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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-08-24, Page 4Page 4 - Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, August 24, 1994 Published weekly by Signal Star Publishing Ltd at 619 Campbell Street Lucknow, Ont. 528-2822. Fax (519) 528-3529 P.O Box 400, Lucknow, Ontario NOG 2H0 Established 1873 Thomas Thompson -- Advertising Manager Pat Livingston - General ManagerLEditor Phyllis Matthews Helm - Front Office . Subscription rates advance: • Local Regular $2000 within 40 mi radius G S T incl Local Senior $1700 within 40 mi radius G S T incl Out -Of -Area (40 miles); Regular $32.24,- Senior $29.24 G.S.T.'inct. Foreign + U S A $96fi9 Publications mail registration no 0847 held at Lucknow, Ont. Changes' of address, orders for subscriptions, and undeliverable copies • (return postage guaranteed) are to be sent to Lucknow Sentinel at the above address.. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, wilt not be charged for, but the -balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rates. Battle lines are drawn; snowbirds vs government The battle lines have been drawn. It's the Canadian Snow- bird Association against the Ontario government. It's a fight to the finish. For the average citizen, the dispute Is all about Canada's spoiled, affluent, retired and pensioned senior citizens not wanting to pay their way when they go south In the winter. As David Crane of The Toronto Star put. It In his business column. recently, "(Senior citizens) don't like the fact that only a bare minimum of their health care costs will be covered when they are away In Florida`or Arizona during the winter. But when one considers the current strains on the health care system, as well as the urgent and still unmet needs,of others - such as children who live in poverty - It's hard to justify big health care payments to expensive American doctors and greedy U.S. hospitals. . For the snowbirds who will square off with the government In court, the lawsuit Is all about fairness. It's about justice. It's about equality. There are Indeed senior citizens who'look for ways to milk the system here and abroad. There is no age barrier when It comes to irresponsible people. All charlatans must be halted In their tracks. But for the average senior citizen who escapes south for few months to get away from a harsh Canadian winter, the main issue Is the right to OHIP coverage for all Ontarlans, regardless of age or destination, at the same rate Outside of Ontario as In Ontario. it's not about getting more than anyone else. It's not about getting something that nobody else Is getting. It's about the province paying the same per diem rate for a hospital bed out -of -country as would be paid for a hospital bed In Ontario for any Ontario citizen. No more ... but certainly no less. Ontario's seniors do not go south to get sick. They go to keep well. Many of Ontario's seniors do not go south to live It up. Most will spend less in three months in the south than many other regular vacationers will spend on a brief mid -winter break on some exotic island. The majority of Ontario's seniors leave behind Ontario apartments for which they continue to pay rent or Ontario homes on which they continue to pay taxes. They drive Ontario -bought equipment and Ontario Insurances; they bear Ontario licences. They buy Ontario -provided 'heating fuel. They pay Ontario utility bilis and maintain Ontario household expenses and hire Ontario caretakers for their properties while they are away. Many, many take Ontario -Bought clothes, Ontario -bought food and Ontario -bought supplies with them. A little -appreciated side benefit Is the amount of Ontario goodwill they show wherever they go. Ontario's seniors who are members of the Canadian Snowbird Association have a legitimate case ..., and governments right across this country know it. Let the games begin. SJK • The Sentinel Memoirs Mr. Jamieson had a "thrilling" ride 70 years ago Aug. 21, 1924 I, ook out for them - The Blyth Standard reports the theft of 50 chickens from one farm near town. This is a fair warning for folk having poultry to look well to their flocks. For some years the province has been invested with poultry thieves, and they always get busy about this,time. Fine crop of wheat - R.J. Button, whose farm is just west of Lucknow, had his fall wheat threshed and although he was expecting a pretty -good turn out it went quite beyond expectation. He threshed 675 bushels of practically clean wheat from 121/2 acres, making 54 bushels to the acre. This is by the measured bushell. On weighing a measured bushel, Mr. Button found it went 65 pounds which adds considerably to the number of bushels threshed when counted in that way. 