SIMCOE, Ont. – One of the few times in more than a century of mainly voting Conservative that the southwestern Ontario rural riding of Haldi-mand-Norfolk saw its MP elevated to cabinet was in 2003, when Liberal Bob Speller became agriculture minister.
Voters promptly kicked him out in the 2004 election.
His Conservative successor Diane Finley now has been elevated to cabinet as citizenship and immigration minister and Liberals are hoping that the recent history of bringing cabinet ministers down to earth continues.
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They have attracted a star candidate in Dr. Eric Hoskins, a medical doctor born and raised in the area who spent 15 years abroad in war zones as a doctor and humanitarian, is president of War Child Canada and last year was awarded the Order of Canada for his humanitarian work.
Liberals also believe the government’s handling of the influential tobacco file will hurt Finley.
In opposition she promised help for the beleaguered industry. Then her government dithered or resisted for 30 months and only at the end of July promised $286 million to buy quota so tobacco farmers could exit a failing sector.
But critics say the money, drawn from a $1.1 billion fine against tobacco companies for condoning smuggling in the 1990s, was never approved by cabinet before the election was called.
“That was just a commitment,” Hoskins said. “The money has never materialized and as far as I know has never been approved by treasury board. I’ve had tobacco farmers tell me they feel she is holding them hostage, insisting they help re-elect a Conservative government if they want their money.”
Don McCabe, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, says government promises are only as good as their follow-through.
“Farmers are very pragmatic folks and when you say you will do something, they will judge you when it is done,” he said. “They will say you have delivered when they cash the cheque.”
Finley insists it is a done deal. Ottawa has its 60 percent of the buyout ready to be paid before year end and now it is up to the Ontario Liberal government to provide its 40 percent share.
Ontario says it never agreed to the deal and was only given a half hour’s notice that the federal government would move unilaterally July 31.
Finley said the Conservative government did what it promised.
“All the approvals are in place, the money is there and it is just a question of working out the delivery details with the (tobacco marketing) board,” she said Sept. 10. “That is another promise kept. Our payment is not contingent on Ontario contributing but of course, we are calling on them to do their part to help the industry.”
She said the Conservative record on investing in the sector, reforming the safety net system and defending supply management in world trade talks means the government has kept the promises it made to farmers. In 2006, she won almost 50 percent of the vote and clinched victory by more than 7,500 votes.
While some tobacco sector players question how solid the Conservative commitment is if the government is not re-elected, Buford, Ont., tobacco grower Stan Symons said last week he believes the federal government has done its part to make the commitment.
