Thanks to MP
Recently, I was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant cancer that required removal of the cancerous gland. The operation was to be performed in mid-January at Toronto, where the necessary equipment was located.
It was found that a component, which has to be supplied for each such operation, could not be obtained immediately because the new supplier could not export to Canada until after Jan. 31, when the company was to be registered in Canada.
With aggressive cancers, such delays are unacceptable. I expressed my concern to (federal health minister) Ann McLellan by letter with copy letters to three local MPs. One of these MPs, namely Mrs. Carol Skelton, responded with assertive action.
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I had called each office to present my case and to obtain appropriate mailing instructions.
Immediately upon learning of my situation, she phoned me asking that I forward my copy letter to her by fax rather than by mail so she could deal with it more expeditiously. Within 12 hours she had someone in Ottawa working on the case. This extra effort resulted in the equipment being in Toronto by Jan. 7.
I needed two weeks to make essential arrangements for the trip and my operation was performed on Jan. 20. We now have the pathology report and it indicates that the gland was removed in time such that the cancer had not spread beyond the gland and the operation was a success.
I want to publicly thank Mrs. Skelton and to congratulate her for her work ethic. And it’s not as though she was helping a friend. She has never met me.
– H.D. (Dewell) Linn,
Saskatoon, Sask.
Greedy brothers
Many articles have been and are being written about the problems and reasons that the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool has a financial problem and may go bankrupt. I disagree with Avery K. Sahl’s article suggesting “Governments should help SWP” (Open Forum, Jan.31) because it will raise taxes for all Canadians.
When I was founding a company, a lawyer advised “beware of greed. Many companies and individuals have failed financially due to greed.” Look around and you will see many examples.
I agree that the SWP has done many good things. Pools were based on farmers co-operating. I have travelled extensively in the prairie provinces servicing pools and independent dealers promoting the safe and effective use of farm chemicals.
I was disappointed to see that the pools could not agree to merge into one pool serving their farm customers with one head office.
Several years ago the SWP changed their name [on facilities outside Saskatchewan] and started to build large, expensive inland terminals and service centres which increased storage of grain, fertilizer and chemicals for farmers.
Where were these new facilities built? In their own (Sask.) and their brothers’ (Alta. and Man.) back yard. Next the Alberta and Manitoba pools merged and started to build large terminals in their brother’s back yard.
Now a local farmer has two pools competing for the same business. Price cutting resulted and reduced potential profits were divided between two brothers, and all due to greed. Independent dealers also suffered.
SWP could reduce their financial problem by co-operating with their brothers and exchange their competing facilities with one another with one head office. Manpower and storage efficiency should increase.
One pool servicing all farmers in an area is necessary. Government financial assistance with resulting tax increases for all Canadians should be avoided because it rewards institutions that were greedy.
– H.A. Gustavson,
Calgary, Alta.
Eating habits
Re: Mary MacArthur’s report on eating habits, Western Producer, Feb. 13.
I believe a very clear point to make is that obesity has nothing to do with eating healthier foods. It is obvious that with a cheap food policy in Canada and North America, too much food is eaten by too many people who do little or nothing to exercise or work off the goodness and energy the food has supplied them.
As a farmer, to me work is being physical and a sweat on the brow and building muscle. Fitness centres cater to those who want to be healthy but do not have a physically demanding job.
There are those that do next to nothing about their appearance, laze around, get obese. Healthier foods, if there is or ever will be such a thing, would do nothing to help obesity. It is all in the mind and the attitude toward life of the consumer.
– Nick Parsons,
Farmington, B.C.
Dodge praise
I would like to make a few comments about the article by Charles Renny in your Feb. 13 issue in regards to the 2003 Dodge truck.
As a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, a person would think that he would have done his homework before writing an article.
He states that Dodge is working on an automatic transmission to go with the new high output engine. They are not just working on it, this transmission has been available since the early part of January 2003.
He states that the engine smoked like an old locomotive when started at -30C. This winter, when we were at the dealer in January in -30 weather, prior to purchasing our new Dodge diesel with high output engine with an automatic transmission, there was no time that we saw them smoke like an old locomotive.
If he knew anything about Cummins engines, he would know that they do not have “glo plugs” but a pre-heater in the manifold that heats the air that goes into the engine.
As for the interior, if you put the heater on recycle, the cab warms up in no time flat.
He said he felt that the truck was a bit wide. Better a bit wide than having three adults sit in the cab and feel like sardines as you do in some of the others.
He states that the seats are a 60-40 split bench seat when really they are a 40-20-40 split bench.
We have owned Dodge diesel trucks in the past and have had nothing but a good experience with owning them.
If The Western Producer paid this man for his article, ask for your money back.
– Bob and Rita Dumonceau,
Ponteix, Sask.
Tired of rhetoric
I am writing in response to the letter written by Stuart Makaroff about pig factories in the Jan. 23 issue of The Western Producer.
I have had enough of his socialist rhetoric, and the people with similar views in our own community where he farms.
