Tobacco.org

Farmers protest at Finley's office  

Angry farmers descended on MP Diane Finley’s constituency office to protest after being denied a tobacco buyout.

About 100 farmers gathered in the parking lot in Simcoe yesterday, talked to staff in Finley’s office and then went across the street to take out Liberal memberships with Dr. Eric Hoskins, the federal Liberal candidate.

Brian Baswick, a long-time Conservative supporter, was one of the organizers of the gathering. Baswick returned the Finley signs he had on his front lawn for the last two elections along with campaign mail asking for donations.

"I feel disillusioned, betrayed, and in fact, I feel lied to," he said.

Baswick said Finley, who as the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is the senior Conservative from the tobacco belt, and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz both stated the Conservatives would do better than Liberals in helping tobacco farmers. Representatives of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers’ Marketing Board were told Monday there was no new money for tobacco

Jump to full article »