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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2014-09-10, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Lid ijmlnii Seaforth Expositor PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 RO. Box 69, 8 Main Street Seaforth Ontario NOK 1W0 phone: 519-527-0240 fax: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company re2 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 $50.00 147.62+2.38 GST) 2YEAR $95.00 (90.48+4.52 GST) SENIORS 60 WEEKS $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 120 WEEKS $95.00 (90.48+4.520S1) Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RO. 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Canacra editorial LCBO head office for sale again If the Ontario Liberals could sell the LCBO's Toronto headquarters as many times as they've announced their intention to sell it, they'd be able to eliminate Ontario's $12.5 bil- lion deficit. To do that, they'd have to sell the 11 -acre waterfront property, valued at $200 million in 2012, 63 times. That's about how many times, going back to the Dalton McGuinty era, the Liberals have announced this sale. On Thursday, Premier Kathleen Wynne — through Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid — said proceeds from the sale of the site, including the LCBO's head office, flagship store, ware- house and parking lot — will be put into the government's $130 billion, 10 -year infrastruc- ture fund. We agree with governments selling off unnec- essary assets. So we're not going to scream hysterically that the Liberals are burning the furniture to pay the heating bill, which is what the Liberals used to do whenever the previous Conservative govern- ment proposed selling surplus assets. We'll leave that hypocrisy to the Liberals. But now that the Liberals are selling LCBO headquarters, we encourage them to think big and break up the LCBO monopoly when it comes to the sale of alcohol. They should reread the 2011 report of the Ontario Auditor General on the LCBO, which found it doesn't use its massive buying power to get the best wholesale prices on booze for cus- tomers and taxpayers. Why not? Because, according to the LCBO, it doesn't want to encourage excessive drinking by making booze prices too low. Never mind that this argument is patently absurd, that the LCBO in fact spends a fortune on ad campaigns encouraging people to buy its overpriced products. As then auditor -general Jim McCarter patiently pointed out to the LCBO, it can sell its products to the public at whatever retail prices it chooses. What he was talking about was that the LCBO doesn't use its buying power to get the best wholesale prices from suppliers — as any sane business would — in order to increase profits for its employers, meaning the taxpayers of Ontario. Given that, we'd encourage the Liberals to sell off the LCBO entirely, except we know they'd never do it because it would offend the public sector union representing its workers, which is fiercely opposed to privatization. Sigh. letters to the editor Drowning could have been prevented To the Editor: Sadly most drownings are preventa- ble. As an ex head lifeguard at grand bend and Wasaga Beach, to name a few, as well as a water safety advocate in Ontario, I thought it was important to make some comments. To my knowledge, this area does not have adequate, highly visible warning signage, especially at the dangerous areas of the undertows and rip currents. It is critical to remind people of these dangers. In addition to not enough, if any, rescue equipment that is easily available to assist first responders. There is also no trained staff such as lifeguards, especially at that dangerous location. The chief coroner of Ontario asked me years ago to submit a report on public beaches in the province and make recommendations of which I submitted in 2010. He agreed with most of my points on beach problems and made them public in his report on drownings in the province. One of many recommendations was to place or increase warning signage indicating dangerous undertows and rip currents. Even considering the closing of these dangerous specific areas especially if it has a track record of drownings, which this location has. In addition to place readily available lifesaving rescue equipment at danger- ous locations. Ideally to employ trained life lifeguards at these locations or on busy weekends like this one was. Since the drowning report was made public in 2010/2011 no changes have been made or implemented in the entire province of Ontario. The small beach towns or the big profile provincial parks like Wasaga beach sand banks SWEAR moving forward with stay application To the Editor: The co -joined Hearing for a Stay of the K2 Wind and St. Columban Wind projects has been set for Sept. 22 and 23 in London. A stay ruling would effec- tively haft any further work on the pro- jects pending the outcome of the Divi- sional Court appeal (of the Renewable Energy Approvals for the K2, St. Colum - ban and Armow wind projects), which www.seaforthhuronexpositor com and rock point. There was no change and there will be more drownings in the future. To me after the report was made no one was held accountable to enact these lifesaving recommenda- tions. It's like a total disregard for human life. The OPP, coast guard and Trenton rescue recovery teams have done such an admirable job in recovering the body fairly quickly for the family and for that I am very proud of them. But what we really require is an immediate water safety rescue response team to save a life, not just a recovery team pulling a dead body from the water. In my opinion, that is just way too late for the victim and their families. The community requires a better water safety policy with a quicker response system such as a beach patrol or life- guards or even volunteers to warn peo- ple especially tourists that are not familiar with the deadly conditions, improved signage and warnings to tourists visiting. I have travelled all over Ontario visit- ing family members who have lost loved ones under similar dangerous undertow and rip current conditions. Sadly it looks like this will continue in the future unless we change our whole approach to improving water safety in our beach communities. It was sad again today reading this story and writing you. I am having flash backs of many others I have seen all over this province. We require a water safety champion in Ontario at Queen's Park and at the local level in town gov- ernments as well to place this issue on a higher level and on an agenda. The reality is for decades now it is on no ones agenda or even on the radar. John Watt Ex -Beach Lifeguard/Water Safety Advocate Collingwood will be heard on Nov. 17 to 19. The Stay Application has been brought by com- munity groups in Ashfield-Colbome- Wawanosh (SWEAR) and St. Columban (HEAT) fighting the developments in their communities. If successful, the Stay Application will put a stop to further construction in the 1(2 and St. Columban projects until a decision has been reached in the Divi- sional Court Charter Challenge appeal led by human rights lawyer Julian Falconer. CONTINUED > PAGE 5 rSEAFORTH HURON EXPOSITOR — HOURS OF MONDAY: 9:00 - 5:00 • TUESDAY: OPERATION - 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.seaforthhuronexpositorcom