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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-09-30, Page 6editorial Licknow Sentinel, Wednesday, September 30, 1981 -,Page 6 The LUCKNOW 'SENTINEL "The Sepoy Town" ' Established 1873 SHARON J. DIEIZ • Editor ANTHONY N. JOHNSTONE . Advertising and General Manager PAT LIVINGSTON Office Manager MERLE ELLIOTT - Typesetter JOAN HELM - Composition. Business and Editorial, Office Telephone 528-2822 Mailing Address P.O. Boz 400, Lucknow, NOG 2110 Second lass Mail Registration Number -0847 Sal crlpdso rate, 314,50 .per year In advance Seeder cithen rate, $12.00 per year Is advance U.S.A. ead Forel.* 32300 per year Is advance See At. U,S.A. and Forelga, 521.00 per year IaOval** Lgahty or convention The supreme court's long awaited decision on the legality of the federal government's constitutional package has been handed" down. While the court has decided that the federal government has the legal righty to pursue. with their plans to bring home the constitution,,the court also decided constitutional convention dictates that the federal govern- ment would not proceed without the approval of the pro- vinces. And the consent of the, provinces, Ottawa doesnot have. Only Ontario and Nova Scotia consent to the federal government's constitutional package and its bill. of rights. The• remaining provinces willnot agree to the bill of rights. being incorporated in the constitutional package until they can wrestle more power from the federal government in the constitution for the Ives. One bright point has been Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's reaction to the supreme court decision. Instead of his usual 'arrogant ` manner, he adopted a conciliatory tone and indeed, it looks as if he may be open to new sugges- tions from the provinces, in an attempt to reach an agree- ment before- calling on Britain to send the constitution home. The Canadian people are weary of the constitutional debate and all its wrangling 'between the Ottawa govern- . ment and the ` provinces. The economy, namely high' in- terest rates; is the most serious problem commanding the attention of the Canadian people. Many want the govern- ment to set aside the constitutional question and get.;on with the job of creating an economy which will bring down infla- tion nflation and interest rates and unemployment. , The federal government has an obligation to bring home Canada's constitution,- because Canada is an independent nation worthy of having its constitution in place. Butto pro- ceed- now without the agreement of the provinces, especial- ly after the delicate balance indicated fir the supreme court decision, would do irreparable, harm', to the unity of the counPerhaps rhthe federal government should proceed instead to solve Canada's economic problems and then thepto-- vinces would not find it as necessary to seek more powers from the federal government to ensure their economic •sur- vival. Perhaps the constitutional question would find its rightful solution without the imposition of an arbitrary timetable and a resolute march to London. Political posturing redtrees by don campbeui The captain of the schooner "Maid of Mull" stood on the wheel deck look- ing aloft and shouting orders to the men in the rigging. Travelling eastwards across thebroad expanse of Lake Ontario and driven by a gentle westerly wind, theship moved` slowly and gracefully. The skipper was a plump, . jovial man in his late forties and he called cheerfully :to his men, almost like 'a father guiding.his children. The decks were scrubbed and there was an at- mosphere of clean orderliness prevailing about the . vessel; the hallmark of a crew who respected both ship and master. Chippy Chishohn was. reluctant to approach the skipper whilst he was still engaged in his duties, but he knew that what he had to relate could not be delayed. He climbed up the steps to the wheel deck and touched his cap as a mark of respect to the captain, : but the look on Chippy's face was not as cheerful -as the skipper's. "Captain, Sir, could I please speak to ye frae a wee while? I'm afraid we hae a stowaway aboard!" - The captain took his eyes from the rigging, looked at Chippy and laughed out Loud, causing his huge belly to shake in the process. "A stowaway you say, Chisholm? If it's one of those •bonny tavern wenches I saw in Toronto, you can put her in. my cabin." He turned and shouted to the first mate who was standing amid- ships. "Mr. Thompson, take over the watch." When Chippy Chishohn had explain Ma - ed the reason why young Edwlzd:. MacQueen had stowed away on the ship, the captain said he would'•deal with the matter, and that Chippy should say nothing to the boy until the skipper had spoken to him first. Edward MacQueen was sitting on'a bunk in the crew's quarters when the captain and ' Chippy appeared. One glance ab -the huge frame of the skip- per was enough to make the lad trem- ble with fear. The usual smiling face of the ship's master took on a . stern look which befitted the role he was about to play. "Stowaway," the captain's voice boomed across the deck. "By thunder Chisholm, any stowaway on my ship will pay for his passage across the Atlantic. I'll put this boy to work down in the bilges with just bread and water to eat and• only the . rats ,to keephis company!" He paused for a moment and shook his head, as he looked menacingly at the cringing form of Edward MacQueen. "But . of course,. there will bethe punishment first. What say you about the punishment Chishohn? Shall we give him ten lashes, or shall we tie him to the crow's nest when the seas are heavy and rough?' Edward. MacQueen had feared he would have received some punish- ment by making himself a stowaway, but being flogged was not what he had envisioned. As for being tied to the top of the rigging, the boy had never heard of that, but it sounded like a fearful punishment. He put his head in hishands to block out the menacing look ofthe captain and cried with ter- ror. error. Having ' accomplished his purpose, the captain reverted -to his usual character. He sat on the bunk beside the lad and put an arm around his shoulder. "There, there, we'll do none of these things, but only if you promise to be a good boy and go back to your poor mother, and the man who wants to ac- cept you as his son!" When the captain returned to the wheel deck there was another