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May 16, 2007 Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): I rise on behalf of John Tory and the PC caucus, and I'm pleased to have the opportunity to recognize some of Ontario's outstanding farmers. I know how hard farmers work and how much effort goes into producing our food. While we have great family farm traditions in Ontario, farming has progressed and been modernized. Equipment has gone high-tech and in most cases is very expensive. Farmers have adopted and continue to look for new and better ways to do things. I want to highlight one example from the great riding of Oxford: James Hammerton, of Murgo Farms. In addition to farming, James is operating a tree-trimming service and has adapted machinery to safely and more efficiently trim branches and chip wood.Even though I believe these farmers deserve to be recognized, I'm concerned that the McGuinty government is more focused on photo ops with farmers than listening to them and meeting their needs. Overall in the budget we saw planned spending for farmers and the agriculture industry cut by $191 million. In spite of Dalton McGuinty's promise to make agriculture a lead ministry, this is just another broken promise.Some other examples: When I questioned the Minister of Agriculture on the CAIS program three years ago, he defended it. We asked him question after question, and the McGuinty government defended the program. It took the federal auditor to say it doesn't work. It's too heavy on bureaucracy, too heavy on paperwork. The program is more interested in making sure farmers pay back overpayments than worrying about farmers getting their payment. Minister, it's not enough to say, "Congratulations," and get your photo taken with the farmers. Photos won't help people who cannot afford to put seed in the ground or food on the tables of their own families. If you really care about farmers, you should put in place risk management and income stability programs that work. You should demonstrate that support every day, not just for pre-election photo ops. |