The Rural Voice, 1990-07, Page 511
NEWS
JACK RIDDELL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Two veterans of
agricultural service:
Jack Riddell (right),
who has announced
his retirement from
politics, shakes hands
with Don Pullen,
retiring agricultural
representative of
Huron County.
Veteran member of the Ontario leg-
islature and former agriculture minister
Jack Riddell announced last month that
he will not be seeking re-election when
the next provincial election, expected
this fall, is called.
An upset Liberal winner in a 1973
by-election in the Huron riding which
had been held by the Conservatives for
37 years, Riddell says he wants to get
away from the hectic life of being a
parliamentarian while he is still young
enough to take on another career. "I'm
only 58 and still have my health. If I put
in another four years in the legislature, I
won't have as many options open."
Riddell says the highlight of his 17-
yearcareer in the legislature was his four
years as Minister of Agriculture from
1985 to 1989, a post that fulfilled a
lifelong ambition. He points to his rec-
ord, which includes the introduction of
100 new programs, many of which had
national significance. "I've been told
that the setting up of the National Tripar-
tite Stabilization programs, particularly
for pork, have been the salvation of the
industry during some pretty rough
times," he says.
He also says he was glad to see the
continuation of the Land Stewardship
Program to encourage better soil con-
servation — his personal crusade. "I'm
glad to see Ramsay (the new agriculture
minister) renew the program with an
additional $48 million."
Other highlights of his tenure in-
cluded the OFFIRR (Ontario Family
Farm Interest Rate Reduction) program,
which has also been revived, the pesti-
cide reduction program, the Farm Im-
plements Act, and a host of other initia-
tives to promote the production, market-
ing, and processing of food in Ontario.
The former sales barn owner, auc-
tioneer, teacher, and mixed farmer,
Riddell also spent 10 years as opposition
critic for agriculture.
In a tribute in the Legislature on June
19, all three political parties were effu-
sive in their praise of Riddell. "His
impact on the Legislature, of course, has
been extremely important," said Treas-
urer Robert Nixon, who was leader
when Riddell won the first of six elec-
tions. "He was an outstanding Minister
of Agriculture and Food, bringing for-
ward innovations which were remarka-
bly well received by the farmers and
effective in their impact."
Floyd Laughren, the NDP member
for Nickel Belt, speaking on behalf of
the official opposition, said "the one
thing that always struck me was that I
could never imagine the member for
Huron believing in something and vot-
ing the other way, or vice versa."
On behalf of the Conservatives,
MPP Jack Johnson of Wellington, who
is also retiring when the next election is
held, congratulated Riddell for his work
on behalf of farmers. "Jack walked
where many men feared to walk and
spent countless hours cleaning off his
shoes," he added.
Noting that he is still full of "vim,
vigour, and vitality," Riddell says he
holds no grudges and is leaving on good
terms with Premier David Peterson. He
adds that he has had several job offers
and is still considering his options.OJF
VISION 2000: FARM
POLICY STATEMENT
The co-sponsors of Vision 2000, the
Catholic Rural Life Conference and the
National Farmers Union, have released
a statement entitled A Sustainable Ca-
nadian Agriculture Policy.
The statement grew out of the Vision
2000 conference held in Stratford in
March which attracted a variety of farm
and church representatives.
Participants in the conference ex-
pressed uneasiness with the competitive
model of the free market presented by
the federal government's policy paper,
Growing Together, released in Novem-
ber of last year, and offer a vision for
agriculture that they believe is more
sustaining for the people and the land.
The statement is based on four main
principles:
1. family farm production units
receiving just prices for production,
2. a secure, widely distributed land
tenure,
3. adeep respect for people, soil, and
the environment, and
4. secured, preferential access to co-
operatively shared domestic markets.
The statement is being widely dis-
tributed to governments, marketing
boards, commodity groups, general
farm organizations, and other groups in
the hope of influencing the direction of
agricultural policy in Canada.
For more information, contact John
Langlois, chairman, Catholic Rural Life
Conference, R. R. 3, Embro, Ontario,
NOJ 1J0, telephone 519-475-4049.0
JULY 1990 47