Ontario Tobacco Farmers to Protest Exclusion From Federal Budget

Source from:  thebarrieexaminer.com By canadian press SIMCOE, Ont. 02/28/2008

Ontario tobacco farmers upset over a lack of funding for an exit plan in Tuesday's federal budget plan to hold a demonstration today. They plan to gather at 1 p.m. at the riding office of federal Citizenship and Immigration Minister Diane Finley in Simcoe, Ont. Tobacco growers have long been demanding about $1 billion in financial assistance to help them switch to other crops. Tom McElhone, of The Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board, says growers "had reason to expect" funding for a "fair and equitable exit program" in this budget. McElhone says farmers "resent the government's silence" on an issue he says is having a devastating effect on families and communities. Enditem