Tuesday 30 November 2010

Talking Turkey (actually Chickens) in Windsor

As I said to Windsor City Councilor Drew Dilkens last week, I like my chicken in a bucket and my eggs in mcmuffins. I appreciate that not everyone feels that way and there is a small group of urban farmers who feel very strongly that they should have the right to raise chickens in their city backyards.

I'm willing to hear them out, even looking forward to it but at this point I'm opposed.

I'm far more opposed to any city councilor suggesting that this issue is too small to warrant their supposedly much more valuable time. I appreciate that with all the challenges this and any city faces it must be frustrating to have a tidy agenda taken off-course by a single issue, unexpected and out of the blue. Some councilors complain that this minor issue is taking them away from budget discussions.

That's what you campaigned for folks, a seat at this table. This is municipal politics. The quality of our city, the future of our city depends on how we approach neighbourhoods and neighbours.

Citizens first, my friends. The budget deliberations may be profoundly influenced by what you hear.

1 comment:

  1. A comment from a friend on Facebook:

    I very rarely reply to such things but this topic is near and dear to my heart and I couldn’t help it.

    Food, before hitting your plate travels sometimes up to 1,000 miles or more. Choices in the grocery isle claiming to be fresh in reality are picked very green and left to ripen in refrigerated warehouses and backs of trucks not to mention the pesticides and such that are used to grow the "perfect" veg and you eat it?

    Chicken in a bucket will kill you faster than a silver bullet if in fact it is chicken (more growth hormone and antibiotics than you can shake a stick at) and the old egg mcmuffin.... Have you ever seen a chicken factory? Inhumane and animal cruelty at its best! Ever eaten an ass fresh egg? Colour and taste surpasses all. Why do you think all the best chefs source their own fresh local foods and brag about it? Because that’s what people want!!

    How many can say they know the guy who raised the beef you eat or grew the fruit on your table. Most folks have never seen a farm let alone a living cow or chicken?

    Common people, wake up and smell the freshness!!! Know who grows your food!! Shane grows our beef, Neil raises our bisson, Leanne provides us with fres eggs and chicken and I, Kirk, grow our own veggies.

    Down with factory farms and support your local grower!!!

    That’s all I have to say about that!!!

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