HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-07-15, Page 6Xi,
Pay 6—Auekaow son
The'.
:Wednesday, :July 15, 1981
SENTINEL
"The %pay Town" Established 1873
SHARON J. DIETL . Editor
- . ANTHONY N. JOHNSTONE , .Advertising and
General Manager
PAT LIViNGSTON . Office Manager
MERLE ELLIOTT r Typesetter
JOAN HELM ;Composition
ltusineas and Editorial Otitce. Telepphone 528.2822
Mailing Address P.O, Bot 400, Lucknow, NOG 2H0
Second CIau Mail Registration Number447
Sub.celPa a'rate, S13.50 per y.ar hi advisor
Senior, Mhos rate, 511.50 per ptar In advance
U.S.A. and,Forelga, 823.00 per past la advae e
Sr. Clt. U.S.A.. told Portly, $2i.00 per year la advance
rimer of discontent
Urban rioting in Britain, over the past week has caused
alarm that Britain is coming apart at the seams. Street rioting
is , very "unBritish"
Rioting first broke out in April ipvolvi ng police and young
blacks in Brixton, South London. Last week there were battles
between white skinhead youths, young Pakistanis and police
in Southall, west London; looting and burning by both white
and black youths in Toxteth, Liverpool; police headquarters in
Manchester beseige4 by rampaging youths and rioting in 11
neighbourhoods in London; and other areas of Manchester:
While some are of the opinion the rioting is caused by a
breakdown in social . discipline others believe the trouble...
stems from the austere economic policies of the Thatcher
government; At any rate the trouble has left everyone
wondering what is happening to Britain..
The hardliners advocate the use of plastic bullets and
special "smash squads" to break . up rioters while the
moderates want the government to consider programs which
will deal . with the massive numbers of , youth who are
unemployed.
Thousands of dollars will be spent either way. It costs
money to equip police andbring in the militaryto stop °riots
but neither of these tactics deal with the frustration,
resentment' and antagonism. Indeed,, they do far more to
encourage : the outbreak of violence.
Thatcher herself even conceded in the House of Commons
last week . that the massive youth unemployment resulting
from her, policies .must have played a part in the riots.
Would Britain not be wiser to spend the dollars necessary
to deal with the social problems created by their economic
policies? Surely they must realize economic restraints only for
the sake of reducing'a. deficit, has serious side effects which
biting about the kind of violence British cities are teeing this
summer.
A campaign to cut unemployment, an increase in funding
for college education and industry --apprentice programs as
well as social programs to deal/with the inner city race
problems would do much to appease the rioters. Young blacks
of Caribbean origin have been involved in all but one of the
riots and they have fared worst as a result of Thatcher's
policies.
While there may be some inducement ie Canada to reject
employment because of Canada's welfare system, in Britain.a
• mere $35 a week for an unemployed youth living with his
family is hardly .worth signing up for.
Responding to street violence with gppre;ssion and more
violence will do nothing to create trust among the young
unemployed blacks that their concerns are being met by the
country's government. The money will be spent anyway, why
not choose to spendit positively to deal with the root of the
problem rather than creating more violence by oppressive
measures?
Search is on
The Search ison for an Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year.
,,The purpose of this award program is to ` provide
recognition . for outstanding achievements' or acts of courage
and initiative, by boys and girls between the ages of six and
eighteen years.
Theprogram will include individual awards presented for
meritorious conduct, plus special group awards to recognize
the efforts of young people throughout the communities of
Ontario.
The award nominees will be individuals or groups who have
performed acts of physical heroism, perhaps endangering
their own lives, overcoming disabling physical or psycholog-
ical handicaps to match or exceed their fellows or being
involved in, some worthwhile community service endeavour.
The residents of Ontario will act as nominators, suggesting
young people or a group of youngsters between the ages of 6
and 18 who haveperformed an act or achievement that
manifests courage, initiative or selflessness, performed
during the current qualifying period.
