Our Lady of Mount Carmel church celebrates 150 years as a parish July 18 with a mass, music, games, and a barbecue chicken dinner. Anyone interested in attending the 5 p.m. dinner must buy their tickets before July 4, the caterer’s deadline for attendance numbers. You can do so by contacting Judy Steeper (519-294-6639), Fran Roelands (519-294-6710), or Cecile Muller (519-238-8536). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 10.
Free activities require no tickets, and include refreshments and cake after the 2 p.m. mass. Souvenir pens will be given to each family after the mass, and live Christian music, face painting, and old-fashioned games will include sack races, wheelbarrow races, three-legged races, bean bag toss, relay races, etc.

Cooks working for one of Canada’s top chefs are peeling potatoes grown in Corbett

Marcus Koenig, potato grower

As told to Casey Lessard
Photos by Casey Lessard

We had a mixed vegetable, dairy and cash crop farm in Switzerland, very small and very intensive. When we came here, we took over a potato operation that grew roughly 800 acres of potatoes conventionally. I had more and more trouble with chemicals, health-wise. In 2001, it was very bad and I could hardly work. Just by accident, I got a book about a different way to look at the soil from an organic, natural standpoint. That got me started on the organic thing. I needed an eye-opener to see there was another potential way to do it. I couldn’t keep spraying. For us, it was either sell the farm or go organic.
The University of Toronto needed a local (meaning Southwestern Ontario) supplier of potatoes. We are not a large acreage grower, but for an organic grower with 30 to 50 acres of potatoes, we are one of the larger ones. They needed someone who could give them a continuous supply of potatoes. They called me up, and I said they should go to Pfennings, and because they sell my potatoes. They said, “No, we’re not going to do that. When we pay a premium, we want that premium to end up in the producer’s hands. Otherwise, we’re not going to do it.”
I think that’s a very healthy way of thinking, and I was impressed, so we thought maybe we should supply them. They liked our products because we supply them with the varieties they need and we know how each variety behaves in the kitchen. We give them new stuff to try, and if they don’t like it, we don’t supply it. They get what they need and for us, it’s more work because we have to go to Toronto, but we are able to capture the wholesale premium, the delivery premium, and keep it for ourselves. On a long-term basis, we can justify it.
A Toronto farmers’ market focused on bigger volume producers approached us. Most farmers’ markets want people who will supply quarts of apples or quarts of potatoes, but they wanted people who could supply bushels and bigger volumes. I wasn’t really interested in doing it, but they kept asking us if we could come. At exactly the same time, a friend said he would have time to help us part-time on the farm, so we could justify trying it out. We started at the end of September, and we immediately got positive results from it.
The first day, chef Alex Johnston from Jamie Kennedy’s restaurants came and asked what we had. We told him we had potatoes, and he asked how we grow them. We told him we grow organically and use some biodynamic processes. So he took a 50lb. bag home.
The following week he came back to our truck. He’s a very quiet guy and doesn’t talk much. But he was very excited and said, “Hey, we had these potatoes, and these potatoes are awesome. We’re going to buy your potatoes.” We didn’t discuss price. He just said these were the potatoes they were going to buy. That’s it. No discussion.
They take quite a volume, so we gave them our volume discount and that was it. We have done business with them now since last September. I go to his restaurant every week for breakfast and coffee.
We now supply four restaurants in Toronto, including Jamie Kennedy’s chain; we supply all his potatoes. We supply Crush, Cava, and a new restaurant. They’re not all top-end restaurants, but good ones that want to use the potatoes mostly for fries. We have enough sales to justify driving to Toronto on a weekly basis.

A better way of life
I enjoy farming this way better. It’s more independent. In conventional farming, you rely so much on external input. You buy the fertilizer, you buy the chemicals, and the only thing you do is apply the stuff. You supply the land and they take your crop. I never really liked that system because it’s not truly independent. The farmer is the supplier of the soil, but someone else does the managing. It’s going more and more towards that.
Don’t misunderstand me: there are good conventional farmers. This way is more independent because you rely on your own knowledge and your own labour, and you produce your own inputs by composting and animal production. That’s what I enjoy about organic farming.
Also, you have a product that the market wants. I don’t have to go to market and ask, “What will you give me for that?” We are in a strong position: we produce for a market that appreciates our product, and we deal with customers that say, Thank you.
In conventional farming, your customer doesn’t really need you. For them, they are so big worldwide, that one farmer doesn’t make any difference. With organic, you deal with smaller companies that need you, but you also need them. It’s a much healthier relationship between the customer and the producer.
Local food will be way bigger than organic in the future. This is the real way to go. This is going to be the big thing and that will give anybody who produces good stuff on a local level a chance.
Energy has to go that way, too. We should be putting a wind turbine up and one guy can supply our neighbourhood with power from it. The guy who has 1000 pigs should put a manure digester up and produce electricity or natural gas for his neighbourhood. The economic situation now will drive more people to that.
Our so-called leaders talk about how important it is to keep up free trade, but that’s because they’re afraid free trade will collapse. That’s exactly what’s going to happen because it has no future. It gave us all these problems. Worldwide trade and all these products from China gave us the problems we have now. So the solution is to keep going the same way and expect different results? It doesn’t make sense.

