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ee Looks forward to year ahead Dear Editor: No one would call 1981 a good year for Ontario farmers. Increased capital and operating costs, coupled with crippling interest rates, made it one of the worst years farmers have had:to undergo in decades. But as bad as it was, there have been worse years. And farmers, fortunately, tend to take the long view of life. Farmers are familiar with the various seasons of life: not just seasons for planting and seasons for harvesting, but the seasons of plenty and the seasons of need. We in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food are also familiar with seasons and cycles. We too take the long view of life. That is why we have launched a year-long, $60 million assistance program for , 1982 to help qualified farmers who need refinancing; "bridging" or adjustment financing. Although this could be called a short-term program, its aim is long-term: to ensure that those producers who receive this aid will be running full-time, fully productive, viable operations in the future. This, however, is just our most recent program. There were also many programs launched last year. For example, 1981 was a very bad year for beef producers. That is why we introduced the $30 million Slaughter Cattle Assistance Program, the recently expanded. $9 million Stocker Cattle Assistance Program, and the $20 million Cow-Calf Program to help protect our important beef- breeding industry. In addition, the sow-weaner stabilization plan was triggered by low prices and paid out $7 million to producers. History has taught us how dangerous it is to rely on other countries for the necessities of life. "The oil crisis instigated by the OPEC nations is just the most recent example. We cannot afford to be as reliant on others for food as we were on the OPEC nations for oil. Many of our programs are designed to help Ontario become more self-sufficient in terms of food supplies. They are investments in the future. This should be a national goal. There are also numerous agricultural programs under BILD - the Board of Industrial Leadership and Development: the $20 million capital assistance for food processing program; $1.5 million for asparagus production; $1.5 million for the cream assistance program; $2 million for the expansion of the Farmers' Market at the Ontario Food Terminal; $1.75 million for the equipment fund for agricultural colleges and the $15 million whey incentive program. And there have been some successes in 1981. Writer angry over postal service, rates Dear Editor: Please bear with me for a few minutes of your time to protest the current rates of postage now enforced by our postal service and I use the word 'service' in a very lighthearted manner. I acknowledge the fact that delivering mail can be a very trying job due to weather conditions, heavy mail bags, nasty dogs, etc...but how can a "postie"' in all good conscience go on strike for wages of $12 plus per hour when all the education he needs is the ability to read addresses and numbers? The same applies to the sorters in the depots who earn exhorbitant amounts of money. Many of us in other fields with far more education and constant upgrading of our knowledge in order to keep our wages at poverty level or slightly above earn a much lower hourly rate and I might add work much harder using brainpower to do so. It seems to me that with the economy in such a mess that a government agency should set a better precedent and restrain themselves in some way in order to grind the wheels of inflation to a halt. Is the reason for no price of 30 cents being marked on the new stamp because they were ashamed to see it in red and white or because the postal service was afraid of causing a revolt! And This has been a record year for exporting corn from our record 200 million bushel harvest, a harvest with a farm gate value of more than half a billion dollars. Our numerous trade missions to other countries have increased Ontario's share of the world food market, and our Foodland Ontario Program has increased our share of the market here at home. It is worth noting that the Foodland Ontario Program is playing an especially important role in making Ontario more self-sufficient by replacing more and more imported foods with Ontario- grown foods. But what will 1982 be like? Right now it's not easy to predict. The economists and other "'ex- perts" don't offer much hope. But there is one ray of sunshine. They predict that the interest rates will come down. Like