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PORT PERRY "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2000 - 7 Truckers, farmers mount protest From page 1 years now, but prices have certainly gone up since then," he said, referring to the cost of diesel fuel, which jumped from around 35 cents a litre in January 1999 to the current price of more than 70 cents. "Let's be generous and say we're being paid $1.10 a mile; in that mile we pay 50 cents for fuel, 25 cents for the loan on the truck, 40 cents in wage, and 10 cents on tires and repairs," said Mr. Vale. "That's $1.25 in costs per mile; it doesn't add up, does it?" Mr.Vale noted that he would like to see truckers' wages increased to a minimum of $1.35 each mile: "That wouldn't make us rich, but it would pay the bills." While truckers and their protest have beenin most of the media spotlight this week, farmers all over are feeling the financial pinch as well, said participants at the Saintfield rally. "It costs me about $600 or $700 a month to truck my milk, and, obviously, the (diesel price) increase will be passed along to me," said Paul Harder, a local dairy farmer. "Milk has gone up 20 cents a litre in the stores, but the dairy farmers only get a penny out of that to com- pensate for the fuel increase... we're paying twice the amount for fuel, the price for the product is going up, but we're not getting anything back. We have'to absorb the costs." Peter Pearce, an Uxbridge beef farmer, is also forced to deal with the soaring prices. "I have to pay more per head to have my cattle trucked out, but I'm still getting hardly anything back from the sales. My beef isn't worth anything on the mar- ket, and it's not even worth it to put in a crop to feed them," he said. market. all the work." It costs approximately $130 to produce a tonne of corn, says Mr. Pearce, and only $105 to buy it on the "It really is a losing battle for us, and we're losing bad," said Mark Donneral, another local farmer. "Everyone else is getting the money, and we're doing Protests by truckers and farmers are "understand- able", says Durham MPP John O'Toole. "They're facing the wall and they need to get the attention of the public and the media... they've got my attention," he said Tuesday afternoon. "The (fuel) prices have no rhyme or reason to them, and | understand that the truckers feel that they are getting poor rates. | really sympathize for them. They're the ones who drive the food to the market, and, in the end, each and every one of us is going to pay for it." Mr. O'Toole is co-chair of a task force now conducting hearings across the province on gas prices. He said there is nothing that can be done right now - or even in the future - to control price increases. But he said truckers have a valid complaint about the sudden increase in diesel fuel. Local farmers and truckers say they're caught in a serious financial pinch, caused by rising fuel prices, low commodity prices, and stag- nant wages. They rallied near Saintfield this week to get their point across. "I can see why they're mad... the prices have just increased so much for them and truckers can't start putting water in their tanks, they need the diesel no matter the cost." Staying in Touch JOHN R. O'TOOLE MPP DURHAM EAST One of the many comments that | have received since the Gas Price Review Task Force hearings began in Toronto on Feb. 14 are that fuel prices are threaten- ing to stall the economy. Over the past few decades, there have been a couple dozen inquiries and studies on fuel prices. Initially, | mistakenly thought that "fuel" referred to gasoline. However, over the past couple of weeks, diesel fuel has erupted as an even more critical issue. As | mentioned above, the Ontario Gas Price Review Task Force began our hearings on Feb. 14 in Toronto. We have received presentations from: 0 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business a The Ontario Federation of Agriculture a The Ontario Trucking Association a The Ontario School Bus Association a The Canadian Automobile Association a The Independent Retail Gasoline Marketing Association a The Canadian Petroleum Products Association a Petro Canada a Imperial Oil 0 MP Dan McTeague, along with many individuals which includes truckers, doctors, engineers and retired persons. The media has jumped to the obvious and controversial issue of federal and provincial taxes. Let me state very clearly that the: 0 Provincial flat tax on gasoline is 14.7 cents per litre a Federal flat tax is 10.0 cents per litre - plus seven per cent GST The only level of government that benefits from a fuel price increase is the federal government because of the GST. Ontario uses aver 14 billion litres of gasoline per year. Both levels of govern- ment receive over $2 billion in revenue from gasoline, but the federal govern- ment spends virtually nothing on Ontario's highway infrastructure. While the provincial government has the con- stitutional authority to regulate prices, the federal government has the authority to ensure competition in the market- place. The forgotten elements of this old debate are that the