Looking for a better future
We as suppliers are not taken very seriously by our suppliers and customers anymore. As a farmer, it is very nice to work with people who appreciate what you are doing. We are not going to get rich quick, but we can survive and increase our wealth slowly. I’m pretty sure I can provide a future for someone down the road.
Every person who lives on this Earth has a purpose, and some people are just born and naturally find their way to that purpose. Some people never find their purpose. I don’t know what my purpose is, but right now, what I could do to bring humanity forward is by supplying good quality food that makes you think straight. Good food, good thoughts; junk food, junk thoughts. It’s that simple.

Red Hand Day demands United Nations action

Story and photos by Casey Lessard

Our Lady of Mount Carmel students were caught red-handed February 5. They were painting their hands red and sending a handprint to the United Nations to put pressure on the international body to stop the use of child soldiers globally. The project is an initiative of Human Rights Watch, and Mount Carmel’s social justice club supports the move.
“We’re children and we can connect to the children who are fighting,” says Lauren Stewart, who formed the club with fellow student Jessica Lavery after seeing Free the Children founder Marc Kielburger speak. He told them that if they wanted to make a difference, they should start a social justice club. With 29 members, the club makes up almost 20 per cent of the school population.
“For these kids, putting a red hand means more than just finger painting. We are going to send these to the United Nations and hopefully it will make a difference.
“We want to see the decrease of child soldiers around the world.”
Principal Todd Chisholm is impressed with the students’ initiative.
“They make the decisions about their projects. It’s purely student-driven,” Chisholm says, noting such concern is nurtured in the classroom. “We talk about outreach and doing social justice for others. That’s already embedded in our classroom teaching, and at the school level, we have a philosophy about being a Community of Caring.”
Teacher Carrie Ducharme-Ivatts is the school’s Community in Caring leader. The project’s goal is to promote social justice and environmental awareness.
“You educate the whole person, and not just one aspect,” Ducharme-Ivatts says. “We focus on the spiritual, academic and intellectual components.”
Lenten activities will support Mission Services in London, with projects that include a raffle to support shelters, donation drives for clothing, lunch bags, and juice boxes.
“When the kids actually do it,” she says, “they get the value out of it. They feel they are making a difference.”
Lauren Stewart agrees, noting the students want to volunteer, but opportunities are limited for elementary students.
“They want high school students,” Stewart says. “It’s hard to find volunteer work off-site. We’re hoping they’ll see how hard we try and let us come on-site. It’s better for us.”
The group aims to accomplish one project per month, focusing on wide-ranging social justice concerns at home (such as bullying), in the community (Blessings and Mission Services) and around the world. Guest speakers and field trips are also planned.

By Casey Lessard

Similar to the crowd at a Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel church, familiar faces fill the rows of seats at today’s gathering. I see Steve Dietrich, Pat and Marion Sullivan, Marty and Teresa Larkin, Don O’Rourke, and many Regiers. Instead of seeing Father Ray Lawhead at the front of this room, though, he is among the many. Family friends fill the seats house left, with Carlos Rivera’s family at the front. The Regiers occupy the entire house right side. Altogether, the court seats about 100. We, the media, number 20 and have the privileged position of occupying the jury boxes on either side of the court.

It is now several minutes past ten o’clock on October 27, 2008, and we are waiting for Jesse Norman Imeson’s murder trial to begin. Unlike the Riveras, who used the front entrance, the Regier family was able to avoid the throng of reporters and photographers by using the back entrance. Their sober faces bely the fact that they must wonder what the lawyers at the front have to chuckle about. Perhaps today’s proceedings will bring good news. Hopefully those in attendance will leave with a lighter load than they carried in.

At 10:10 a.m., Imeson’s defense lawyer Don Crawford comes to speak with the reporter ahead of me, Peter Edwards of the Toronto Star (he wrote the book One Dead Indian about the Ipperwash crisis).
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Crawford says. “Is this what it takes to get you out of Toronto and into the sticks?”