Completed applications will be returned to the Ontario
Community Newspaper Association and a , panel of weekly
newspaper editors and the paitron CP Air will make selections
from the nominations submitted. The award winning junior
citizens of the year receive a framed citation certificatb
outlining their accomplishment, an Ontario Junior Citizen of
the Year pin and a Savings Bond with a value of $200
Other young people nominated receive certificates acknow-
ledging their acconlpiishmnents and participation.
Presentation of the .Junior Citizen of the Year awards will
be held during the Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association
annual convention.
Extraordinary'• deeds of Ontario boys and girls are
performed within their communities, Only by having them
drawn to our attention by local nominators will we be able to
honour these worthy young citizens and give them the public
recognition they so richly deserve.
Anyone wishing to nominate " an individual or group may
contact the Sentinel for an application., The deadline for
nominations for this year's award is December 1, 1981.
9
report from qu
en's park;
By Murray J. Elston, M.P.P.
Huron -Brute
Legislature Adjourns
The • Ontario Legislature has ad-
journed for the summer Recess.
During the 11 -week spring session,
some thirty pieces",' of legislation
received final reading. In a normal
some thirty pieces of legislation
received final reading. In a normal
session, approximately 80 tills are
usually passed, but there was a late
beginning tolegislative business due
to the March 19 provincial election. In
addition, opposition to the ad valorem
gas tax bill further delayed business,
as 30 MPPs spoke against the bill,
arguing that the rising tax is an undue
burden on the already -high price of.
energy. Nevertheless, using. the
weight of their 70-seatmajority, the
Government pushed through the bill.
Other legislation, passed during the
session includes bills to: •
-- empower the health ministry to
appoint a supervisor to run any public
hospital, as has been done at Toronto
East General;
- establish the Ontario Waste
Management Corporation to run an
industrial liquid waste facility. in South.
Cayuga; ,
— increase personal "income taxes in
Ontario by 9 per cent;
— prevent prevent the eviction of Toronto
Island residents until at least the end
of the year, or until a permanent
solution can be found;
— increase Workmen's Compensation
redtrees
Board benefits - retroactive to July 1,
1979 - over a two year period, by 9 and
10 per ' cent;:
allow Ontario Hydro to sell steam
energy.
Rent Review
The matter of landlords of buildings
exempted' from Ontario's rent control
legislation luringtenants with low
-tents and then gouging them with big
increases the second year has-been
raised in the Ontario Legislature. It
has been charged that this "loss
leader" method is being: practiced in
apartment unitsbuilt after 1976,
especially in manyof the newer areas
such as Scarborough, Rexdale and
Mississauga. The Minister of Con-
sumer
on .sumer and Commercial :Relations con-
tendsthat the problem is even worse
in the downitown areas, wheredemand
for apartments is greater.
In an effort to . clear up the backlog
of 1,300 cases, rent review hearing
officers from ;other parts of the
province are to be brought into Metro.
The current 6% increase level has not
yet been changed, although the.
Government has indicated that chang-
es are coming.
Cults
Liberal MPP John Sweeney (Kit-
chener -Wilmot) has stated that be-
cause the Ontario Government has
refused to .act. against mind -develop-
ment groups, the province is being
deluged by such cults. The Attorney -
General responded by saying that r ,
whileno legislation has been imple-
mented since Daniel. Hill's report on
cults, was completed, the study has.
contributed to public awareness.
Government response has been delay-
ed by police investigation.
Censor Board
the Ontario Government has plan -
nod to change the Censor Board.' Civil
servants currently on, the Board are to
be replaced. However, three members
of the Board who were critical of Board
policies have been the only people to
lose their jobs. One other member of
the Board who was not critical of the
Board policy remains in place.
Re•Mor
After months of unrelenting critic-
ism over its regulation of Re -Mor
Investment Management ' Corp., the
Ontario Government is . polling the
public for attitudes onthe licencing, of
financial institutions. The poll result
"will form an .important basis for what
we will ultimately decide in .term of
amendments to the. Mortgage Brokers.
Act and the Loan F and Trust Corpora-
tions Act", said the Minister con-
cerned.: Results of the $18,000 poll,
which is mid -way to completion, will
be presented to the Legislature in
October, . when MPPs review the
operations of the Consumer Ministry.
