Huron Expositor, 2014-10-08, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, October 8, 2014
www.seaforthhuronexpositor com
Ihron Expositor
PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860
P.O. Box 69, 8 Main Street
Seaforth Ontario NOK IWO
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
MARIE DAVID
Sun Media Group Publisher Grey Bruce
Huron Division 519-364-2001 or
519-372-4301
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 1 WO
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an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time.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.
Canacra
editorial
NDP safe in pitching federal
minimum wage
Almost lost in the hoopla over Parliament's return
to work, and the one-year countdown to an election
widely expected next fall, the NDP is pushing a pro-
vocative proposal to bring back a federal minimum
wage and gradually raise it to $15 an hour by 2019.
There is more than a bit of politicking behind the
NDP's idea, introduced as a motion in the Commons
but with no chance of getting past the Conservative
majority. It's the start of the NDP's slow-release plat-
form for the 2015 election that will be dripped out
this fall.
Scrapped by Jean Chretien's Liberals in 1996, the
federal minimum wage never applied to all sectors
— only to federally -regulated industries such as
transportation and banking, which, while hugely
important, make up a fraction of the nation's labour
force.
Since then, only the provinces have priced the
minimums Canadians must be paid, with the rates
for adults ranging from a high of $11 an hour in
Ontario and Nunavut to a low of $10 in several juris-
dictions. The federal NDP would start the restored
federal minimum at $12 an hour.
For Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair, the move
makes political sense.
It positions him on the left of an NDP motherhood
issue, amid growing debate about the numbers of
low -paid Canadians working full-time but unable to
escape poverty.
Mulcair also risks little, since few employees in
federally -regulated sectors are paid at minimum
wage levels.
But the politics aside, restoring a federal minimum
wage — whether the NDP's proposal, or another
worked out with all groups with skin in the game,
including both business and anti -poverty activists —
might make good sense for the signal it would send
out to others.
As it stands now, there's nothing to force provinces
and territories to automatically adjust minimum
wages to account for inflation, changes in the
nation's low income cut-off figures or growth cycles.
Few do so. Ontario, at one point, went nine long
years without increasing its rate until 2004.
As a rule of thumb alone, never mind its public
shaming value, a reasonable federal minimum wage
could be a useful benchmark.
At the very least, in an election year, it's an idea
worth debating.
seaforthhuronexpositor.com
Capturing a moment
A picture is
worth a thou-
sand words; at
least that's what
they say.
But really, what
are we saying
with our photos?
Often taken for
granted in
today's day and
age, the ability to capture a brief
moment in time has become as
easy as picking up a cellphone.
For me, taking pictures is a
big part of my everyday life not
only for the Expositor, but
throughout my usual day to day.
I even started an online
album a couple years ago, docu-
menting a single moment each
day. Now, I'm not saying each
one is a masterpiece, but I defi-
nitely enjoy looking back
through the images, remember-
ing even the smallest details of
the past three years.
I'll admit, sometimes I tend to
take shots of the silliest things,
but even they are things I cher-
ish over time.
Recently, a friend's grand-
mother passed away.
A beloved member of not
only her own family, but the
local community as a whole, her
funeral painted a picture of a
woman with many talents,
including a great passion for
photography.
Sitting there at the front of the
church, sat two meticulously
organized photo albums, which
immediately drew my
attention.
It turns out, this particular
photographer had a penchant
Column
Whitney
South
for capturing each
moment she felt
was important,
which to the
amusement of
many around her,
was mostly all of
them.
Her family spoke
of her home office
and how it had
become a treasure-trove of fam-
ily memories, each more appre-
ciated than the last.
Books filled with everything
from wedding photos, to
records of quilts made and
given with love, all organized
and kept safe, ready for new
hands and eyes to explore.
For this special photographer,
catching hold of even the small-
est moments in time was her
legacy.
To her church, friends and
family; could there really be a
better gift?
I'm sure she met with her
share of teasing over the years,
any true shutterbug always
does.
I, for one, can attest there are
few out there who immediately
smile for the camera when they
find themselves caught in its
crosshairs.
'Though it's rare for us to turn
the lens in our own direction,
photographers can help us
remember the best and most
important moments of our lives.
So maybe the next time some-
one begs you to smile for the
birdie, think about how even
the most random moments can
make a memories that can last a
lifetime.
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, let-
ters will not be able to be
printed without the author's
name attached.
All letters are subject to
editing 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