Candidate profiles - Huron-Bruce

2008 Federal Election
Candidate profiles
Huron-Bruce

Dave Joslin
Christian Heritage
Brussels
519-887-9337
joslin@wightman.ca

Age: 54
Hometown: Burlington
Status: Married

College: Georgian College, Owen Sound
Concentration: Welder
High School: M.M. Robinson, Gr.12

Employer: Cleaver-Brooks
City/Town: Stratford
Position: Fitter-Welder

Activities: hiking, biking
Interests: philosophy, theology, political theory
Favorite Music: variety
Favorite TV Show: don’t watch TV
Favorite Movie: We Were Soldiers
Favorite Book: The Lord of the Rings
Favorite Quotation or Motto: Contra Mundum

About Me: Kathy and I have been married for 32 years. We have four children and have lived in Grey Twp. for twenty years.
Dave Joslin did not respond to the five questions posed by the Grand Bend Strip.

---

Greg McClinchey
Liberal
Exeter
519-297-2047
mcclincheycampaign@rogers.com
www.gregmcclinchey.ca
 
Birthday: April 3
Hometown: Clinton
Status: Married with two children
 
College/University: Fanshawe and Carleton University
Concentration: Alternative Dispute Resolution
 High School: CHSS in Clinton
 
Employer: Paul Steckle, MP
City/Town: Goderich and Ottawa
Position: Executive Assistant
 
About Me: I was born in Clinton and I am a seventh-generation resident of Huron County. While I was raised on a small farm in Hullett Township, I currently live in Blyth with my wife Julie and our two children (two years old & three weeks old). I am an active and contributing member of my community through my involvement in the Blyth Business Association, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and as a Councillor on the North Huron Municipal Council. In addition, I volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society, the MS Society of Canada and with the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Professionally speaking, I am trained in mediation and alternative dispute resolution and I have 15 years of on-the-job apprenticeship experience working on federal government issues both in Ottawa and locally. Most recently, I published a book and I continue to help manage a home-based business my wife and I successfully operate together.
For many years I have worked to help make Huron-Bruce a better place. Whether via my involvement in the community, church or with local youth groups, I have tried to demonstrate my commitment and belief in the philosophy of neighbour helping neighbour. With that in mind, on election day, I would ask for your support.

---

Tony McQuail
New Democrat
Clinton
519-482-1428, 1-866-743-7479
info@tonymcquail.ca
www.tonymcquail.ca and www.ndp.ca/platform

Age: 56
Hometown: Farm outside Lucknow
Status: Married to Fran

Education: University of Waterloo
Concentration: Honours Environmental Studies
High School: Goderich District Collegiate Institute

Employer: Self - Meeting Place Organic Farm
City/Town: Lucknow
Position: Farmer

Activities: Farming and farm organizations, With Fran, I lead couples enrichment workshops and teach holistic management courses.

Interests: renewable energy, hiking, canoeing, holistic management, woodworking, rotational grazing, workhorses.

Favorite Music: old rock and roll
Favorite Book: Small is Beautiful - Economics as If people mattered
Favorite Quotation or Motto: Live every day as if it were your last but in a way that will not negate the future.

About Me: I’m the husband of Fran and we are the parents of two grown daughters. We are members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). We have been farming near Lucknow for 35 years. We have revitalized an uninhabited hilly farm into Meeting Place Organic Farm and have built up a small meat retail business. We have been active in farm and community organizations. We helped start and build the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario. I am a past president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture and am currently president of Local 10 of the Ontario National Farmers Union. I was elected to three terms as a trustee on the Huron County Board of Education. I served as Elmer Buchanan’s executive assistant when he was Minister of Agriculture and worked with the farm community to develop what became the Environmental Farm Plan program and stable funding for farm organizations. We have worked to make our own farm environmentally friendly and sustainable.

---

Dennis Valenta
Independent
Clinton
519-482-5043
dennis@dadlovesyoutoo.com
www.dadlovesyoutoo.com

Birthday: Feb. 18, 1962
Hometown: Clinton
Status: Divorced
 
Education: Finished grade 10
Concentration: Working hard
 
Employer: Little Rock Farm Trucking
Town: Walkerton
Position: Truck-driver
 
Interests: camping, motorcycles (a Harley),watching/learning from people, driving thru countryside, watching thunderstorms from dry place
 
Favourite Music: classic rock, some country
Favourite TV show: don’t have favorite T.V show
Favourite Movie: Enjoy most movies that are based on true stories
Favourite Book: Been awhile since I had time to read a good book other than the Bible
Favorite Quotation or Motto: “Early bird gets the worm” still haven’t figured what I would do with it when I do get it; or “When dealt lemons, make lemonade.”
 
About Me: As Independent, I will be free of party, to work for the constituent. And that folks is how democracy works. Thank you.
Dennis Valenta, your independent choice.

---

Ben Lobb
Conservative
Holmesville
1-877-524-6560
ben@benlobb.com
www.benlobb.com

Birthday: September 10, 1076
Hometown: Clinton
Status: Married

College/University: Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee
Concentration: Business Administration
High School: Central Huron Secondary School

Employer: Desire2Learn Inc.
City/Town: Kitchener
Position: Purchasing Manager / Cost Analyst

Activities: golf, baseball, mountain biking
Interests: investing, politics, fitness
Favorite Music: rock
Favorite TV Show: Saturday Night Live
Favorite Movie: The Usual Suspects
Favorite Book: Warren Buffet Portfolio
Favorite Quotation or Motto: Carpe Diem “Seize the day”

About Me: I was born and raised in Clinton, Ontario and currently reside in Holmesville. The Lobb family is a seven-generation Huron County family. I attended Lee University in Cleveland Tennessee on a baseball scholarship and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. I worked at Wescast Industries for seven years and currently work for a software company called Desire2Learn as the Purchasing Manager and Cost Analyst. I also still help with our family auction business Lobb Auction as an auctioneer on the weekends. I enjoy playing golf and outdoor activities.

