East help East

[brian99]

After reading the November forum of East help West, I did a little digging and this was the result...On April 7, 1998, Mr.Marcel Masse,President of the Treasury Board, announced $175 million in additional disaster aid for Quebec, principally for the icestorm. A large portion was allocated for maple tree replacement for maple syrup farmers. To date the government figures are over $250 million and expected to rise to over $400. Negotiations for cost sharing started after that announcement, but I have nothing on the final details as yet. I am in no position to judge whether those people needed that level of federal aid or not. What really ticks me off is that I never heard a peep about it. No one I talked to ever heard about it either. The feds just wrote a cheque (and are still writing them) and nothing was said. In that April announcement Mr. Masse said 'The Ice-Storm reminded us that we are never alone in times of hardship.' and 'Whatever part of the country we live in, by putting our shoulders to the wheel, we can all be stronger to deal with the effects of natural disasters and their severe economic impacts, which affect some of us' All Westerners want is equal treatment. The jokes on us.

[edavison]

Did you honestly believe we live in a fair country. The only way we will get the same respect is if we can stand together. How many farmers can you get to agree on the same thing at the same time. Not many and not often. We all need to decide on one course and all of us get together and fight for it. Secondly the Federal Liberals do not care for us in the same way because they don't have any elected Rural MP's west of Ontario. As long as we vote Reform they will ignore us as much as possible, so we either play ball or we stay the course, but try to co-operate with each other more. If we don't get together soon as individual farmers and not part of any lobby group, we will be on the ropes for a long time to come.

[bushed]

I'm don't know if anyone remembers That Tredeau said in the early 70's' that 2/3's of the farmers had to be gone by 2000 and that we really didn't need the farmer in Canada .It would be cheaper to import all our food '. Now that should tell us all something; seeing as Creitien was a part of that gov't; as to the real agenda to our fine Canadian gov't The only thing that might save us now is the involvement of our first nation people and some unions

[noelm]

If 'the best way to predict your future is to create it' (as someone said, and I believe is true), what has to happen in order for rural communities and farm families to feel they can take control of their future and create what they want, rather than what they imagine the government, or corporations want?

[danm]

Take a look below at east helps west talk there are some really good points that would add this discussion.