The Citizen, 1991-02-06, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1991.
Letter to the editor
Can farmers trust governments?
THE EDITOR,
In reflecting on the latest “long
term’’ agricultural policies that the
various farm groups and govern
ments have been presenting (GRIP
and NISA), one could feel some
relief that farmers are finally
going to be able to proceed
confidently with their business
endeavors.
Until, that is, you take a closer
look at the track records of the
existing Tripartite Stabilization
Programs (T.S.P.) Such a program
was implemented to protect Pork
Producers from wide market fluc
tuations. General farm opinion at
the time, welcomed the apparently
good outlook of the plan, however,
shortsighted it was. The security
offered by the plan dulled market
responsiveness and the sustained
resultant overproduction brought
the five-year rolling average price
and guaranteed margins to very
unprofitable levels. Consequently,
producer margins are guaranteed
90 per cent of zero.
While the plan was still paying
out to producers, the government
sponsors began to protest the
sizeable deficit incurred, seemingly
forgetting that the whole T.S.P.
was following unilaterally agreed
upon support price mechanisms.
Lately, cries from these quarters
have ceased because payouts have
ceased, not due to good prices, but
rather due to long-term poor
prices, which determine the sup
port price. The pork producers are
locked into a plan which will offer
no more help, but instead will only
decrease returns because of pro
ducer premium deductions. At
least the governments are happy.
Maybe someone there was not
short-sighted.
Another (plan) T.S.P. with a
much happier story to date is the
one for White Pea Beans. This was
obviously a good producer oppor
tunity because at the plan’s incep
tion in 1987, the markets are
sliding very quickly below the five
year rolling average, and enroll
ment in the plan ensured a quick
and large payout to participants. In
turn, this caused a large deficit for
the plan in its first year, sparking
much controversy about the viabil
ity of the plan. Things went
smoothly for the next two years
while good markets kept the cash
flow positive for the plan, reducing
the debt.
However, now that the 1990 crop
year threatens to trigger another
payout, the governments are ru
moured to be removing support for
the plan. They can cease support at
will; but producers must give three
years notice of their wish to opt out.
The problem with T.S.P. is that
when they are paying out to
farmers, the other two contributing
partners seem very unhappy to
match funds as promised, out of
their pockets. It also seems that
premiums paid do not guarantee
coverage with this “insurance com
pany’’.
If the two levels of government
do not want to support the existing
T.S.P.’s, why should anyone
lieve that future plans will
honoured or underwritten by
governments if they become
costly? We have here a credibility
crisis.
If a farmer makes financial
commitments based on GRIP and/
or NISA, and the governments try
to pull the rug out on these plans
too, who will the creditors go after
if the borrower is subsequently
unable to meet his obligations?
If our government is unwilling to
give the agricultural community
the same level of support as our
international competitors receive
from their treasuries, why don’t
they tell us, so we can plan our
future accordingly; instead of giv
ing us empty contracts and unplea- RR 5, Brussels,
sant surprises.
It is amazing that no one in
Small business
needs a break
farm constituency has called for a
halt in the work on the GRIP and
NISA program until the old issues
are rectified. Indeed, we have the
leader of a commodity group going
on record and proclaiming the
mental ineptitude of all who do not
rush to join GRIP and NISA.
Who wants to be first?
John E. Schwartzentruber
be-
be
the
too
Looking backward
Continued from page 4
pointed in the Supreme Court’s
decision.
Russel Nesbitt graduated from
R.C.C. College of Electronics in
Toronto as an electrical technician.
He accepted a job with Canon
copiers of Mississauga.
Arlene Dunbar, a playwright and
performer from Ethel was an
nounced to appear at the Huron
Country Playhouse in Grand Bend
in Playhouse II. The second presen
tation at the theatre is “Super-
women”, written by Ms. Dunbar
and Carol Oriold of Listowel. The
play was first performed in 1985. It
deals with the impossible task
many modern women set for them
selves of being career women,
perfect mothers and loving wives at
the same time.
FIVE YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 5, 1986
Few local people hardly noticed
the earthquake that shook southern
Ontario. The quake was measured
5.5 on the Richter scale and was
centred beneath the American
shore of Lake Erie about 50
kilometres northeast of Cleveland.
Minor vibrations reached this area
about 11:46 Friday morning. The
faint vibration went unnoticed or
was assumed to be a passing truck
or some such regular happening.
A quake reading 5.0 can cause
damage in the area directly around
the centre of the quake. Each
increase of one number on the scale
represents a quake 10 times as
strong as the number previous.
The Seaforth District High
School girls Marching Band was
invited to take part in the Edison
Pageant of Light Competition
which is held from February 8 - 15,
in Fort Myers, Florida. This is an
honor for the band because only 15
bands are invited from across
Canada and the U.S.A.
Blyth Scouts, Guides
plan activities
Continued from page 5
the sponsor on the activities of the
Scout group. The group committee
is in effect the sponsor manager
and is expected to conduct the
sponsors’ business in the most
effective manner. The sponsors of
the 1st Blyth Group Committee are
Blyth Legion Branch 420 and Blyth
Lions. Each group committee is a
member of Huron District which is
made up of group committees from
Ailsa Craig, Bayfield, Blyth, Clin
ton, Crediton, Exeter. Goderich,
Grand Bend, Hensail, Lucan and
Zurich.
