HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-05-12, Page 2WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1976
IIIRUPELS
ONTARIO
Serving Brussels and the surrounding community.
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Brussels Post
To the editor .
Flowers of Hope Week
This letter is sent to let you know that the Wingham and
District Association for the Mentally Retarded, as a member of
the Canadian. Association for the Mentally Retarded, will be
joining in a nationwide membership recruitment effort in May.
The week of May 9 to 15 has been designated as National Week
for the Mentally Retarded.
During this week, in our efforts to attract new members, we
will spotlight the needs of the mentally retarded, and the
services we are providing and seeking to provide in the
Wingham district. Flowers of Hope marigold seeds, which have
been packaged by youngsters in our schools and workshops, will
be sent to every householder in the district. In order that those
who receive these Flowers of Hope packages do not overlook
their importance as a means of appeal, we feel it necessary to
substantiate the Flowers of Hope letters with advertising in
newspapers, on radio and on television.
Anything you can do to interpret our story of the needs of the
mentally retarded in our district will be of inestimable value to
us. Construction has started in Wingham of a new building to
accommodate mentally retarded pre-school children. The Golden
Circle School has been located in the Wingham Public School for
the past few years and the Adult workshop is progressing very
well with a very capable teacher. We are in desper .ate need of
new members in our Association to help with these projects. We
have done a great deal for the mentally retarded in this area, but
ther is so much more that needs to be done.
We would like to express sincere appreciativ on behalf of the
Wingham and District Association for the Mentally Retarded for
y our continuing co-operation and assistance in bringing our
message to the public. Cordially,
Mrs. A. Swatridge
Publicity Chairman of the
Flowers of Hope Campaign
Wingham
Amen
by KarrSchuessler
What could I say to the man? I'd only
known him for a couple of months, and we'd
been getting along in a joking and friendly
sort of way. We had managed to show each
other our better selves -- our good sides. We
both came off looking like pretty decent chaps.
And then last week he asked' me a question,
"Karl", said Jack Smith, "How would you
like to drive one of my school buses?"
He wanted to know if I could see myself
sitting behind the wheel of one of his t welve
buses -- his fleet of buses, as he 'calls them --
and driving all, those lunch pailed scholars off
to school.
The question stunned me.
I knew Jack was serious and sincere in
making me the offer. Not too long ago he had
a minister as one of his drivers, And it wasn't
because the church underpaid him -- perish
. every Presbyterian thought on that one -- but
it was because the man wanted the contact
with the kids.
The bus driving Rev. -- that's what the kids
called him, Rev.--knew of no better way than
bus driving to get acquainted with so many
young people in such a short space of time.
But what could I say to Jack? Dare I really
let on like it is? Like I am? Must I really admit
to him what I'm really like? Show myself.
Unhinge all my good parts. Hang myself out --
so unneat and so untidy and tardy.
1 knew I was straining my budding
friendship.
"Jack", I confessed, "It takes a very
special kind of person to drive a school bus.
And I'm not that special at all."
I had to tell him. Getting up at 6:00 a.m.
is not my idea of starting off a morning. Those
dawn hours belong to the rooster and the
robin.
And, Jack, I'm not a routine man either.
Once or, twice a month may be alright to greet
the sunrise in a bright yellow bus. But five
days in a row? Week after week? No, Jack, I
couldn't do it.
Why, I'd have his bus schedule loused up
after three days - for sure. I knew Jack ran a
very tight fleet of ships -- an almost perfect
running schedule. I can set my clocks at 8aft
every morning when his bus pulls up to our
house to pick up the girls.
And another thing, Jack. I can't get tied
down two times a day. Morning and
afternoon. I run pretty loose. That's why I
never bought myself a milking cow. Heaven
knows we could use the milk. But I can't get
tied up to a cow's udder or a bus's rudder;
See, Jack, the truth is I am not a scheduled
man. I pant--running to make deadlines and to
get places on time. I race up to church on
Sunday -- trying to beat the ringer of the bells,
But the man always insists on stopping before
I get to the front door.
And Jack, there's another problem. When I
drive, I have to concentrate. I've had trouble
enough driving a car with my kids in the back.
I know the routine. Keep your feet still.Stop
fighting . Stop yelling. Stop biting. Stop
throwing paper airplanes.
I'm past that , Jack. That's a blessing of
middle' age and grown up children.
You know the ad on TV. The bus driver. The
kids make the noise and he gets the headache.
routine.
I don't need that kind of noise or headache
or aspirin.
As I told you, Jack, a bus driver is a very
special kind of person. And you're that kind,
and so are all your other drivers. And that
includes some women too.
I salute every one of you. You're veterans of
the highest rank.
I think you all deserve a Victoria Cross for
extreme bravery. And while I'm making the,
awards, I'll hand out a few Military Crosses.
You've all performed distinguished service in
the front lines. You're combat veterans.
