I have not heard any rebuttal to Kevin Falcon's comments regarding better access for the oil and gas industry to farm land in B.C., thereby increasing farm values for retiring farmers. It is important that we protest this platform lest when any of the Social Credit oops! I mean Liberal candidates slide sideways into power they still think this is a brilliant idea.
With the world population set to double in the the next 60 years it may not be long before all the countries Canada imports food from will no longer wish to part with their food products. This last week we have already seen the unrest caused, in part, by a rise in food prices in Tunisia and Egypt. How long might it be before the same begins happening in Mexico and Central America. And since the price of oil will soon rise dramatically we may not be able to afford to ship it here anyway.
Therefor it is crucial that Canada's farm land and farmers be protected and accommodated from any further degradation. Perhaps we could think about granting retirement age farmers a bonus pension based on the accumulated value of their farm products to encourage young farmers to inherit or purchase farms from retirees.
We should also consider leaving some of that oil and gas in the ground for generations to come, I'm sure they would find it useful.
Oil and gas are not limitless after all, and neither is good farm land if it is abused.
Peter Hellenius, Prince George
