tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post5902745000778405773..comments2024-02-07T16:22:39.625-05:00Comments on Jeff Jedras: The Conservative $286M boondoggle: Stimulus for the tobacco industryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-72947882328784917422010-02-25T16:26:51.743-05:002010-02-25T16:26:51.743-05:00I live in the heart of tobacco country in Norfolk ...I live in the heart of tobacco country in Norfolk County. I see first hand the crybaby tobacco farmers driving their kids to hockey in their Lincoln pickup trucks. I see their lavish mansions. I see their offshore workers toiling the fields in scenes reminiscent of antebellum Dixie. <br /><br />Tobacco farmers are a powerful lobby. It is their wealth and power that has kept their quest for handouts alive. When people quit buying typewriter ribbons, the typewriter ribbon manufacturers moved to other products or went out of business. When the market fell off for Canadian tobacco, tobacco farmers demanded a $1 billion "buy out" package. Despite the generosity of the $289 million referenced here, the tobacco farmers were not at all satisfied getting less than one-third of what they'd been bellyaching for. <br /><br />Diane Finley was elected here largely because her predecessor, Bob Speller (LPC ag minister), had been unable to deliver the buy out. By delivering $289 mil, Finley has managed to placate both sides here. For the farmers, at least she delivered something. For the rest of us who saw the billion-dollar-buyout as a cash grab by those who have been snobbishly lording their wealthy lifestyles over us for decades, she at least didn't give them everything they wanted. <br /><br />Trouble is, when you attempt to please everyone, you can end up pleasing no one. <br /><br />Around here, it has been no secret that the farmers have been playing fast and loose with the rules of the buyout. While the total crop size has diminished since tobacco's hay day, the size has not diminished since the farmers got the so-called buy out money. <br /><br />They're appeal for even more public cash so they can demolish the tobacco kilns they no longer need. There's no limit to their gall. <br /><br />The article talks about how those who speak out against tobacco around these parts put themselves into jeopardy. That's one big reason I blog anonymously.<br /><br />Here's what I figgered woulda got my windows shot out three years ago. <a href="http://jimbobbysez.blogspot.com/2007/02/tobacco-farmer-song-audio.html" rel="nofollow">The Tobacco Farmer Song</a>JimBobbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04603665575714484326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-17586737464956192052010-02-25T14:56:33.731-05:002010-02-25T14:56:33.731-05:00"Where there is demand, there will be supply...."Where there is demand, there will be supply." - Grade 11 Marketing ClassMaryJane Cannabianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10047679366767151464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-71439191703447274662010-02-24T17:26:03.379-05:002010-02-24T17:26:03.379-05:00Prohibition (where absolute like with drugs, or in...Prohibition (where absolute like with drugs, or indirectly through excessive taxation) never works.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-18378233730105342102010-02-24T12:33:51.511-05:002010-02-24T12:33:51.511-05:00Jeff,
would you also agree it is a failure of lea...Jeff,<br /><br />would you also agree it is a failure of leadership from all levels of government to not enforce and collect taxes from sales of smokes in Ontario?<br /><br />Some figures have the loss of over three billion.CanadianSensehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01010880162544507668noreply@blogger.com