I live and farm across the river from the Hutterite pig barns and have yet to suffer from any of the effects that he has mentioned.
My point is that these people stop at nothing to provide misconceptions and non-truths to kill any entrepreneur in this area willing to take the risk of providing economic development to a community that is losing all opportunities to keep and employ its young people.
I am sick and tired of people that only enlighten the problems of intensive livestock operations and have no solutions.
For example, he mentions that these odours provide serious health hazards, but has no mention of the front page article in your Jan. 16 issue “Farm lights up on manure.” This particular article is about an invention called the methane digester that is now operating and successfully creating power on a Viking, Alta., Hutterite hog farm.
In your next article may I suggest that if one writes the garbage that Mr. Makaroff wrote, one should sum it up by saying “I do not like people that make money.”
– Allan Wishloff,
Blaine Lake, Sask.
Cervid slaughters
Re: Deer producers in compensation quandary, Jan. 30.
I am really tired of hearing of these expensive deer/elk slaughters. It is sad to see healthy deer/elk die. The disease (chronic wasting disease) does not seem to spread like wildfire, and it does not affect humans.
It makes sense that the infected rate is higher on game farms than in the wild, simply because the animals are kept together and fed the best diets possible, on which even a sick animal will be able to live longer.
They are now finding cases in the wild and are trying to eradicate the herds. I think this is nonsense. This disease was found because we started to look for it and was there for a long time. Let Mother Nature do her thing.
Our government tells us they are doing what they have felt has worked in the U.S. Well, it hasn’t worked. They are finding CWD in new places there also now.
The other thing is you cannot compare our environment to theirs. The wild deer in the prairie provinces have many obstacles to forego before reaching an old age.
We have a heavy coyote and wolf population that keeps the herd numbers intact even when we have had many mild winters these past years.
I hope they find a live test for the game farm animals and would leave the wild deer alone and once again, let Mother Nature do its thing.
It’s time to stop wasting more of our tax money and put it to something that needs it. The only thing CWD seems to be doing is wasting our tax dollars.
– Grant Kuypers,
Paradise Hill, Sask.
Gestation crates
The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies is surprised at Barbara Duckworth’s implication that gestation crates have a long-term future in our country (Open hog barns work in Europe, Jan. 30.)
Gestation crates, which prevent the sow from turning around and nest-building, have proven to be easy targets for anti-industry groups which have, in turn, negatively influenced consumers of pork products.
Canadians apparently increasingly believe that the conditions provided by gestation crates can cause distress in the animals. Canadian producer groups and restaurant and grocery chains are already hearing from their customers that they do not see why impending changes in Europe and in Florida are not being implemented here.
Clearly, a phase-out period may be necessary, in some circumstances, to allow industry to adapt, as is the case in Europe.
But to ignore the apparent consumer discomfort with this practice is foolhardy and, more importantly, does not recognize on-going recent industry initiatives in regard to animal care.
We congratulate the Canadian Pork Council, which has recently led the way by becoming the first Canadian industry association to announce that it will work with industry and other key stakeholders to develop a number of plans, including new animal care guidelines, which would be verified through regular inspections.
Other industry groups are also working to find ways of meeting the needs of animals within their care, as well as those of their respective customers.
The CFHS supports these initiatives, and looks forward to working with these groups to review and, where necessary, to act upon livestock care issues.
– Tanya O’Callaghan,
Communications Coordinator,
Canadian Federation
of Humane Societies,
Nepean, Ont.
Three leaders
Having read the three presentations of the three political leaders of (Saskatchewan), I have to comment on my impressions. The overall summary leads me to believe that this province is in great peril.
First, we have the least popular of the leaders who truly expressed optimism and then displayed the exuberance of youth. It might be suggested that he has that opportunity because he has the least chances to win.
Next, we had the wannabe who it seems is too frightened to really put forth any concrete proposals and suggests that their plan will work. I don’t believe that many people really have much confidence in that approach, however, Mr. (Elwin) Hermanson’s party does stand to gain from the anti-government vote.
Finally, we had the premier whose entire presentation was a confirmation as to why the anti-government vote is so strong.
The premier spoke of the great things being done in education. He used community schools as an example and ignores the fact that his government, along with his predecessor, has used the education department to depopulate and nearly destroy education in many parts of this province. …
His efforts to sell Saskatchewan are commendable, but his lack of effort to ensure the deals do as expected are deplorable.
His government’s history of breaking deals, of misleading the house and the public about the deals that have been made are issues the premier does not seem to understand account for the majority of anti-government flavour.
His government likes to argue its fiscal responsibility, but its history … only continue to encourage this anti-government feeling ….
This government’s constant blaming of others and its refusal to accept any responsibility for solving problems sickens and saddens the majority of voters, yet the government, right up to its leader, continues their same destructive course.
Please, Mr. Premier, do the province a favour and call an election instead of the needed byelection. Perhaps the voters are correct in their perception that nothing could be more out of touch than this government and maybe the next group will at least try to address the problems, both natural and government imposed, on this province.
– Michael D. Klein,
Wood Mountain, Sask.
