Some high points and boiling points of 2006

Now that we have stepped into the new-year – and before closing the book on the old one– join me in taking one last look back at the serious challenges that faced our area in 2006.

I will focus on the two main issues that have dominated our newspapers, radio reports and my itinerary over the past year – the Caledonia land dispute and the ongoing fight for tobacco farmer compensation. But this is not to take away from other concerns I hear of downtown decline, small business decline and tough times for cash-crop, hort, and beef.

As we are all well aware, the land dispute in Caledonia has grabbed the attention of people in our Haldimand, Norfolk, and Brant Counties, and indeed right across Canada, for much of the year – over 10 months in fact.

What began last February with the occupation of the Douglas Creek Estate subdivision has continued through Spring, Summer, Fall and now into Winter again, with –given the government track-record – little hope of an end in sight. Since the beginning I have made close to over 100 trips to Caledonia, met with those on all sides of the issue, and brought the concerns of our communities to the attention of media and government alike. Since then we have seen the dispute and the questions surrounding the native land-claim batted back and forth between the federal and provincial levels of government like a ping-pong ball.

And while we all wait and continue to push for resolution, for compensation and for a peaceful outcome for all sides, government continues to study and stall.

Meantime, over the past year the fight on behalf of Ontario’s beleaguered tobacco farmers has escalated.

Ontario’s tobacco farmers desperately need an exit package; however the current Government has been ignoring this issue far too long. And, it’s not for a lack of trying – farmers have rallied and travelled to Queen’s Park as well as shown up on politicians doorsteps explaining their situation.

I also called on both the Provincial and Federal Governments to crack down on the illegal tobacco trade that is sucking $1.5 billion in taxes from across Canada each and every year. This $1.5-billion loss in taxes across Canada would go a long way to reconstruct our farm economy.

Ontario’s Agriculture Minister has said her government is willing to participate in a process aimed at developing a long-term solution for tobacco growers – does this mean Ontario is willing to talk about the traditional 60-40 split with the Federal Government?

In other news this year, 2006 has been a disappointing year where broken promises continue to hit Ontarians hard. Health care, government misspending and crime are three examples.

With an election coming this October it looks like 2007 will be another, up-and-down year.