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Clinton News-Record, 1985-07-17, Page 2ua • r AY, JULY 17,1985r TORONTO -Disappointment was the'&entir meat expressed by many farmers foliowi(ig their July 10 rally at Queen's Park in Throw to. "It took (former PC Minister of Agriculture) Dennis Timbrell two years to screw up farming. It only took (current Liberal minister) Jack .Riddell 11 days," was the way one angry farmer put it. The rally, organized by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), brought together farmers from across the province. There were two buses carrying Huron Coun- ty residents - one from Brussels, the other from Clinton - with about 60 people in all. Total attendance at the rally was between 2,000 and 2,500. Speakers included Mr. Riddell, Premier David Peterson, Opposition Leader Frank Miller, Conservative Ag Critic Ross Stephenson, NDP Leader Bob Rae, NDP Ag Critic David Ramsay, OFA President Harry Pelissero and two of his vice-presidents. The loudest ovation was reserved, somewhat surprisingly, for Mr. Rae. Har- shly critical of banks which do business with farmers, Mr. Rae had no trouble winning the crowd's factor. "Farmers deserve a fair shake," said Mr. Rae. He suggested Ontario follow Alberta's lead. The Alberta government has made available to farmers low interest, long-term loans. He also tried to clear up the misconcep- tion he said farmers had about the NDP - that it was a party of socialists who wanted to take all private land away from its owners. The party actually encourages ownership, he said. "We want everybody to have property," said Mr. Rae. He cited as villains banks which foreclose needlessly on farms, 'or which make it difficult for farmers to stay on their land. ma Most of the other speakers were alternate- ly booed, heckled and shouted down by, the boisterous, placard -waving crowd. Many of the placards indicated the farmers' deep concern over their financial plight. "Why go to Las Vegas?" read onl."Come farm in Ontario." Another read, "If the banks screw us, they wdn't get bread." Several speakers, said the situation now confronting farmers is the worst in decades. Mr. Riddell said, "The malaise is worse now than in the Dirty '30s." He incurred the wrath of most of the. farmers by backtracking on several impor- tant promises. During the election, the Liberals promised action as soon as they took power, but now Mr. Riddell said he would make his announcements before the end of the legislative session, with possible implementation dates as far as six months down the road. For example, he had been expected to an- nounce his interest subsidy program at the rally, but said his civil servants were still working out the details. The minister also said he is pursuing at least three areas of concern with farmers: interest reduction, financial review, and na- tional stab,li"or,,.., i." ;r` He • was worried', he aaidr able , the: stabilization prograxn .Qttawa w conatder- . It togwo04d ),SPP "watered down!' in its pre- sent format, he said,. because it wouldn't outlaw toploading. He also said Ontario was considering bipartitie assistance, which would see the provincial government and farmers join in solving preblerris. Such a program might be made retroactive to January 1 he hinted. OFA Vice President John Wilkinson seem- ed to verbalize the crowd's feeling when he said, "The Liberals better realize we're sick and tired of rhetoric." He slammed the provincial Tories, say- ing, "They. had 40 years to do something," but only now that they're in opposition do they promise to help fanners. He also questioned politicians' sensitivity to farmers. "Nobody wants to work on a farm when they can earn $60,000 a year down here (as an MPP)," he said. Doug Garniss of Wingham, president of the Huron County chapter of the OFA, said while he sensed general disappointment - among farmers about the rally, he felt they got their message across. He was particularly disappointed with xr; Riddell, lie salL "Wet went in doing to hearsome. good news, d .Mr. Garniss, }Ie was anxious for some word on the proposed farm credit review board and on interest subsidies, but heard nothing on either one. For him, as formanyfarmers, the "unity (shown by participants) was more valuable than the rally." He also said there was some talk 'among farmers on his bus that more rallies, perhaps even one in Ottawa, might bring results. "There's a limited amount the, pro- vince can de." One farmer who didn't expect the rally to do much - except to provide a morale booster - was Ken Brindley of Goderich. A farmer for eight years, Mr. Brindley said, "Farmers are going broke and the govern- ment is doing nothing. These politicians, they need to have their heads held under water. "They don't understand what it's like to lose money," he said. They give themselves a raise every year, "but where's our raise?" Farmers, said Mr. Brindley, have been taking reductions for years in the prices they're paid for their goods. "Will (the Farm) Credit .