Letter to the Editor - February 24, 2010

Municipal donations to charities not required

I believe that municipal councils should not make donations of taxpayer monies to charitable organizations unless it has been allocated in the budget.

Therefore, I believe that Essex Town Council did the right thing in rejecting the request from the Essex Area Food Bank for money to help with moving and renovation expenses. And, not donating to Haiti Relief was also correct.

Donating unbudgeted money to charities should not be a job of Essex Town Council. Not donating to requests is a matter of responsibility in carrying out their duties, and not a lack of compassion, generosity, and leadership. Please do not expect Essex Town Council to do everything for us.

Essex businesses, organizations, and residents should provide the leadership for fundraising, and the compassion and generosity for contributing to worthwhile charitable projects such as the Essex Food Bank, Haiti Relief, United Way and others.

R.I. Buzzell
Harrow

What's happened to Ontario-grown produce?

Remember the ads for Foodland Ontario and the farmer standing in the grocery store with his ball cap and farmer's jacket singing, "Good things grow-ow-ow in Ontario" Support Ontario farmers. The Ontario farmer I wondered what happened to him or Ontario-grown produce for that matter.

We in Essex County have the largest greenhouse operations in Canada tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, to name a few.

I question why I can't buy Ontario hothouse tomatoes, peppers or even Ontario grown garlic. I have looked at dozens of stores from Windsor to Leamington, Amherstburg to Harrow and Kingsville. Almost every one of their tomatoes and peppers come from Mexico.

Our own growers are repackaging Mexican tomatoes under their own brand name and in small letters label it "Product of Mexico." Garlic is imported exclusively from China it appears.

There is very little quality in any of this produce, especially the tomatoes.

Some stores leave up the Product of Ontario signs and fill the shelves with imports. When you mention it to store employees, they fluff it off and sometimes will remove the sign.

With questionable farming practices in Mexico and China, I refuse to buy these products. They are of inferior quality and lack the safety concerns and guidelines that Ontario producers are held accountable for.

The Ontario government appears to turn a blind eye to proper inspections. They can't even stop U.S. trucks from running the border without being inspected. The selling prices have not been lowered to reflect the lower quality. Our currency exchange has never been higher.

Want a safe Leamington-grown hothouse tomato? Go to Meijers or Kroger in Detroit. As for the singing farmer, I presume he now wears a sombrero and sings with the Mariachi band cha-cha-cha.

John Balvert
Harrow