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View Full Version : Farmer Blockade of Hwy. 401 on Friday


NorfolkHunter
01-20-2005, 11:19 AM
Farmers from around the province will be blocking off a section of the 401 on Friday. The blockade will happen between the Putnam Rd and Culloden Rd. cut off. The reasoning behind this is because of the lack of support the Gov't has for the Rural community.

Here is a little bit of information that I posted on another site as to why the farmers are doing this. Its amazing how many people from some of the Ontario hunting forums that don't support what the farmers are going to do. Yet they sure want to hunt their land.
Below is what was posted on another forum.

Some people just don't understand what the reasoning behind this blockade is.
The reason behind the blockade isn't to inconvience people. The reason is to get the Gov't attention. They want the Gov't to finally listen to the farmers and people of the rural community. Tobacco farmers are involved but this is much larger than that. Beef farmers, cream producers, Corn growers all different types of farmers from all over the province are getting involved.
My uncle is one of the organizers of the event and numerous times they have asked the Gov't to meet with them. Actually one of the organizers talked to Mr. Speller in November. He asked him if they could setup a meeting. Mr. Speller said he would be in contact soon to setup a meeting. Last week this gentleman talked to Speller again and asked about their meeting. He said that a letter was in the mail. They had just sent it out that week. Two months after Speller said there would be a meeting and still no letter.
The Gov't doesn't support the rural community at all. Finally farmers are coming together and telling the Gov't that they have had enough.
Has anyone heard of the Green Belt? Its a large section of Agricultural land that runs around the Golden Horseshoe. It stretches from Toronto, North to Barrie and swings down around from Toronto all the way to the Niagra region. Over a million acres that the Gov't is trying to classify as the Green Belt.
With the possible new classification comes new legislatures. All of these legislatures will devestate the farmers in this area. For examle, farmers in the Green Belt will not be allowed to cut down a certain tree without getting a special permit. Or they won't be able to spread a certain chemical on their land because they are classified to be in the Green Belt environmental zone. I thought this was a free country. The goverment has planned on making this area the green belt without any approval from the farmers effected. You think this just effects the farmers. With these new legislatures you don't think there will be something ivolving hunting in the designated area? They're fairly close to the Urban sprawl of the cities. Where there are alot of anti-everythings living there. The Gov't supports these people. Not the people that try to make a living off the land. The reason that people came to this country in the first place.
Being from the tobacco belt I can see why the tobacco farmers have had enough. The Gov't wants to get rid of smoking and along with that the tobacco farmers. But the Gov't sure loves the tax dollars that they get from the tobacco farmers. I think over 10 billion dollars worth. Also the money that they make off their cigarettes, billions more. Yet they pump loads of money into anti-smoking campaigns. If they wipe out the farmers and smoking whos going to pick up that tax deficit? Couldn't that money be better used for health care or put back into the already struggling farming industry?
Where is the extra money going? The Gov't is always ready to help another country out in a crisis. Well what about when their own country needs them. They choose not to listen or they offer a measley sum of money that won't help the problem.
The beef farmers have been devastated by the mad cow crisis. What has our government done for them? I can tell you. When America finally agreed to open the border we conviently find two more cases of mad cow. Give me a break. From what I've read mad cow doesn't know geographical borders. No one can tell me that the U.S. hasn't had a case of mad cow. The difference is their Gov't covers it up. They don't want their market to suffer. Ours announces it for the whole world to hear. When is our Gov't going to get a back bone and support the people of the rural community. All they care about is keeping the urban population happy because thats where the percentage of the votes are.
This blockade could have easily been avoided. If McGuinty and members of his cabinet would have agreed to discuss ways to resolve certain issues that farmers have. There would be no need for the farmers to do what they are going to do on Friday. But again the Gov't back peddled and back peddled. Rural Ontario isn't going to take it anymore.
Urbanization is constantly spreading further and further eating up more and more rural land. Pushing farmers out of their lively hoods. Does the Gov't care? I really don't think so.
For the people that don't support the farmers and their reasoning behind the blockade. All I have to ask you is do you hunt? I just wanted to remind you that, most likely you are doing that on rural land.
I could keep typing about this but my reasoning behind this post is to shed just a little bit of light and hopefully educate some people as to why the farming community is doing this.
If you would like to know anything else about this blockade or the problems faced by rural Ontario please post your question(s). I will try to answer it to the best of my ability. Or hopefully I'll be able to attain the information that you want.
I would like to thank everyone that showed support to the farmers and the rural community in this post. Bo D to answer your question this blockade will be taking place between the Putnam Rd. and Culloden Rd. cut offs. West of Ingersoll.

sasksheds
01-20-2005, 11:35 AM
I know you want we Canucks to see your post,but prob better off in the Political issues section.

ParrotHead
01-20-2005, 05:30 PM
I realize this pertains to our good friends north of the border but it brings up some really valid points for US citizens also.

Imagine for a minute if you will, that the gov't actually banned the sell of tobacco, what kind of ramifications that would cause.

1. Billions of dollars are now gone that support gov't positions through taxes on sales. You think the gov't is going to issue pink-slips to the thousands of civil workers? **** no - the taxpaying public is going to take it right up the ole keester my friend!

2. What happens to all the priviate sector jobs at companies like Phillip Morris and RJR? Now I do know this from a reliable source that Phillip Morris that they could not sell another cigarette in the US and not worry about any lay-off's. Their concern is Russia where they sell about twice a much smokes as in the US. But what about other manufacturers? I'm sure that there's a lot that would be layed off because of this and of course, this WOULD be the fault of the gov't.

3. Tobacco farmers are toast and coming from a family that has a few of these farmers in it, I can say that it would almost destroy them. It's all they've ever done and probably will be all they every do. So now you've got a whole nother group that the gov't has put out of work and will have to support in some form are fashion and guess who's going to pay for that? Yup - you and I my friend, our taxes are going to go through the roof!

Take all the "evils" of the world and put them in this catagory and you start to realize the catastrophy that could happen if a few folks actually got their way (anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-everything groups).

PH

Bruce Schmeck
01-21-2005, 02:17 AM
You could probably get Mr. spellers attention alot better by chucking a Molotov cocktail through the jerks office window.

NorfolkHunter
01-21-2005, 07:21 AM
I have to apologize to some readers. In my second post, post 14 I made an error. I posted that one of the organizers had asked for a meeting with Bob Speller (Past Ag Minister). Although they had asked for meeting with him in the past. The more recent talks and the one that I was talking about, were done with Steve Peters. Current Minister of Agriculture and Food. I apologize for my mistake.
Devin

"THIS LAND IS OUR LAND". "GOVERNMENT BACK OFF".

Bruce Schmeck
01-21-2005, 08:58 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I have to apologize to some readers. In my second post, post 14 I made an error. I posted that one of the organizers had asked for a meeting with Bob Speller (Past Ag Minister). Although they had asked for meeting with him in the past. The more recent talks and the one that I was talking about, were done with Steve Peters. Current Minister of Agriculture and Food. I apologize for my mistake.
Devin

"THIS LAND IS OUR LAND". "GOVERNMENT BACK OFF".

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, no problem, throw them (Molotov cocktails) through all of their windows. http://www.realtree.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

camelNS
01-21-2005, 11:46 PM
Seen it on the news today.John Deer tractors everywhere.Stand strong farmers!