(:ornnratinn take Former high school teacher loses appeal r ormer Exeter high school teacher Joanne Young couldn't get the courts to overturn her suspension put on her by the Huron County Board of Education because she missed teaching . days while par- ticipating in anti -war demonstrations. Young was fired effective Dec. 31 for repeatedly being absent from school. Her prolonged absences were marked by time spent in jail after she refused to identify herself to police officials. Before being fired, Young was suspended without pay for 12 days in November of 1983. She filed a grievance with the Ontario Labor Relations Board,. which upheld the suspen- sion without pay. In turn, she appealed that decisionto the Ontario Divisional Court for a judicial review of that grievance decision. The grievance was handled properly and the decision was sound, ruled Ontario supreme :court justices, Horace Krever, M.A. Craig and R.S. Montgomery. Those three justices make up the divisional court. Goderich lawyer Dan Murphy, the board's lawyer, said the decision means school boards can now suspend teachers without a p No board official could be reached for comment because the board office is closed while repairs are being done. one?" he asked. . He was really ;taken abacie: ` by Vir. 1 ells speech, he said, 1e done 1)10- Rid- 4.011's turn in two weep. "The way be Wilt- ed really surprised me." . . Everyone thought Mr. Riddell "was a joke," said the farmer. "He beat around the bush and (NDP chief) Bob Rae cut hire to pieces." Mr. Riddell "gave us a real snow job," said Mr. Brindley, who's always been a self - described strong Conservative. But after listening to the speeches Wednesday, he would consider voting NDP. "If I were in trouble and I called the Minister of Agriculture, I'd still be in trouble," he said. He can also see farmers getting "a little more radical" if things don't change. "If they (in the government) don't take notice, there's going to be lots more harass- ment. We're in trouble and (the politicians) are letting us fall by the wayside," he said. To the suggestion made by certain politi- cians that farmers should just sit and take whatever's coming to them, Mr. Brindley said, "The farmer who just dies quietly is not really a good farmer." WEEKLY WEATHER JULY 1985 1984 9 25 17 25 11 10 24 14 24 16 11 21 10 23 15 12 24 13 26 9 13 29 14 29 11 14 . 29 21 . 30 14 15 25 20 27 18 Rain 25mm 3mm Friendly Courtesy \Carry Out Service STORE HOURS. o.., UAL! `d SER.����t 8 Me 111 .0�PRI E PRICES IN EFFECT UNTIL SATURDAY, JULY 20 6 P.M. to Normal FamilyRequireoments 3 Green Cabbage ■ each Ontario Grown No. 1 Prod. U.S.A. Can. No. 1 Cantaloupe u7each Canada Fancy 5 Ib. Ida Red Apples 25 9 Prod. U.S.A. Can. No. 1 Fresh Carrots 5Ib. 189 Ont. Grown No. 1 Broccoli .9 bunch Prod. of Mexico Pineapple each 159 Maple Leaf Sw€iet Pickled Cottage Rolls'/ ,s Frying Chicken..• 3.73 KC. 1 69 Grade "A" Fresh 2.16 KG. Part Back Attached Chicken Legs 8 19 2.62 KG. ■ ' Ib. No Back Attached Chicken Breasts Grade "A" Beef Boneless Blade Steak 179 3.95 KG. ei Ib Ib 029 5.05 KG. •■ Ib. Grade "A" Beef Boneless Blade Roast 199 4.39 KG. l� Fresh, Tender, Young, Sliced - • Pork Liver Prod. U.S.A. Can No. 1 Green Peppers 119 ■ lb. 2.62 KG Prod. U.S.A. Can. No. 1 Peaches, Plums, Nectarines2.18KG. ■99 1 Maple Leaf 175 g. Luncheon Meats Maple Leaf 450 g. Vac frac Wieners 169 Maple Leaf Round Boneless Dinner Hams Old South 12.5 g. 099 6.59 K G Am ■ Ib. Frozen Orange Maple Leaf Popular Hilo 1 KG. Vegetables Maple Leaf Eye of Round Pastrami Old Mill 450 g. White Bread 1882 - 1000/o Whole Knechtel Cheese Colby, Mozzarella, Marble "large blocks" 6.59 KG. Weston 12's Donuts Weston 9's Turnovers Van Camps 14 oz. Pork & Beans Reg. 1.09 each 2119° Heinz 48 oz. Tomato Juice 1E89 tin Knechtel 48 oz. Pure Apple Juice im 99 Nescafe 8 oz. Rich Blend Coffee ABC Laundry Detergent 6 1. 99 229 Canada 4 I. White Vinegar 1 r� 99 ■ pkg. Stretch 'n Seal 30m. Stokely 14 oz. Kidney Beans tin jar Stokely 10 oz. Ass't. Vegetables Reddi Bulk 400 g. Peanuts .6 tin 21190 .9 169 p,9 Purina 500 g. Happy Cat 9 pkg. Nabob.369 g. Tradition Grind. Coffee Peerless 400 g. Crackers McCormick's 600 g. Creme Variety c kies Weston 300 g. Ceylon Cookies Palmolive Reg. 3/90 g. Green Soap Palmolive 25% Bonus I iquid Soap Reddi-Bulk 500 g. Pretzels QA99 NO ■ pkg. 19� • ■ pkg. 249 ■ 69 pkg _..... 179.. 179 Tang 2/1$4 g. Orange Crystals Mott's 48 oz. Clamato Juice