---

Glen Smith
Green
Did not return our questionnaire

Federal election questions: Huron-Bruce

The Strip asked all of the candidates five questions related to federal issues in our ridings.
The Green Party did not return our questionnaire by press time, and the Christian Heritage Party’s Dave Joslin did not respond to these questions.

Huron-Bruce

What is the most pressing issue facing your riding, and what do you plan to do about it if elected?
Greg McClinchey: There is no such thing as one issue that is most important in an election. Elections are never about any one issue. Elections are about Canadians selecting the people who will help guide our nation’s path in the years ahead. Anyone who would try to tell you that elections can be distilled down to a single issue are trying to sell you an overly simplified version of their marketing plan. Elections are a time when citizens should engage in the process, talk to neighbours and discuss issues with those seeking office. Citizens should make their candidates talk about the issues that are discussed in the milk house, around kitchen tables and at coffee shops. It is not for political parties to tell local citizens what an election is going to be about - the flow of information should be running from the constituency to Ottawa and not the other way around.
Tony McQuail: When I first ran federally in 1980 we said we should be using the windfall profits of the oil companies and invest them in energy conservation and renewable energy. We didn’t do it then and we are now heading into a perfect ecological and economic storm composed of three interconnected components - peak oil, climate change and environmental collapse. These are real problems that are shaking the underpinnings of our global casino financial economy. So the biggest challenge facing Huron-Bruce and the rest of the world is to make the transition from the global casino economy to an ecologically sustainable economy that uses our local resources to shift away from oil, reduce our contribution to climate change and manage our natural resources in an ecologically sustainable fashion so that we have secure local livelihoods. During this election I have been “test driving” a rural ride share concept that could let us halve our gas use and transportation costs now with our existing vehicles. If elected I would work with our community to develop local solutions and then work in Ottawa to get pilot project funding and support for local initiatives. I would also support the New Democrats plan to cap carbon emissions, make large polluters pay, and use that money to help communities develop green technologies and green collar jobs. Developing a local economy that will offer secure jobs in a sustainable community can be the result of developing a green economy.
Dennis Valenta: LACK OF REPRESENTATION would be the most pressing issue in this (or any) Riding (except where there is an Independent already) as we are not tied to the party and free to work for the very people whom not only elect MPs but pay their wages.
Ben Lobb: I believe that the most pressing issue facing our riding is the economy. If elected, I believe we need to continue to keep taxes low, keep our budget balance and keep paying down our national debt. I would also fight to keep industry and manufacturing jobs in the riding. Just a few days ago the Volvo plant in Goderich announced that it would be closing doors and heading south of the border. This will leave many people without jobs. We need to invest in retraining these individuals so they can develop new skills to re-enter the workforce.

What is the biggest environmental issue facing your riding and what will you do to address it?
Greg McClinchey: Greenhouse gas reduction is important but so is the long-term health of the Great Lakes. So often we fail to address the dire need for a national water policy. I am proud that the Liberal Party has identified Great Lakes health as a priority and I eagerly look forward to working to help make certain that the Lakes get the attention that they deserve.
Tony McQuail: Climate change will affect agriculture, tourism and the global economy. The New Democrats cap and trade plan would limit carbon emissions from Canada’s largest polluters and invest in renewable and green technologies to assist the families around the kitchen table to save money and reduce their carbon emissions. For more details see:
www.ndp.ca/platform/environment/
Dennis Valenta: Two things come to mind about the environment: garbage and Bruce Power/heavy water/lake. No I’m not going to promise to get rid of either. I do think federal government should always be watching, not hindering but enforcing regulations to keep our source of power safe for those that produce and use it.
I think we should be looking at incineration, as a practical way of getting rid of our garbage.
Ben Lobb: This riding borders one of the Great Lakes; I believe protecting this freshwater reserve is a concern for many residents in Huron-Bruce. The Conservative government is investing $48 million dollars to clean up eight areas of concern on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. We will continue to work with our neighbors to the south to protect this natural resource. We have also restated our commitment that Conservatives are strictly opposed to the export of bulk water.
I also believe Canada, along with the rest of the world, needs to tackle climate change. That is why we have introduced tough mandatory targets for industry right here at home. Canada will also play an active role in negotiations to develop a new international agreement on climate change with contributions from all major emitters, including the United States, China and India. We should be seeking to ensure that global emissions are cut at least in half by 2050.

