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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-03-25, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25,1992. # Former Durhamites called The Other Side By Keith Roulston Letters The rarest state: having enough So the hockey players are talking about going on strike before the playoffs: at least there will be a lot of happy people who won't have to have a hockey game on the TV every night from now to June. It's hard to the ordinary Joe and June to have too much sympathy with the hockey players and the hardship they have to face. If you are good enough to get to wear a major league uniform these days you can expect to earn a salary in hockey that the Prime Minister would envy. Even if you're not good enough you can always hope that with expansion coming up you can make the grade with one of the new teams. If you're really good you can expect to become a mil­ lionaire - and that's not counting the money you can make from endorsing soft drinks and candy bars. Hockey salaries are escalating at tremendous rates these days and some owners are worrying about the future of their sport. "Hey," say the players, "don't blame us. Nobody forced the owners to pay so much." Of course the players are bargaining for complete free agen­ cy which will mean that an owner who doesn't pay them what they want will likely lose their services to another team. We've been hear­ ing this for years from ball players as million dollar salaries went to two million, then three, then four and now six million. "It's not our fault," they say. "We're just getting what the market will bear. Blame the owners for paying so much." Of course when salaries stopped esca­ lating a couple of years back, the owners were charged with collu­ sion. Sports stars have learned the les­ son of the marketplace well. Others have been learning it too. Despite the fact that the provincial govern­ ment is giving the school boards only one per cent more this year, teachers in Ottawa went on strike Monday, asking for 11 per cent more over the next two years. The inflation rate this year is expected to be two per cent. Toronto teachers are asking the same kind of money and have gone on a work to rule to add pressure. Parents are already complaining about all the activities their kids can't do at school because the teachers won't supervise. If a strike does come, the bargaining position of the teachers will quickly improve as parents worry about their students' welfare. The pres­ sure will be on the school boards to settle. Once they do, the taxpayers will then complain about how high Boy's body found A post-mortem conducted on March 22 at Stratford General Hos­ pital on three-year-old Anthony Adam Richardson determined the cause of death as drowning. Goderich OPP report that the boy’s body was located on Satur­ day, March 21 at approximately 9:15 a.m., .3 kilometres south of the Seaforth Golf Course Road on the flats of the Bayfield River. Searchers had been looking for Anthony for two weeks since he disappeared from the back yard of his Seaforth home. their taxes have gone. We went out to the movies the other night and heard one of the characters, a psychiatrist, say she charged $150 an hour. You could hear a gasp go through the theatre and yet I figured out later that based on her working six hours a day, five days a week, she would only earn $234,000, not an unheard-of amount these days. Lots of doctors and lawyers and proba­ bly more than a few accountants earn that much. Lots of other pro­ fessionals don't eam that much but still far more than they need to live a comfortable life. But need isn't a operative word these days. You go for every penny you can get and to hell with the consequences for others. The problem is that people with bargaining power are becoming richer and richer at the expense of people without power. People with seniority in public service unions are insisting on big raises, even though they must realize they're going to put a lot of their fellows Funds from lottery games are helping Ontarians enjoy sports. Every time you play your favourite lottery, you're helping to provide financial support for sports and recreation activities. It's just one way lottery profits are used all across the province. Here are some of the projects in your area that have received lottery funding: Ontario Lottery Corporation Socidtd des loteries de I’Ontario Together we’re making good things happen. Southwestern Ontario Durham Curling Club - Water cooler condenser conversion Sarnia Family YMCA - Wellness Centre equipment purchase St. Thomas-Elgin Gymnastics Club - Equipment purchase Wheadey Area Recreation Board - Leadership training Cette information est attssi disponible en franqais au 705-946-6482 out of work. People at the top are taking more of the pie, leaving less for the guy on the lower echelons. In the short term, that's fine for the winners but for the losers, there is tremendous economic dislocation because there are so many people on unemployment or on welfare. The people with the money, how­ ever, are getting upset with all that too. The complaints about too many taxes come mostly from the people who can afford to pay taxes. The political agenda, whether in the U.S. primaries or here in Canada, is being set by the middle class, angry because too much government spending is cutting into their good life. Nobody likes to pay taxes, but if the well-off take more of the money in the pot, then refuse to pay taxes to support for those they dis­ locate, we're eventually going to pay a price. Social unrest can't be put off forever if we end up with a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. You can pay now, or you can pay later. What do these, ■Mm ?//TOW to do with these? ENCORE ■ CA [Instant]PRQiSfclAL Brussels meeting will discuss seniors' needs THE EDITOR, We have received a tremendous response to the Seniors' Needs Sur­ vey in the Brussels and Ethel area. As a result, we plan to hold a com­ munity meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Cen­ tre. The meeting will be held in the upstairs arena hall which is wheelchair accessible. Interested individuals and groups are encouraged to participate in this session regiarding current services aijd future needs in the community. Everyone is welcome. A special invitation is extended to seniors, physically disabled adults, family, friends and those approaching retirement. Joan Stamper Home Support Services North Huron THE EDITOR, The following is an open invita­ tion to all former residents of Durham, Ontario, their relatives and friends. As the citizens of our country prepare to celebrate Canada's 125th anniversary, the citizens of Durham arc also busy preparing for their town's 120th anniversary. The highlight of this anniversary will be Durham Homecoming ’92 sched­ uled for Friday, July 3 to Monday, July 6 of this year. We hope all former Durham resi­ dents, their relatives and friends will join us for this time of celebra­ tion. A full weekend of activities is planned which includes picnics, sports for adults and children, a monster parade, midway, school reunion, nightly dances with spe­ cial entertainment on Saturday, Royal Canadian Legion Drumhead service, plus much more. Now is the time to start planning to attend this homecoming with your family and friends. If you have any questions or know of any­ one who should be informed of the homecoming, you can contact us by writing to us: Durham Homecom­ ing ’92 Committee, P.O. Box 1992, Durham, Ontario. NOG 1R0. We look forward to seeing you in July. Until then, take care. The Members of the Durham Homecoming Committee.