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The Citizen, 1989-10-25, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1989. Letter to the editor Riddell explains changes in Farm Tax Rebate THE EDITOR, Many constituents have called to ask for more details about the 1989 Ontario Farm Tax Rebate Program. This program, which provides municipal tax rebates to eligible owners of farm properties, will provide some $140 million in tax relief to Ontario farmers this year. As many of you are already aware, the program has been changed this year to eliminate benefits to property owners who do not farm their land and to reduce or eliminate benefits to property own­ ers with significant off-farm in­ come. I would like to clarify some of the questions you have asked about the program. First, the program chan­ ges apply for the 1989 year only. A review committee made up of farmers and Ministry of Agricul­ ture and Food staff has begun a comprehensive review of the pro- Order of Ontario gram to advise upon its future direction. Serving on the committee are: Earl Smith, RR 1, Tam worth, dairy farmer and former township reeve; Dave Older, RR 4, Thamesford, president of the Oxford County Federation of Agriculture; and Charles Warner, RR 3, Engelhart, former chairman of Farm Tax Rebate Program Appeal Board. Representing the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food are Norm MacLeod, director of the farm assistance programs branch and Elizabeth McLaren, assistant de­ puty minister of finance and ad­ ministration as chairperson. The 1989 program provides 100 per cent rebates if you farm your own land and make less than $40,000 from sources other than farming. This level is increased to $60,000 where there are two or more owners on the farm title. Reduced benefits are available if you make from $40,000 to $60,000 in off-farm income. This level is increased to $80,000 where there are two or more owners. Some of you have asked about custom work. I am told that if custom work is part of your farm business it is not counted as off-farm income. The program does offer exemp- Put some Sunshine in seniors' lives THE EDITOR, I noted with great interest your report in the Citizen on the competition between the Town of Wingham and the Village of Brus­ sels over which will be the site of the new Huronview North Home for the Aged. Having pondered the situation a great deal, I would like to suggest that neither of these locations is ideal. Yes, it’s true that Brussels does have a lovely location, and that tions for retired farmers, spouses of deceased farmers or those who have reduced production because of illness or disability. For these people, the requirement to perso­ nally farm the property is waived. Also, although properties that are rented do not qualify for a Wingham is much closer to some services such as the hospital. However, there are more important matters which have been overlook­ ed. It is my humble opinion that a far better location for Huronview would be the crossroads known as Sunshine Comers. Now I realize Mr. Editor that not all of your readers know where to find Sun­ shine, and that is precisely my point. We here in Sunshine haven’t been given anything during the rebate, sharecropping arrange­ ments are eligible for rebates. Details information brochures are being mailed to all assessed property owners along with appli­ cation forms. Jack Riddell MPP for Huron. entire lifespan of most of your fine readers. Oh yes it’s true we have an expensive concrete bridge and a hardtop road now, but we all know these just make it easier to get through Sunshine. While we used to have a sawmill and a chair factory we now have nothing - no library, no railroad, no airport, no theatres, no comer store. They even took our post office and made Continued on page 23 nominations sought The Honours and Award Secretariat of the Province of Ontario is seeking nominations for the 1990 Order of Ontario. The Order of Ontario, esta­ blished in 1986, is Ontario’s most prestigious award. It is awarded to those residents of Ontario who have achieved the highest degree of excellence in virtually any field of endeavor. It is designed to recognize those individuals who have gained prominence in their field and whose achievements have earned them widespread recognition among their peers. Past recipients of the award include: Morley Callaghan, Gordon Lightfoot, Eberhard Zeidler, the Honourable Pau­ line McGibbon, Dennis Mc­ Dermott, Charlotte Lemieux, Alex Baumann and Dr. Robert Slater. Any Ontario resident may be nominated for the award. The nominations are evaluated by the Order of Ontario Advi­ sory Council which is chaired by the Chief Justice of On­ tario, William Howland. The Honourable Lincoln Alexan­ der, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, is Honorary Chair­ man of the Council. The deadline for the receipt of nominations is October 31, 1989. Nomination forms are available at all MPP constitu­ ency offices or from: Honours and Awards Secretariat, 6th Floor, Mowat Block, Queen’s Park. Toronto, Ontario. M7A 1C1. Blyth 4-H club meets BY ERICA CLARK On Thursday, October 6 and 12, the Quick Fix Mixers of the Blyth Good Foods Fast 4H Club met for their first and second meetings. President is Kerry Halla- han; vice president, Tina Burkholder; secretary, Diane Hallahan and news reporter, Erica Clark. During the first meeting members discussed fast and nutritious snacks and breakfasts. Also the club made Spiced Apple Muffins and Party Popcorn. At the second meeting members talked about conven­ ience foods and stores. For the baking section they made and compared three kinds of maca­ roni, canned, boxed and home made. Also they made biscuits from scratch. To look at Lorraine you’d never know she has a disability - but she does. “I think people regard others who have a hidden disability as incapable of handling a job because they don’t understand. It’s hard to understand something you can’t see.” Like over 937,000 adults in Ontario, Lorraine has a disability. She has one of the many different kinds of hidden dis­ abilities. But Lorraine doesn’t let it stop her from leading a full life. She’s an active member of her community, a wife and a mother of two children and she has a full-time job. In fact, the biggest problem Lorraine has is not her epilepsy but the way people look at it. Now, if we judge Lorraine by something we can’t see- perhaps we should take a closer look at ourselves. For a poster write: Ontario Office For Disabled Persons, 700 Bay Street, 16th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z($ Do you have an open mind? Office for Disabled Persons © Ontario. Shirley Collins, Minister David Peterson, Premier