Do you believe your riding needs federal infrastructure funding, and if so, what will you do to bring it here?
Greg McClinchey: I am a local councillor so I struggle with this question each and every day. The answer is unreservedly YES! Infrastructure renewal is one of the most pressing issues we face today. In some communities, such as Hensall, Crediton and Belgrave, people are being forced to pay thousands of dollars from their own pocket just to have fresh water to drink. This reality is bankrupting business and it is forcing people from their homes. This is unacceptable. If the Harper government would stop making foolish choices like cutting the GST (something which offered little help to the average Canadian), perhaps we would have the fiscal capacity to help people update their infrastructure without forcing hard-working Canadians to leave their homes. Infrastructure must be a national priority and must not be shuffled off to the municipalities or to private homeowners.
Tony McQuail: Yes, and also federal funding to support the retooling of existing manufacturing in the riding so that we can produce the emerging green technologies and parts for the small and low- and no-emission cars that we are proposing in our green car strategy. I would work with local municipalities and industries to identify needs and opportunities. I would represent these to Ottawa and seek to find the appropriate programs and departments from which to obtain support.
Dennis Valenta: Yes. Let’s remember, any money that Federal Government has IS OUR MONEY!!! The taxpayer has earned the right to spend their money as they see fit, and I will voice that opinion until we in Huron-Bruce get our fair share. That would be total amount of cash, divided by total number of ridings equals amount per riding
Ben Lobb: I believe that infrastructure is an ongoing issue. Last year the Conservative government implemented the Building Canada Plan. This plan is a $33-billion, seven-year plan to contribute to a competitive economy, a cleaner environment and strong and prosperous communities. Last year alone, the Conservative Government invested money in wastewater treatment and water systems in four municipalities in Huron-Bruce. If elected I will fight to bring more money to this riding to provide cleaner drinking water, safer highways and expanded public transit. This will mean new projects, construction and jobs for the riding of Huron Bruce.

What will you do to stimulate the economy in your riding?
Greg McClinchey: The current infrastructure deficit in Canada is about $123 billion. Imagine the economic boom that would take place if the federal government was serious about dealing with crumbling water systems, roads, sewers, etc. Mr. Harper’s cutting of the GST by two per cent cost the federal government about $12-billion per year. Had we put that money towards infrastructure it would have completely renewed our national infrastructure in 10 years and it would have touched off the largest national construction effort in our history. It would have employed hundreds of thousands of people for a decade. Innovate out-of-the-box thinking like this is what our country needs. Not shortsighted policies designed to buy votes.
Tony McQuail: In the post=petroleum economy, we need to stop thinking of “stimulate” and “growth”. These have been the watchwords of the speculative bubble economies of Wall Street and Bay Street. The economic assumptions underpinning these words were made possible by a century spent squandering the planet’s oil reserves that had taken millions of years to accumulate. Wall Street and Bay Street have “stimulated” themselves to economic collapse and “grown” the economy to the point of cannibalizing nature. If we are going to have a future we can be proud to pass on to our children, we need to think about how to stabilize our local economy so that it is durable and frugal and meets the needs of the families around the kitchen tables across Huron-Bruce for now and into the future. I’ve spent the past 35 years of my life helping farmers shift to more ecological forms of farming that offer them greater stability and control of their lives. I’ve also been studying ecological economics and holistic management and would work with the people of Huron-Bruce to do serious sustainability planning. The New Democrats platform includes provisions for improvements to EI and transitional funding to help individuals and communities shift from old employment and technologies into the green collar jobs in the emerging economy.
Dennis Valenta: Bring community college to riding, which helps keep youth in riding. Have schools teach farming/manufacturing/tourism, whatever. Eliminate government red tape so industry can prosper. Look at building better four-lane highway to connect us to major centres.
Ben Lobb: I believe that we need to keep our spending focused, our budget balanced and our taxes down to protect the living standards of Canadian families at a time of global economic uncertainty. We need to keep industry in the riding, attract new industry and invest in retraining initiatives so those that have lost their jobs can develop new skills to re-enter the workforce and hopefully into a higher paying job. To help attract new industry, the Conservative government has committed to reducing corporate taxes and by 2012 Canada will have the lowest corporate tax rate among the G7 nations.

Tourism is an important industry in our readership area. Do you believe the federal government should fund arts and culture projects, and if so, what kind?
Greg McClinchey: The Harper Government recently announced dramatic cuts to arts and culture funding and I feel that this is a tremendously shortsighted policy. Tourism is essential to the survival of places like Grand Bend and Blyth and cutting culture is cutting tourist attractions. Also, tourism is a major industry in Canada - worth billions of dollars. Cutting the arts is yet another serious blow to Ontario’s economy; an attack that we could have done without. The Liberal Party is opposed to any such cuts and would reverse the move without hesitation. Tourism needs to be bolstered - not slashed.
Tony McQuail: Yes. We would restore the arts funding arbitrarily cut by the Harper Conservatives. Increase public funding for the Canada Council for the Arts. We believe in supporting local theatre and festivals and community arts programs. We would also develop a strategy for funding, supporting and preserving Canadian museums, historic buildings and heritage lighthouses.
Dennis Valenta: Yes I do. Only the ones that would draw people to spend their money to see! Government should be run like a business, not in competition with, but like, and it will thrive.
Ben Lobb: I think we should engage Canadians in their communities through the expression and celebration of local culture. The economic impacts of tourism in this riding are important to a strong economy. The Conservative government provides $2.3 billion annually to arts and culture and has increased the funding by eight per cent over the previous Liberal government. The Conservatives have committed $100 million to our national museums and national art centers to address operating and infrastructure pressures. Just recently, the Conservatives awarded almost $100,000 for Southampton’s 150th anniversary celebration, which included performances by local artists and musicians.