My stomach growls. Knowing the courthouse would be full, I left home at 6:30 to ensure a seat. Normally I would be fine after a few hours without food, but the tension in the room makes my gut constrict.
It is quiet, with only a spattering of whispers here, then there. The audience is still, staring forward. The court reporter fidgets, police stand on guard, and lawyers chat among themselves.

It’s 10:20, and the bailiff looks over her shoulder at the judge’s door. No action yet. “Go ahead and bring him out,” a voice crackles through an intercom behind the door to my right. Chains rattle beside me and the door opens. Police offices guide Jesse Imeson behind me and to the prisoner’s box in the middle of the court room.

“All rise.”
Imeson stands and his face wrinkles. His chains restrict him from scratching his nose.
“Let me apologize for the delay,” says Superior Court Justice Roland Haines. “I realize this will e an emotional morning, but I ask you to please restrain yourself from any outbursts during the proceedings.”
Crown Attorney Robert Morris reads the charges against Imeson. He will be pleading not guilty to first degree murder charges, but guilty to three counts of second degree murder. Morris tells the court that a guilty plea carries an automatic life sentence, with no parole for at least 10 years and up to 25. The lawyers have agreed that Imeson will serve concurrent life sentences with no parole for 15 years for the murder of Carlos Rivera, and no parole for 25 years for the murders of Bill and Helene Regier. Morris notes this is the maximum sentence available according to Canadian law, and is the same as a first degree sentence. Because he has killed more than one person, he is not eligible to reduce his sentence after 15 years.

I have an odd vantage point. Jesse Imeson’s prisoner’s box is directly in my line of sight over Morris’ shoulder. We stare at each other, and it is an odd feeling to know he is helpless. This court controls his fate as he controlled the fate of his victims.

Imeson stares at the bailiff as she reads the charges. As she tells him that he is charged with killing Bill Regier, his head drops. When she tells him of the charge regarding Helene Regier, he stares ahead. When she is finished, she asks how he wishes to plea. This is the first time I hear his voice.
“Not guilty as charged, your honour,” he says the first of three times. “Guilty to the included offence of second degree murder.”
His eyes widen as he finishes, and he stares at the judge.
“Do you understand that by pleading guilty,” Justice Haines asks, “that by pleading guilty that you by your unlawful acts caused the deaths of Carlos Rivera, Bill Regier and Helene Regier?”
He nods. “Yes, your honour.”

Crown attorney presents the evidence of the case, and it’s shocking to hear the details of the deaths. Regier granddaughter Nicole Denomy’s audible wail breaks the silence when Morris recounts how Bill Regier was tied in a crucifixion pose while Helene was tied on the floor before being shot to death in the basement of their home. These are details I’ve never heard before this day, and it’s impossible to believe the crown did not have a case to find Imeson guilty of first degree murder.

The court takes a break and returns to hear victim impact statements. The Riveras – Carlos’ mother and father and two brothers (one brother was unable to attend) – had intended to present their own statements, but are too overcome with emotion to speak.
Their lawyer Jennifer Holmes presents on their behalf, and tells the court that Carlos’ mother, Maria, is unable to work, and is financially and physically insecure.
“I’m a different person now. I cry constantly. I walk around in a daze thinking about him. At night, the thought of Carlos invades my mind. I have thoughts of taking my life.
“Carlos was everything to me. This murderer killed Carlos’ dreams and my dreams as well.”
Carlos’ father, Carlos Sr., wonders: “Did (Carlos) ask for help, or did he try to defend himself?”
Carlos’ brother, Javier, would speak to Carlos every day after work. “Sometimes I come home and wait for the phone call that never comes.”
The words of Alvero Rivera make Holmes break down. “He took me under his wing and made me into a man. He loved taking care of me. I love you. I miss you.”
“Carlos helped take a demon out of society,” Hugo Rivera writes. Imeson reacts with a toothless grin, and it’s hard to tell whether he wants to laugh or growl. Clearly uneasy at this point, Imeson appears infuriated to have to listen to their testimony.

