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PRISON FARM RALLY: FARMERS ACROSS SOUTH EASTERN ONTARIO ARE STEPPING UP THEIR CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE PRISON FARMS AT FRONTENAC AND PITTSBURGH INSTITUTIONS.

June 03, 2009

FARMERS ACROSS SOUTH EASTERN ONTARIO ARE STEPPING UP THEIR CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE PRISON FARMS AT FRONTENAC AND PITTSBURGH INSTITUTIONS.

NEWSWATCH'S DARRYN DAVIS HAS MORE ON THEIR FIGHT.

MANY CAR HORNS WERE BLARING IN SUPPORT AS DRIVERS PASSED THE INFORMATION PICKET SET UP BY LOCAL FARMERS AND CONCERNED RESIDENTS FIGHTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS PLANS TO CLOSE SIX PRISON FARMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SAFETY THESE PROTESTERS HAVE DRAFTED A NATIONAL STATEMENT ON THE PRISON FARM CLOSURES AND HAVE BEGUN NETWORKING WITH OTHER GROUPS.

DIANE DOWLING

"WE DRAFTED A POSITION STATEMENT AND WE'VE BEEN CIRCULATING IT AROUND TO VARIOUS FARM, SOCIAL JUSTICE, LABOUR, PRISONER REHABILITATION TYPE GROUPS AND ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT IT IF THEY CAN."

TO DATE FOURTEEN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIGNED ON INCLUDING GROUPS LIKE THE COUNCIL OF CANADIANS AND THE TORONTO FOOD POLICY COUNCIL.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN SOME MOVEMENT AND NOW SAYS THE ABATTOIR AT PITTSBURGH INSTITUTION WILL STAY OPEN.

THE GOVERNMENT'S RATIONALE FOR CLOSING THE FARMS COMES DOWN TO TWO ARGUMENTS. IT SAYS THE FARM PROGRAM DOESN'T DEVELOP EMPLOYABLE SKILLS FOR INMATES AND THE SIX FARMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LOSE FOUR MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR BUT THEY WON'T RELEASE THE DETAILS BEHIND THEIR DECISION.

DIANE DOWLING

"WE ASKED THEM FOR THE FINANCIAL FIGURES, THE MORE DETAILED STATEMENT THAN IT'S LOSING FOUR MILLION A YEAR AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET THOSE FIGURES, THEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAD LEGAL ADVICE NOT TO RELEASE THE INFORMATION."

INVERARY FARMER JOHN WILLIAMSON SAYS THE FARM AT FRONTENAC INSTITUTION STANDS ON SOME OF THE BEST FARMLAND IN THE AREA AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THE LAND IS FAR GREATER THAN WHAT IT'S BEING USED FOR TODAY.

JOHN WILLIAMSON

"WE CAN DO A BIO GAS DIGESTER PRODUCE ENERGY WE COULD DO SOLAR WE COULD DO WINDMILLS THERE ALL KINDS OF POTENTIAL HERE THE CONSERVATION AUTHORITY'S WORKED WITH THEM, DUCKS UNLIMITED, ENVIRONMENT CANADA, SAVE THE WETLANDS IT'S ALL HERE IT'S A PACKAGE LETS SHOW PEOPLE."

ANDREW MCCANN THINKS PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT ALL HAVE TO START LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE IF FOOD SECURITY IS GOING TO BE MAINTAINED FOR CANADIANS IN THE FUTURE.

ANDREW MCCANN

"WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO IS THINK ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, WATER SCARCITY, BUT ALSO GLOBAL POPULATION GROWTH THERE'S 6.5 BILLION OF US NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE 8 BY 2025, THAT'S NOT A LONG WAYS OFF SO THERE'S MORE MOUTHS TO FEED AND LESS LAND TO FEED IT ON."

MEMBERS OF THE FRONTENAC CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION ARE SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH PETER VAN LOAN THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY ON MONDAY.

DARRYN DAVIS CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.

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