Exeter Children’s Festival

Children’s Festival
Saturday July 26
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Main Street Exeter
Presented by Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Huron

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Yard Sale
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Pie Sale – Community Living South Huron
10 a.m.
Come visit the White Squirrel
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Activities and Crafts – bubble pool, boat pond, princess tiaras, airplanes, colouring pages, paper masks and more.
11 a.m. - Barbecue – hot dogs, hamburgers and cold drinks.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Scribbles the Clown
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Drum circle

All children will be given a passport allowing them to participate in each activity station. Additional tickets can be purchased for 25¢ each. All proceeds from the event go to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Huron. Volunteers wanted, call: 226-268-3871 or email cw@shbbbs.on.ca

All good things come to an end

The inevitable day has arrived.
I had hoped I would be able to continue to provide the Grand Bend Strip newspaper for free indefinitely, but after thinking long and hard this spring, I realize that the only way for the paper to publish this winter is to ask for your support.
Like you, I value the ability to learn more about the people who live and work in this community. I love meeting you and capturing your memories for the paper. This is what I feel I can bring to this community, and I want to stay here.
I also feel it’s important to bring to light some of the problems that exist here, and the challenges we face in this community. I’m willing to put the work into creating quality journalism here, but I can’t do it alone.
The Strip will continue to be free until the end of the summer, which on most people’s calendar is the Thanksgiving weekend. After that, it will be available only to Strip Club VIP members. Even the website will be restricted to VIPs. I have yet to decide whether the exclusivity will continue next summer.
I promise to make membership worthwhile, and hope you will contribute to surveys to improve the paper, and take advantage of special offers from our advertising clients.
For more information about club membership, please see our subscription page.

June 25 Letters to the Editor

Dear Casey,
I just wanted to let you know how very well received your (wheelchair accessibility) article was, by your readers and by many merchants. I know it can be a gamble when dealing with businesses and I admit it was not always comfortable for me, but it truly has turned out to be such a worthwhile project.  Scott and I have had so many calls, beautiful letters, and well wishing comments that we were overwhelmed; I have never known such heartfelt concern and support. As we discussed, there have been some incredible hurts and frustrations with people who could not handle the changes in our life. Well, this has done so much to restore my faith in human kindness. Some of the businesses immediately made changes as a result of your article and became very proactive in their attitude.
You are a very kind and generous man yourself and this series of articles demonstrates your commitment to bettering life for all citizens. I hope you feel proud and not too humble that you won’t print this. To all the people who approached Scott and me, wrote and sent cards, I thank you so much as it is just this sort of thing that empowers us to advocate for better services for all persons requiring chronic or long term care. We have a long way to go in getting drug coverage, but the financial services firm of Campbell and Lehman have been very kindly working on a trust fund for myself and others in my position to help with costs until one of either the Ontario Ministry of Health or Hoffman-LaRoche steps up to the plate and does the right thing. It is not my wish to be in the public eye for the reasons that I have been, but if this is what it takes to make improvements for myself and others, then so be it. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Denise Halpenny
Exeter

To the Editor:
I appreciate your recent efforts to grade accessibility in the area. I have arthritis in both knees and use a cane constantly. Entry to buildings, washroom facilities etc. are things I struggle with on a daily basis.
I was surprised to read that Gar’s (Bar) in Exeter got an average rating. I guess it was fair by your scoring system. However, what distressed me was your mention of the cleaning equipment in the handicap washroom. This is because I was at that facility this past February for lunch and when I went to use the handicap washroom there was a bucket and mops and no room for me. I had to use the regular washroom and – because the toilet was abnormally low – I had to grasp under the door to pull myself up; otherwise, I would still be there. Thank goodness the door held and I was again upright.
I asked to speak to the manager who was “not in today.” So I spoke to the person at hand and asked her to accompany me to the handicap washroom to show her why I was upset. She then explained that the equipment was in there because if she stored it downstairs, she would have to carry it up to clean. Because I didn’t agree this was a good reason to block handicap usage, I then demanded some compensation for my troubles. Am I wrong in assuming there is a law about having a handicap washroom available in public areas?
My compensation ended up being a free lunch. But as my friend expressed to the woman why I was so upset, she responded, “She’s not handicapped!!” I guess more education is needed here. You don’t have to be in a wheelchair to be handicapped! So I was happy to see you mention that in your recent editorial. Thank you for doing this.
There are other problems that people are often not aware of. The number of marked parking spaces is never enough and when I mention this at the municipality I am told the code requires one space for every thirty regular spaces. Is there a law that says you can’t include more than the building code stipulates? Duh! I would think the number of handicapped persons is only going to increase this decade.
Another seldom-confronted situation is the installation of handrails on stairs. Some are on the left and some are on the right. Some people have trouble going up, I have trouble going down and need a rail in my left hand. Why not have rails on both sides?
As Lisa Grady mentioned in her article, people want to do it themselves and maintain their dignity and independence. So let’s help them do that!
Thanks for listening Casey. You are doing a good thing. My next topic will probably be the development of a scent-free environment. Do I have any support on that issue?
Wilma Harris
Port Franks

From the editor: Wilma, thanks for your observations. It must be frustrating when a business has the infrastructure in place, but does not make it available to the customers for which it is designed. Our standard required that someone using a wheelchair can get in the door from the street and get around. If a person could use the washroom, reach the counters and sit at a table, those counted, too. I called Gar’s, and the owner is on vacation, but I was told the cleaning equipment still restricts use of the washroom. It’s a shame because this is a simple change (like other changes that could be made there and elsewhere) that could have helped it earn a higher rating. I was told Gar would likely reflect on this upon his return. Ultimately, business owners need to make accessibility a priority because, as you suggest, more people require such services each year.
Regarding the legal question, I do not believe restaurant washrooms are covered under the law yet, so if you would like to complain, your best avenue would be the Ontario Human Rights Commission. They, however, recommend you address your concerns with the business first.
And regarding the scent-free environment question, that’s certainly a good fight to wage.

