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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1977-01-13, Page 12" ,12i-eTHE,HtflON .0..cf641_1rOP, JANUARY `13 1977 Sugar and Spice by Bill Smiley • There was a grand foofawraw in Ontario recently when the Toronto Globe. and Mail, Whir& rather grandly calls itself "Canada's - National Newspaper," and is .nothing-of.- ,tie sort, perpetrated a piece of journalism that was irresponsible, to say the least, and yellow, to say the truth. It published a list, of more than • 800 ;Ontario doctors who had billed the - provincial health plan for more than $100,000 in the pait year. What's wrong with that? Shouldn't these money-grubbing medics- be exposed?. Wasn't the Globe doing a public service? Answer: no. -The Globe was doing what it professes to despise in some of our racier newspapers: acting in collusion with some pretty dubious' politicians to titillate the public with half-truths and embarrass what to me is still a noble and h onorable pro •ession. The action was worthy of some of the muckier British tabloids. What s.urprisect„ me-was -the-reaction--of the 'public. Setting. aside the doctors and their well-heeled medical association, which was naturally outraged, 'most pf the ' letters to the editor' attacked the newspaper for its action. • ' Whatever demiirrers • advanced • by its, • defen4ants of .ter the event, the fact was that the news ',was slanted, through omission. The 'doctors named were presented, through innuendo ;' as money- gougers, with one hand on a scalpel and the other in. the government's (read ,,,,,,,,, taxpayer's) hit) pocket. Publication of the names and addresses of those dociors who had billed the health plan for more than a hundred grand was almost a blanket indictment of them. What the newspaper did not stress was that the figures were for gross, not net . income, and in many, many ,cases, the net, income was a long, long way below the published figures. I don't hold any brief for doctors, In general, they give me a pain in the arm., . There is a certain pomposity, sometimes arrogance, that is donned along with the _ ' letters M.D. after the naine.. This is not helped any by the attitude of so many of And all alengthe way he is dealing their patients - that the. doctor always constantly with pain and misery and fear knows best, that the doct or is a special among his patients No bed of rases, that. sort „of human being, that the ,patient Not te•mentionall•the neurotic women and • should practically tug his forelock when , hypochondriacal men he must suffer • addressing his doctor. It'; a tairly short step from there t9'the point where quite a few members of the - profession begin to feel that they are little with was a credit to the profession. Let's tin gods. This irks. me. I've met too many --have fair, play for our slectors; as. well as little tin gods with clay feetto be impressed,.;," fair pay. by the title "Doctor," 'There's-something archaic, but very attractive- abod that title: Bielielois of Art don't ,s,go around calling themselves Bachelor Jim Smith. Masters of Art don't insist that you address them-as Master. Same with engineers But when a guy gets a 'chance to put Doctor before his name, whether his, degree is in philosophy; .theology or cltiropractery, there is no way _you are going to stop him from using it. My personal biases about doctors aside, '1 have nothing but contempt for those who suggested,--ever so subtley, that the professions is out,,t9, _gouge the public ,ruthlessly. Sure, doctors' make a lot,of money, most of them. But I don't envy them. I wouldn't be a doctor for three times the average salary in the medical profession. • • Sure, there are a few rotten apples in the barrel, to whom the Hippocratic oath is.. merely a:lidenee-to-get rich- Couldn."..t.the same be said about any other barrel, whether ,it contains union ' members, merchants, politicans, or preachers? And as.for big 'bUsiness, the doctors are alinoSt "Saintly when it comes to ',a comparison, of • ethics. • • • ' Let's lo,ok at the facts,. A doctor works like a dog to get throtigh medical school,. • Hedoesn't really begin to make any money until 'he is nearing 30, a time when most men are well settieo in their fields.. By the time he has established a "practice, he is usually well in debt.. If his • practice flourishes, he werkS like a dog for 20 or 30 years. During this period, he is making a good' income. But his family life, his social life. and his 'cultural life suffer deeply. He works hours that would have a union leader screaming blOody murder. His, scanty leisure time- is constantly interrupted. The only pension he. can look forward to is whathe can save or invest for himself. Akan ,the time 'most men are slowing down or looking forward to retirement, the doctor is burned out. . How many , old doctors do you know? patiently.. • There are a few crooks and a few quacks, but every. doetor I've ever had dealings anding room on scusses Fof A land y crow of is :on some models en-if-you don't_need_itlilLspringL OVER 40 MODELS IN STOCK NOW LEFT HANDS kIGHT:HANDS MANUALS — FROST FREE GIBSON *. G E * FINDLAY * RCA MOFFAT * LEONARD SEAFORTH JEWELLERS lor DIAMONDS 'WATCHES JEWELLERY. FINE. CHINA OWN FOR EVERY OCCASION All 1 pr ,, of Rep,ors Phone 327.0270 7'7 ia.eV. H:n.. teplieUs ..of , Hrucefield United ,,' Church . . . conducted services at' . Seaforth Dalrymple were members' of her Visiting' • :With Mrs, lora aManalt.or on Thirty-six Thursday ,.. .morningiesogetnIt., .1487.1010,Y:olvsiloi/44.9:..!...