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Council Scugog council has agreed to go to bat for two local meat packing plants that have shut , down for lack of inspectors since provincial civil servantg (OPSEU) went on strike five weeks ago. Mike Diminno'of Windcrest Meat Packers and Murray McLaughlin of. Pifie Ridge Packers, both located in the Township, told council Monday they have been forced to lay off five employees each, and the strike is having severe hargdships on local farmers who are unable to ship<animals to slaughter. "We are in dire need of assistance. We are being hurt and everyone (farmers and staff) around us are being hurt. Easter is just two weeks away, and that traditionally is our busiest time of year," said Mr. Dimmino as he urged Scugog council to use its authority to HH - hife local meat inspectors to work at the plants. At issue is whether Scugog has the jurisdiction to do this, or whether it falls to the gd] Durham Region Health Unit. \ 194487 to go inspector, carries $2 million personal liability insurance and any further liability above that would be picked up by the provincial government, ugog councillorg want to check this with gy a insyra e carrier. "If'something happens, it will be' the Township that gets sued," said Mayor Hall. While expressing a desire to help the two local plants and farmers by appointing temporary inspectors, councillors were clearly in a quandry about what they called the "mixed signals" they are getting over jurisdiction. Mr. Diminno said 28 logal councils in Ontario, have v alregdy appointed temporary meat inspectors since the OPSEU strike started. At one point during his address to council, he said the two local plants are being "held hostage" by the union and the government. Council told Mr. Diminno and Mr. McLaughlin it will call a special emergency meeting to appoint temporary inspectors the provincial ag ministry (OMAFRA) made as recently as ..Jast week give local councils the right to hire temporary and qualified inspectors. However, Mayor Howard Hall said that as of Monday morning, he received notification from OMAFRA that local council should not appoint inspectors without support of the (Durham Region) Medical 4 fe Mr. Diminno said changes by § Officer of Health. The Durham Health officer has declined to . appoint inspectors during the labour dispute citing liability factors and the lack of trained supervisory staff. Mr. Diminno said there would be no liability problem for Scugog because local veterinarian WA Jergy Blackburn, a qualified meat A Wh day morning+head on collision on Victoria Courity Road 2 just north of Seagrave took the life of a nine-year old Oshawa boy. , Lindsay OPP say Kevin Hale was a passenger in a southbound Pontiac Tempest that collided with a northbound pick-up truck. The youngster was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, + police report. William Creamer, 46, of Oshawa, driver of the Tempest «+ was seriously. injured and was taken by air ambulance to It's maple syrup Hire j March Break Is over and the kids are back In school again, but not necessarily In the classroom. Primary students from R: H. Cornish P. S. spent Monday morning touring the Purple Woods Conservation Centré with guide Karen Schatiner where they learned the process of making maple syrup. Daniel Cohn (left) and Jordl Stanton, both of Susan Adderley's ggade two class, enjoyed the outing the first day back in class. Toronto. Another passenger, nine, year old Paul Creamer suffered minor So) oo | TowN HALL Sunnybrook Medical Centre in * AGE 14 after checking further into the jurisdiction and liability insurance issues. Meanwhile _ the Ontario Federation of Agriculture announced it will go to court to challange OPSEU's attempt to soverturn the authority local icipalities have to appoint meat inspectors. * "We have no desire to take. sides in this strike, but the livelihood of many of our members is gt stake and they are nef the breaking point to properly' manage their livestock," said OFA president Tony Morris. "Rather than trying to further limit inspections, steps should be taken to exempt meat inspectors from the strike, because in rural.Ontario, their services*are essential," said Morris in a statement Friday. Head-on collision claims 9-year-old injuries and was treated at Gommunity Hospital in Port erry. Lindsay OPP report 'the Creamer vehicle struck a northbound truck driven by Kirk Carr, 31, of Hampton who suffered minor injuries. N Police say the 10:30 AM accident took place when the truck allegedly crossed the centre line,of the highway. Constable P. Kingston is conducting an on;going investigation into the acgident. So far, no charges have been laid. Tvaffic on the busy highway had to be re-routed while emergency crews were on the scene. ! to bat for local meat packers ~~