I was pleased to see your newspaper in my mailbox; very interesting. I live in Parkhill and do a lot of my shopping in Grand Bend and area. I am very disappointed in the law enforcement that they don’t take care of the ongoing problem with wheelchair parking spaces. I find myself being mad most every time I have to park my truck when I see countless people (parking in these spaces) with no problem walking to the store. You people should be glad you can walk; STOP parking in the wheelchair space. I would stand out in the rain all day just to give out tickets to people who take the wheelchair parking spaces.
For the businesses that make excuses about why they don’t have wheelchair spaces or ramps, you should be ashamed of yourselves. It seems to me that everything has to be about the money. Why does it seem that bad things have to happen to someone before they make changes in their life? We want to make changes in our community but we only want to go halfway. The people in wheelchairs have a right to shop anywhere they want, so why are they being left out?
Patti Wilton
Parkhill

How pleasant a surprise it was to see how well Grace Hodgins was doing after her surgery on Friday, June 13. Grace had to get a pacemaker and I was so worried for her, but like the trouper she is, she rallied once again and is expected to be home shortly. Lots of love and encouragement in your quest for better health. Love and good luck. You go girl!
Joan McCullough
Shipka

Sexsmith pilots offer kids chance to fly

Exeter resident Ron Helm flies out of Sexsmith airfield, northwest of Exeter on McDonald Road, just east of Airport Line. The pilots based at Sexsmith will offer free flights to children aged 8 to 17 the morning of June 28 (NOTE: weather delayed until September 13, 2008); pre-registration is recommended by calling Wayne Steeper at 519-235-2441.

As told to Casey Lessard

I grew up during the war in Yorkshire, England, and there was a Canadian bomber base airfield nearby. They used to fly convert Halifax and Lancasters. There were Spitfires and all kinds of other things there, too.
Also in that little town was an aircraft factory that made gliders, and occasionally they had openings for apprentices in the engineering office. I was lucky enough to get one, which was great. The company sponsored me to learn to fly gliders; it cost us a quarter a launch in those days.
I flew from the Yorkshire Gliding Club a little bit, and I used to go on test flights because I was the engineer.
Then I worked for Blackburn, and was a member of the Royal Observer Corps, which is a part-time affiliation with the RAF, so I used to scrounge rides occasionally with those guys.
I came over from the UK in 1967 to work for Canadair – which is now Bombardier – in their engineering department. I worked on vertical takeoff airplanes. They got into difficulties so I came down here from Montreal in 1971. Bell Aerospace was just opening up their plant in Grand Bend, and I used to fly hovercraft for them. I was director of product support and engineering. I was there 16 years before they collapsed, and Sexsmith became part of my life.
I came on the Sexsmith airfield in 1971. I was just interested in airplanes at the time and eventually bought an airplane, which was the Taylorcraft BC-12D (seen in the photo). It’s a 65 horsepower Continental engine, it cruises about 95 miles an hour, and it’s got a rather big wingspan of 36’ because in those days there wasn’t a lot of horsepower and they made up for it by making it light wing loaded. If you go flying in my airplane, you feel the bumps. If you get a strong headwind, your ground speed can be pretty slow sometimes.
You have to hand crank it to start it – it doesn’t have any electrics. It has a radio, but I run that off a motorcycle battery. It’s fairly inexpensive to run: it burns about four gallons of fuel per hour. If you get up to 115 horsepower engines (like Mike Ash’s on opposite page), you’re looking at about six to eight gallons per hour.

Life at Sexsmith
The airfield belonged to a farmer called Leonard Greb. He was a bachelor all his life, and he had a Vagabond airplane that he flew with a great deal of panache. Very opinionated and he would cause an argument just for the heck of doing it. But it was all part of the atmosphere here.
We all had light airplanes like mine and Piper J3s. We used to just enjoy flying around. We’d go off on an evening or breakfast flying on the weekends, maybe to Goderich or Hanover where they had good restaurants. Or we’d go to other guys’ fields where there would always be coffee and donuts to be had. We had a great time.
We used to fly in the winter a lot at that time, too. Most of us had skis so we could go flying in the winter. That was a lot of fun because you could land anywhere.
Ron Riley taught me to fly at Grand Bend. Ron is a bush pilot. Bush pilots need different kinds of skills than airline pilots. Ron had lots of skills that he would teach you that weren’t in the curriculum, like how to get down on a field in difficult circumstances, engine failures, and things like that. Ron was absolutely first class because he had all the real life experience. Everything we did was with a map, a scale rule and a stopwatch. No GPS, and no radios. When you came out of his school, you were a pretty confident pilot. If you weren’t allowed to go solo, you can rest assured you weren’t ready.

