Nick Donato of Tech Tronics Inc. introduces the new technology that Loyalist College has received. Tech Tronics held a contest to give away $15000 worth of equipment to the college with the most votes. Loyalist won the contest and the Broadcasting Engineering Technology program received their award on Friday. Photo by Shelden Rogers

BELLEVILLE, ON [08/06/2013] Karen McNichol looks on anxiously as her dog Cosmo, a seven year old black labrador, takes off the Ultimate Air Dogs Canada dock during the eighth annual Strut for Strays fundraising event in West Zwick’s Park. The event is held each year in support of Fixed Fur Life, a local charity which spays and neuters cats and dogs to help with overpopulation, and keeps strays from being euthanized by provding a network of over 50 volunteer foster homes. Photo by Kaitlin Abeele

Prince Edward County, ON (June 1/13) – -owner of Reynolds Farm, Larry Reynolds, looks out at his water-logged corn fields. Reynolds is just one of many farmers who is unhappy with the wet weather.

Story and photo Alisa Howlett

Farmers in the Quinte region are concerned for this season’s crop after all of the recent rainfall.

“It’s kind of like we all need some psychiatric help,” said local farmer, Lloyd Crowe. “We’re kind of helping each other, encouraging each other and saying, ‘it’s going to dry up and it will stop raining.’”

A record-breaking rainfall of more than an inch occurred on June 10of this year, said the Weather Office at CFB Trenton. The last record was set 62 years ago.

“We have had a pretty good planting season starting in early May, it went well. Since the rain started it has slowed down planting,” said Crowe, co-owner of Reynolds Farms and the Prince Edward County delegate of Grain Farmers of Ontario.

The northern end of PEC suffered a rainstorm that brought farming from Belleville through Napanee to a halt. Hundreds of acres have yet to be planted, said Crowe.

“I can’t remember so much water laying in the fields at this time of year. Usually you can’t buy a rain,” he said.

Farmers that have already planted their seeds are wary of how they might turn out.

“There’s a lot of worry, there’s a lot of things we’re watching for,” said Bette Jean Crews, former president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “Everything looks good, but with no heat they aren’t growing as fast as they should.”

Farmers that haven’t been able to plant might experience later difficulties.

“If you didn’t get [the seeds] in before that downpour rain, it takes a long time for that to dry up enough to get a tractor in the ground,” Crews said.

Cash crop farmers are not the only ones who have been affected by the inclement weather. Dairy farmers are experiencing set backs as well.

“The rainfall hasn’t affected the cattle too much, although the variation in temperature is hard on the cattle. With the up and down in the temperature they tend to have more pneumonia,” said Mark Donnan, Donnondale Farms owner.

Earlier this spring Donnan suffered a small loss in production when he treated a few of his calves for pneumonia. He was able to nurse all of them back to health with the assistance of a veterinarian. He store feeds his cattle so he has not been concerned about the quality of his pasture, he said.

Although Brent Siwicky, Cricklewood Farm Co-owner, still has some planting to do he is looking on the bright side of the dark weather.

With lower crop yields, the prices might remain firmer, he said.

The wet weather has ultimately delayed local farmers’ production time and caused a loss in yield, said Crews.

The Unseeded Acreage Benefit covers farmers’ expenses when the weather is unsatisfactory.

“You don’t make any money, they cover your expenses and you hope for another year,” Crowe said.

The owners of Reynolds Farms are hopeful and are making the best of their time waiting for the rain to stop.

“You try and look busy,” Crowe said. “There’s always things to be repaired or fixed, as cash crop farmers we rely heavily on machinery.”

Crowe and co-owner, Larry Reynolds, have just begun the construction of a machine shop. It has been a dream of theirs for a while, Crowe said.

In the meantime, farmers throughout the area are gearing up to work for when the land is ready again, he said.

LCVI (Lindsey Collegiate Vocational Institute) battles the Weldon Wildcats in a scrum during the senior boys COSSA rugby final. LCVI won both the junior and senior divisions against Weldon. The senior team won a close game 20-15, and the junior team shut out Weldon17-0.