The 1st Blyth Group Committee
has a Beaver, Cub. Scout and
Venturer program. Group Commit
tee organizes apple day, calendars,
baking and currently sale of Scout
Popcorn. Boys in the senior groups
organize specific projects such as
the Valentine Duck supper planned
by the Venturer group. Scouts help
the environment by planting Trees
for Canada.
Joan Clark,
Bly th.
0?
HEART
AND STROKE
FOUNDATION
OF ONTARIO
Improving
your odds
against
Canada's
#1 killer
Quit-smoking
quick tips
V Play solitaire
before you go to
bed instead of
having that last
smoke.
Don't keep your
cigarettes handy
so you must get
up every time you
want one. ‘
V
the
Continued from page 5
kept lean and efficient. For another
thing, most bright innovations
come from the minds of individual
entrepreneurs who are willing to
struggle until they are rewarded for
their initiative. Many large corpor
ations don’t develop ideas them
selves but buy out small companies
who have already proven the idea
will work.
But if people are afraid to go into
business, if they are content to seek
the security of a better pay cheque
and shorter hours working for a
multinational corporation, we
won’t have this infusion of fresh
blood and ideas into the economy.
We talk about wanting to be
competitive on a world-wide scale
but we won’t be if we leave it to the
comfortable employees of multi
national companies. We’ll only get
the edge if we have people fighting
to develop new ideas at the bottom
of the economic pyramid.
To do that we’ve got to make
small business more attractive.
We’ve got to get the government
load off people’s backs and help
them so they can get the kind of
return they should be getting for
the kind of hours they’re putting
into their businesses and their
communities.
i
PITCH-IN
AND
RECYCLE!
THANK YOU
The Walton Area Sports Club would like to thank all
the businesses and individuals who donated prizes for
the poker rally on February 3. The generosity of these
people continues to make the Walton Poker Rally a
successful event.
Cook's Walton & Atwood Branch, Radford Auto Supply, J. L.
McCutcheon Motors, Frank Thompson Meats, Brussels Hotel, Golden
Lantern Restaurant, Oldfield Pro Hardware, Brussels Motors, J.R.'s
Shake Shoppe, McDonald's Home Hardware, Ken's Men's and Boys'
Wear, Just For You, Trippie T Repairs, Murray Lowe Barbershop,
Brussels Auto Sales, C.I.B.C. Brussels, Brussels Livestock, Dale
Machan Plumbing & Heating, Grey Township, Morris Township,
Village of Brussels, Cardiff & Mulvey Insurance, Brussels Variety &
Village Market, D & J Construction, Brussels C.I.L., Hoegy Farm
Supply, K.M.M. Drainage, Petro Canada Bob Foxton Fuels, Blake's
Apple Orchard, Pride Seeds George Blake, Fashion Boutique, George of
Brussels Hairstyling, McNeil's Auto Body, Topnotch Feeds Brussels,
Huron Feeding Systems, Brussels E.M.A., Todd's Bakery, McGavin's
Farm Supply, Walton Pit Shop, Margaret's Hairstyling, Danforth
Family, Walton Tea Room, Walton Inn, Walton Welding, Dauphin
Feeds, JoAnn's Hairstyling, K & G Electronics, Eva Laing Artist, Mac's
Milk Wingham, Geo. Hubbard, W. G. Thompson Seaforth, The Old
Mill, Sparling's Propane, Manning's Building Supplies, Blyth Variety,
Remember When, Switzer's, Bainton's, The Green Gallery, The Grand
View Restaurant, The Classic Restaurant, The Book Shop, The Citizen,
Blyth Mini Mart, Webster's Clothing, Blyth Home Hardware,
Scrimgeour's Grocery, Howson & Howson, Chauncey's Hairstyling,
Wilson's Health & Gift Centre, Rowe Fuels, Co-Op Seaforth, Topnotch
Feeds, Sills Hardware, Seaforth Auto Supply, John Elligsen Electric,
Ryan Landscaping, Keith Siemon Farm Systems, All Styles II
Hairstyling, E.M.A. Seaforth, Bob & Betty's Variety, Triangle
Discount, Keating's Pharmacy, Tremeers Printers, Sport Shop,
Anstett's Jewellery, Hildebrands Flowers, Jim Etue State Farm
Insurance, McCall Trucking, Seaforth Sewing Centre, Mac's Milk
Seaforth, Don Dalton Pioneer Seeds, Jim's Auto Service, Vincent Farm
Equipment, Huron Expositor, Doug Schroeder's Store, Balloon Busters,
Pizza Train, Coops Sports, Lyon's Food Market, Mair St. Video, Tasty
Nu Bakery, and Keith Bachert Meats.
An Important
Message to Employers
and Parents
New labour law now entitles mothers and fathers of new-born and newly
adopted children to parental leave. This leave can be up to 18 weeks long.
To qualify, employees must have been with the same employer for at least
13 weeks.
Parental leave can be taken in addition to 17 weeks pregnancy leave. The
qualifying employment period for pregnancy leave has been reduced and is now
13 weeks before the expected birth date.
While the employer is not required to pay the employee during parental or
pregnancy leave, the new law requires that the employee’s seniority and
certain benefits continue during these leaves. The employee has the right to
return to his or her job and to be paid at least the same wage as was earned
before leave began.
Details of unemployment insurance benefits can be obtained from the nearest
Canada Employment Centre.
For further details of parental or pregnancy leave, see the Blue Pages of your
telephone book and call the nearest Employment Standards Office, listed
under Ontario Ministry of Labour, or call (toll-free): 1-800-387-2648.
Ministry of Labour
® Ontario