A permanent home
Eventually Leonard died. He would spend a lot of time in Florida and we would take care of the field. He left the farm to his brother Wesley, who used to like to spend the summers here. He couldn’t handle the farming, and he said, if you want the airfield, you’d better buy the farm. I’ll make you a deal.
We thought, where are we going to get the money to buy a farm? It’s a lot of money. So we all got together in 2000 and 24 of us decided that we’d put up enough money to buy the farm, and that’s exactly what we did. That was when Sexsmith Pilots Limited was born.
Then people started buying better airplanes. They’re mostly all Cessnas and Pipers now. The biggest airplane on the field is a Saratoga, owned by Gib Dow, who owns the Ironwood Golf Club.
Originally if you wanted to fly, you had to have either a private or commercial pilot’s license. Now they have two more categories: a recreational pilot’s license, which is not as onerous as a private license and costs about half the price; and then there is the microlight pilot’s license.
Beyond the license, you get endorsements for higher performance airplanes, like the one young Gib flies because it flies significantly different from mine. You can get instrument, night flying rating, and then you can go for commercial. I just like recreational flying; that’s what I’m interested in.
It’s nice here; it’s quiet. The company’s always good. It creates nice friendships. They’re just a good group of people. They come from all walks of life and meld into a happy family. Everyone pitches in to keep the airfield the way it is.

The next generation
Young Eagles was started by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They realized that we have to get young people interested in aviation; most people won’t make the effort because they just see big dollar signs to get in. But if you can give a kid a ride and it doesn’t cost anything, you might just generate some interest. That’s how the Young Eagles program started. They take a half-hour ride, and get a certificate that the pilot signs and their name goes on an international register.
The other way to get kids interested is through the air cadet corps. They start with gliders and there are limited scholarships to get into power flying. Other than that, you have to dig into your pocket to go to flight school. That, of course, is a big problem because it costs a lot of money. You’re lucky to get a private license for $7,000.

We would love to get other people on the field. The problem is we’re getting older. Once you lose something like this, you can never recreate it. The problem is, kids don’t have the money to fly anymore. I don’t know whether us old guys are the last of a breed or not.

Pilot can’t wait to take friends for flight

Mike Ash of Grand Bend has spent the last 14 years building his plane, which he completed this spring. Soon, he will be allowed to take passengers, but he will not be ready to offer flights for the Young Eagles day. His first – and most frequent - passenger will likely be his wife Kathy, who has waited a long time for a flight.
“It’s exciting when he starts that motor,” Kathy says. “It’s a huge accomplishment. I know Mike feels it’s a big deal, too. He takes it in stride and doesn’t make a big thing of it, but a lot of people have complimented him about the quality of workmanship. He’s such a perfectionist, which is good when you’re building a plane you’re going to be flying around in.”

As told to Casey Lessard

I can’t even remember what triggered my interest in flying. I started taking flying lessons when I was in my late teens. It’s just something that I always wanted to do and was always interested in.
I got my private license and later got my commercial license. A private license allows you to fly, but not for hire. You can fly whatever aircraft you’re licensed for and you can go anywhere you want, but you can’t make money doing it, where with a commercial license you can do that. Then there’s the airline transport rating, which is what the people who fly scheduled airlines have.
I got my helicopter rating and flew helicopters for about three years for a company in King City. I flew various contracts for them, working on forest fires, water-bucketing, moving equipment for drill crews, or just moving survey crews and telecommunications crews around in the North. I have also done rides on fairs and crop pollination. Just a mixed bag.
In the last several years I haven’t been flying much because of the building process. I’m now getting into the flying aspect and I’m really enjoying it, of course.
My plane is a Murphy Rebel. Murphy is based in Chilliwack, BC, and they make several kits, the Rebel being one of them. I did a search for the kind of plane I wanted to build and read a book or two on home builds. I committed to buying the kit before getting a ride in one, which is not so brilliant, but it seems to have worked out well.
I got the kit in November of 1993, and I finished it in the fall of 2007. That sounds like a lot of time, but there’s about 4500 hours invested in it, and there were a couple of years when I didn’t do much on it. I got a little burned out and needed a break. But I got back at it and finished it off.

Taking flight
I think every time I go there’s a tad of apprehension to starting a new little trip. And then, as soon as you’re off the ground, you relax and enjoy the scenery and the day. Landing is the hardest part, especially with a tail-wheel airplane. They’re somewhat skittish when you’re landing. The airplane’s centre of mass is behind the main wheels, so it wants to spin the aircraft around. It takes some footwork to keep it straight on the runway.
There’s a real sense of independence and freedom (to flying); a sense of being in control of your own destiny. Now for me, it’s also the sense of being able to fly an airplane I’ve built.
The cost of fuel is certainly a consideration. People who fly airplanes are not necessarily that much more wealthy than anyone else; they’ve just made flying a priority. They’re going to find the money to buy the gas and maintain the airplane.

Benefits of Sexsmith
This facility is one thing that helps keep costs down. It’s run by volunteers, and it’s economical, and that helps people keep flying. The first time I saw Sexsmith, I was attracted to it. This looked like a good place to house my aircraft. I talked to Ron Helm and found out there was a hangar available and I made arrangements to rent it. It’s such a good spot and there’s a great group of people here willing to help out. It’s also a great location: we have people experts in Huron Park and Fullarton available to help.
Aviation is certainly something that spurs a lot of people’s interest. They’re much better getting a first hand experience and the Young Eagles day is a great chance to do that.
I’m really looking forward when Kathy and I can make some trips. We would like to visit Kathy’s family in Ottawa, and I have cousins in Owen Sound and Windsor, so we’ll be doing trips like that. My goal is to fly to the east coast and the west coast, but I’ve got to work up to that. The number of people on our need-a-ride list is pretty large after 14 years.