And I bet you're looking forward to summer
for a little R and R --rest and recreation. You
people deserve every month of it.
Bus drivers are special
What does the gun control bill say?
(by David Kennedy)
Recently in the House of Commons the
Honourable Warren Allmand, Solicitor
General and the Honourable Ronald Basford,
Minister of Justice presented to Parliament a
number of legislative proposals known as the
Peace and Security package, or more formerly
Bill C83 and Bill C84. Within this legislation is
contained several proposed changes in areas
of Capital Punishment, Penalty for Murder,
Gun Controls, Dangerous Offenders,
Criminal Detection through Electric Surveil-
lance, special crime inquiries, custody and
release of inmates and Crime Prevention.
I recently wrote about Capital Punishment
and, although a lot more needs to be said in
relation to the proposals, I will leave it to a
later time.
One of the other changes that has produced
the greatest volume of response from the
community and perhaps the most concerted
attempt to influence politicians decisions has
been the issue of gun control. Members of gun
clubs and hunters appear to be exerting a
strong lobby to defeat the gun control
proposals.
Let me state loud and clear that I strongly
support the need for gun controls and my
major criticism of this particular piece of
legislation is that it does not go far enough in
exerting these controls,
No Canadian has the automatic right to own
a gun for any reason whatsoever. For obvious
reasons we have given the police and the
armed forces the right to h ave guns and this
needs to remain at the present time.. Only
under special conditions should other private
security forces be allowed weaponS, such as
armoured car guards. There are also a few
other categories of individuals who need
weapons for their livelihood and survival;
Al ter that, owning, possessing, or using • a
weapon should bF a privilege that Must be
earned and justified'.
Every year sees more murders, armed
robberies, suicide and accidents than the year
before. In 1974 almost 1,500 Canadians died
from gunshot wounds an increase of over 30%
since 1970. Firearms were used in half of
Canada's 543 murders and in at least
one-third of the 15,000 robberies. Some gun
enthusiasts are arguing that controls do not
provide protections. We currently have
controls over hand guns and yet they are still
being used in robberies and murders. That
may be true, but ' there are some._ other
statistics that clearly supports the Value of gun
controls.
Compare Canada to the United States.
Their population is about ten times the size of
ours and they have approximately ten times as
many long guns as we do. However, Canada
has strict hand. gun controls that are not
present in' the U.S. and they have approxi-
mately 50 hand guns for every hand gun in
Canada. The important factor is that the hand
gun is much less used in firearms incidents in
Canada, especially murders. Does this not
suggest that the mere availability of these
weapons makes them more likely to be used?
It is extremely important to recognize what
abuse of weapons the legislation is attempting
to control. I must agree with gun control'
opponents that no legislation will prevent the
deterinined criminal from Securing a weapon
for his uSe. Neither will the legislation
eliminate murders in Which guns are used.
But I'm' convinced it will significantly reduce
the number of deaths caused by guns every
year in this country, The proposed legislation
will primarily effect the accidental misuse, of
weapons Or their use in moments of hysterical
reaction or uncontrolled passion.
At the present time, anyone can walk into a
store and purchase a rifle, no matter what
state of Mind he may be in and without any
check on his ability to safely use such a
weapon. For that matter, through gun
catalogues you can order an anti-tank weapon
if you want. How can the unrestricted
availability of such weapons be justified?
Of course, those citizens who are knowled-
geable about the use of weapons and who
enjoy hunting have a strong argument that
they re doing nothing wrong and should not
have their weapons taken away from them.
Historically and culturally the citizens of
Canada have accepted hunting as a legitimate
sport. Although I personally have h tinted,
and at one time owned a .22 rifle, I still find it
hard to use this argument to justify the
widespread availability and lack of control
over the purchase and possession of guns. Let
me point out some of the changes. in this
legislation that deserve our support.
1. A campaign will be undertaken to
voluntarily collect unwanted guns from
Canadians. Other countries have had
considerable success with similar campaigns.
2. Especially dangerous and unjustifiable
weapons will in future be prohibited in
Canada.The legislation actually forbids cheap
low quality hand guns (known in the U.S.A. as
Saturday night Specials), long guns that have
been sawed off to less than specified length
and fully automatic weapons.The governfrient
has also given the pOwer to the Governor-in-
Council to prohibit other weapons through
regulations It seems to me that a lot of the
weapons could be placed on the prohibitive
list right now rather than waiting for
regulations at later dates.
3 Tight controls Will be exercised over the
Manufacture and import of firearms. Police
have long complained about the ease with
which firearms are imported into this country.
Permits will be re ,quited by all
Manufacturers, Wholesalers and importers'
and custom officers will have the' power to
detain, firearms until all conditions for
importation have been Complied with.
4. Anyone possessing a firearm or
ammunition will have to obtain a Federal
(Continued on Page 16)
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