petroleum industry operates as an oligopoly and cannot be truly competitive when it controls the wholesale and retail parts of the product cycle. The recent decisions arrived at by the Federal Competition Bureau, indi- cating that there is no evidence of collu- sion, simply proves that the Competitive Act needs to be amended to protect consumers. In June 1995, gasoline was about .51 cents per litre and today, the price is almost .70 cents per litre - an increase of 37 per cent. Taxes have not increased one cent. Yes, crude oil prices have climbed to $30 per barrel from $10 per barrel, however there are 160 litres in a barrel of oil, and not all products in that barrel are gasoline. Crude also forms the basis for diesel, home heating oil, jet fuel and many other products includ- ing asphalt. It appears that at the very least, the industry should reach out to consumers and answer some of their questions. Some questions that | have heard are why do so many different price zones exist across the province and how come the price jumps the moment the world price for crude goes up? Other questions range from why do prices at the pumps fall as quickly as they rise to how come there are 40 per cent fewer independent gas stations existing today? In Oshawa on Sunday, Feb. 20, over 1,000 very angry truck drivers threatened to close down the Ontario economy because of the high costs of diesel fuel. They explained that over 90 per cent of our food and other consumables are delivered by truck. This is a very big issue and we need some answers. On March 1, we will be in the Durham riding. Please call my constituency office at 1-800-661-2433 or at 697-1501 if you would like more information. Straight Talk by ALEX SHEPHERD DURHAM M.P. The government this week introduced an omnibus bill designed to amend over 160 statutes to allow for the entitle- ment of benefits and obligations in same-sex relationships. The courts indicated many federal government statutes do not stand the test of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by discriminating against same-sex relationships. Many of the provinces have already passed similar legislation. For many of us, including me, it is dif- ficult to second guess what the opinion of the people in Durham is. I've listened to the debates and read various briefings and it seems to me the question becomes one of discrimination. Most of us would agree that irrespec- tive of what we think of alternative lifestyles, people shouldn't be discrimi- nated against. However, you have to take a big step backward to see the issue of benefits and entitlements in a larger context. One of the acts being amended is the Income Tax Act. The amendment would allow same-sex partners, who live in a dependency relationship to claim the other, much as heterosexual couples now claim a spouse who is technically dependent. Is this a form of discrimination against same-sex relationships? Some people in Durham would argue it is not. But for the sake of argument let's assume it is. The second test of a relationship in order to qualify for a benefit is that peo- ple must be living in a conjugal relation- ship. This, probably more than anything, enrages many in our community. By def- inition this means couples must be hav- ing sex. There is likely a case to be made that even some heterosexual rela- tionships may not now be con- jugal and, ultimately, who is to decide? (Remember, "the courts don't belong in the bed- rooms of the nation," line used in the 60s). It is instructive that the word conjugal, as opposed to, co- habitation is used. And this is the crux of the matter. Are homosexual relationships dis- criminated against any more than say a daughter living with a sick mother and supporting her or any other combination of family relationships where depen-- dency exists? Frankly there is all sorts of discrimi- nation in our country. Is a single mom discriminated against? What about the disabled or children living in poverty? So the issue becomes one of prioritiza- tion. Why do same-sex couples who carry on a conjugal relationship have a priority over other groups? There are two rea- sons. First, economically the finance depart- ment tells us that to include this provi- sion will only cost the government $10 million. To include a broader form of dependency would cost at least $300 million. The impact on private pension plans could be horrendous and would likely result in entitlements being reduced. The second reason for prioritization is simply the fact that you don't see daughters or sons parading up and down the streets demanding an end to dis- crimination. The point about discrimination is what | have the most trouble with. I ask myself, if we are truly the champions of ending discrimination then why don't ~ we find more holistic ways to be more inclusive? There's no question politicians have shirked their duty by allowing the courts to interpret society's changing attitudes. It seems like politicians are the last to act. And in this case, acting last still doesn't catch us up with people in an aging society who are entitled to similar treatment. TTIIETII--m----m