Dairy
Farmers of Wellington County
Annual General Meeting
Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott’s Remarks
February 8, 2005
Well, good afternoon to all of you, and it’s a
real pleasure to be able to join with you for
lunch today, at your Annual General Meeting of
the Dairy Farmers of Wellington County.
I’ve
been asked to bring greetings today, and to an
MPP that can mean many things. But to the organizer
of the event, it’s a polite way of telling the
MPP: “We don’t have all afternoon. Spare us the
long-winded speech and be brief.”
So
I shall try to be brief, but I’ve learned from
Dalton McGuinty, and I’m not making any promises.
I
wanted to begin by telling you how much I appreciate
the good work that all of you do here in the County
-
Not
the least of all for your labour, which satisfies
our most basic, most fundamental need – our need
for food and sustenance;
For
your efforts to ensure the quality and safety
and freshness of the milk our Ontario families
consume;
For
your willingness to accept and embrace the principles
of improved manure and nutrient management, providing
the Provincial Government becomes a partner, not
just an enforcer of the new regulations;
For
the confidence you’ve shown in our Province’s
future by your continued willingness to invest
in your farm enterprises, which is reflected in
the price of quota.
But
perhaps most importantly of all, the pride, the
work ethic, the devotion, and the faith you demonstrate
each and every day – these are the wool which
gives strength to the tightly-knit communities
in Rural Ontario.
Now,
I assume you're wondering what’s happening at
Queen’s Park. I should tell you that the Legislature
will resume sitting next week, and many of the
Standing Committees have been engaged in Public
Hearings in January. Last week, I served on the
Social Policy Committee, which is reviewing Bill
118, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act.
There
are rumours of a Cabinet shuffle, possible involving
the Minister of Health, possibly the Minister
of Agriculture and Food. No one knows for sure
except the Premier, and so far, he isn’t confiding
in the Opposition MPPs like me, which I suppose
is no big surprise to most of you.
And
I have to say that on a personal level, I don’t
have a problem with Steve Peters. What I do have
a problem with, is the fact the current Provincial
Government has broken countless promises, without
regard for what people in this Riding uphold as
integrity;
And
the fact that they have systematically put the
needs and views of Rural Ontario residents, including
our farm families, on the back burner.
This
has to change.
Last
fall, our Party elected a new Leader, John Tory.
He
is a good man – smart, honest, hard-working, decent.
He listens, and he tries to build bridges between
conflicting positions and people.
Last
Saturday afternoon, he visited Wellington County,
and he’s coming back again this afternoon for
meetings and events in Arthur and Mount Forest.
And
last Saturday afternoon, while driving up Highway
6 north of Arthur, I was proud to point out the
farm where my grandparents, John and Vivian Hawkins,
had lived and farmed, and raised four kids, including
my Mom.
And
as we go forward, you know you will have my continued
support for supply management, for strong, continued
efforts to reopen the U.S. border, for our farm
families and our family farms, and for continued
advancements in research, productivity, and market
share.
And
with three growing boys at our house, our consumption
of milk and cheese and yoghurt keeps growing every
year, and we look to you to keep up with our demand.
I
know you will, and thank you very much.
