For immediate release:
March 16, 2006
Come rally in support of Stephen Webster
Farmers, Tractors to converge on Queens Park

Simcoe— A Central Ontario farmer’s one-man vigil outside of Queens Park is about to get some company.

Farm and rural organizations from across the province are preparing plans to join Stephen Webster outside of the Legislature Buildings to bring awareness to the plight of farm and rural Ontario in advance of the delivery of the Liberal Government’s 2006 budget – Webster has parked himself at Queen’s Park since late last week.

Farmers from a number of agriculture organizations plan to start their protest tomorrow by blocking the GTA truck scales – Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Mississauga – with pick-up trucks. The protest then picks up more steam Monday (the 20th) as farmers steer their tractors towards Queens Park – once on site, they plan to demonstrate outside of the buildings until the announcement of the budget Thursday (23rd).

Local farm and rural advocates will also make their voices heard when they arrive to join the assembled crowd on Tuesday (the 21st).

The Queens Park rally will serve as a springboard to ramp up protests on April 4th and 5th in Ottawa.

Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett says after neglecting farmers and rural issues, the McGuinty government’s policies are coming home to roost.

“I met with Stephen Webster at the last farm rally in Guelph. As a heifer exporter Stephen represents the frustration many of our farmers are experiencing given the lip service paid by government to the agriculture crises right outside their door,” said Barrett. “It’s not just cash-crop, beef and tobacco, it’s deer and elk, beekeepers, cull-cow and of course dairy heifer export.”

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