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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1980-09-17, Page 6'JOCELYN SHRIER Publisher , 'SHARON J', DIETZ . Editor' • ANTHONY N. JOHNSTONF Advertising and• General. Manager • 'PAT LIViNGSTON , Office Manager MERLF. ELLIOTT Typesetter edtkeo By Don Campbell Shortly after noon on. Saturday, June 5th, 1841, the ;brig, "Mavis" began to embark her passengers. A large barrel at the bottom Of the gangplank served as a table. It was here that • a repres- entative of the ship's owners sat with a copy of the passenger list and collected iliefares:-- — -- The privileged or "upper class" were the first toboard. They arrived in horse drawn carriages; together with a collec- tion of luggage - trunks of pig skin studded with brass nails, or more sturdier iron bound boxes. A few had hat containers of leather and .other other fine travelling paraphernalia befitting those persons of rank who would occupy the• cabin spaces. Dressed in the best finery of fashion, they followed the • porters who carried their baggage aboard. At the, bottom of the gangplank they gave their names to the clerkwith a • stiperior tone of voice and dropped golden sovereigns on top of the barrel'. There 'was one. of, these privileged persons however, who seemed out of place amongst this show of wealth, but his profession', still entitled him to be designated a "gentleman". He was the Reverend Duncan MacLeod, Presbyter- ian minister from Snizort in the Isle of Skye. Diessed in a shabby and shiny black suit, he carried his entire posses- sions in a canvas bag and the manner Which he carefully counted out his fare Turn to page 7! ;NOW SENTINEi Bocir Ops The Huron County Board of Education is Or could it be 'that they were simply ,guilty of a flip flop that has some trustees making. a, grand gesture at the budget angry and undoubtedly many tanntYcrs as meeting, when the board room Was packed well. , with_ local politicians and taxpayers, .In setting this year's bpdget the board Whatever, the reason„ board members faced expenditures of, OS million -after Et seem to think their toil is worth the $3.,60(), series of cost-cutting. meetings. And if they value their work at that price At the April btidget session of the board, • tag they should have said, so at the budget trustee,paye Power introduced ftcut of ratepayers., • calling for trustee alkiwances to be redueed This flip flop WiftWiii#14 far thelioaid'i from. $3,600 to $3,0QQ'Per year. la . a ,$'25 million buidget it was a • small gesture but still is had some merit. Gower contended that: most trustees don't earn, the annual stipend for their • work on the board and said the cut would at ' least set, an example of belt tightening in' the battle against education costs.` At that time the bOard agreed. The Motion was adopted with the hudget and trustees were earning less for their service in education. However, in a closed door session the group agreed, to. reverse that decision and restore their paychecks to $3,600. Obviously some members of the board, who voted 'in favour of the first cut, had changed their minds behind the closed door. image-with taxpayers and will likely ‘end itself to the loss of some' deserving trustees. The Pay cut was a small gesture but the principal of the matter remains, ' The board Was showing some• leadership in cutting education costs, One trustee said 'that small . amount could be used for 'materials -or programs that were slashed ‘ftom the budget. Whether or not the, tustees are earning so many dollars for their service is' somewhat irrelevant in this case. They should have the conviction to stand • by •a decision or at least discuss their reasons for reversal in open session. . The issue is comprised of nickels and dimes and principles but they quickly add • Business and Editorial Office Telephone 528.2822 Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Lucknow, NOG 2H0 Second Class Mail Registration NumbeF -0847. Subscription rate, per year in advance Senior Citizen rate, $10 per year In, advance U.S.A. and foreign, $21.5(1 per year in advance Sr. Cit. U.S.A. and Foreign, $19.50 . per year in advance Troileatthould..40 up. —The Goderich Signal-Star . ' . Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau may have to seek parliament's approval to patriate the constitution unilaterally since he really has no other choice following the/allure of the constitutional conferende last week. Faced with demands from the preiniers • of the provinces who would only agree to constitutional reform if they were assured they would, get what they wanted, Trudeau must now act. unilaterally. The following points are areas where the provinces and federal government could not agree. The federal government agreed to give the provinces a. share of the jurisdiction over divorce and marriage in family law. On resources the federal government offered the provinces the right to impose indirect.taxes and a significant share with the federal government in the field of inter- provincial trade. The provinces wanted jurisdiction over interprovincial and inter- 'national trade in resources except in cases of "compelling national interest". The federal government offered to divide fisheries with the provinces. The provinces would have the inland fisheries and also sereitary species in :the sea. 'The federal sovernment proposed the coastal provinces would get 100 per cent of the revenues of -offshore—oil until they- became a province, The provinces wanted jurisdic- tion over resources under the sea. The provinces would not agree to a bill of rights entrenched in the constitution. The provinces proposed the, creation of a new provincial appointed upper house of Parliament to be called the Council of Provinces with the .power to veto certain federal intitiatives and appointments. Trudeau wanted Ottawa to have the right to name members to the council as well. Said Trudeau, "we were asked 'to agree to a concept of an Upper House where the provinces could get together to veto federal legislation and policies, to disallow (fed- eral) legislation and policies without even the federal government being present and having a voice." On an amending formula, the provinces wanted .an opting out formula which the federal government recognizes could lead to a checkerboard type of Canada. What emerged from the conference are two views of Canada. As described by Prime Minister Trud- eau, they are: "One view holds that national Canadian policies on the national common good ought, to be what results from each province acting independently to maximize its own self-interest." "The other view is that there IS a national interest which transcends regional interests," that when there is a conflict betWeen the national interest and the provincial interest, the national interest must prevail because Canada is more thah just the sum pf its parts, more than the sum of 10 provinces, more than the sum of 10 regional economies." • The federal government made a commit- tment to the people of Quebec following the referendum in May to renew the constitution. To fail on this committment could lead Canada to separation. • The federal government should take That! s one-mighty -big -mushroom t-Brenda-Gihson'frfather----7-- found these giant puffballs In a-field on their Ashfield Township farm last week. The larger one measures over five feet in perimeter and weighs close to 20 pounds. The smaller 'one is over four feet around. Delicious fried In butter, they would make a tasty dish with steak and green peppers. Brenda is the daughter of Allan and. Nancy Gibson. [Sentinel Staff Photo] 7 steps to patriate the conStitution, insert it in a temporary amending forinula so that changes .can be made through the Canadian parliament as they are agreed to by ,the provinces, and entrench in the constitution a charter of human, linguistic and economic rights binding on both the federal government and 'the .provinces. This will take the first step towards making constitutipnal renewal meaningful for the. French people of Canada. It will recognize" the ' French fact throughout - Canada and provide minimal guarantees of the right to use the French language in dealingwith publid institutions. - An agreement with the 'provinces is unlikely as the discussion has not passed preliminary issues after several attempts. The federal gnvernment has the power to bring the constitution home Where it can be amended in our own parliament without dealing through the British house, and they should proceed. This will give the provinces and the federal government the time to discuss their alternate view's 'of Canada and hope- fully proceed to an agreement which will be for the good of the WhOle country.