• M.,* C ballPite of John Nesbitt, H v S.C. field worker ... - : Mrs. Edna Weber and PS-. 'Donna Resteirieyer of DAsh ' od attended,- the service also Mi., from London, '- On Friday morning-'a't 10 a.tit,„..,... .v.is.10:1 with Mrs Adele Fischer, Visiting • yifith, -. .Miss Ethel Father Laragh visited and held ,... McClure wereMrs, Myrtle Taylor Holy Communion and. service. of illrucefield, Mrs,. Jean ,--..--Mrs,44,--F-hdaywitec2!_npanied' Armstron of Zurich and Mrs. .for the hymns and aflo—lhi—Agnes McClincbey of Seaforth. g . Mr -Widier-Webster.sifAarna visited with Mr Wither Keyes and Mr. William Scott and also entertained ..with some good old tynie• harmonica selections. • Visiting ,- Mrs. Ada -.gel() were Mrs. 'El. sie Dinsmore, Eva McCartney and. Prankie Ball:, - • Mr.Harold }ludic visited with . ills motor Mrs.' Lillie Hadle. MiSs Catherine Laverty Was visited by her niece Miss Reta, Duncan, Mrs, Susie liutchingiretUrne4 to her home in CalifOttila n after ' visiting her sistetrUrs. Minnie Hawley , and brother Mr. Zechariah MeSnerkiee.-- meeting. "'It should not be... provincial-planning, it' should be local people who do the planning." . Mr. Ginn,. said. • that under Huron Countys planning system the township council was responsible for each individual township plan, . "If you are, noI saftsfied.,• don't blame the County planning board, blame your local township council asihey are the ,oneS . who interpret -the" public' meeting and set Alid.'plan-,0 he said. eorge Underwood, however, spill he was , thest.disappointed with the :OFA polioy.„"Iiiiink 'it wad a. regressive step 'taken 'it a time when a farm pr eta-are. IOW. We. need for push, and ptis Merle Gunby„suggested that' the Fe' should also look at preserving the eoliontinity, -As well as , the ' land. Urban In defenbe of dociprs 'A FIRST PRI?E'VVINDOW Nutses at Seaforth CoMmunity Hospital, Mrs. R. Loomans, left, and Mrs. I. Khettch'admire the window d6cdrated by Leone Rowat which won firgt prize in the non-religious categoryat the hospital'. (Expositor Photo) The Federation of Agriculture's Mr., Benson said. "Deep down new land-use policy was called inside • the majority of , farmers' everything frein 'regressive" to believe farmland should be - "realistic" at the ,Huron County preserved for future generations Federation meeting in Clinton to use." Thitisdity night. The nine measures are aimed Township ;councillors and• more at saving thelarMer than farmers 'packed the meeting to the farmland,• Mr. Benson said. Standing room only to hear Hill The measures include lobbying Benson, a member , of the for the lessening of .odour Provincial executive of the O.F.A. restrictions in the agricultural explain the Federation's change areas; noise by,laws revised to in poiioy. - : 'allowfor normal farming The policy which was adopted operations, import: controls, at ,the' , .Federation's annual taxation reform, and greater farm till-ming ,in Hamilton called for income security. the .Federation to reduce its The measures call for the 'demands for Provincial land.use *Coinity Federations to develop 'control and. to giVe rtOp priority to land-use and severance policy nine "-alternative . measures 'of -suitable for their own county iMprovitig the , competitive conditionS. v'f- " e pesition of food producers in •• "I'm glad to see the Federation • ..Ontario.adopt the trolley of loeallartd-use mote 'of a change it4—plefiningo " IteeVe Oerry Ohm of" ititegy than a change in policy'," Goderich township -told the WORKING AT HOME — Gordon Hill,. left, of Varna, has time for that now that he's retired as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Here he looks over the farm books with his wife Ruby. (Expositor Photo) armer don (Continued frorn Page 1) incomes. "We thought the conference would dengerate into the usual discussion on productivity and the matter of income would be lost ' entirely.. ' • Incomes Mr. Hill , and Mr, Davidson moved that the conference be stopped and the agenda rewritten so that farm • incomes would be discussed. The motion was defeated; but it set the mood for the rest of the conference and farm incomes were disucssed. It was decided to set up a' special committee to study the problem and Gorodn Hill was given a seat on it. The major reCommendation of the committee .was that 'a single genral farmers ! organization be, set up to which every farmer had' to pay a levy. In the ensuing campaign, Mr-. Hill strongly supported establishing a General' • Farmers' Organization which the Farmers' Union opposed. When the G.F.O.,was defeated Mr. Hill and other farm le der§ were left not sure what to a next. Ldecided that I ad enough.. 