50 years ago Aug. 31, 1944 Went through open fence with, throttle open Ninety miles per, on a country' sideroad with a snakelike bend ahead, provides a thrill that John Jamieson can tell you about, but wouldn't care to repeat. Stranded on the McKay sideroad, Mr. Jamieson had a local garageman come to his assistance. In trying to remedy the trouble the spring was left off the ac- celerator, and when a push started the Jamieson car it roared away on an open throttle. By the time the driver realized what was wrong, he declares he was travelling at such a speed that he darned not take his hand off the wheel to shut off the switch. Reaching a bend in the road which he knew he couldn't manipulate, Mr. Jamieson put his V8 through a 12 foot space between two elms, and went through a fence as if it were nothing into a 20 acre field where he soon brought the rampaging vehicle under control. The car. received a little damage, while Mr. Jamieson escaped unhurt. Tekanawite was a peacemaker by Noni Mate Long before Europeans arrived in Canada, the People of the Lon- ghouse' had a complex political system that resolved conflicts through negotiation, not war. Today, the story of Peacemaker continues to inspire the People of the Longhouse. Michael Doxtater of the Mohawk Nation tells the story like this: When Tekanawite was a young boy he received a vision of the Good Message of Peace. Motivated by his' message, he grew up to be a strong and handsome man, honest and straightforward. At that time, the people lived in constant conflict. The five Iroquois' nations: the Mohawk, the Onon- daga, the Oneida, the Cayuga and the Seneca were trapped in a brutal pattern of incessant' warfare. One day Tekanawite Galled his mother and grandmother and told them that the time had come for him to stop the shedding of blood among the people. He built a canoe out of stone and began paddling across Lake Ontario' to the land of the People of the Longhouse. Tekanawite spread his message of peace in one settlement after another. "Let the people love one another," . he said. "We are all children of the. great Spirit. We are brothers and sisters. Forego and forget your revenge. Let us live in peace." The people listened and were impressed. In their hearts they were tired of the bloodshed. But not. everyone wanted peace. Some were .so accustomed to the life of the warrior that they could not imagine life without warfare. Ai:iowatha was a Mohawk who lived among the Onondagas. He had grown weary of the bitter strife Letter policy The I.uckno'w Sentinel u'elconies readers' views and opinions. All letters must he signed and include the author's address and telephone number for verification purposes. , Letters should be topical and are routinely edited for length, style and clarity. Brief letters which make a paint have rnore impact and stand a Netter chance of inclusion. Personal attacks, consumer complaints and potentially libelous letters will he rejected. 4 among the people and had tried to set up a peace council. This brought him into conflict with ' Atotarho, who killed Ai:iowatha's three daughters and drove him into exile. One day, Tekanawite came across. Ai:iowatha weeping in the forest. When Ai:iowatha told him his sad story, Tekanawite consoled him and dried the tears from his eyes. He. said: "Now let reason return. Join me now to bring a new understan- ding among the, people of the five nations." Thereafter the two men travelled together, carrying the Good Mes- sage of the Great Peace • to the Iroquois . Nations. The Mohawks, the Oneidas, the Cayugas and the Senecas received the message and joined together in a confederacy. The Onondagas also joined, but Atotarho refused until Tekanawite and Ai:iowatha offered him a special role as Fire Keeper of the League. Now the Confederacy was complete. Tekanawite chose a pine tree as a symbol of the League.. Under the tree was a great hole filled with rushing water. Into this hole the warriors flung their hatchets and war -clubs. Then they. raised the fallen tree together. "We bind ourselves together," said Tekanawite, "by taking hold of .each other's hands so firmly and forming a circle so strong that if a tree should fall upon it, it could not shake nor break, so that our people and grandchildren shall remain in the circle in peace, security and happiness." , In 1713, the Five dations were ; joined by the Tuscaroras to create the League of Six Nations, the' Confederacy that has lasted down to the present day. The Good Message of the Great Peace still has power. "Here I come!" says Nicole Klip, one of many youngsters who take advantage of the playground equipment at the Lucknow pool, while siblings are taking lessons or while they wait for. their turn In the pool. (Pat Livingston photo)