The Brussels Post, 1977-12-28, Page 7opposite Ba inton's Old
Mill in Blyth
OPEN:
Daily 10 - 6 p.m.
Friday 10 - 9 P.rn•
Sunday 1 - 6 p.m.
Yes! These Tempwoods are made
right here in Canada!
Sugar and Spice by Bill Smiley
THE' BRUSSELS POST DECEMBER 28, 1977-7
LET US 11IAKE YO R OLD FURNITURE
Canada is split right down the middle
these days. And I don't mean the Quebec
thing. It's the Mounties.
On the one hand, we have people
screaming that the cops with the red coats
are a bunch of scoundrels. On the other, we
have an equally vociferous group
defending their every law-breaking deed.
I agree with both sides, for a change, I
hate the thought of living in a country
where -my phone can be tapped, my mail
opened., and my property broken into by a
secret police.
But I think people who believe that any
police force, in any country, that can
combat terrorists, kidnappers and high-
jackers without breaking the red tape of the
law occasionally are extremely naive.
Every so-called civilized nation in the
world has its secret police, as any spy story
reader can tell you. The only difference lies
in their eptitUde, and the degree of
deviousness and ruthlessness employe.
They run all the way from the bumb;,.
British M.I.5 through the slippery
American C.I.A.• and the sharp French
Surete to the Rugged Russian K.G.B. and
the brutal, simplistic sadists of some South
American countries.
Among the secret police of the world, I
imagine the R.C,M.P. are probably ranked
about 48th. coming just after Iceland and
New Zealand. They simply are not ept,
devious or - ruthless enough to stand any
higher.
Despite all the thundering fulminatiOns
of the hot air artists in Parliament, the idea
of the Mounties as a secret lurking terror in
this country, threatening the civil liberties
• of all of us, is almost hilarious... •
They. haven't enough money, men or
brains at the top to be anything more than
an, irritant. They are probably out-
numbered by members of the Opposition
looking for publicity, dissident former
Mounties who have quite the Force
because they had to get their hair cut, And
smart journalists who seem to have no
trouble turning up the redcoats' latest
caper whenever they feel like it.
It's true they have been accu sed of all
sorts - Of :dreadful things. most of them
illegal. «,l lice have tapped phones and,
planted bugS. As do industrial' spie s and
the Mafia and probably a lot of other
organizations we don't know about:
They have withheld, deliberately,
..infertua trolly,. the 'politicians .who arc
su-pposed to be keeping an eye on them. So
what? If they told the politicians everything
They have conimitted arson, so they say.
So have a lot or .merchants, but the latter
call it having a fire sale.
they were going to do, the latter would
either try to grab some votes by stopping
it, or try to grab some votes by taking
credit for the act, if it worked,
This is some crazy country, when it
comes to secret service work, Remember
that poor Russian spy who tried to turn
himself over, with a load of documents, to
Mackenzie King, back in the cold war
days? He was told to go. peddle his wares
elsewhere, and the poor guy walked the
streets in winter, looking for someone to
defect to. Somebody finally took him. off the
streets, and he uncovered a huge Russ 'ian
spy ring in Canada.
Then we had the massive overkill when a
two-bit outfit in Quebec, the FLQ, pulled a
couple of' kidnappings. What a shemoZzle!
Hundreds of ordinary citizens were
arrested with nary a habeas or a corpus,
the army was called in, and the kidnappers
made monkeys of the mounties and the
Montreal gendarmes. After strangling one
of the victims and turning the other loose,
the hoods were escorted by police to
Montreal airport and flown, free, to Cuba.
And thus Canada's police forces, with
incredible ineptitude, announced to the
whole world that the way to deal with
terrorists is to buy them It. it's been going
on ever since.
Sorry, but I can't get all'Avorked up about
the RCMP, and its alleged trespasses. It's
great stuff for the Opposition, but it's more
like Gilbert and Sullivan than the Gestapo.
That doesn't mean I'm not aware of the
potential gravity of the situation. Some-
times I hear a soft click just after I've
picked up the phone. Maybe it's the
Mounties. But most likely it's my wile, on
the upstairs telephone.• frying to catch me
making a poker date when she's going to
be out to sewing class. (I usually let the
other guy talk, put down the receiver
carefully, race upstairs and catch her in the
act.)
• And when I took my grandboys to sec
Santa Claus at the big department store,
warned them. "Don't say a word to that
guy in the red coat with the beard. even if
he asks• what you want for Christmas...
• He probably has a dossier on rne.,When
was 17 i wanted to go and fight in'the civil
war in Spain. Years later, 20 years before
anyone else • in this country. I urged
editorially that Canada. recognize Red
China. I once inadvertently voted NDP..
And you know whaf those add up , to.
"He's a REM — as they'd have said 30
years, ago.• Today the Mounties probably
have me down as a "potentially delinquent
liberal with leftist tendencies, in a file
marked TOP SECRET.
For a free estimate and a look at
our newest samples of materials
— CALL
COOK UPHOLSTERY
Ph. 523-4272 R. Cook, Prop. ' "Put Your Upholstering
..Needs In Our Hands" Blyth, Qnt.
WE HAVE FREE PICK-UP AND. DELIVERY SERVICE
The
Pottery
Year End Clearance
Ever Reduced prices- Everything must go
before inventory
Have you considered a
wood-burning stove for your
home or cottage? Our stove, in
which old world quality and
crafalmanship are united with a
modern airtight downdraft
principle, will give you the right
answer to soaring prices of other
energy sources.
The Tempwood is made of
rugged steel, carefully fitted and
welding together.
It is very efficient -- you burn
less wood and obtain an even
source of heat. Stoke it as little as
twice a day and it will give you
carefree, safe comfort.
For added protection and
durability all Tempwood stoves
are now refractory-lined.
Plants can
benefit from
weak tea
Don't throw away leftover tea -
treat y our plants to a tea party.
R:A.Fleming, Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food extension
h orticulttirist, says many house-
plants can benefit from an
occasional watering with a weak
tea SolUtiOn:
Using a weak tea solution about
mice a month will help prdVide
the moderately acid soil Many
houseplants require to grow their
best ; says Mr. Fleming. •
'Much of-the water used in
Ontario has a high calcium
content, This can cause An
alkaline condition in potting soils
where teaching fails to carry the
excess alkalinity away."
High calcium content in water
Can be identified by heavy lime
deppsits after boiling
As a natural mild 'acid,: tea
tenth to netitralize the alkaline
condition without adding any
hatinftil ingredients. •
Use four parts water to one part
tea sOltitiOrt.Tht will not only
reduce alkalinity but also provide
moderately acid soil preferred by
plants such as azaleas, camellias,
gardenias, African violets,
begonias, gloxinias, arid Cape
Primrose.
Thank you for your patronage
since we took over the business.
We wish all our friends and
customers a Happy New Year.
• ~usins
Rit•
Listowel, Ontario
Tel. 291 3810
Store Hours
Open daily Monday tljiru Friday
9 can. to 9 p.m.: Saturdays
till
3rd road
7: Ifibri One .an riehl :s
Member
'887-6525 BRUssEt
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