The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutClinton News Record, 2014-08-13, Page 44 News Record • Wednesday, August 13, 2014 opinion Clinton News Record PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 53 Albert St. P.O. Box 39 Clinton ON NOM 1 L0 (519) 482-3443 www.clintonnewsrecord.com SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company MARIE DAVID Sun Media Group Publisher Grey Bruce Huron Division 519-364-2001 or 519-372-4301 NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher neil.clifford@sunmedia.ca MAX BICKFORD Advertising Manager max.bickford@sunmedia.ca TARA OSTNER Reporter clinton.reporter@sunmedia.ca DAWN JOHNSTON Sales Representative cli nton.ads@sun media.ca CHRISTY MAIR Front Office clinton.classifieds@sunmedia.ca SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 YEAR $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 2YEAR $95.00 (90.48+4.52GST) 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 byte 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. In the event of a typographic error advertising goods or services ata wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Ad- vertising is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at anytime. The Clinton News -Record is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproducing purposes. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 53 Albert St., Clinton ON NOM 1L0 (519) 482-3443 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canada /l ocna Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and the Ontario Community Newspapers Association editorial Public zapped by hydro pension plans QMI Agency It's frightening that every time anyone who knows how to add looks at public pension plans in Ontario's electricity sector, they freak out. So should taxpayers and hydro consumers, because they're contributing $5 for every $1 provincial employ- ees at Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation con- tribute to their pension plans. These plans, covering tens of thousands of workers, are so expensive there have now been repeated warnings from independent financial experts they will make our electricity bills higher than they otherwise would be. The latest bad news comes in a report prepared for Premier Kathleen Wynne's government that the Liber- als did their best to bury. Finished in March, they held it until after the June election, then released it August 1 on the finance minis- try's web site, heading into the long weekend. This is standard operating procedure when a govern- ment wants to bury bad news. The report, prepared by consultant Jim Leech, former CEO of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, found Hydro One and OPG pensions are "far from sustaina- ble" because they are overly "generous, expensive and inflexible; even when compared to other pension plans in the public sector. "The employers bear all risks, such as investment per- formance, interest rate changes and increased longev- ity," Leech wrote. "These risks increase both the amount and the volatility of pension costs, which is ultimately borne by ratepayers, customers and shareholders." Leech recommended the government lower the public's contribution rate to 50/50 with employees over five years. But this isn't the first time an independent financial expert has warned about out -of -control pension costs in the electricity sector. In December, 2013, Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk reported overly generous pensions at OPG would directly impact on hydro rates, along with excessive sal- aries, bonuses, moving allowances, rampant overtime, a surplus of senior managers and nepotism. She also found the public was contributing $5 to the OPG pension plan for every $1 contributed by OPG staff, five times higher than for other civil servants. Sadly, it falls to Wynne's government to reduce these costs, which will have to be negotiated through collec- tive bargaining. Given the Liberals' close relationships with the prov- ince's public sector unions, that's like sending in a rab- bit to guard the lettuce patch. n www.clintonnewsrecord.com column Ebola infected Americans deserve praise not blame Tara Ostner The Clinton News Record The Ebola virus is continuing to cause suffering and death in West Africa. Close to a thousand people have died so far, a global health emer- gency has been declared by the World Health Organization and two Ameri- cans, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, who are infected with the virus were recently flown back to the United States for treatment. In the weeks following the out- break there has been some contro- versy surrounding certain events that have unfolded. For instance, com- ments concerning the necessity of Dr. Brantly and Writebol traveling to Africa to begin with, the possibility of travel bans and the use of the experi- mental drug are popping up on vari- ous news networks' websites. Public figures such as Donald Trump are also weighing in calling his country's leaders incompetent and proclaim- ing that individuals infected with Ebola should not be allowed back in the United States. While I understand why people are concerned and possibly scared, I don't think that they should be and if people took the time to understand that the risks of a similar outbreak occurring in North America are small, perhaps they would become less fearful. Unlike in undeveloped countries, the developed countries have the medical resources and infrastructure needed to protect peo- ple and prevent the virus from spreading; they know how to identify, treat and contain infectious diseases. I also think that Donald Trump (and people who share similar opin- ions as him) would truly benefit from gaining a bit of perspective. In a Twit- ter statement issued by Trump, he said that "people that go to far away places to help out are great - but must suffer the consequences." This comment is absurd. Implicit in the statement seems to be the assumption that when peo- ple do good, for example, by help- ing, they must pay a price. But why should someone have to pay a price for doing something good? Is Trump actually claiming that Dr. Brantly and Writebal deserve to be infected with Ebola because they chose to perform such a car- ing and selfless act? Not only is this hateful but it is nonsensical and irrational. Rather than reacting the way that he did I wonder why Mr. Trump doesn't react with sympa- thy and regard Dr. Brantly and Writebal's actions for what they were, namely, great acts of kind- ness. Dr. Brantly and Writebal don't deserve to be chastised for their warm natures and well- intentioned actions - no one does. Instead, they deserve to be praised and respected and it is shocking how mature adults, pre- sumably in their right mind, can lose sight of this very rudimentary concept, a value that we learn in grade school: again, Mr. Trump, we reprehend that which is bad and we praise that which is good. It doesn't work the other way around. Wherever it is that Trump gets his notions of good and bad and right and wrong from, they are, in my opinion, wrong. If we indeed live in a world where the protection of one's health comes down to mere luck of the draw and what country one lives in then I think that this calls for an even greater need for peo- ple like Dr. Brantly and Writebal. If this is the world that we live in then it will necessarily come down to the virtuous actions of sole individuals to help treat and protect people's health regardless of where they happen to live. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The News Record welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and include a daytime phone number for verification purposes. Letters can be sent care of the Internet at clinton.news@surnnedia.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