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Posted on 12/18/2005 3:17:41 PM PST by CajunConservative
A controversial housing project built by Canadian business magnate Frank Stronach officially opened in the heart of Louisiana's bayou country on Saturday.
Some 120 victims of Hurricane Katrina will be moving into 49 three-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot homes on the outskirts of Simmesport, about 100 km from Baton Rouge.
It is part of a spread of more than 300-hectare spread of farmland, now dubbed "Canadaville," which will eventually serve as an organic farm for growing vegetables and raising cattle and poultry.
As part of a $10-million, five-year commitment, Stronach has agreed to pay for water, sewage and infrastructure upgrades in the town.
He has also provided funding for the town of 1,200 to hire another three police officers and purchase two new police cruisers.
Stronach, chairman of auto parts giant Magna International, first flew dozens of people to Florida to live in his posh horse-training facility in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Of the more than 200 residents who were sheltered at the facility, the 120 residents decided to relocate to Simmesport, rather than risk going directly back to their homes in New Orleans.
Stronach hopes the farm will turn a profit in just a few years and that the uprooted urbanites can learn to become farmers.
"I'm very optimistic that in about five years, they will be self-sufficient, will be making a profit and will be able to help others," Stronach said, appearing on CTV Newsnet from Simmesport, where is attending the opening celebrations.
"There's a lot of potential in everyone. I think it's just a question of teaching and giving some experience (so) that they could stand on their own feet. … If you can instill hope and pride in them, they can do a lot of things."
But the venture has not been without controversy.
It was up to former Liberal MP Dennis Mills, now an official at Magna Corp., to persuade Simmesport to house the hurricane survivors.
"Those were tough town hall meetings," Mills told the Toronto Star. "I heard all the fears. They thought we were bringing 3,000 people crowding into their community. We heard the stories of people who said they went to help in New Orleans and were being fired upon.
"But eventually, we got the majority on side."
Steve Mayeux, an agriculture consultant from nearby Cottonsport, told the newspaper that Stronach has done a disservice to the survivors by bringing them to an area where high humidity and insects have forced people to leave the agricultural industry.
"This guy Stronach is a billionaire," says Mayeux. "He's not a dumb man. What is he up to?
"I don't get this. Is this a public relations exercise, so that everyone thinks he is a saint?
"Our politicians here are in way over their heads dealing with Mills. They're playing in the political big leagues with this guy. He'll tell you whatever you want to hear. He can out-politician any politician."
Stronach, an Austrian immigrant who came to Canada in 1954 with $200 in his pocket, would go on to form Magna International, one of the largest auto parts suppliers in the world.
The Aurora, Ont.-based company now employs more than 59,000 people at manufacturing divisions and product development centres throughout North America, Europe, South America and Asia.
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sounds like a Plantation to my ears.
' you can live in my homes as long as you till my soil and harvest my crops'
The article danced around these points, but if he's trying to make farmers out of "inner-city dwellers," that dog won't hunt. Farming is just about the hardest work in the world. There's a reason most people abandoned farming as soon as they could get a job doing something else.
"...which will eventually serve as an organic farm for growing vegetables and raising cattle and poultry.
Organic. That's the key to success. Organic sells. Organic tomatoes. Organic socks. Organic pancakes. Soon, organic automobiles made of organic steel and plastic. I just hope we don't have to discuss the pros/cons of organic coffee beans on this forum.
Is his daughter the one who is forming Smegma International with Bill Clinton?
Within 6 months, the plumbing will be plugged solid, the landscaping will consist of garbage strewn areas of bare earth, and, this is the good news!
I'm sure that there are a few folks who would like this opportunity. Despite what was shown on TV there were a lot of hard working people who lost everything. There is something healing about physical labor. Perhaps after the trauma this could be therapeutic.
I know that farming and raising animals has turned a few juvenile delinquent brats around. I say go for it. If they don't like the physical work then move on to something else.
Canadian? Heck with that!
I say summarily confiscate the place under eminent domain, then politely say "take off eh". Let 'em know as you do, it's related to their constant self-absorbed Yankee bashing.
Let 'em complain.
Canadians are spoiled babies.
Intriguing. I wish there was some specific info on the financial arrangements for the 120 or so people who will be working in Canadaville. Since the courts long ago struck down as unconstitutional the kinds of living/working arrangements that Pullman had with its workers, I doubt Canadaville will be the company town that Pullman was. But why do these reports never go into more detail? Or at least provide links to further details? Drives me crazy...
I say more power to them. I hope it works. I'm just glad I don't have any money invested in the scheme. :)
Attempts to turn city dwellers back into farmers have failed for literally thousands of years. The Romans kept trying it. The Israelis tried it with the kibbutzes, which were probably as successful as any such attempts have ever been.
The only times it has ever worked has been in conjuunction with massive breakdown of the cities and general societal collapse, such as during the collapse of the Roman Empire. Then it took generations to be effective and involved tremendous drops in the population level.
Yes, that's her.
should call the place ... "Sharecropperville" or "Serfdomdale".
should call the place ... "Sharecropperville" or "Serfdomdale".
It's better than Sit-on-your-butt-collecting-welfaredal, but I'm afraid it will turn into Ghettoville.
"Stronach hopes the farm will turn a profit in just a few years and that the uprooted urbanites can learn to become farmers." Any bets of when it will turn a profit? The over and under on how long it lasts?
If George Bush (or any Republican for that matter) had proposed this, all we would hear about is how they're bringing back slavery.
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