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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-04-30, Page 44 News Record • Wednesday, April 30, 2014 NowsCl Record PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 53 Albert St. P.O. Box 39 Clinton ON NOM 1L0 (519) 482-3443 www.clintonnewsrecord.com SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher neil.clifford@sunmedia.ca MAX BICKFORD Advertising Manager max. bickford@sunmedia.ca DAWN JOHNSTON Sales Representative clinton.ads@sunmedia.ca CHRISTY MAIR Front Office clinton.classifieds@sunmedia.ca SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 YEAR $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 2 YEAR $95.00 (90.48+4.52 GST) SENIORS 60 WEEKS $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 120 WEEKS $95.00 (90.48+4.52 GST) Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged but that balance of advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. 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Canada cna Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and the Ontario Community Newspapers Association www.clintonnewsrecord.com Conservatives' self -serve offer full serve to big oil 11 Column Gerard Creces This past week, our Conservative govern- ment made another startling decision on behalf of big oil - removing protec- tion of humpback whales and their traditional habitat along the BC coast. The recovering species would find itself further down the protection list, leaving their habitat open for pipeline development. It's sickening. The Navigable Waters Act opened this door a couple years back, reducing mil- lions of lakes, rivers and wetlands to just 32 protected bodies of water. Again, big oil stood to ben- efit from this almost solely. The Conservatives are bent on pipelines, shipping out little pieces of Canada without recognizing its true value. We had no choice in the matter. This majority gov- ernment is selfish, arrogant and ignorant. They have no sense of conservation - of actually being conservative. Wholesaling natural resources that could be developed, controlled and refined in Canada in a safe and responsible way boggles the mind. They are giving away jobs, profit and secu- rity that could have gone to Canadians such as you and I. We have seen all of this coming. Removing environ- mental protection for bodies of water, getting rid of scien- tific materials, closing libraries, demonizing envi- ronmentalists, and getting rid of census data - these are all moves to keep the public ignorant and have all been done under the current administration. Isn't being conservative about trying to retain our values, keep what works and slowly improve what doesn't? It's not about get- ting rid of barriers that were put in place to conserve what we hold dear. It's not about telling regular folks what they want or that they are wrong to disagree. Where is the care and con- sideration inherent in con- servation itself? It's gone - the needs of many superseded by the greed of a small few. I can't believe I find myself saying this but they need to be punished. I've said this before, but in Huron County folks are true conservatives - we take care to keep our traditions alive while making sure we leave a better, cleaner place for those to come after us. We see value in past and present. That said, we are also true socialists - we take care of each other, volunteer our time for the betterment of our communities and make sure our resources benefit not only ourselves but those around us. We see value in sharing and equality. The two are not mutually exclusive, regardless of what hard line, ignorant hacks will tell you. Using narrow definitions like left and right only give the ignorant a chance to gal- vanize their already biased agendas. Our federal landscape is an embarrassment to both socialists and conservatives. Consider veterans and sen- iors. Our MPs are quick to hand out cheques for com- memorative plaques and programs but are complicit in allowing pensions and long-term care to dwindle to pointlessness. They spend money on veneer even as the wood is rotting away and tell us things have never been better. I don't think people are falling for that garbage any- more, and thanks to social media and instant commu- nication, folks are more aware than ever of inepti- tude and bad policy. Case and point - the Fair Elections Act is becoming more and more of an embar- rassment for Canada and Conservative MPs become less and less credible for supporting such nonsense. We have to figure out a way to stand up for ourselves outside of the polling station. Be sure to follow parlia- mentary voting records on the government web site (gc. ca). I sincerely ask anyone reading this to punish any- one who supports this bill by voting for someone, anyone else. Canada is not a land reserved for big oil. Canada is not a land of selfishness. Canada is not a land of bravado and ignorance. Let's get back to our roots as conservative socialists and start taking care of our land and our people and build our self-respect back up one careful step at a time. To paraphrase Johnny Cash: Sooner or later, God's gonna cut them down. get it clintonnewsrecord.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The News Record welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include a day- time phone number for verification purposes. Letters can be sent care of the Internet at clinton. news@sunmedia.ca, sent via fax at 519-482-7341 or through Canada Post care of The Editor, P.O. Box 39, Clinton, ON NOL 1LO. CLINTON NEWS RECORD - HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY: 9:00 - 5:00 • TUESDAY: - CLOSED • WEDNESDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • THURSDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • FRIDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • SATURDAY & SUNDAY: - CLOSED ADVERTISING DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 2:00 • PHONE 519-482-3443 • FAX: 519-482-7341 www.clintonnewsrecord.com