For immediate release:
January 26, 2006

Barrett addresses BSE on Finance Committee  

Timmins – During Finance Committee testimony by the Temiskaming-Cochrane Federation of Agriculture Opposition Agriculture Critic Toby Barrett raised the recent Alberta BSE discovery and questioned the Ontario government’s foot-dragging on assistance to cattlemen.

“This latest information has put cattle farmer issues back on the public opinion plate,” stated Barrett. “It’s clear that our inspection system is working, however we must be cognizant of the cattlemen’ request for an equity replacement program - a request that seemingly got lost amidst the federal election shuffle.”

Agriculture Critic Toby Barrett, Finance Critic Tim Hudak, and Natural Resources Critic Norm Miller took part in pre-budget hearings all day in Timmins – hearings dominated by concerns with the high cost of electricity in Northern Ontario and the continued closure of pulp and paper and other forest industries.

Barrett continues to meet with farmers around the province as the Finance Committee pre-budget tour heads into Cornwall tomorrow where the Agriculture Critic will get together with a number of area farmers at a local dairy farm.

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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 416-325-8404 or 1-800-903-8629