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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-02-03, Page 5The Short of ►t By Bonnie Gropp International Scene Y RaYmon Arthur Black THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1993. PAGES. Where will the environmental backlash strike? Ecology is dead. We talked it to death. Methinks there might be something to the above-quoted morsel of washroom wall graffiti. I know my personal ecological tolerance threshold was broached last week by a TV ad I saw. It cooed about the `environmental conscience' of some car manufacturer. "Aw, shaddap!" I heard myself snarl at the tube. It's not just that we're tired of hearing about the environment — it's that Environmental Correctness has turned out to be a lot more complicated and pricey than we thought. Take nuclear energy. Just a few short years ago the experts were touting it as the power source of the future. Nuclear plants bloomed like ragweed. Our own government was peddling Candu reactors to any country that could comprehend the words "sign here". But a disaster at Chernobyl and a near- meltdown at Three Mile Island have turned Nuclear Energy into a pair of cuss words. Peace keepers of the world One of my most satisfying moments came when Lester Pearson, as Minister of External Affairs, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the aftermath of the British and French attack on Egypt in 1956 in retaliation for the latter country taking over the Suez Canal. During my days at External, when he was running it, I soon came to the conclusion that he was one of the finest men I was likely to work for. Unlike some of the stuffed shirts whom one met in the Department, he was very down-to-earth and even came to some of the ball games played by External. To employ an already frequently used phrase, it could not have happened to a nicer man. Perhaps it is not so surprising, in the light of Pearson's accomplishment, to note that Canadians have gone on to become the best known country in the realm of international peace-keeping. In the years subsequent to the winning of this prize, representatives of our armed forces have been active far more in keeping the peace in foreign countries than they have in any active military operations. With a tendency for the media to report the more sensational news, perhaps it is about time that the public were given the chance to hear the complete story of our military in this area of activity. Some attention on our activities came as a result of the recent statement that Canada was going to pull out its forces from Cyprus Plus, the bills are starting to come in. Nuclear energy, quite aside from its disaster potential, is a catastrophically, stratospheri- cally expensive way to keep the home fires burning. Ontario Hydro, the biggest energy consortium in the country, has invested billions in nuclear generation technology over the years. Last month, a cash-strapped, tapped-out Ontario Hydro folded its cards and began to talk about shutting down its nuclear plants. Other signs of an environmental backlash? Well, in a variation on the old Coals-To- Newcastle theme, scientists have decided to pull huskies out of the Antarctic. Huskies have been part of South Polar expeditions as long as men have been going there and yes, the hard-working dogs do a capital job. What's more, great bonds of affection spring up between Antarctic research teams and their canine transportation system, but, but ... Well, what if the dogs brought some new disease to the Antarctic? Or what if some of them escaped and found their way to a penguin colony? Legitimate environmental considerations, I guess. But it's hard to imagine how the Antarctic ecosystem is going to be improved by the introduction of belching, fuming, roaring snowmobiles. You never know where or how the Environmental Backlash is going to strike. Take Ducks Unlimited Canada. Last year this group, which dedicates itself to saving wetlands where ducks and geese breed, shot itself in its own webbed foot by announcing the construction of its new headquarters — in 1993 since it appeared that the Greeks and the Turks living on that island were really not sincere in arriving at any agreement on the running of the country. Our presence on that island actually goes back to 1964 when Canadians were sent in to prevent any reoccurrence of fighting between the two factions. Since 1974 the U.N. has attempted to supervise the cease fire and maintain a buffer zone between the lines of the Cyprus National Guard and the Turkish and Turkish/Cypriot forces. That statement begs a bit of an explanation. As you probably know, the island is made up Cypriots of both Greek and Turkish origin. In 1974 a military junta in Greece toppled the civilian government in an effort to create "enossis" or the union of Cyprus and Greece. The thought of having the Turkish Cypriot minority living under Greek rule was too much for the government of Turkey; they responded by sending in military forces which subsequently totalled 40,000 men and which occupied the 40 per cent of the island where the Turkish Cypriots lived. It was only after months of effort that the U.N. managed to set up a buffer zone occupying three per cent of the island and which set apart the two factions. To be honest, not much has changed since then and hence the Canadian disenchantment with the U.N. efforts to bring the two sides together. Cyprus may be the best known Canadian operation but it was not the first one by any means. The initial effort took place in Korea as early as 1947 when the U.N. attempted to supervise free elections in that country and to bring about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the south and the Soviet forces from the north. Canadians were involved right from the beginning and they were still there when the North Koreans invaded the South. smack in the middle of Oak Hammock, a Class One Wetland just north of Winnipeg. Or take the case of Nancy Skinner, a city counsellor in Berkeley, California. Ms Skinner is so environmentally correct she probably gets letters from love-struck humpback whales. She is the designated ecology expert on