(September 17, 2009) Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson sought assurance from the McGuinty Liberals in Question Period today that extraordinary assistance would be provided to help apple growers affected by the recent tornado that touched down in The Blue Mountains on August 20th.  The following is the text of the exchange from Hansard between Wilson and Deputy Premier George Smitherman:

Mr. Jim Wilson (Simcoe-Grey): My question is for the Deputy Premier, and you can direct it to whoever you have to direct it to.

As you know, on August 20 we had the terrible tornado that created a great swath of property damage across the province from Vaughan and Durham. It also affected the Town of The Blue Mountains. I know your government is aware of the damage to the apple orchards there because two of your ministers, Agriculture and Natural Resources, have toured the area. Yesterday the Minister of Municipal Affairs declared the area a disaster area.

The local community is setting up its disaster committee. We estimate at this time there is about $15 million of damage. Much of it won’t be covered under crop insurance or AgriCorp programs or existing government programs.

So my question is: Some of these apple farms, about 15 farms—many of them were completely wiped out. It takes nine years for an apple tree to come back, to be profitable, after it’s planted. There’s going to be a need for extraordinary assistance, and I’m just wondering if your government is planning on providing that.

Hon. George Smitherman (Deputy Premier): I do want to thank the honourable member for the question. And by coincidence, as the honourable member would know, my mother resides at Rural Route 2, Ravenna, which is very, very close to the affected farm properties. Just a few days after this tornado went through; I did witness personally the efforts that were being made to clear the land.

We recognize especially that it is important for the province to reach out and lend assistance to municipalities and those in municipalities who are impacted. I did hear yesterday that the Minister of Municipal Affairs had made such declarations and was involved in making calls to communities.

I will, by way of supplementary, ask the Minister of Agriculture to comment on what efforts her ministry might—

Interjection: There is no supplementary.