most farmers I am an optimist. All of us believe in Canada as a nation. We have ex- perienced tough years before. Co-operation between governments, industry, farmers and consumers have turned the wheel to better times. in the past and will again. I look forward to 1982 with a cautious degree of optimism. Respectfully ,« --The Hon. Lorne C. Henderson Minister of Agriculture and Food would have to change it? You may be assured that any government mail sent by myself will be sent "'postage-due"'. Maybe a taste of this nonsense at the other end will spark a bit of eye opening when a chubby envelope containing my income tax return is received this way in Ottawa. Thank you for acting as a sounding board for a frustration that I am sure is felt by many Canadians. Yours Truly --Gail Brock 310 First St. Midland 'ie Only one alarm on the eCont. from Page 5 weekend careening corners on a roller coaster, to walk a tightrope over Niagara Falls where, one slip Both of Tay Town- and it's 'Goodby, Mama, give my best to the ship's firefighting family"? - brigades, all of Tiny's ' : : y and. Penetanguishene Why do I who am afraid toclimba 20-foot Fire Department en- joyed a quiet weekend. That wasn't the case though for firefighters on duty early Sunday evening at the Midland firehall. They responded to one call and that was to extinguish a car fire. e highway? Snow- mobile Act basis of 13 charges In the week ending last Monday, 93 general occurrences, four break and enter cases and four thefts among them, were investigated by Midland OPP officers. Thirteen charges were laid under the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act. Three persons were charged with violation of the Liquor Licence Act. Two drivers' were charged with driving while their licence was suspended. Two charges were laid under the Com- pulsory Auto Insurance Act. One charge of impaired driving was laid. G-g-g-good m-m-m- morning! If you thought it was brisk yesterday mor- ning when you got up for work, it was! The mercury dipped to -25C which was about -10F on the old scale and that was cold in anyone's language. ...fazor's edge ~ maple, climb aboard my motorcycle (a chrome coffin, some suggest) protected only S by some leather and plastic, and offer my /, body as a sacrifice to every car driver on the Why do I play goal in ice and ball hockey, using the only ribs and teeth I've got to stop 100 mile per hour projectiles? The answer is simple: it's a near deathwish that we have. It isn't that we want to die; rather that we wish to come as close as possible to Worm City without actually crossing the town limits. We wish to enter the mouth of the dragon and feel his hot breath, but return to tell the tale. In a way, we're bargain hunters for ex- citement, in search of the Ultimate Thrill, but unwilling to pay the full price for it. Beis) a chee zi y, Civitan "BONANZA BINGO" EVERY THURSDAY "500. JACKPOT totai.ng © ver *7 600. IN PRIZES W Doors open at 6:30 Games start at 7:30 at Midland Civic Centre Sponsored by Midiand Civitan Club FREE ADMISSIO Serving the Midland-Penetanguishene Business Community and Tourist Industry The very Best accommodation in the area The MoteYwith offe G by Dominion Aufgmobile Association - Classified as excellent accommodation by Canadian Automobile Association Approved by the Ontario Motor League publication "Tourist Guidebook of Ontario" Colour TV, Air conditioning, telephones and broadioom in every room. Hwy. 27 & Yonge St. 526-5441 BE TRENTWAY Motorcoach Tours Since 1965 Pear FLORIDA ORMOND BEACH (DAYTONA BEACH) Weekly departures beginning Nov. 1st. 1981; 14. 21. 28 & 35 Day Tours (longer upon request). Ac- commodation in Ormond Beach at the Pagoda Motel, with private oceanfront balconies & Kit- chen facilities FLORIDA-14 DAYS This is a trip for those who want to see more than just beaches. more than just sunshine & more than just the same things every day. Florida isa state that must be seen to be believed & there's a lot of it waiting for you on this 2-week holiday e SILVER SPRINGS BOAT RIDE ¢ BUSCH GARDENS e CYPRUS GARDENS * SEA WORLD ¢ CIRCUS WORLD « WALT DISNEY WORLD e KENNEDY SPACE CENTER e GUIDED TOUR OF SAVANNAH Departs Feb. 1, 15, Mar. 1, 15, 29, April 12 TEXAS - 21 DAYS DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO, Maréh 13, 27, April 17 MARCH BREAK FLORIDA (ORLANDO) 10 DAYS Departs March 19 (evening departure - night travel) ORMOND BEACH 10 DAYS Departs March 19 (evening departure - night travel) For Details Contact: Your local licensed travel agent WE atts Ea '" gh