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The Citizen, 2006-03-09, Page 1wELpop4'..T.ci .• Orr Ft „ Meet and greet Provincial Progressive Conservative leader John Tory took the opportunity to meet local hockey stars from the Blyth tykes Saturday, March 4. He was in town to drop the puck at the game. (Heather Crawford photo) Tory pays visit to Blyth NORTH HURON PUBLISHING COMPANY INC7 Inside this week pg.Lions donate to playground Q Blyth PeeWees lead 5.. 0 playoff series pg in Local speakers . 17 advance Dft Grey committee IS° "1 wants century farms Blyth couple Pg. ad donates posters e Citizen Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 22 No. 10 Thursday, March 9, 2006 $1 (93c + 7c GST) Steckle vows to fight By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor Huron-Bruce MP Patti Steckle promised producers at the Huron County Dairy Producers annual meeting in Brussels, March 2 that he -w-oqld continue fight for supply management. Steckle said it was obvious when one looked to the future to see the status of agriculture there was frustration and complimented the dairy industry. "It's good to see some aspects of agriculture that make sense." However, he said, he was concerned that he was looking at a sector that was now very vulnerable. "I am fearful when I see what's happening. When I look towards the trade agreements, we didn't have strong support from the Conservative Party, no matter what they said. Those at the table did not give their support." Steckle said there has been a view from the new government of dismantling the wheat board "as we -know it." "Our challenge is to make sure the government gives you support. I didn't come here to make this partisan, but if we lose supply management it's a problem." On the plus side, Steckle said he did not see the dairy industry as one that was fading, drawing attention to the McNeils as an example of the industry's leaders in productivity. "There are tremendous challenges ahead and I will work for you. My -resolve is not different than when I was with the leading party. And I think now that perhaps I can actually use my talents, those as a critic, but to do so in a constructive way." Chair Bob McNeil thanked the MP, adding that it "gives me a lot of comfort" to know Steckle was fighting for them. "No matter what side of the table he's on he speaks on our behalf." Farm crisis focus at MPs dinner By Keith RouLston,, Citizen publisher The current farm income crisis dominated discussions when Huron County's farm groups met with Carol Mitchell MPP and Paul Steckle MP in Clinton, Saturday. - Nick. Whyte, president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture which sponsors the meeting, set the tone. On his family's farm, he said, the discussion is not on which crop to plant this spring to make the most money. "We're trying to figure which crop to grow that will lose us the least money." Larry Lynn, provincial director for the Ontario Corn Producers' Association, said there is trouble on the horizon if the situation for farmers growing corn, soybeans and other crops did not improve soon. "I've never seen farmers so united," Lynn said noting that when you can get farmers to leave their farms and take their tractors out on the road for protest marches, it's a sure sign people are desperate. Murray Thompson, provincial director for the Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board agreed. "I don't think farmers are going away this time. We better be having some positive news next week." Thompson said that someone had told him it was unrealistic for farmers to hope to get $4 a bushel for corn but that price wouldn't begin to recover the costs of fuel, fertilizer, seed and other inputs to plant the crop, let alone the price of land. Target of much of the criticism is the need for a risk manageinent program -that really works for farmers. Farmers from the grains and oil seeds commodities have been pushing- for the federal and provincial governments to adopt a risk management model the farm groups developed last summer. "We fully support a fully-funded risk management program," said Robert Emerson, visiting president of the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture. "It's totally necessary." Emerson said the situation is so bad_ that the government's support was needed "yesterday". - Emerson argued that government support should not be regarded as a subsidy but as "an investment": Bob Hallam of Auburn, president of the Huron County corn, soybean and wheat producers said the current Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) program is "terrible" and said the bureaucrats Continued on page 14 By Heather Crawford Citizen staff Provincial Progressive Conser- vative leader John Tory arrived in Blyth Saturday, March 4 for a breakfast and to drop the puck at the Tyke hockey game. Tory said. the reason he was visiting Blyth was because rural communities need representation. "Representatives are shackled from the premier's office and are stopped from asking the important questions," he said. "I. think the farming crisis is low on the priority list in Queen's Park." Tory said he talked with the farmers who protested by blocking traffic on Hwy. 8 last week. He said one of the benefits of the protest was that it got media coverage in city newspapers. "I don't think people in urban . centres are aware of the farming crisis. City people saw this in the news and are aware it is a problem." He said the farmers are vital to the rest of the community. "As the farm economy. declines so will the local economy," he said. He would like to see more representation for rural Ontario in Queen's Park. "Three of the 25 people in cabinet are from rural areas," he said. When asked if he was campaigning, Tory said he would be lying if he said no. "When politicians say they aren't campaigning they are lying. They're always campaigning," he said. "I am out here doing what the government should be doing." Following the country, breakfast provided in the upstairs of the community hall, Tory was given a tour of the community centre. He then had a private meeting with local business and political leaders about the need to develop a rural economic strategy to help rural communities remain viable and relevant. Mark Beaven of the Huron-Bruce PC Association said the meeting went well. "A lot of people had the same opinions," he said. He said he would like to see the local representatives speak up on the issues that they should be speaking up for. "The backbenchers have good ideas and they should be allowed to to say their opinions," he said. "There is a distinct rural way of life that is being threatened with the current rural economy."