted to helping the elderly, disabled and
the chronically ill li,ye normal lives in the
• community with support services provided
by our trained homemakers. I think most
• would agree people are happiest if they
can stay in their own home, providing they
can have community support if and when
needed. In order to continue to provide the
same level of service in the future as we
have in the past we need the help of
citizens of Huron County.
In our fall 1986 Fund Raising Campaign
we hope to raise $36,000 to be spent as
follows: client subsidization $10,000, mor-
tgage $8,000, eomputer system $4,000, and
;training needs $15,000. We would sincerely
appreciate reeiving a donation from
anyone who feels they can assist us in
meeting our objective. A receipt for in-
come tax. purposes will be given.
The Board of Directors would welcome
any further questions on our organization
or the service we provide.
We sincerely hope you will see fit "To
Help us Keep a Good Home Going".
Sincerely,
Betty McGregor, •
Chairman Fund Raising
Committee,
Board of Directors.
•
SAVE $1.00 per bag on .all CO-OP
Quali*Cattle Minerals till Dec. 310
1.986 at Participating CO-OPs.
R.R. 2 LUCKNOW HOURS: MONe4R10 800 AM.3:30 PM; SAT, 8:30 AM4:00 PM 5294953
• .• ,• . • •