This will be my last release until the
House reconvenes in •October. I wish
all readers a very happy, summer.
By Don Campbell
Kate MacQueen lived in two rooms
of a house near the corner of Newgate
and York Streets. There was a kitchen
with a stove and a bedroom divided by
a large curtain, in which Katie and her
two children slept. It was plain and
humble. Just a shelter until there was
a change of circumstances.
III With her money slowly running out,
Katie expected the change would be
for the worse and she feared the long
winter 'which lay ahead. There was
always the comforting thought that
she was within reach of the "Friends
of Skye". They surely wouldnot allow
her children to suffer, but Katie was a
proud woman and not one to seek
charity.
As she kneaded bread dough in a
large earthenware bowl, she pondered
on her future. Unless . there was a
change of fortune, she would be forced
to find employment. This would not be
easy. Respectable work for women
was extremely limited in those days.
Katie was shaping the dough on the
flour coated table when there was a
gentle knock on the door. She wiped
her hands upon her apron and went to
see who her visitor was at that time of
day: Her face flushed crimson at what
she saw. Standing upon the threshold,
cap in hand and likewise :embarrassed
was Hamish Murdoch.
"Och, Mr. Murdoch Sir, what an
unexpected ,.sur rise,"" Katie said, as
P p.
she brushed the hair from her 1tiee
with the back of a floury hand. "Ye
must forgive me looking like this, but
as ye see, I'm baking bread. Please
come' away and sit for a white. I shall.
soon have it inthe baking tins.
Hamish sat on a chair by the stove
and tried not to embarrass Katie any
more by looking at her whilst she
worked. He gazed into the Ifire and,
tried to formulate in his mind the
awkward words he would be forced to
say. From the depths of. the fire came
the recollection of the hours he had
spent alone by another stove at
Blake's Folly. In those tithes he had
planned all the things he would say to
Katie on their meeting. At thismom-
ent he was not at all sure if he had the
courage to reveal his thoughts.
Katie made some tea and it was only
when they were both seated that
Hamish offered to speak.
"Di ye mind ma'am, when 1 said .I
would come and visit 'ye?" He asked
abashedly.
"That I do Sir," Katie .. said.
"Indeed it seems I have thought of
little else since we spoke together on
the "Kingston Lass".
Hamish swallowed hard and he had
to force himself to pursue his line.of
thought. "-'Did ye understand ma'am
what I tried ' to tell ye. Did ye really
know what I meant?"
Katie's face reddened a little more.
"I believe I do Sir," she said. softly.
"You are an, honourable man and I
believe you wished to visit me for a
respectable "purpose. Please Sir, tell
me what I believed was true."
Hamish Murdoch felt more reassur-
•
ed and overcoming his shyness, he
said bluntly. "I no have the time to be
courtin' ma'am. 1011 away to Richmond
Hill in the morn. If ye are willing, I
would like to take ye for my wife when
I return in the spicing. But this is
sudden ma'am, and if you, are thinking
that you need mare time, then I shall
be willing to wait for your answer.' `
Katie had already made up her
mind but the prospect of waiting until
the spring filled her with consterna-
tion. Could she survive in Toronto
until that time? Circumstances may
make it necessary for her to move to
some other place. How could she tell
Hamish that she was almost destitute?
He read her thoughts.
"1 know the ,hardship ma'am. `Tis
difficult for a widow and two children
to live all alone and unprotected,"
Hamish said earnestly. "Whether or
not ye will take me' for your man, 1
shall be obliged to leave you with the
means to live until the spring.
He took out a money bag and placed
it on the table. And now, ma'am I
shall , go and let you decide on your
• answer." }tarnish moved quickly to
the door but Katie followed hurl and
laid a hand on his arm.
"You honour me Sir," she said.
"When you next return to Toronto I
, i
shall be m
matting and if it s still your
wish, I will become your wife."
With tears of happiness' in his eyes
and unable to. speak, Hamish lifted her
hand to his lips: He turned abruptly
and went out of the door, too full of
emotion to remain.
1
a
s
It
t
0
0
a
-o
a
rr
si
e
d
t
fi
p
t