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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2014-07-16, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, July 16, 2014 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com Huron Expositor PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 P.O. Box 69, 8 Main Street Seaforth Ontario NOK phone: 519-527-0240 fax: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher neil.clifford@sunmedia.ca MAXWELL BICKFORD Advertising Rep. max.bickford@sunmedia.ca DIANNE MCGRATH Front Office seaforth.classifieds@sunmedia.ca WHITNEY SOUTH Multimedia Journalist seaforth.news@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) Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RO. Box 69 Seaforth ON NOK For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-527-0240 Advertising is accepted on 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 the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to set and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canada editorial Positive attitude, positive change Last week, McKillop Ward Coun. Allison Dekroon made a presentation to council. She spoke regarding a pro- gram meant to help remove barriers for those with accessibility issues visiting Seaforth's Main Street. The plan, which includes cooperation with stopgap.ca, would see the implementation of removable ramps given free of charge to local businesses. The hope is owners would set out, and then remove, the ramps based on customer need. Dekroon asked council to endorse the plan, which would require no financial assistance from the munici- pality. Volunteers would build the ramps with funds raised by a committee put together by the Seaforth Community Ramp Project itself. The motion was passed, but not without a number of questions and pushback from some of the councillors. Their worry was if someone was to be injured on one of these ramps, who would end up footing the bill? For this reason, many were tentative about committing to support- ing the project. Though I understand their concern, I was surprised at the amount of negativity expressed for a plan meant to help create a safer envi- ronment for those with accessibility issues. Grey Ward Coun. Dianne Diehl stated she thought the process of deploying and removing the ramps seemed like "a lot of hassle." Though she also acknowledged the "hassle" some have getting into certain shops, I can hardly agree with the overly simplistic comparison.For anyone who has a hard time Column Whitney South Huron Expositor getting around on a daily basis, whether it's due to a temporary injury or a per- manent disability, even a shopping trip downtown can be a challenge. Per- haps those questioning the validity of the idea should spend a day running errands on Main Street using a wheelchair or walker. Maybe an experi- ence climbing stairs on crutches would send a clear message. After all, how can anyone hope to make an informed decision if they've never walked a mile in someone else's shoes? No matter the idea, coun- cil members seem to contin- ually immerse themselves in debate, focusing mainly on the negative. I get it; times are tough. But when someone comes forward with an idea meant to bring positive change to the municipality, why not embrace it? It's always impor- tant to be cautious, to make sure you're looking at every possible angle of each and every situation. So why not look at ways to face chal- lenges instead of merely deciding it's "too much has- sle" to try? In the end, council did a great thing by agreeing to endorse the project. Maybe this can be their first step in a more positive direction. The world ain't all uni- corns and rainbows, every now and then we need make our own sunlight. Public sector workers need a reality check WI Agency The public sector entitlement culture has got to end. It used to be that govern- ment jobs didn't offer the same pay and benefits as pri- vate sector jobs, but at least there was job security. That was the trade-off. Now, public servants generally get better benefits than their pri- vate sector counterparts. Nothing proves this more than the ridiculous conversation cur- rently being had over paid sick days for public sector workers. Negotiations are underway this week between the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Treasury Board with the latter hoping to "modern- ize" the sick leave program by replacing it with a new short- term disability plan. PSAC represents roughly 100,000 workers. "We will not bargain conces- sions," Chris Aylward, national executive vice-president of PSAC, said in a QMI Agency story. He said scaling back the program would be a "major concession." So what, exactly, are we talking about? Here's what public sector workers receive under the cur- rent program: 1.25 paid sick days per month. That's 15 a year. Let's be clear here: this is not about vacation days. This is three weeks of sick leave — on top of vacation days — that all workers are entitled to. These days can be banked throughout the term of employment, although thank- fully there is no cash payout at the end. So this is one of the perks the union is willing to take to the streets for? Taking away this luxury is one of the mean tactics those nasty old Con- servatives are unleashing upon society? Give us a break! It's common sense to get rid of this. Many people in the private sector don't get designated sick days. In fact, a lot of peo- ple in the private sector don't even get paid vacation days. Yet these are the folks who are paying the wages of public sector workers. The only major concession here is that taxpay- ers are forking out for this in the first place. To want to eliminate this pro- gram isn't about judging the quality of work or type of person holding the position. It's a "no hard feelings" proposition. It's simply about creating a sustaina- ble future. Is it too much to ask public servants to face the same realities as the people they serve? Have an opinion? The Huron Expositor wel- comes letters to the editor. They must be signed and accompanied by a phone number for information clarification. It is important to note, letters will not be able to be printed without the author's name attached. All letters are subject to edit- ing due to possible space restriction. Letters can be dropped off at the office, mailed or emailed: The Huron Expositor 8 Main St. RO. Box 69, Seaforth, Ont. NOK seaforth.news@sunmedia.ca SEAFORTH HURON EXPOSITOR — 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 519-527-0240 • FAX: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositoncom