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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-02-15, Page 7T i GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1979—PAGE 7 Absentee foreign BY ALICE GIBB The issue of absentee foreign-owned farm land is still a matter of con- cern to the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, according to a brief presented to MPPs Jack Riddell and Murray Gaunt and MP Bob McKinley at the federation's annual members' of parliament dinner in Clinton on the weekend. Gerry Fortune of Wingham, first vice- president of the organization, told the three politicians that the organization's concern is about land owned by people who don't live in the province. "Enough non-resident foreign ownership in any one area can affect the whole social structure off a community," Mrs. Fortune said, and mentioned decreased population for use of community schools and hospitals and lack of buying support for local businesses as some of the results of absentee ownership. She told the members of parliament that "local residents simply cannot compete with foreign capital under the present economic circumstances. The devalued dollar and lower interest rates of- fered in other countries put Ontario buyers at a distinct disadvantage". She said the danger is that the Canadian agricultural industry could eventually become foreign -controlled. and farmers would end. up growing crops totally unsuited to Canadian needs, but, entirely suitable to foreign in- terests for their own export purposes..." In her brief, Gerry Fortune said one town- ship in Huron County already has just slightly less than 2,000 acres of farmland owned by people living outside the country. Would prevent ... • from page 6 reported his organization is still fighting a drop in the consumption of cream in the 'market place and suggests a percentage of the price increase for producers be paid through higher. subsidies. He also told the three politicians that his group is opposed to any changes being made in the Line Fence Act, and feels each landowner should maintain his own half of the line fences where livestock are pasturing on neigh- bouring farms. Melvin ,. Knox of the Huron County Milk Committee said his in- dustry as a whole has few major problems. , ONTARIO LOST Knox told the audience Ontario has 'lost too great an amount of their share Ron. Fleming speaks to Wawanosh council • Ron Fleming, Agricultural Engineer for Huron County, spoke to West Wawanosh Township Council at its regular meeting, February 6 about the AgriculturalCode of . Practice and its ap- plication to building in ,the municipality. H,e. assured council of the department's assistance in any problems en- countered in this area. The township's en- titlement to a Deputy - Reeve 4nd how to proceed to have one of the council members ap- pointed to this office,was discussed at length. A motion was passed that West Wawanosh Township Council proceed at once at a special meeting to ap- point one of its members as Deputy -Reeve. This special meeting will take place on Tuesday, February 13 at 1 p.m. despite an amendment put forward by Coun- cillors Aitchison and Cranston that council `wait until the 1980 elec- tion at which • time nominations by the municipal electors for Deputy -Reeve. be ac- cepted by the Clerk. The township clerk was directed- to advertise in the Lucknow and Goderich - papers 'for a person to .count the dogs and sell dog tags in the township. The application of hardtop on the hill in Auburn was ' discussed. This will be done under the . supervision of the To.wnship , Road Superintendent. • A motion was passed that the Reeve and the clerk be authorized to apply to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for payment of the annual subsidy on road ex- penditures in 1978 in the amount of $156,482.50. A building perinit for a log house was granted by council to Wayne Tucker. Council approved a. severance application for. Turn to page 8 • Bush and Sinclair explain severance Ray Bush and Tom Sinclair were present at "the Goderich Township Council meeting on February 7 to explain a request for a land severance. Council considered three severance requests at the meeting. A motion was passed that %Chas Mather's and Lorne Tyndall's requests be approved as per questionaires. Ray Bush's request was filed until the next meeting. C. Teal was present at the meeting to obtain information about building permits and farm operations. A building permit was issued by council to Mrs. Phyllis Cox for the demolition of the barn recently destroyed by fire. Council passed a motion that ,a fee of $100 be set for the township to process an application for spot re -zoning or any zoning amendment to the Townshi. Plan. The $100 fee is to be deposited with the township by the ap- plicant before the township proceeds to pass the necessary by- laws and deal with the requested amendment. Accounts totalling more than $9,000 were ordered paid by council) Council .passed a motion that anl additional 2,628 cubic yards of gravel, spread in addition to the 12,000 yards authorized. on October 24, 1978 under contract 7803, be approved by the M.T.C. for subsidy . purposes. Council passed a motion that a 1976 business tax of $6.17 be written of the tax roll for R. & M. Tyrell and that cheques number 278-1964 for $50 and 279-1964 also for $50 be cancelled. Council decided to give a donation of $15 to the Historical Society of Huron County. Council then adjourned until February 19. DAVE HAYLOW ELECTRHCAL of the quota, since they didn't produce enough of the provincial allotment. Now, "we'd just love to produce more milk in this province" but "we don't want to be stuck with a big surplus." • He said producers are now living with a five per cent sleeve on excess quota, but this is "awful tight." Knox said milk` producers suffered when the United Kingdom joined the European Common Market, since Canada lost a major cheddar cheese market. He said there is now no such thing as an export market• for dairy products since there is such a glut on the world market from .countries like Australia, New Zealand and the Common Market countries. Jack Riddell said in the past, there has been "a damn pbor job of selling our dairy products" and that he would like to see a better job ,done selling these products to the public. DISCOURAGE Bev, Brown, an OFA director from-, Bluevale, To protect farmers