Beef farmers and their organizations will be visiting to Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 to call attention to the fact that the BSE crisis, now in its 16th week, is threatening the very fabric of rural Canada. Farmers will also be calling on the federal government to take a more active role in bringing the crisis to a close.
“We’re concerned our national government has presumed the crisis is over now that some boneless boxed beef exports are allowed to cross the border to the United States. That’s a long way from reality,” says Ron Bonnett, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). “Producers of all ruminant animals are suffering.”
“Until live animals from Canada can be traded with buyers in the U.S., and trade is fully restored to pre-May 20th rules, our beef producers are still facing crisis conditions,” says Ron Wooddisse, President of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA). “Beef farmers in Ontario, alone, are losing an estimated four million dollars per week.”
The Ottawa rally coincides with the end of the “Cattle Drive to Parliament Hill”, an initiative that started in Vancouver on Sept. 2 and was designed to bring attention to the on-going and worsening crisis faced by Canada’s livestock industry. The “Drive” has moved across Canada as a demonstration to Canadians of the beef industry’s appreciation for consumer support and confidence during the crisis.
The rally on Parliament Hill is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Bus loads of farmers are expected to attend from across the province. Organizers look forward to seeing representatives of all federal parties involved in this event.
The “Drive” is in Northeastern Ontario today with stops in Kapuskasing; Sept. 11 in Cochrane and New Liskeard; Sept. 12 in North Bay; Sept. 13 in St. Catharines and Stoney Creek; Sept. 14 at Talbotville and Woodstock; Sept. 15 in Toronto; Sept. 16 in Belleville, Peterborough and Arnprior; and Sept. 17 on Parliament Hill. Up-to-date details of the “Drive” can be found on OFA’s website at www.ofa.on.ca.
~Gary Struthers~