The pressure is on for youth businesses

Summer Company gives Huron teens kick start

Story and photo by Casey Lessard

It’s not easy getting a small business off the ground – and keeping it going – but Huron County youth are getting a hand with the Summer Company program. The entrepreneurship program run by the Huron Business Enterprise Centre and funded by the Ontario government’s Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship gives a $1,500 grant for startup expenses for youth aged 15-29, and another $1,500 upon completion of the program.
Exeter resident Dave Geoffrey, 18, is finishing high school this month, and decided to apply for the program after a representative of the small business centre visited South Huron District High School.
“It kind of stuck in my head,” he says, noting he made a business plan after the visit. “I’ve been doing pressure washing for a couple of years now on the side. I had some experience with my dad’s construction company and thought I’d go solo.”
His business South Huron Pressure Washing offers pressure washing services for homes, decks, driveways, fences, storefronts and industrial spaces, etc. His first job was last month, and he has done three jobs since. He currently has eight jobs on his schedule.
“You make your own hours,” he says of the benefits of working for himself. “I can work as much as I want to and go out with my friends when I want.
“A lot of kids take on low-end jobs, so it’s different to have a high-end job where you’re running your own business like an adult.
The business part is where he leans on the help of the business centre.
“Maintaining a budget, making sure my financial stuff is in place. It’s kind of like doing homework for school. It’s a bit challenging, but it’s fun.”
Plus, the government funding helps.
“I got a lot of stuff paid for through this program. And they’re always there to help you if you need it.”
To learn more about Summer Company, visit www.smallbusinesshuron.ca.
Exeter teen Brad Keys also received funding from the program. To learn more about his 3D video games, visit www.retralevolution.com.
South Huron Pressure Washing owner Dave Geoffrey can be contacted at 519-235-0558.

Huron County libraries offer game nights for youth

The Huron County Library is adding teen game nights and drop-in gaming to its year-round program offerings starting in July. Ten of the county’s 12 branches will host monthly gaming events for youth aged 12 to 18.
Each event will feature a big screen Nintendo Wii tournament with such games as Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Super Smash Brothers and Dance Dance Revolution, as well as a variety of video, card and board games available for use. Prizes and snacks will be provided at each event and all of this comes at no cost to the patrons.
During the summer, most of these events run from 6 to 8 p.m., but some libraries will switch to 4 to 6 p.m. in the fall to accommodate students coming directly from school.
For more information those interested should check with their local librarian or visit the “Video Games at the Huron County Library” Facebook group where all relevant dates and details are available and updated regularly.
This month’s dates:
Monday July 7th - Goderich (6-8pm)
Tuesday July 8th - Zurich (6-8pm)
Monday July 14th - Clinton (6-8pm)
Tuesday July 22 - Hensall (6-8pm)
Thursday July 31st – Exeter (6-8pm)
In addition, all 12 branches have board and card games on their shelves for use in the library; families or groups of friends can use them whenever the library is open.

“Did I think for one minute that this would be me? Never.”

Scott and Denise Halpenny met in 1978 and started dating soon after. 
“She was a bright and fun girl – she still is,” Scott says, “and that’s why I was attracted to her.”
Denise Halpenny, a former laboratory technician at South Huron Hospital, has had multiple sclerosis for 21 years, but the last four years have been the worst. The disease has taken away her mobility, and she is now struggling to preserve the last bastion of her independence: the ability to use her left arm.
“I feel like she’s been short-changed,” Scott, a physical education teacher at South Huron District High School, says. “I wish it could be different, but it can’t. If she loses her left side, then what does she do?
“It’s been tough adapting and realizing it’s probably not going to get any better. No one ever plans for this type of thing and you wonder why it’s happening and how you’re going to deal with it.”
The quick deterioration of Denise’s condition has forced the family to move to Grand Bend, where Paul Pittao of Medway Homes is building them a wheelchair accessible house.
“We just want to enjoy a certain quality of life and enjoy the time we have together, especially now that we’re going to be empty nesters. That’s why we’re building this house, so we can get rid of some of the barriers.”
“In a lot of ways, (MS) has made our relationship stronger,” Scott notes, “but we certainly deal with a lot of frustration, especially with the financial burden. We’ll continue to work together and try to enjoy the years we have together.”
 
As told to Casey Lessard

My first symptom was 21 years ago, when Kendra was a year old. It was September of 1986. I remember it distinctly. I was sitting in the car and Kendra was in the car seat behind us. I turned to look at her and had a sharp pain in my eye. I had no idea what it was about, and it persisted for a week or so. Every time I moved my eye, it was sore in the back of the socket. The eye doctor diagnosed it as optic neuritis, and they sent me to a neurologist because that’s a symptom of MS.
It took about three years until I had my second symptom, which was called L’hermittes Sign. You get an electrical shock in your legs when you drop your head. The only people who get it are people with MS, so they diagnosed me then, and that was June 1989.
I had a pretty uneventful first 10 years. Benign symptoms: sensory kinds of things, tingling, numbness, but no motor symptoms. For about five more years, it was the odd episode of weakness in my right side, and then the last four years have been what they call secondary progressive, where you get ongoing, increasing disability.
When the disease became quite aggressive, I had allergic reactions to the recommended treatments that are available for relapsing MS. There was nothing left for me to try, so I went online looking for research studies and came across a woman in Burlington who was part of a study in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was having incredible results; she had chronic progressive MS, had been in a wheelchair for years and was walking. I phoned her and said, What are you on? She told me it was Zenopax. We hit it off as friends, and she took my medical files to Utah the next time she went. The doctor down there, Dr. John Rose, phoned me and recommended that I try his study. That was it; I went down and got on the drug that I’m currently on. That was in December, 2001.
There were 12 people in the study, and I was the 12th. I asked him why he took me on, and he said he looked at my file and couldn’t believe my bad luck. He thought I would do well on it and that I deserved a chance to get healthy.
I tried the drug and did well. It was extremely expensive. I was not covered under any drug plans down there and because it was an off-label study, I had to pay for it myself. The Exeter community and my family rallied very hard and raised a tremendous amount of money. It was $2,000 American a month, plus my flights, hotels and meals. I went to Utah every 28 days for two years. I stabilized and actually increased my disability scores, and everybody was really happy and excited. But the study ended in 2004 and I wanted to stay on the drug, so I paid for it myself as best I could.
 