The Regier family is next to speak, and they choose to face the killer directly.
Daughter Carol Denomy speaks first: “Our lives are changed forever. In everything we do at work and at home, we see them.
“We can no longer go to Mass with them, and sit on the front porch to watch the sunset. Our conversations with Mom and Dad kept us stable and rooted, always reminding us of what was important in life.
“We will never forget this deep sorrow. It was sudden, violent, undeserved, and defenseless. The pain is sharp, raw, intense.
“Violence is foreign to us. Our hearts are wrenched between an emotional torment of evil, grief, sadness, and fear. Breaking into the sanctuary of one’s home is a bizarre and barbaric act.
“We carry on our lives because that is what our parents would have wanted us to do.
“We are consumed by their absence.”
Brother Paul Regier: “On that night, Bill and Helene looked evil in the eye. This tragic event has opened wounds of despair. We work obsessively to dull the pain of that warm summer’s evening when this cowardly act changed us forever.
“There is no justice… neither sentence nor compensation will euthanize our sense of loss and anger. Although this tragedy has shattered the peace and tranquility in our families and community, for our own health we are all trying in our own ways to graft on to the wound in our family’s tree a healthy memory of happier times.”
Granddaughter Nicole Denomy: “We have all become more skeptical of how safe we really are in our homes. Moving out on my own has been postponed because every night I am reminded of how my grandparents were taken from this earth.
“It is ironic that two selfless people who lived their entire lives for everyone around them were taken at the expense of one person’s incredible selfishness. Grandma and Grandpa would have given him a chance if only he had done the same for them.
“Our family is tired of associating Grandma and Grandpa’s wonderful life with the wickedness of this man.”
Granddaughter Kelli Rathwell: “Our Grandpa had said in a conversation a couple weeks before his and Grandma’s heinous death, ‘This world is changing, you just watch.’
“I believe that when a person is at their very worst, it is because no one is around.
“Please know that you have done our family no favours on this day. But always remember, although you did not listen to the plea of our beautiful grandparents for their life, their family has listened to yours.”

Accepting the crown’s evidence, Don Crawford says the DNA stands for itself, but tells the court that Imeson did not go to the Regier farm with the intention of killing anybody. “Things,” he says, “unfortunately got out of hand.”
Defending the plea bargain, Crawford tells the court that the families “have been spared the anguish of having to testify at a preliminary inquiry and a subsequent trial.
“I can’t imagine the amount of money that would have been spent,” he reminds the judge.
While Imeson chooses not to apologize in the courtroom, he has given his lawyer a statement to read. “I will be an old man when I am released, if ever. I am truly sorry. Please forgive me.”
The judge’s reaction seems more honest. “It is apparent they were extraordinary people,” Justice Haines says. “I would like to express my sympathy and extend my condolences.”

After finalizing the details, the judge sends Imeson to serve his sentence at a federal facility outside of Ontario.
We get one last look at Imeson, and I am the last person he sees before he leaves the court. We stare at each other as we have done many times this day. Feeling no fear, I hold my stare with an emotionless face. I now know the depth of his transgression. He breaks and looks to his left. Is this one moment of true embarrassment? The door closes.
“This court is closed for the day,” the bailiff says.

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

Warning: graphic details of the Rivera and Regier murders follow. Discretion is advised.

If there is any reason people feel uneasy about the Jesse Imeson trial, I suggest it is this: we still have no explanation for why Jesse Imeson decided to kill Carlos Rivera, and Bill and Helene Regier.
At least Imeson has an explanation for the former, claiming that Rivera was sexually assaulting him by performing fellatio as he slept. That’s certainly possible; no one has the right to touch you without your permission, let alone perform oral sex on you. Imeson claims he woke up to see Rivera performing said act, and strangled Rivera to death with his belt. He told Lindsay Glavin that another guy did it, and that he watched as Rivera’s “eyes went white and blood bubbles came from his nose.” Later, he told a Quebec police officer, “the gay guy, if I had to do it again, I would do it.”
With regards to the murders of Bill and Helene Regier, his lawyer relayed an apology at his Oct. 27 trial, telling the Regier family that he didn’t intend to kill Bill and Helene. His alleged lack of intent in the Regier case, and crime of passion argument in the Rivera case seem to have saved him from facing first degree instead of second-degree murder charges.
But this is where I get confused. Why did the crown believe anything Imeson said? He has already proven himself to be a liar and a con artist. In fact, everything he says is suspect, especially his insulting and ridiculous apology.
No one witnessed the murders except Imeson, so I suppose we have to take into consideration his testimony. Fine, believe the method, but doubt the rationale. I will never believe that Imeson did not intend to kill any of his victims, especially the Regiers, whose hands he had tied so they would be helpless. Bill was tied to the posts and rafters holding up the house, and Helene was securely bound on the floor. Neither of them was going anywhere, and Imeson would have had many hours to flee.
So why do it? Why pull the trigger, not once, but many times until they were more than dead? It’s disgusting to think of Imeson’s rationale for the act, and the fact that they were in a harmless state tells me that he had intent. Apparently, he had plenty of time to think about it. And if this is the way he approached a murder he “didn’t intend” to do, how did he approach Carlos Rivera? We will never know.
There is some consolation in the fact that Jesse Imeson is locked up for the next 25 years. It’s the most our justice system can do. So why does he seem pleased? I can’t help feeling that he believes he’s still in control, and that he’s going to be remembered. On the latter point, at least, he’s right.
However, unlike the heroic demon he seems to hope we will recall, I’ll just remember him as a bottom-rung loser who tried to bring others down.
The Rivera and Regier families won’t forget him either. Fortunately, they won’t have to look at his face for another 25 years, and then, as Carol Denomy says, they “will remain vigilant to ensure in 25 years that Jesse Imeson remains behind bars.”
We should all do the same.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

(Note: originally published October 9, 2008. Jesse Imeson plead guilty to second-degree murder, and received three concurrent life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years.)