Belleville ONT (May 21/13) – Hasting Prince-Edwards County MPP Todd Smith gives a speech on the Ontario Liberal Budget.

Story and Photo by John R. Moodie

Ontario’s economy may be headed towards hard times warns Conservative MPP Todd Smith about the Liberal Budget.

“This is where were headed if we don’t start to get our financial house in order. We have to reverse this trend or else we are going to end up like Greece and they’re in a lot of trouble,” said Smith.

This morning Hasting Prince-Edwards MPP Todd Smith spoke to the Belleville Chamber of Commerce and members of the business community on the proposed Ontario Liberal budget. The speaking engagement took place at the Belleville Travelodge before a crowd of approximately 50 people.

“We are on a pretty dangerous track in Ontario, a track we have seen California, a track we have seen some European countries take. And there has been no real sign by this current government to take us off that track, and get our financial house in order, “ said Smith about the direction the Liberal government has taken.

This comes on the heels of Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath’s announcement that she would support the Liberal budget. The Conservative Party has stated emphatically that it would not support the budget. If the NDP had chosen to reject the budget this would have forced a vote of non-confidence and a June provincial election.
“I think Andrea Horwath has a bit of a credibility problem now she has run out of material. I don’t know how she can continue to criticize this government when she continues to prop it up,” said Smith.

Smith said the next chance for the Conservative party to force an election would be in the fall when the government gives its financial economic update.

Qnet News reporter John Moodie was at the convention visually documenting the event.

[Show as slideshow]

Justin Trudeau won the Liberal leadership race with 24, 668 votes. Although his Liberal campaign is over, he’s gearing up for the new race in 2015. Photo by John Moodie.

Justin Trudeau is the new Liberal leader of Canada.

Trudeau won the contest yesterday evening in Ottawa.

As Megan Mattice reports, getting youth involved was one of the reasons behind his victory.

Now he hopes to do more to engage young Canadians.

LISTEN by clicking the link:

Justin Trudeau wins liberal leadership

Shawn Brant co-owner and operator of Two Hawks Tobacco, is concerned the government is focusing their energy in the wrong direction when it comes to the new RCMP task force set to crack down on contraband cigarettes. Photo by April Lawrence, March 6, 2013.

By April Lawrence

Two Hawks Tobacco is a small family run smoke shop located on the Tyendinaga reserve.

Shawn Brant co-owns and operates Two Hawks with his son. They each clock about 50 hours per week. The profit from the shop feeds three families.

But Ottawa doesn’t see it that way. The federal government is creating a 50-officer RCMP force that will be cracking down on contraband cigarettes.

Corporal Laurence Trottier Media Relations Officer for the RCMP wrote in an email that the force will aim to bolster organized crime investigation capacity in the Central St. Lawrence Seaway. This is to target organized crime smuggling across the border. Unscrupulous tobacco growers and illicit manufacturers in Southwestern Ontario will be targeted.

“There’s a lot of stores and a lot of competition and it’s not something that’s incredibly lucrative as people might otherwise think, it’s tough work,” said Brant.

Brant receives his product from approximately 35 different manufacturers some of which are in Akwesasne a Mohawk community which straddles the Canada-U.S. border which the government is concerned about.

Mohawks are the original cultivators of tobacco products and introduced them into the European market.

“We’re like any other retail business that sells cigarettes or other convenience items,” said Brant.

The government is also introducing a bill that will introduce a minimum sentence for repeat offenders.

“The government has been working diligently for the past 20 years to target the tobacco trade as specifically as it pertains to Mohawk people,” said Brant.

Members of the community think it’s irresponsible for the government to put that kind of effort into the cigarettes.

“A cigarette is nothing compared to some of the stuff that is going on in society today,” said Debby Seymour, a member of the community.

“I find it unacceptable and irresponsible that this government would commit funds to targeting an aspect of our economy that provides hope and opportunity,” said Brant. “When it won’t provide those same revenues and attention and funds towards our murdered and missing women or clean drinking water in our community.”

The cigarettes sold are made by Mohawk manufacturers to be sold in Mohawk communities. This means that the products are not taxed by the government and is why they are considered to be contraband cigarettes.