1 had been workin in' farm organizations since 1953 or '54 ' andtryifig to, run a- f --Lao.” His , retirement from farm organizations didn't last king.; Gordon attended the fall convention of the Federation as a representative from: the Bean Board and by the end of the 'meeting he was president of the Ontario Federation of -Agriculture. Style. Style Changed The ,style of • the Federation soon •changed under his leadership. "Our motto was. 'responsible as . possible, and • militant , as necessary'. • We believed "in- negotiations around the table, tnit if' we didn't ,get results' We, Were prepared to do something more." The membership of • the Federation was reformed so that individual farmers could bedonie direct members instead of 'the Federation •simply being an rganizatton=of--differentt farm commodity boards and' co-ops.' And a•campaign was launched to -bring ,m9re members' into the• Federation. The Federation took stands on such issues as property 'tax reforinlencouraging farmers net to pay the education por ion of the development seriously' impaired the agriculture community and destroyed many of thelritangible benefits 'of rural life, he said. "Coming from atburban fringe_ area, I find ,the lifestyle in Hinron County, so much Fetter to Ii ye in and to work in agriculture," he said In -...*other business the Federation. learried that many townships were receiving less money in tile drain loans from the -piovinciargovernment. McKillep Reeve Allan ,Campbell told the meeting that his township had been cut back from $131,000 in 1976 for $118,000 for 1917.'ggeve Bill Elstoir of Morris Township said that MOrris had . been cut back from $37,000 to, $33,000. ' A Motion was. passed that the matter -Ire- referred to the -development ceintnittee' for study. Gardner and Doris Wills Sang Love Liftedme at the close. Happy Birthday this week to Mr. Emil 'Hermansen who on Monday celebrated his birthday. Visiting with Mrs. Leila Dundas were Mr. and Mrs,. Frank Dundas and daughters of Toronto: Walk it to me! PJ711T-11,J010,17 lahlk a bliock:liklay: PIRIE '& PEACHES .-.,•c5PL telOtsion personalify Pirie Mitchell wad at the ,Seatorth Lions Club Penny C./ Saturday afternoon to help wind up their oampaign ,to raiSe1;000,000 pennies for the Arena Fund:He Was'kept extremely buRf-signIng :.autographs for the many fihietlren that attended. (Expoeit6r Photo)-- Ay_ a Two loll ird rood ph., fire4 SS S thorn ono mile on rldhl tax until the Government,, agreed to reform the system. "That 'was part of being militant as necessary,',' says Hill., aut the most important battle • in the view -of Gordon Hill was the fight to establish ,a national marketing • beard for ' such commodities as eggs. "It Was a hell of a fight. I think if it hadn't been for the -OFA the legislation would never have been continued" he said. ` Back to Huron NoW seven years after taking the job as president Gordon Hill has decided to come back -to 'his ,farm in Huron County. "I felt it was time for a new' face and a new man. The; • FederatiOn has grown to the point Where there is a large• number of . members, but they don't -understand .how to use the organization to„ be influential". , . "I think that is the skill ofthe new president Peter Hannani to show people . how to use the organization:", • Mt. also points to the need' to get younger people involved in the Federation'as a' reason for his retirement. -41-thinicyounueople feel' the pressures of farming more than us older ones do. They: should , have their day in the saddle too." "And I'm tired." Looking ahead Gordon has many concerns .for the futur e of farming in Ontario, Hppredicts that the next few'years will not be as prosperous as ones have been in' the past and he is worried about consumer advocate's who, -view the farmers as the enemy. The large amounts of. capital that k, 'a farmer needs to get'started also • bothers him. But he has no fears that the . family farin will disappear. Yin the 'sense that • it, is the • family:that takes the ,risks, finds the, capitar-r-in -rand does 7 does the . managing , the family farm will ,. be here as . long •as 'there is' farming.'' - He "is opposed to companies.. such as' McCains • which, ''haVe operated as buccaneers". • —"They charge -top itrice !for everything' and pay the lowest. I think they-are simply ruthless buccaneers which shouldn't in. any , event get governmen ttippOrt." ° "Food proceSsing plants should 'decide whether or not they . want to produce' or. process. I don't think they shoWd. be involved in both." But Whatever the future of 'farming, Gordon Hill is sure that the Federation of Agrieulthre will have a part to play in it: ^"The Federation has a very assured future as long "as it remains responsive and is willing to change as society changes and conditions change. I think ,that is the only thing it can be sure of." Win "Xmas draw Winners of prizes in the annual, Seaford'. Legion ChristmaS +draw were: named at the Legion Nekv Year's dance. They were 1..John Coleman; 2. .Dotis' 'Allen, 'Mel Merriani, 3, Frank Case, 4. Rob% Johnston Ian C p 'kwell.