The Rural Voice, 1998-11, Page 52HURON
Box 429, Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0
519-482-9642 or 1-800-511-1135 Email: huron@ofa.on.ca
•Federation o A riculture NEWSLETTER The Rural Voice is provided to all farmers
County f 9 in Huron County by the HCFA.
Rural Education - your voice counts
Both Huron and Perth Federations
of Agriculture have voiced their
concerns about the possible closures
of schools in the Avon -Maitland
Board area. The Ontario Federation
of Agriculture board meeting on
Wednesday, October 21, 1998
unanimously agreed that a rural
education strategy must be developed
and implemented before any plans
are put in place to close rural schools.
You can do your part by sending
the following sample letter to our
elected officials. If you have internet
access, you can send an electronic
petition by going to the OFA web site
at www.ofa.on.ca and completing the
form. Also at the web site you will
find (inks to both Huron and Perth
press release on this issue as well as
the stand OFA is taking.
"To Premier Mike Harris, David
Johnson, Minister of Education,
Noble Villeneuve, Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs,
Helen Johns, MPP Huron, Bert
Johnson, MPP Perth:
A rural education strategy must be
developed and implemented before
any plans are put in place to close
rural schools. The current funding
formula does not fit rural Ontario
and the time lines are impossible to
rneet.
This issue is not just about school
closures that affect farm families, but
an inequity in the funding formula
from the Provincial Government that
will dramatically change education
and the social fabric in our rural
communities.
A comprehensive rural education
strategy must address a number of
issues, including:
• a comprehensive review of the
current funding formula
• the effects of closures on
community activities which take place
on school premises
• the use of technology in rural
areas
• caps on busing time for students
• provision of special education
needs."
Noble Villeneuve
Minister of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs
801 Bay Street, 1 lth Floor
Toronto, ON
M7A 2B2
Telephone: 416-326-3067
Fax: 416-326-30830
Premier Mike Harris
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Telephone: (416) 325-1941
Fax: (416) 325-7578
Email:
webprem @ gov.on.ca
Mr. Dave Johnson
Minister of Education and Training
22nd Floor, Mowat Block
Queen's Park, 900 Bay Street
Toronto, ON M7A 1L2
Telephone: (416) 325-2600
Fax: (416) 325-2608
Emailspublic.inquiries@edu.gov.on.ca
Helen Johns, MPP
Constituency Office
388 Main Street
Exeter, ON NOM 1S1
Telephone: (800) 668-9320
Email:
helen.johns ®odyssey.on.ca
Bert Johnson, MPP
Constituency Office
556 Huron Street
Stratford, ON N5A 5T9
Telephone: (800) 461-9701
Fax: (519) 272-1064
Email:
bjohnson a syg.net
HURON COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
1999 Executive
President: Pat Down, R.R. #1, Hensall, NOM 1X0 519-235-2557
Fax: 519-235-0334
Past President: Henry Boot, R.R. #4, Clinton, NOM 1L0 Ph./Fax: 519-482-5454
1st Vice -President: Charles Regele, R.R. #1, Dublin, NOK 1E0 Ph./Fax: 519-345-2149
2nd Vice -President: Neil Vincent, R.R. #3, Wingham, NOG 2W0 519-357-2336
Fax: 519-357-9950
1999 TOWNSHIP DIRECTORS:
East Wawanosh: lan Scott, R.R. #3, Blyth, NOM 1H0 519-523-9528
Goderich: John Rodges, R.R. #2, Goderich, N7A 3X8 519-524-6483
Hay: Len Whaling, R.R. #1, Dashwood, NOM 1NO 519-238-8685
Howick: Will Stafford, R.R. #1, Wroxeter, NOG 2X0 519-335-3876
Morris: Dave Linton, R.R. #2, Blyth, NOM 1H0 519-887-6920
Stanley: Wayne Hamilton, R.R. #1, Varna, NOM 2R0 519-263-5422
Stephen: Tom Hayter, R.R. #1, Dashwood, NOM 1NO 519-237-3730
Tuckersmith: Brenda McIntosh, R.R. #4, Seaforth, NOK 1WO 519-522-0358
Usborne: Murton Brock, R.R. #1, Centralia, NOK 1NO 519-229-6488
DIRECTORS -AT -LARGE 1999:
Fred Hern, R.R. #1, Woodham, NOK 2A0 519-229-6814
Steve Thompson, R.R. #2, Clinton, NOM 1L0 519-482-7551
Fax: 482-9663
Todd Baker, R.R. #2, Bayfield, NOM 1G0 519-482-5490
Fax: 519-482-7533
48 THE RURAL VOICE
Directors and Delegates to
OFA Annual Convention
The following are the regional directors
and delegates to the OFA Annual
Convention elected at the October 23
Annual Meeting.
Huron South:
Regional Director, Pat Down, R.R.1,
Hensall.
Convention delegates: Len Whaling,
R.R.1, Dashwood; Bernie Benoit, R.R.
1, Kirkton.
Huron Central:
Regional Director, Steve Johns, R.R.4,
Seaforth.
Convention delegates: Charles Regele,
R.R.1, Dublin; Bill Wallace, R.R.4,
Seaforth; Carol Leeming, R.R.4
Seaforth.
Huron Northeast:
Regional Director, Victor Roland, R.R.1,
Gorrie
Convention delegates: Will Stafford,
R.R.1, Wroxeter; Doug Garniss, R.R.4,
Wingham.
Huron Northwest:
Regional Director, Evert Ridder, R.R.2,
Clinton
Convention delegates: Neil Vincent,
R.R.3, Wingham; Walter Elliott, R.R.1,
Lucknow; Margie Ridder, R.R.2, Clinton.