HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-06-10, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1987.
Doing a deal at any cost
One of the main pressures that seemed to come to bear on the
10 premiers and the prime ministers during the 19 hours of
bargaining last week that ended in an agreement on
constitutional amendments, seemed to be the fear of failure.
The same pressure to make all the effort worth it, whether the
deal is good or not, should be worrying Canadians about the
free trade talks with the U.S.
In his book “Vimy”, Pierre Berton talks about how
sometimes military battles that should never have taken place
became disasters because the planning was so far advanced the
commanders were afraid to admit they’d goofed or the
circumstances had changed and the battle should be called off.
Insider reports from the constitutional negotiations say that
both Premiers Howard Pawley of Manitoba and David Peterson
of Ontario had serious reservations but when it came right down
to it, didn’t want to be the ones to scuttle the agreement. Mr.
Peterson told reporters both before and after the final
negotiations to think of how it would look to the people of
Quebec if the agreement broke down at this stage.
Now that the free trade talks have gone on so long, how would
it look to American politicians, already pushing for more
protectionist trade barriers, to see a Canadian government turn
down a deal because it refused to give in to American pressure
to kill off marketing boards, or refused to allow unrestricted
American investment or refused to give in to protecting
Canadian cultural institutions like television and magazines.
Already there have been threats that Canada had better sign a
deal or else.
Having made all the fuss about getting an agreement, having
brought American attention to Canadian trade (of which we
already have a large surplus), does Canada dare say no? There
was no American pressure for an agreement before the
Mulroney government made it an issue, just as there was no
strong pressure to get Quebec to sign the constitution until Mr.
Mulroney pushed the idea. Once that door was opened, it was
impossible to close.
Also worrying, from the example of the constitutional talks,
is the negotiating method: keeping everything quiet until a
final deal is sprung on the people of the country. Then there’s
Mr.Mulroney’swillingnessto give the other party in the
negotiations far more than he gets in order to make a deal.
Over and over again the government’s spokesmen have said
that the deal will be agood one for Canada or there will be no
deal. Just who in this country is left with the confidence that,
given the massive retaliation the U.S. is liable to throw at us if a
deal isn’t signed, Mr. Mulroney will have the courage to say no
to a deal rather than give in to demands that would deliver this
country, economically and culturally, into the hands of
American owners.
Too many ghosts
Last week’s Brussels Village Council meeting may have been
the most difficult meeting to cover a reporter from this paper
has ever witnessed. That’s because the council chamber was
full, not just with four councillors, a reeve, two clerks and a
handful of spectators, but full of ghosts from the past.
It was virtually impossible, for instance, to give direct quotes
from the politicians because none were self-contained
thoughts. Nearly all related to some unmentioned incident
from the past, recent or distant, that coloured the discussion.
Many of the arguments seemed designed to the right past
perceived injustices, some dating back at least to the
construction of the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community
Centre.
actionsof that era were. It is obvious, however, that long
memories and short tempers don’t help get things
accomplished. Unfortunately they could only cloud present
issues and what makes sense for the moment. Important
decisions have to be made by council and both sides of the issue
should be aired before a decision is made. The decision of
council is difficult at the best of times without being obscured
further by the frustrations of the past.
No one can accuse any of the Brussels councillors of not being
dedicated to their job. If they weren’t, the frictions of the past
year would long ago have worn them down and made them quit.
The job can be easier for all of them however if past injustices
can be, if not forgiven, at least forgotten as far as council debate
is concerned.
So this is safe?
It must be comforting to the relatives of people who lost their
livesin winteraccidentsonHighway4between Blyth and
Wingham, for those who’ve had their vehicles mangled or
those who’ve just had the scare of their lives in that stretch, to
know that the accident rate on the stretch of highway is quite
acceptable to Gerry Browning, Regional Director of the
Ministry of Transport and Communications.
It must be all these years of living in the snowbelt that’s made
us blind to the excellent condition of the road, or maybe all those
years living outside the snowbelt that made Mr. Browning
blind to just how bad it can be.
The age of discovery
Mabel’s Grill
There are people who will tell
you that the important decisions in
town are made down at the town
hall. People in the know, however
know that the real debates, the
real wisdom reside down at
Mabel's Grill where the greatest
minds in the town [if not in the
country] gatherfor morning coffee
break, otherwise known as the
Round Table Debating and Fili
bustering Society. Since not just
everyone can partake of these
deliberations we will report the
activities from time to time.
MONDAY: Billie Bean says he’s
made up his mind, he’s definitely
going to try to get a job with the
provincial government. He came to
the conclusion, he said, after
reading about all the money the
government wantsto shower on
former and present clerks of the
legislature. Lastyearthey were
willing to pay $90,000 a year to the
former clerk now they’re talking
about paying an extra $40,000 on
topof the $100,000they already
agreed to, to have the new clerk
move from Ottawa to Toronto. And
this is on top of an $85,000 a year
salary. With tough negotiations
like this in the government, he
wanted a piece of the action, Billie
said.
Ward Black said he thought they
were paying the new clerk just to
move his furniture but at those
prices, they must be moving the
entire house.
Billie said he’d be an easy
negotiator with the government.
He wouldn’t even charge them for
a move. He’d be happy to make
$20,000 a year to just stay at
Mabel’s drinking coffee and
refereeing debates all day.
TUESDAY: Ward Black was say
ing this morning you certainly had
to admire Prime Minister Mul
roney ’ s guts and negotiating skills.
“Imagine,” he says, “getting the
11 top politicians in a room, locking
the door and telling them they
couldn’t get out until they came to
an agreement.”
“Humph”, said Hank Stokes.
“Too bad they didn’t lose the key.”
WEDNESDAY: Tim O’Grady was
teasing Ward Black this morning
that the Conservatives must really
be afraid of the New Democrats
these days because party president
Bill Jarvis has sent out a letter
asking for money for a $560,000
fund to fight the NDP before they
get power and bring in a “Soviet
style government” under the
“radical left agenda”.
Julia Flint said maybe the
Conservatives weren’t so worried
really. After all, she said, if they
figure $560,000 is enough to beat
back the communist hordes they
should teach Ronald Reagan some
lessons. He’s going to spend
billions on Star Wars.
Hank said maybe that’s what the
new defence policy was all about.
All those nuclear subs and tanks
and the 10 new fighter jets weren’t
to keep the Russians and Yanks out
of the Arctic, they were to keep the
socialists out of Ottawa if the
$560,000 fund failed.
THURSDAY: Julia was chuckling
about the mix-up in TV signals in
Peterborough, Ottawa and Mon
treal that ends up showing a man
walking around naked in a scene
from some porno movie in the
middle of Sesame Street. Probably
some parents just thought it was
part of a new enlightened sex
Continued on page 6
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