Financial burden
It became a huge burden financially, so after six or seven months, I decided to try going off it to see if I could stay healthy. I went off it for seven months and went from walking with a cane to needing a walker.
Scott and I decided that I had to go back on it, no matter what. We tried to handle the finances and did so for another year and a half, two years. But the debt load was getting huge and Dr. Rose and I decided maybe we would try one drug that was still available that I hadn’t tried up here. He thought it was a long shot that I would do well on it, but because of the finances, we went for it. Went off the Zenopax and decided to try Copaxone. You need to be off Zenopax for a month and a half before you can try a new drug, but within two and a half months of being on Copaxone, I had a huge allergic reaction and then a big MS episode. I went from the walker to the wheelchair.
At that point, you go back on the Zenopax. You can’t do anything else. I had to. Now, I can’t go off it.
Dr. Rose has tried to see if Roche will pay for the drug, but because I’m Canadian, it doesn’t fall under their jurisdiction; he’s still working on that. I had approached the drug company earlier and they wouldn’t help. They showed some interest in giving me some compassionate help, and then they stopped. They wouldn’t call back and dropped any interest whatsoever.
I started asking for help from the government and applied for a Section 8 (Ontario’s special coverage of a non-listed drug product mechanism). They turned me down. I had an interview with Health Minister George Smitherman. The drug is in phase two of research, and after phase three they apply for approval, so we’re about three years away from approval. You can get the drug here, but it’s not approved for MS.
Someone from the government called me and told me to appeal my Section 8, and I had to collect all these letters from my doctors saying this was the only drug I could take. They said I would get my 2006 and 2007 money back.
We heard nothing, heard nothing, heard nothing. Finally, my doctor here, Dr. Milne, phoned me and said it wasn’t approved for exactly the same reason as the first time: that the pharmaceutical company had never applied to have this drug approved for MS.
Then I got quite angry and the letters started going back and forth. Finally, someone else from the ministry phoned me and told me they should never have recommended I appeal it; I will never get approval as long as Roche has not applied. This was in March.
Now, an insurance company in London has set up a fund to help with the costs. The health ministry won’t help me and the drug company says I do not qualify for their compassionate subsidy. They don’t feel accountable at all, even though people volunteer to test the drug, and they’re going to make a lot of money. That’s pretty immoral.

Facing challenges
At 28, when you have one baby, a husband and a fabulous life and your future ahead of you, you don’t think anything lousy is going to happen.
Today, I have a pretty amazing life. I’m not complaining. We have three great kids and a pretty good lifestyle. I just didn’t think things would be this hard. I spent the last two years fighting for drugs to keep me healthy. I didn’t think I’d have to build a barrier free home and have no programs available to help me with some of those costs. I didn’t realize that when you get sick, there would be so little out there to help you with that.
We have an incredible group of friends – the ones that did stick by us – that have been there through thick and thin.
The hardest part of a disability isn’t the loss of the use of your limbs. That part has been probably the easiest. The hardest part is dealing with the change in people, and the change in the things you have to fight for to stay living normal and your kids well-adjusted. I don’t mind being in a wheelchair as much as I mind the way it affects my family.

A sense of loss
You grieve what you lost. It’s not that I think it’s my fault, but I think what it would be like for Scott if I didn’t have MS. His day should not have to revolve around me. Right now he does everything twice – once for me and once for him – and then worries about me all day long. I can’t even brush my own teeth right now. In the new house, the only thing Scott will have to do for me is put me in bed and get me out.
Before I had the allergic reaction to Copaxone, I was having difficulty walking up and down the stairs. Within three weeks, I was unable to do stairs at all. All of a sudden, my kids or my husband had to carry me to bed every night and downstairs in the morning. I can no longer get in or out of the house independently, go to the washroom independently, use the shower independently, and can’t use my kitchen or laundry room. I literally am carried down in the morning, put in this easy chair, and am carried up at night. That’s my entire independence lost within one month. That was a big adjustment.
I went from being an independent person who could drive, who did her own shopping and cooking, took care of her kids and worked, and all of a sudden, I was completely dependent.
My goal, when we move into our new house, is to not get in this chair in the morning. I’m going to stay in my power chair and do laundry and have coffee with a friend, get my own breakfast, and have my life back. What would really make it nice is if we didn’t have a huge financial fear every month with this $2,000 burden. If I have to go off this drug because we built this house, I don’t know if I’m going to be well enough to stay in the house. That’s the catch-22. Scott’s afraid to take the chance. We’re not sure what to do.

Next Page »