Berkeley Council. She is also the head of Local Solutions to Global Pollution. When Nancy Skinner decided to have her house painted she quite predictably insisted on an environmentally friendly, all- natural, milk-based paint. Which was fine. Until it started to go rancid. She stripped the walls and scrubbed them with bleach. The house still reeked. Finally, she had to tear out the walls, put in new wallboard and repaint with (boo!) ordinary synthetic paint. Environmentally un-chic perhaps ... but at least the neighbourhood cats have stopped queuing up to lick her house. My last example? A news item in the paper last month: A hunter was killed on Long Island last month when the shotgun he was clubbing a deer with discharged. Some may call this a mere example of a dumber-than-average deer hunter getting his just desserts ... but I'm not so sure. I think it might be more than that. I think that Long Island shotgun blast may be the opening volley in a conflagration that will go down in the history books as the First Great Envirobacldash War. Just to be on the safe side — I'm cashing in my Green Stamps. The Canadian presence from that point on became very much military operation as our army, air force and navy all participated under the aegis of the United Nations. They were still there when fighting was brought to an end three years later. Even while all this was going on, Canadians were active in the Middle East in an effort to bring out about a solution to the Palestinian problem. That, like several others, is still in operation and it is worth noting that, at one time the Chief of Staff of the whole mission was Lt. Gen. E.L.M. Burns, of the Canadian army. Gen Bums, by the way, has, as his most recent mission, the task of restoring some financial order to Ontario Hydro. We trust that this mission will not be as protracted as the Palestinian one. The list is almost endless. Our soldiers have been found in French Indo China, Kashmir, Lebanon, New Guinea, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Namibia, Central America and most recently in what was Yugoslavia. It was in Central America that Gen. Lewis MacKenzie gained invaluable experience before he was sent off to Sarajevo to command the U.N. peacekeeping forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I have provided only a thumb-nail sketch of our country's activities since few people are really aware of the extent of our operations within the framework of the United Nations. It is not by accident that Canada has been involved to such a large degree. It goes without saying that no country has accumulated the expertise in this field as have our armed forces. With the current demands being made on these forces, it should come as no surprise to learn that they are stretched to the limit. And no war is in sight! Smoking bans a hot issue Let me just say at the beginning of this column, I. commiserate with smokers — more than they ever did me. To be constantly set upon by people would be enough to get anyone's temper fired. Some people were flaming about the Blyth arena board's decision to ban smoking in the building. There was a fear that people will refuse to come to the arena for functions if they will be unable to smoke. After hearing the concerns of two local organzaitons the board rescinded the motion. While the fears may be well founded, it is my belief that move was just a sign of the times. Smoking is being shunned as a health and safety risk and while we may sympathize with the people pushed outdoors to partake of their vice, it is becoming socially unacceptable. Let's not forget either some people might have attended because it was a smoke free environment. After all, those of us who don't smoke have for years been subjected to second hand smoke at just about any social function; not usually a pleasant experience. I remember a dance many years ago in Listowel. I had by then butted out myself and like many non or used-to-be smokers, found the second hand stuff permeating the air just a little more than I could take. The room was literally blue and as an allergy sufferer, you could say that my evening's fun had pretty much gone up in smoke. At first I tried to make the most of it but when it was finally too much, I went to the back of the room to one of the large exit doors. It was a rather chilly March evening, but I stood for a time gulping in the fresh, crisp, air. That is until a voice from about 20 feet behind hollered, "Shut the door you stupid -- ---. We're cold." E.Ifice it to say when I turned to see from whom this 'polite' request had sprung I was rather miffed to find it had been uttered out of a mouth from which a cigarette dangled. Its owner sat at a table with a large group of comrade puffers. Thankfully, a friend nearby stopped me as I began to launch my attack, and dragged me back to my table. What's the point, you ask? The point is that my choices were limited and that is where the frustration has come for non- smokers. When smokers are in closed rooms it is repugnant (sad, but true) and has been proven to be dangerous to those who aren't smoking. The air that is there is the air we must breathe. While I had tolerated discomfort for hours that night, caused in part by this particular group, they voiced disapproval instantly when their comfort was intruded upon. That is why I think we 'used tos' may find ourselves astride the high horse, sometimes. Subjected to second hand smoke for so many years with so few options, we enjoy the segregation being thrust on the 'users'. Personally, I think we underestimate smokers. The ones I'm acquainted with willingly pop outside to have a smoke. I know that my sister and her husband, the only smokers in the family, always go outside to smoke without even being asked. Oftentimes I have stood on the porch with them to enjoy some quiet conversation during family gatherings. At their home I return the favour and never complain that I can't breathe. As a former 'two-pack a dayer' I wish I could convince the skeptical that this is not a vendetta. We are just asking now that we be given the same courtesy they have had for years to spend an evening out and be able to enjoy it.