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

There’s a dangerous game being played in Goderich, at the court where Jesse Imeson faces first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Bill and Helene Regier of Mount Carmel. The London Free Press’ John Miner reported Monday that Imeson’s lawyer Don Crawford suggests Imeson may plead guilty to a lesser charge than first-degree murder in relation to the death of the Regiers and Carlos Rivera. We’ll see what happens October 27.
If Imeson is indeed guilty, I struggle with the concept that he may receive a lesser punishment than he deserves, considering the horror of the crime. If the court accepts a plea that will see Imeson go to prison and be eligible for parole in as few as 10 years, is that better than taking the risk that he could be found not guilty at trial? It’s not surprising that a first-degree murder conviction (the law lumps multiple convictions into one concurrent sentence) is unappealing to Imeson and his lawyer; such a conviction carries a mandatory 25 year sentence before parole can be considered. The question is, will the Crown and the judge believe that’s punishment enough?
It’s an emotional issue. Ultimately, if convicted, Imeson will have to pay for his crimes. I’m reminded of the testimonials given in this newspaper last summer, when I questioned the role of forgiveness in this circumstance.
“In my heart, I am sure that both Bill and Helene would forgive him,” said Marion Sullivan, “because until you forgive you will continue to bleed.”
“This is something that’s going to take a long, long time,” Father Ray Lawhead added. “Forgiveness doesn’t mean you excuse what happened. It doesn’t. He’s responsible for his actions.”
Some day, these murders may be forgiven; they will never be forgotten. Personally, I hope the system ensures that “some day” is far enough in the future that forgiveness is possible.

Advice from Mom
By Rita Lessard

According to the dictionary, old means having lived or existed for a specific time, so even if you are two, three or sixty, you are old. So if you think you’re old, you can feel better knowing it’s true and that you’re not alone. As the old saying goes, it’s a mind over matter thing; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
Just for you, I created an old alphabet for this column.
Two old aged people kindly agreed to live with an old bat of a mother-in-law, who brought along her old cat and old dog, who all ate from old earthenware dishes. The old fart of a husband was always complaining about the old greasy food while wearing his old hat – which made him look like an old idiot – while the old juices spewed from his old kisser, which resembled an old lemon that seemed to have been permanently set on his old man face. Perhaps this was because his old nag of a wife constantly reminded him of his old ogre of a mother that she had to put up with ever since she moved in when she got her old-age pension years ago.
The mother liked to be treated like an old queen and much to the wife’s distress, she had a hard time adjusting to their living arrangements. One of her main concerns was the fact that if the old lady sat too long on her old rump, she would get old sores on her old tush and this would make her oh so old ugly to live with and then they would probably never get to fulfill their old vacation plans because they’d be stuck trying to find someone to look after the dear old soul. She imagined going in their old Winnebago to places where they would buy postcards to send with old xxx’s and old “Yes, we are having a great time” notes, and finally getting all the old zzz’s that they’d hankered for all those years. Whew! Enough already with the old alphabet.

Helpful hints
I haven’t given any in a while, but here are a few:
Never wash windows on a sunny day – they will dry too fast and leave streaks.
Bee sting – rub a slice of onion to ease the sting.
Mosquito bites (this is old advice that I gave previously) – dab vinegar on bites to relieve itching.

Reminder:
The 2nd annual Bill and Helene Regier memorial golf tournament is Sunday, September 7. Golf is $100 per person, or if you don’t golf, you can attend the dinner for $25 per person. Plus buy tickets for a “wheelbarrow of cheer”. For info: 519-237-3593.

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

Today, we remember the deaths of Bill and Helene Regier in their home one year ago. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of these community leaders, who are dearly missed.
When we asked one of the Regiers’ sons what we should do for the one-year anniversary, we were told last year’s special edition of the Grand Bend Strip was the most fitting tribute. If you have not read our national award winning report, it is available online:
August 1, 2007 edition.

The man accused of murdering the Regiers, Jesse Norman Imeson, faces trial this winter.