from having to compete with foreign investors, Mrs. Fortune said, "we need legislation in place now, while we still have a chance to control a situation whish could escalate faster than the government could move on short notice." QUJ STION RAISED '.Jack Riddell, MPP for Huron -Middlesex' Liberal agriculture critic in the Ontario legislature, said he had already raised the question of foreign ownership in the legislature. He said the provincial minister of agriculture said his department hadn't been said a resolution is coming up at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture conference in Ottawa this week to discourage the imitation of natural dairy products by products like coffee creamers and .artificial whipped creams. She said, "In my opinion, all farmers should be supporting dairy farmers in this area." Robert Anderson, representing the Huron County Bean Board, said the major problem facing his organization was to find new markets for their product. Bean production in Ontario is currently' in a surplus situation, he reported.. Allan Campbell, representing the Huron Plowmen's Association and Glen McNeil, representing the 4-H Club Leaders Association also presented briefs. At the end,, of the session, Bev , Brown thanked MP , Rober`•`t McKinley for bringing the binder twine issue up in the House of Commons and congratulated, Jack, Riddell on his work on the predator bill introduced in the Ontario legislature. ARE YOU TIRED OF PEOPLE TELLING YOU TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT' .. _ LLI 'J�is �•• zit►• Alelu�lirl\ You don't have to clam up to slim down. On the Weight Watchers w Program you learn to .open your mind—and your mouth 'to'ch.eese- burgers, spaghetti, potatoes, even desserts and snacks, within limits, You never have to go hungry to lose weight. And our unique Behavior Modification method will help you when you're at a.party, when eating out or when you're under stress. So join us now. Our results speak' for themselves. YOU'RE'THIS CLOSE TO LOSING WEIGHT PARISH HALL SIDE ENTRANCE NORTH ST. • WED. 7:00 Pam. PI FREE EACH MONTH Each month members or our classes reoeive Weight Watchers magazine bsolutely FREE Don't ski • loln today FOR CLASS INFORMATION CALL LONDON 455.5100 ENROLL AT ANY CLASS+ First meeting Fee S10 all other meetings $4 Special senior citizen & student rate • first meeting $5 Al other meetings $2. eight Watdhere lnt'I Inc user t trade mark eight Watchers ' 1979 Registered Owner Weimer ester ana.a mItedAut orz•erkr W r monitoring the situation since a 1973 study found only one percent of Ontario land was owned by foreigners. Riddell said the Land Transfer Tax, passed in 1974, hasn't been an ef- fective tool in preven:tiyrg foreign ownership since foreign buyers simply form a Canadian com- pany to get around the legislation. He said William Newman, the minister of agriculture, has agreed to study the question of absentee t•oreign- ownership in two coun- ties. Riddell said his party has asked that Huron and Lambton counties be the two counties where the foreign ownership question is studied. He added his own party would have trouble following upthe issue since "researchers are spread pretty thinly in the opposition parties". Murray Gaunt said he had heard land in many parts of Germany was now selling for $6,000 an - acre, so German buyers are purchasing 'land in Canada as an investment. Jack Riddell told the federation members he had recently been visited by a London realtor who wanted to know which farms in Riddell's area might be available. The realtor was representing German money, he said. The member of parliament said some farmers .don't see -the foreign ..ownership question as a bad thing. They say that the only way younger farmers can get started today is to rent land from foreign owners. Gerry Fortune responded to Riddell's comment about his party's research department but saying, If you've ever seen our (the OFA's) research department, you'll know what stretched is..." Rev. Brown of Bluevale a federation director, asked if the provincial government is looking at what provinces like Saskatchewan are doing to limit foreign owner- ship. Riddell said again that the provincial minister of agriculture didn't seem to think the issue was a serious problem. Ms. Brown responded, "Would it make a dif- ference if we could prove it was?" Gerry Fortune said she understood the province of Quebec was also discussing the foreign ownership issue. She added, "You either do something now when you have the chance or you admit you're willing to allow our natural resources to be sold." DIFFERENT THING Frank Falconer, of Tuckersmith Township, one of the guests at the dinner, said he objected to the ,foreign ownership issue "since half the farmers here in Huron County are foreigners." Mrs. Fortune explained the federation wasn't concerned about people living in the county, but rather about foreign investors buying the land and becoming absentee landlords. Frank Wall, a member of the OFA executive, said the result of foreign investment is "increased land prices for all of us who are here." He said farmers have to increase their prices to compete with the large blocs of foreign money and this eventually will mean increased prices to the consumer. He said the federation doesn't mind farm people coming in from other countries and farming the land since "all of us were imports at one time. If the federation research doe's find a surge of foreign ownership in Ontario however, Mr. Wall said, then "we can go to the provincialand federal governments . and ask them, what are you going to do to .put a lid on it?" Hessaid the absentee forein-Ownership, issue has also surfaced in both Grey and Bruce counties recently. Still on the issue of land use, John VanBeers off RR 1, Blyth, the regional director of 1-luron East Central ' for the federation, told the three members that farmers are reluctant to grant anyone access to their property until changes have been made to the Petty Trespass Act. Under the presnet act, landowners are liable for injury to people such as snowmobilers, who are using their land. Riddell told federation members a private members' bill to change the act was lost on the second reading. Murray Gaunt said the private trespass billis coming before the resources development committee, which he chairs, in the near future. 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