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Province doesn’t go far enough, Carré says By LAURA ARMSTRONG larmstrong@perfprint.ca
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News — Last week’s announcement that up to 10 skilled trades programs will return to Kemptville College in the fall doesn’t go far enough, college advocates say. “(The announcement) fails with respect to responding to the core of what is Kemptville College, and that is an institution that was built upon agriculture and agriculture education,” said Brian Carré, chair of the Kemptville Renewal Task Force. Brad Duguid, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, was on campus Tuesday, April 22 to announce a $2 million influx of funding that will enable Kemptville College to accept new students in up to 10 programs come fall. Carré said that while the Task Force was excited to hear Duguid’s announcement, it is not enough. “It’s certainly welcome as an opportunity to move forward in trying to renew the college, but it certainly does not respond to the needs of the agriculture industry.” Members of the communitydriven Task Force were also disappointed that the province has yet to appoint a provincial facilitator to spearhead the process of finding a long-term solution, Carré said. “We firmly believe that time is of the essence, and we’re not talking months, we’re talking days.” Agricultural diploma programs and certificate programs will only be offered at the University of Guelph’s main campus and Ridgetown campus. “We believe that in order to renew Kemptville College there needs to be students in the seats with respect to agriculture diploma programs and the equine program.”
Carré said by only addressing skilled trade programs, the announcement does not answer the question of providing reasonable access to post-secondary education in Eastern Ontario with respect to agriculture. “We certainly don’t want to be sounding too pessimistic, but we believe that there’s another piece of the puzzle that needs to be addressed.” The Task Force met the evening of April 23 to dissect the information from Duguid’s announcement in an attempt to provide a more detailed response. Carré said they continue to work diligently on meeting with prospective partners, which include Algonquin College, St. Lawrence College, private institutions and even foreign governments. Milk quota Carré also dispelled rumours that Kemptville’s dairy herd will move away from Kemptville, saying the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), who own the research quota, are in no rush to see the quota be reallocated. “They’ve reassured us that they wanted to see where the Task Force was heading with respect to a renewal and a solution for Kemptville College.” Members of the Task Force met with DFO April 24 to reiterate their desire to keep the quota local. Based on the programs that will be open to new students come fall, Carré said he thinks the Task Force still has time to negotiate with DFO. “By the fact that the Dairy Herds person skilled trades program is going to be offered again in the fall, I put those two together and believe that we have secured some time to work with DFO to ensure that the research and milk quota remain in Kemptville.”
Photo by ASHLEY KULP
Renewing their support The Kemptville Renewal Task Force held a rally to save the agricultural component of Kemptville College at the North Grenville Municipal Centre on April 27. Above, task force representative Bill Smirle, right, speaks to the crowd gathered as supporter Diane Mount holds up Premier Kathleen Wynne’s contact information, urging residents to call to voice their concerns.
Local farming community rallies to keep agriculture at Kemptville College By ASHLEY KULP akulp@perfprint.ca
News – There’s strength in numbers and if the hundreds who turned out to Sunday’s rally to save Kemptville College is any indication, the local farming community isn’t going down without a good fight. Supporters, many showing solidarity through bright yellow ‘Farmers Feed Cities’ patches, gathered in the parking lot of the North Grenville Municipal Centre April 27 for a Save Kemptville College Rally, which was put together in a few short days by the Kemptville Renewal Task Force. It was organized after Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Brad Duguid, was at University of Guelph, Kemptville Campus April 22 to
announce a one-time $2 million influx in funding for 10 programs to be offered this fall, but agriculture doesn’t look to be in the 97-year-old institution’s future. The task force is hoping a petition signed during the rally as well as a request to appoint a facilitator to reach a long-term solution be appointed by April 30, will change the provincial government’s mind. The documents were expected to be forwarded to Queen’s Park April 29. Though Duguid said a provincial facilitator appointment was forthcoming, the task force believes it needs to be done immediately. “Farmers in Ontario are not looking for handouts, we’re looking for a hand up,” explained task force member Bill Smirle, who served as the rally’s emcee. “We
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believe with the assistance of a facilitator, appointed by April 30, this can be achieved.” The task force is made up of like-minded members of the local farming community, chaired by North Grenville chief administrative officer, Brian Carré. “We’re a small grassroots group who thought it was time we had information shared and insist that the university, college in this area has to continue,” Smirle pointed out. North Grenville mayor David Gordon spoke at the rally and said the government’s decision to neglect agricultural components shouldn’t be accepted. “What is this (decision) telling us, that they’ve forgotten the farmers once again?
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