ship p- proaching, travelling in the opposite direction, and no doubt; heading for. Toronto. The . west bound :ship was ,movingslowly and with far less speed than the "Maid of Mull The skipper made a decision and called to the crew. "All hands prepare to come about!" The "Maid of Mull" •slowly turned 180 degrees and waited for the west bound ship to come abreast. The skip- per signalled that he wished to com- municate and when they were close enough he . shouted: "Ahoy there! Heave to! I have a passenger on board my ship who must return to Toronto. I will send him over :to you by the jolly boat." So it wasby these strange and: for- tunate circumstances that Edward MacQueen was returned to the har- bour from which he had chosen to escape. Health. Minister Dennis Timbrell has been advocating "modest user fees" for hospital care in the province as 'a method of , raising more money . to fund our health care system in the province. Timbrell argues such . changes aren't deterrent fees and won't prevent people from getting the care they need. Surely Timbrell is aware that before medicare, the needy often did not receive good medical care. Many could not af- ford to see a doctor and when hospitalized were hustled off to charity wards. The needy could not choose their doctors and often waited long hours in crowded clinics to see doc- tors who_would care,fortheneedy_ Timbrell is indeed insensitive to the feelings of those peo- ple who live at or below the poverty level. They cannot af- ford a "modest" user fee no matter how modest. It could well mean the difference between neat on the table and visiting the doctor. If the health Ministry should decide that the people. on Welfare and the elderly will be exempt from fees, this too is insensitive. People should not be forced to pass a means test to gain admission to the hospital, without paying a user fee. • Canada's publicly supported national health insurance. plan was created to avoid means tests for medical care and to assure that everyone, regardless of income and the abili- ty to pay, receives quality appropriatemedical care. Jack Kopas, chairman' of the Wingham •and District Hospital board brought Timbrell's comments to the atten- tion of the board members at last week's: hospital board meeting. Chairman Kopas indicated that �Timbreli's were not to be taken too seriously at this point and described them as "political posturing". . Hopefully these comments are nothing more. The idea of underminesa user fee however modest the tate system in p1a this :country, which upholds health the right of all people to adequate medical care regardless of financial position. If Timbrell needs more money„to preserve the health in- ce plan, he should be looking at tax revenues not deterrent fees. Indeed a Gallop poll earlier this year in- dicated that a large majority of the people surveYed, would. not be averse to paying higher taxes to preserve the govern- ment ment service they value•rnore highly than any other. The idea of user fees for`medicalcare has no more credit than just that, political posturing. one foot In tie -furrow Canadian farmers are among the best in the world. They have risen to the technological challenges in the last 50 years to a greater degree than most nations. Almostevery area in agriculture could 'increase production dramatically right now. Milk pro- ducers, if given enough quota, could expand immediately. Chicllen broiler producers are even now operating at much lest than capacity. Egg producers have proven too many times that they can get their- chickens heirchickens to glut the market. Most chicken barns are below capacity. Many more hogs could be produced and many more cattle could be fatten- ed but low market prices and high production costs and much -too -high interest rates mitigate against those farmers. Why should they produce more? To feed the hungrypeople in the world? Good reason, but „why not teach the hungry people in the world to feed themselves? Some notable farmers from Canada have done that. Increasing production here, though, could cause more problems than would be solved. Farmers run the risk of turning fields from gardens into deserts. by bob trrotte0 Farmers have not been listening to eggheads and professors for years. Many of them are soundingwarnings now that cannot be ignored. The Agricultural Institute of Canada has joined the chorus. This prestigious body of men and women must be heeded. Canadian farmers, say members of the institute, may be able,to increase production by 65 to 100 percent but it could ruin our soils. Land erosion, soil salinity, loss of organic matter, deple- tion eple-tion' of non-renewable energy sources,. the breakdown of the syStem of chemical pest controls and increasing costs for land, credit and production inputs are all cited by the institute as reasons for caution in producing more food. Most important is the world tllth. It doesn't, mean much to the city- dweller ensconsed in his high-rise apartment or the urbanite sitting in his postage -stamp backyard. But it has great meaning for farmers. .You simply cannot put too much. strain on the soil.When the good earth become silt, it becomes useless. To continue over -producing will turn soil into dessert. Ir. W. D. Morrison of the Universi- ty of Guelph maintains that big is not necessarily better. Conservation must be given more attention in research and an increase in the size of farms with resulting fewer farms is not necessarily the trend of the future. Most agricultural organizations are dedicated to preserving the family farm and rural conmmunities, to main- tain and increase self-sufficiency. Op- timizing food production — the big get- ting .. bigger"and the small getting out — is not compatible with preserving the family farm. • So, agriculture in Canada can and should grow but not to the detriment of the land itself. I am too young to remember it but the stories of the dirty Thirties and the dustbowls of that day are enough to remind all of us that over -production is a sin. Only leadership.and national goals can prevent the same thing hap- pening as more and more people go hungry in the world. It : is a dilemma which cannot be solved in a few lines of type. It will take the best brains in this country to solve the many problems facing farmers. Unfortunately, fanners are too busy making interest payments to ad- dress this awesome question. i