:® 2nd Issue

August, 1966 THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER 11

N.D.P. POLICY STATEMENT ON

AGRICULTURE

DAVID D. STUPICH, MLA

We are in the midst of an economic boom unprece- dented both as to length of cycle and rate of gain. How- ever, while our economy gen- erally is in such a _ healthy state the agricultural industry is declining proportionately, in some cases even in dollar value.

Many of the problems fac- ing the agricultural industry can be discussed under two headings—first, the cost-price squeeze and second, aliena- tion of land from the produc- tion of food.

These problems are serious only if we admit the imovor- tance of an agricultural in- dustry. Agriculture is im- portant to our community from a social, economic and

nutritional point of view. Our’

vast and sparsely populated country has prospered in part due to the independence and initiative of people who have survived in spite of the exi- gencies of their rural envir- onment. Such people have made an extremely important contribution to our commun- ity and further development of our society will depend in part upon our ability to main- tain a satisfactory rural en- vironment.

From an economic point of view, one of our major prob- lems in foreign exchange is as a result of the amount of food we import, particularly from the United States. With proper planning a good deal of this could be produced here in British Columbia. Further, from an economic point of view, the alternate booms and busts in the pro- duction of agricultural food- stuffs is a cost that is passed on to the farmer in lower liv- ing standards, and to the con- sumer in higher prices for the food he purchases,

From a nutritional point of view food that is grown in our own locality, and where research is conducted by our own facilities with a view to improving quality, is bound

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to be better food than that produced in other areas with a view to exploiting outside markets.

A New Democratic Party Government will accept this responsibility to restore the

agricultural industry to its-

rightful place in our economy. With respect to the cost-

price problem, our program is designed to control costs of production and to influence prices. Little can be done to control the direct costs such as cost of feed, equipment and labour, but a good deal can be done to control the more in- direct costs.

British Columiba at present farms less than 2% of its land. Unfortunately the land that is suitable for intensive -agri- cultural production is rapidly being subdivided for indus- trial and residential use.

A New Democratic Party Government will:

1. Apply a more liberal pol- icy extension in rural areas.

2. Progressively remove school taxes from land and improvements,

3. Extend agricultural re- reach and farm advisory services.

4, Encourage and assist co- operative enterprises on behalf of consumers and producers.

5. Encourage production groups to establish mar- keting boards with au- thority to establish reason- able prices for their pro- duce.

6. Remove charges for special services such as soil test- ing, disease diagnosis, dyk- ing taxes, drainage and ir- rigation charges,

7. Establish provincial zoning to set aside areas for inten- sive agricultural produc- tion.

BROADWAY PRINTERS

printers and lithographers since 1911

<>

115 EAST 8th AVENUE VANCOUVER 10, B.C.

Telephone 876-2101

BRITISH COLUMBIA

some are made

This one, the famous

PARIS “Light Cruiser”,

has been made for over half a century by the same

family of craftsmen right in B.C.

PIERRE PARIS & SONS

51 West Hastings Street Vancouver 3, B.C.

Family Teamwork in Craftsmanship since 1907

Ml,