Whltby Free Press, Wednesday, October 11, 1995, Pane 11 SOGH continues fiht FROM PAGE 1 hospitals. Althougli a proposal to convert Whitby General to specialized uses was accepted, Wilson stressed that the needs of Whitby residents for acute care and emergency services must be met. "TMe minus js e le aves too mucli open to interpretation. He endorses the direction the liealth council ie willing to take," said Prout. "The positive je that Whitby ie open to acute care, but it's not specific enough." Prout also lias concerne about the minister requesting that the liealtli council involve the community in implementing its proposals. "Baeed on my past experiences witl tlie liealtli council, I view the potential for Whitby witli some skepticism," she said. "This je borne out by comments from (liealth 'éouncil chair) Gerry, Blake that 'barrier-free' acces doesn't have ta be in Whitby." .Prout said slie concurs witli Wilson'e feeling tliat the Durham restructuring process lias taken "too long" ta, reacli this stage and that it je time to move aliead. "I agree, but it ehould be with a new and refreslied outlook and that's not wliat 1 see from the health council." If SOGH does liold a rally at some point, Wilson will be among those invited ta attend, Prout said. SOGH will not settle for a "bureaucrat" ta, represent tlie government as former New Democratic Party liealtli minister Ruth Grier sent in lier stead ta, last yeare rally at Heydenshore Pavilion. "If they want to send a bureaucrat they miglit as well not bother. That will only show who je really making the decisions," she said. Despite lier disappointment, Prout believes SOGH je stili further aliead with a Progressive Conservative government. (During a Whitby stop early in the provincial election campaign, now-Premier Mike Harris promised that no changes would be implemented at Whitby without the commutnitys backing.) "I believe Jim Wilson je stili listening, bis niind je not closed," she eaid. "Hoelias plirased bis letter carefully and left some doors open for us in Wbitby whicli I don't think the other government did. "We knew it would be a long baffle. We were prepared for this." Farm laid threatened By Alex Shepherd Few realize that in Durham gross revenues from the agricultural' industry are second only, to General Motors. Agriculture employs, cirectly and indirectly, more than 7,000 people. Our daiiy industry supplies over two per cent of Ontario's total market. That's a huge output. But what is happening in our agricultural sector? Whîle farms, are getting larger, by the same token, many acres stand umproductive. In Durhiam we have some of Canada's best agricultural land lying empty. l1ve farmed for a number ofyears and I'm concerned about the drift toward urbanization'of farmnland. More importantly, Frm concerned at the lack of an economic. underpinning for our agricultural sector. I can remember when the top dairy producers in Canada looked. forward to a retxirn on mnvested capital of no more than five per cent. 1 suspect this is no-different today, it may be even worse given the incraso in input costs. Technology lias allowed producers to increase production which lias resulted ini lesa need for land mass. This seexns strange when you think of the large number of children dying from malnutrition every year. When 1 travel through the ricling I eee the number of farm operations slirinking. I cant lielp but wonder why our commitment ta international aid lias not been part of the underpinning of the agricultural community. 0f course, our farmn population is getting older and the younger generation often look for the econoniic benefits of choosing a career in agriculture --as they should. But Irm very disappointed that our international obligations do not recognize fully how Canadian agriculture can benefit the third world. Bureauoeats in Ottawa think they can solve world poverty by writing cheques ta, foreign'diètators and sencling agricultural experts to third world countries. I don't have ta, remind you how cisastrous this policy lias been in Somalia and -Rwanda. In reSity we have an information network available whicli would let successful Durham farmers communicate directly with their foreign counterparts in third world countries. This would increase production and allow Canadian farmers to prosper by the sale of their successful agricultural technology and products. These are some of the objectives of the new informati pn highway. My constituency office in Oshawa will soon be on the World Wide Web. This will be the first introduction (that I arn aware of) in which Durhamn agricultural expertise could be interchanged worldwide. Alex Shepherd is MI for Durham riding which ineludes Whitby, north of Taunton Roa&L To reach hie conti.tuenc office, cail 721-7570 (Oshawa). O\~'NTARIO r]JUNIOR CITIZEN OLJ F THE YEAIR 1 AWARDS CONTACT THIS COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR DETAILS DEADLINE - OCTOBER 31, 1995 .lIlx. MWriYYInn Resaurnt& Sports Bar WDI ESD A y WrNG iTf iE SPECIAL OnIy 200~ Each BREAKFAST SPEGAL from $3.95 -i11am-3prn Saturday & lOam-3pm Sunday Prldayl Oct. 13 & Saturday, Ct. 14 Double Image Bok ou'ffcean r:~~ --;p------------I:p ~srnunur., ne n. i CSaelitemVas Wtelcome Two Great Comedies and a Mystery! RJGHT.- HERE IN WIilTY! 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