HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-07-29, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1987.
Opinion
l\/ow's a dangerous time
For Canadians who believe in a Canada where rights are the
same no matter where you live, now may be the most dangerous
time a united Canada has faced.
The danger comes at a time when there arc no outward signs
of stress or tensions. Compared to the separatist bombings of
the 1%0’s, compared to the daily worry of the 1970’s that the
Parti Quebecois would first win an election, then after their
victory in 1976, if they would lead the province out of
confederation, the 1980’s seem like a quiet time in Canada.
There are few marches or protest rallies in Quebec these days.
But what the Quebec nationalists failed to win in
confrontations with the government of Pierre Trudeau in nearly
20years, they may now be handed on a platter by three political
parties fighting to win the volatile Quebec vote.
During the Trudeau years his Quebec base was so solid that
he could afford to tell Quebecers they couldn't have special
rights and not risk a loss of seats in the province. That changed
w ith the last election when, with Trudeau gone, Quebecers
turned massively, for the first time in nearly three decades, to
the Progressive Conservatives led by Brian Mulroney, another
Quebecer.
But Quebecers have become disenchanted, even more than
the rest of the country, with the Mulroney government and
latest polls show that nearly half of all voters are ready to vote
for the NDP, despite the fact the New Democrats have never
elected a member in the province before.
And so we face a three-way race for the huge block of votes in
Quebec. The NDP's natural alliance in Quebec is with the social
democrats who made up much of the separatist support for the
PQ. The Liberals, however, also seem to be courting the same
vote, having turned their back on the beliefs of Trudeau, calling
them old-fashioned. The Conservatives desperate as they are,
may also be ready to promise anything to hold onto votes in the
province.
The results have already been seen in the conspiracy of
silence among the three party leaders on the Meech Lake
capitulation which gave Quebec powers no other province has
and bought off the other premiers by offering every single
premier a veto on constitutional change. Afraid to alienate
Quebec voters not one of the party leaders had the courage to
oppose the agreement. They ridiculed party members who did
have the courage to speak out.
And the bidding has just begun. With three parties
apparently having the chance to win the next election the
temptation to give even more special rights to Quebecers, not in
the constitution perhaps but in other ways, may be impossible
to resist. Against this special treatment a backlash is likely to
spring up, as it already has in eastern Ontario when
communities are declaring themselves “English only’’ in
reaction to a new Ontario government bill promising bi-lingual
provincial government services in some areas.
It will be tragic if, after two decades of fighting, after
defeating the referendum, after seeing ordinary Quebecers
turn their backs on separation in the name of getting on with
their own lives, Canada is taken back to the brink of
French-English discord because three vote-grabbing political
leaders put what’s right for their parties ahead of what’s right
for the country.
More first-rate exports
It has always been regrettable that one of the area’s biggest
exports has been its youth. Still, if we must export our youth,
it’s heartening to see such a fine crop as this year’s high school
graduates.
The final tally is finally in and it appears that there are eight
OntarioScholarsfromThe Citizen’s coverage area. With
students from the area attending five different high schools it
takes a while to get the final figures but it appears we have two
Ontario Scholars each at Seaforth, Goderich and Clinton high
schools and one each at Wingham and Listowel.
It’s wonderful to see so many fine young minds being
produced fromourcommunity each year. Itwouldbeeven more
heartening ifwe could find some way to get at least the majority
of these scholars into our communities after they’ve finished
their further education.
Getting noticed
While many Canadians have been disturbed by the
happenings surrounding the landing of a boatload of refugees
on the east coast, few have been as vocal, often embarrassingly
so, as Bill Vanderzalm, premier of British Columbia.
One day he was saying the federal government should sell
the boat and use the money to send the people back, the next
day he was complaining the federal government should pick up
the bills for welfare if the refugees aren’t sent back
immediately.
How do British Columbians manage to elect such
shoot-from-the-lip premiers time after time. Do they really
enjoy the way their premiers often represent them or is. the
province perhaps like the youngest child in a big family that
feels it must do outrageous things just to get noticed?
Mabel’s Grill
/ here are people who will tell vou
ihut 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 [ij not in the connlrv]
gather for morning coffee break,
otherwise known as the Round
Table Debuting and Filibustering
Society. Since not just everyone can
partake <>/ these deliberations we
will report the activities from lime to
time.
MONDAY: It took great determin
ation for everybody to stick it out
for the whole session this morning
since Mabel’s air conditioner was
broken down. About the only
reason people sat through all the
heat was that if they went back to
work they’d have to sit in the heat
too because only Tim O’Grady has
airconditioning ... and they’d have
to work as well, or at least look like
they were working.
Billie Bean said he’d read in the
paper that this was the hottest
summer in 22 years. Hank Stokes
said his memory must be short
because he couldn’t remember
when it was ever hotter. Julia Flint
said she could remember only as
far back as last winter when she
thought she would never be warm
again. Ward Black said he just
wished he could remember, really
remember, how hot it is now when
next winter rolls around ... espe
cially when he gets the January
heating bill.
TUESDAY: Speaking of the heat
again today people got talking
about cottages and somebody was
saying how the cottagers up in
Muskoka are getting really hot
under the collar because of their
tax bills. Ward asked what was new
about that since every time the tax
bills go out here he gets an ear-full
from every taxpayer in town. But
Hank was explaining that they’ve
gone to market value assessment
up north and so the people with
expensive cottages are picking up
more of the tax bill than the people
who live there year round. The
cottagers really get upset because
they have to pay education taxes
back home in the city and again on
their cottages.
Billiesaysifthe cottagers are
upset, think how the local people
mustfeel. Itmaybegreattosaveon
taxes because your property is
cheaper than a cottagers but how
would you feel if you lived year
round there and your whole house
was worth less than the cottage of a
guy who only came up on weekends
two months a year. You’d start
wondering if you were doing
something wrong in your life.
Tim was saying he read where
the average price of cottage on a
main Muskoka lake these days was
$300,000 to $500,000 andyoucould
pay $100,000 just for a vacant acre
of land.
Hank said at those prices he
figures he might be able to make
money by digging a lake in the
middle of his farm and selling off
lots.
WEDNESDAY: Julia was saying
Continued on page 15
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