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Times-Advocate, 1985-07-10, Page 16Riddell gets nod of approval Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell has_wiln-the initial seal of approval from farm groups who welcome the minister's candid speech and hope his past outspokenness will translate in- to strong leadership. Also. with 10 years as Liberal agriculture critic under his belt, Rid - dell's farm views have been well documented in the provincial Legislature, making the job of farm lobbyists relatively straightforward '+ should the need arise to pressure the new minister into living up to past promises. "He's on record on every single issue imaginable affecting agriculture," said Brigid Pyke, first vice-president of the Ontario and Canadian federations of agriculture. Pyke feels that Riddell's blunt and forthright manner should stand him in good stead as minister. Agriculture "is a vocal industry. Farmers are vocal. I feel a lot more confident with a person who lets you know what's on his mind, even if you don't agree with it," she said. "I like the noisy ones better than the quiet ones." Pyke, for -one, is optimistic that Riddell's long association with agriculture, both in the Legislature and on his Exeter -area farm, will en- sure a first-hand understanding of the troubles in the food industry and a knowledge -of what must be done. Also, 'Pyke welcomes the man's "guts." "It takes somebody strong enough, and with enough guts, to do a little bit of leading," Pyke said. "I think he'll do a good job. He's strong." Graeme Hedley, general manager of the Ontario Cattlemen's Associa- tion, has known Riddell personally for the past 20 years and in his capacity as former assistant manager of the Ontario Public Stockyards. "He knows agriculture," Hedley said of Riddell. "He's engaged in agriculture. He's been around farm people all his life...Jack definitely has the interests of agriculture at heart." Elbert van Donkersgoed, policy director for the Christian Farmers Federation, gave Riddell a mixed review, mainly due to the lack of any firm direction on debt set aside, an important CCF initiative. The CCF feels that Riddell's proposed eight per cent interest rate subsidies on ex- isting farm loans may not be closely enough aimed at farmers in real and certainly -has his roots firmly -bas- - -but one who speaks his mind...lf I had financial distress. "On the one hand. I'm encouraged that he's committed to providing assistance," van Donkersgoed said, adding,- however, that "I'm not 100 per cent comfortable with the -stature of that assistance." The CCF director said he believes Riddell should prove popular amongst farmers. "He's well informed on agriculture ed in agriculture. Over the years he has made a number of observations that, if he continues to think that way. should prove in the best interests of farmers." any concerns about him, t they are) in terms of his ability to maintain the support of fellow Cabinet members (and) effectively present those con- cerns to urban consumers." However, van Donkersgoed ques- Meanwhile, Riddell can expect to tioned the agriculture minister's el- hear from farmers en masse by next fectiveness within his Cabinet and in week. The OFA is staging a Queen's urban quarters. - Park rally for July 10 in which hun- "I have known him as a straighfor• dreds of farmers are expected to ward, honest man: not charismatic. participate. 1. WATCHING QUILTERS IN ACTION — Edna Clark and Laura Trick of the Ravenswood Women's Institute hove some spectators as they demonstrate quilting techniques at the Lambton Heritage Museum Friday afternoon. T -A photo t.r in the It was not the polite way to say it but it made a lot of sense anyway.. A rural resident in my area told a city dweller to go jump in the lake in- stead of taking water from the coun- tryside. Rural residents are beginn- ing to get a little snarky at the ar- SPECIAL PRICES on „ Grain Bins. ONLY 2 LEFT: 1 2650 Bushel Bin $1599 Emus sus +owec,ste4 by Sob re . ,;r 144 . Limas. opt N381C 7 rogant methods -used by big cities. The cities have major problems. They need some place to dump or bury their mountains of garbage. They are wandering around with their tongues out looking for water sources. Industrial expansion will -dry up without water and the cities' mentali- ty is based on industrial expansion. But farmers are getting coy and it is about•doggone time. Rural residents are fed up to here with the way city dwellers have ig- nored them. 1 recall a few years ago the city of Toronto had great plans and even talked of buying the hopper cars to send millions of tons of city garbage to a small town 90 miles away. The town fathers and mothers put a stop to that idea. Also about is years ago, a farmer in Iluron County wanted to expand his o cann=#iut-t wnspeqpft C*t�flt"to judge and got an injunction to preventsuc� the expansion plans. When the- fs tinally got to court. the judge told the farmer he could not cause odors and. therefore, could not expand. More than 20 years ago, I can remember looking down a 30 -foot dug well -which had been in working order that farm for more than I00 years Then. a neighboring city drilled a huge well and the farm Well went dry along with a dozen others. Two farm ponds went dry as well. It took the ci ty five years to admit that maybe -- just maybe -- its new well caused the problems with the rural water table. In the meantime, the farmers had to drill new wells and instal new pumps so that city dwellers could have an adequate water supply by simply turning on a tap. It is this convenience that city peo- ple take for granted which bothers farmers. (if course. you pay for your sewers and water supply in the city but you pay for it collectively. And you get a lot of help from senior levels of government to put in new water lines and sewer trunks and sewage disposal plants. Farmers do not gel that help. They put in their own wafer systems and their own septic tanks and septic beds and it costs a pot full of money to do it. Our water system went belly -up last January. I1 look three days of in- convenience and almost $1.000 to gel water again. The submergible pump alone was more than $700. Hut in the city, you don't wait. Von have wafer all the time. And because your sewage disposal plant in the city is usually subsidized. the farmer.:- who has already put in his own sewage system al his own ex- pense •- helps pay for your city sewage plant. 1 suppose 1 should be more genteel These sewage dis. al plants are now called water purification plants. a fancy name for a huge septic tank and weeping tile. "The citizens in the country have paid for their water supply:. said a country -dweller at a recent urban rural meeting. "If Citizens in the city want it rwatert. they have got to pa\ 2e3435 -Bus -h 'n ' $1999 These Clearance Prices represent a Savings compared with the nsaO current list price CALL NOW 235-1919 (ALmAR) GRAIL SYSTEMS LTD. 263 Main St. N., P.O. 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