Lester Holmes' weathered face, with its deep lines and hardened features, betrays his occupation.
He's a dairy farmer.
For years he's toiled rain or shine on his 800-acre farm outside Winchester, looking after a herd of 50 cows. So have his children, Dereck, Warren, Clinton and Kelly.
Holmes says government regulations have made it difficult to support his family.
"It's been a constant strain on farm families. We're having a tough time," Holmes said yesterday during a Lanark Landowners association's rally at the Central Experimental Farm.
about 30 tractors lined the road leading into the farm, carrying signs reading: "This is our land" and "No farms, no food, no future."
Earlier in the day, two convoys of farm vehicles converged on the city during the morning rush hour. Similar protests took place in Belleville and Woodstock.
Standing on the bed of a trailer parked in front of the Canada agriculture Museum, LLa president Randy Hillier told the shivering crowd the newly formed Ontario Landowners association would stand up for their private property rights.
"We have to get our message across to government that they can't just arbitrarily steal our property," he said. "They aren't giving us any compensation and we won't tolerate it anymore."
Nepean-Carleton Tory MP Pierre Poilievre then addressed the crowd in English and French, saying the Conservatives would protect private property rights and the supply management system, and would also scrap the controversial gun registry.
Moments later, three people in white bio-hazard suits dumped a tank of milk on the lawn of the Canadian Dairy Commission.
Holmes wasn't crying over spilt milk. He just wants to farm.
"I love to farm. I'll stay on the farm as long as I live and I'm not going to leave."
The Lanark Landowners association says government regulations for farmers and rural businesses have:
The LLa also says Canada is proposing to trade away and devalue $600 million of Ontario dairy and poultry assets during this week's WTO talks in Hong Kong.
Ontario Landowners association for further info contact Randy Hillier at: 613-267-6661 or John Vandaele 519-842-2537, or visit us at www.ruralrevolution.com.
Randy Hillier
President, Ontario Landowners' association
613-267-6661
randy@ruralrevolution.com.
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