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The Citizen, 1996-03-27, Page 4Ready for occupancy Letters THE EDITOR, The end of March 1996 marks the end of the Health Promotion Grant The Ark Youth Drop-In Centre has received for two years. April will be a new beginning as we strive for self-sufficiency in a challenging economic environment. The Drop-In Centre has provided quality programs and a safe. environment to help our youth develop and make wise choices in today's world. The Ark will be undergoing changes as we adapt to volunteer staffing and limited resources but we remain committed to youth. We are extremely proud of the youth work our staff and volunteers have provided and the help the community has shown to date. We ask for your continuing support as we secure funding to carry on our work. Our first activity in this process is The Ark's Silent Auction on Saturday, March 30 at the Brussels United Church with previewing commencing Friday night, March 29. Please come out and support our youth. Sincerely, Sue Cowing, President Board of Directors Ark Youth Drop-In Centre. THE EDITOR, I am writing this in the hope that it will prevent someone from becoming a victim. Recently a friend's grandmother was convinced by a smooth talking salesman that she should buy a cleaning system, though she has a central vac system in her home. She gave the salesman a cheque for close to $2,400. When her family got wind of this, her granddaughter and grandson called the bank, only to find out the salesman had been into her bank (which she has done business in for years) and had the cheque certified not a half hour before they called. They said they would look into it but they did not think they could do anything about it. They then called the OPP (I will not say what office they called for obvious reasons), who were less than helpful. They then called their lawyer, who said to try and get the same salesman back and get him to sign a letter stating he was the person that sold the vacuum and that he would return the money by way of a certified cheque. They were also to have a letter signed by the grandmother stating she wanted the sale rescinded. He told them they just had 24 hours in which to do this. After they were unable to contact him, I said I would try to help them get the salesman back but said 'she would have to have her brother there as well. He agreed. I called a friend of mine in another OPP Photo by Janice Becker office and asked him if we could do this. He said that as long as we didn't commit an assault we had every right to try to get him to sign the letter and pass the letter of grandma's to him. By the way, this officer didn't realize that a complete stranger could take your cheque and have it certified. I phoned the number we had for the salesman and made my voice sound much older and told them I had a handicap. I asked the young lady on the phone if there was a certain person working out of that office and she replied that yes there was. I said he had contacted me and that I was unable to have him come but that I had time today would it be possible for him to come and see me. She asked if my husband was there and I said no. She said do you have a husband and I said no. At 12:30 p.m. the salesman called to confirm our arrangements and asked how I. got his name. I replied that I had call display. When he arrived we chatted for some time. He was going to go out to the car when my friend and her brother came in as visitors. When he went out I asked them to leave for a few minutes. He came back in and said that while he was out in his car his superior called on the car phone and said that he would have to go back because of an emergency. When he went to leave my friend and her brother met him at the door. They asked if he had sold the system to their grandma to which he replied yes. They" asked Continued on page 7 C The North Huron itizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887.9021 BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1995 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil The Citizen Is published weekly In Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable In advance at a rate of $25.00/year ($23.37 • $1.63 G.S.T.) for local; $33.00/year ($30.85 + $2.15 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier In Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-or-area (40 MHOS from Brussels); $62.00/year for U.S.A. and $75.00/year for other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1996 Of law and order "The next time you and your goon squad attack we will be ready." Gordon F. Wilson, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour has duly warned Inspector J. C. Hope of the Ontario Provincial Police. Wilson's threat comes in response to what he perceives as the OPP riot squad's "beating frenzy" against demonstrators at Queen's Park on Monday, March 18. In a letter to Hope, Wilson states, ''Your actions are not supported by any moral authority or standard of the maintenance of peace and order." Yet, what moral authority or standard of anything gave this group the right to stand in the way of people attempting to get to work? When did their harassment of others become any less reprehensible than the OPP's attempts to gain control? While it's acceptable for them to prevent people from crossing a picket line or plan a demonstration on public properties one would think it is equally the right of an individual to believe they can enter their place of employment without being subjected to torment or distress. Unquestionably and unfortunately, some police officers have on occasion demonstrated an abuse of power. Many present and watching may say the squad displayed a frightening zeal in carrying out their duties, that order could have been achieved with less bullying. Also, force such as that committed on the family believed to be hiding the murderer of the Ottey sisters in Toronto, several weeks ago enhances a reputation for brutality or insensitivity. Yet, they have a job to do and had the crowd on that Monday truly been a group of "30 peaceful picketers" as Wilson states, would there have been any need for a riot squad to be called in? One television station showed a mob that confronted the MPPs and their staffers with frightening intensity. A man trying to break through the line was seen catapulting through the air. When the OPP arrived at the scene they say their warnings to back off were ignored. They certainly didn't jump into the frey and spontaneously attack. If the protesters were truly civilized should they not have respected police authority and cleared a path? Had they, it is hard to imagine the situation would have gotten so completely out of hand. A world without law and order is a terrifying thought. The men and women trying to make their way into Queen's Park, were quite likely relieved to have law enforcement come to their rescue and would be unlikely to argue the methods. Intimidation and excessive force are all relative to what side of them you're on. Perhaps Wilson should look more closely as to why the riot squad had to enter the situation to begin with and place at least some of the blame on whoever let control get out of hand in the first place. The inquiry that has been ordered to look at that very issue is a sound idea in that it will hopefully shed light on what went wrong and help to, if not question the intensity of the squad at least acknowledge it's presence was needed to restore peace and sanity. We can not afford in tumultuous times to lose respect for law and order. One thing is certain, in his letter to Inspector Hope, which carries such veiled threats as "You might be well advised to review your file tape of the Fleck strike in the 1970s if you wish to understand the results of the last time the OPP attempted to beat workers into submission on behalf of their employer", and "the workers of this province will not be passive when and if you again come calling.", Wilson is a poor representative for these"peaceful" demonstrators. —BLG Hope for agriculture A meeting in Brussels on Thursday evening presented not just a positive outlook for the agricultural community but predicted a future for those in Canada's agri-food industry to be leaders. Two men from the George Morris Centre in Guelph spoke to a group of about 50 agricultural representatives and politicians on the changes in technology and what the impact would be. The consensus was that exciting things are happening and Canada is in a position to take advantage of these things. The two men declared this to be interesting time in Canadian agriculture and espoused a faith in the intellect of humans to find solutions to problems and capitalize on the innovations. In an industry which has had its share of negative impacts it was, even for skeptics, an uplifting ecperience to hear someone praise its value and its hope for the future. — BLG E ditorial