LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Monday 3 April 2006
2006 ONTARIO BUDGET

Mr. Barrett: I'd like to address this budget amendment, and I'll be splitting my time with the member from Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.

It is becoming increasingly clear that what we're really debating is a "pay more, get less" budget. I think the member opposite referred to it as a "do more" budget. I do know that at the London farmers' rally today there were a number of signs on tractors that would disagree with the "do more" statement. In fact, the signs stated "Dalton -- Do Nothing." This was seen to be the theme today at the London rally, and of course lots of signs of "Pinocchio" along with the "Farmers Feed Cities," the bright yellow and black signs that we're all so familiar with.
So it's a pay more, get less budget. I would hate to have someone try and switch that one around. In fact, we've been paying more and getting less for several years now, certainly since 2003 with the advent of the McGuinty government.

It's no secret that the farmers are furious. Just recently I read some of the e-mails that I've been receiving from farm leaders. I do encourage members to attend some of these farm rallies. The rally this morning was right by the side of the 401. I'm sure that a number of MPPs in this Legislature drove right by that rally in London -- certainly those members representing ridings to the west of London. To get to Queen's Park, they would have driven right by. I was there for a few hours in the morning. I couldn't stay for all of the rally, and I'm just hoping that the members to the west paid tribute to the farmers and would stop in and try to understand --

Mr. Murdoch: Especially those London members. You'd think they'd all show up.

Mr. Barrett: They would be very close, because the farmers took their rally to the city, right through the centre of the city. I know they were intending to visit Kellogg's; they were intending to visit Casco.

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur (Minister of Culture, minister responsible for francophone affairs): Visiting your friend Mr. Harper.

Mr. Barrett: I will be going to Ottawa tomorrow. Again, I do sincerely hope that the Ottawa area-members will be at the Ottawa rally. It goes on for a couple of days. If people aren't going, I'm sure they'll let farmers know they won't be able to attend, or send their regrets.

But as I say, I've just come from that London rally this morning. The one in Ottawa, that's the big one. I can't predict what's going to happen after that, because there is an undercurrent of rage, anger, hopelessness --
Interjection.
Mr. Barrett: I hear the member opposite attempting to blame this on Harper. We've just jumped from a Liberal debate that blamed everything on Mike Harris. Now we see the members opposite blaming Stephen Harper.

Apart from this blame game, we've all had time to take a look at the numbers in the budget. We all know the Ministry of Ag budget has been slashed by 21%. This has been mentioned more than once today. In real numbers, that is a cut of $244 million. Last year's budget was raised by one of the members opposite, and the cut last year was $167 million. We are all aware of the ad hoc announcement that was made before the budget of $125 million; $80 million of that was for grain and oilseeds, and that represents a 52% cut to the grain and oilseed producers compared to last year.

If you look at these numbers, it clearly is a formula for disaster. If you add up the numbers, we are paying more -- certainly paying more in taxes. And I don't think anyone opposite here is going to walk away from their responsibility for implementing the health tax.

Very clearly our farmers are getting much, much less. The 2006 budget makes clear that the McGuinty government has perfected the art of turning opportunity into nothing but disappointment and bitterness. The budget was a chance for Premier McGuinty and the present Minister of Agriculture to show farmers, certainly farmers rallying in front of Queen's Park, that government had heard their plight and was ready to act. Instead, our very weary farmers are met with cuts to agriculture spending, more neglect, more blame and blame game from this provincial government.

When Ontario's Minister of Agriculture is faced with questions about her ministry's second-class status within this McGuinty government, we do get the "blame Ottawa" refrain -- just a few minutes ago I heard the "blame Harper" refrain -- rehashed numbers and a smattering of feel-good pronouncements with respect to rural Ontario. The minister tells us she's listening and working on behalf of farmers. I just read some e-mails in tonight: Farmers are telling me that she's not.

Further to that, I'd like to quote the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ron Bonnett. I'll just use one word, and I quote Ron Bonnett. That word, with respect to the budget, is "shocking." That was his reaction to news that this government had slashed agricultural support again. If people opposite would listen to farmers, they would understand what's being said out there.
Last week, the finance minister had an encounter with the very farmers that this government seems hell-bent on destroying. The Minister of Finance went to the Whitby Curling Club during the Whitby by-election. It was two days before election day. His goal? To peddle his budget for a few extra votes, but, as we saw on the by-election day itself, Ontario residents aren't buying.

Hon. Mrs. Meilleur: You almost lost the election.

Mr. Barrett: Someone said that one of the candidates almost lost. Well, in this game it doesn't matter whether you almost lost or not. There is really only one person who comes out in front. I would think the president of the Liberal Party would know how that works.

What we saw from the people in those three by-elections was one big "no, thank you," and in particular in Whitby.

When the Minister of Finance saw the group of angry farmers out in front, he did try to escape, if you will, in his limousine. As we know, Mr. Tory was able to convince the Minister of Finance to say a few words to those assembled. Sadly, the Minister of Finance repeated the same mistake he made on budget day, blindly blaming the federal government for his own inaction. Farmers are getting tired of the blame game. Essentially what they see are endless insults from this government.

Six months ago, in estimates, I asked the ag minister about the prospect of ministry staff working with farmers to come up with a viable risk management program. To her credit, she did pull her head out of the sand for a while and indicated, "CAIS has not worked" --

Hon. Steve Peters (Minister of Labour): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker: I'd like to know how parliamentary accusing a minister of taking her head out of the sand is. I think that's very disrespectful to the Minister of Agriculture and Food.
The Acting Speaker: I have to tell you I would take no umbrage from such a statement. I've heard it many times in this House and I've never had a complaint.
Please continue.

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Mr. Barrett: I don't know; there are so many age-old expressions. "Had the blinders on": Maybe I'll use that expression. She took the blinders off long enough to say, "CAIS has not worked well for grains and oilseeds." But a simple admission of guilt from the Minister of Agriculture doesn't put money into the pockets of farmers.

Again, with this particular budget and, one would hope, the influence of the lead ministry on the budget process, it does raise the question: Has the ag minister forgotten that she recognized that CAIS is not working? Has she forgotten about the farmers? The evidence would suggest that she has, in fact, forgotten.

I have reminded the minister several times about the farm income crisis. I've certainly reminded her in the Legislature here. I can run down: on March 28, March 27, March 23, March 1, February 23, February 16 -- these are all instances when this has been raised in the Ontario Legislature either in question period or in statements -- February 15, February 13. This is just a sample of times when I, for example, have proactively warned the minister of the damage that we see, and again, damage not only to farmers but to rural Ontario and small-town Ontario. It's all in Hansard.

Again, we see a government that has turned its back on farmers. We do expect more rhetoric. I wish to read into the record -- and we're going to hear this -- "We're waiting for the federal government." I stress the importance of members opposite trying to make an attempt to get to Ottawa this week. We've had enough of the blame game. We'd like to see some action. We're looking for some leadership. For example, where is the Ontario government proposal?

Interjection.
Mr. Barrett: I should wrap up shortly.

Mr. Murdoch: Well, you could, yes.
Interjection.

Mr. Barrett: Just to wrap up -- and I want to override some more blame game here: Where is the proposal for risk management? Where is the proposal for self-directed risk insurance? Where is the proposal for an exit program for our tobacco farmers?

I will yield to the honourable member.