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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-09-11, Page 4Sharp outfit Letters THE EDITOR, The Conservative government continues to hurt young children with the proposals released in its recent discussion paper on child care. Women elementary teachers know from their everyday classroom experience that good pre-school care is essential to success in school. The Federation of Women's Teachers Associations of Ontario warns that the government is threatening to increase the number of pre-school children who are cared for by each adult in a childcare centre, to increase the number of children who can be cared for in home-based childcare situations, to reduce the inspection of home-based childcare and to reduce how often childcare centres must be licensed. These are not proposals to reassure parents and other professionals that the safety of children is the top priority if this government. As teachers, primarily of young children, FWTAO opposes any weakening of the standards that have been developed over many years to protect children. And additional proposals to cut wages of already poorly paid childcare workers who shoulder a great responsibility are a serious mistake. Parents — and all Ontarians — want children in childcare in their communities to be safe, well cared- for and stimulated by an educa- tional programme that helps prepare them for school. Making childcare more accessible if it is of lower quality is not an improvement, but a risk, to more children. This government's senseless cost- cutting approach has already threatened and/or eliminated junior kindergarten in many jurisdictions, Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Stan- dard, Brussels Post and the North Huron Citizen 1 YEAR AGO SEPT. 13, 1995 and has resulted in very large JK/SK classes in some Huron schools. The government has also put young children at risk in many communities by cutting bus transportation to them and it has eliminated support services for special needs children across Ontario. Hopefully the government will consider the wisdom of these latest proposals which put children at risk by compromising present standards. FWTAO represents 41,000 women teachers across Ontario and is an advocate for women and children's issues. Willi Laurie — representing FWTAO - Huron. The 34th Annual Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion and Hobby show was a big success with more than 13,000 attending and 720 campsites filled. The firefighters fed 1,200 for the two morning meals. County council decided to look at alternatives for waste disposal after a push from the Concerned Citizens of Ashfield and Area. Brussels faced a major problem with the sewage treatment plant as tremendous amounts of rain water got into the system after an Aug. 11 downpour, almost causing a back- up in the system. FWTAO opposes goy% proposals PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1996 (=) C The North Huron Cr) itizeh P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, Publisher, Keith Roulston BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Out. Editor, Bonnie Gropp NOM 1H0 NOG t HO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 Advertising Manager, FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 Jeannette McNeil VERIFIED CIPCULATION PAID The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A. and $75.00/year In 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 There's no free tax cut It has been a mainstay of conservative dogma for the past decade that "there's no free lunch". Ontario residents are now finding out there's no free tax cut either. As the cuts to services mount, people are finding out they are paying a substantial price for the promise of the Harris government of a 15 per cent tax cut. Parents in Grey County and other parts of the province were protesting last week because their children had to walk further due to cutbacks to bus routes. Some Grey parents planned to boycott school this week in an effort to get the school board to change its mind, but the school board must deal with the hard fact of provincial cutbacks and has few choices. Meanwhile Huron County taxpayers could be faced with coming up with $800,000 a year extra to maintain provincial highways the province is going to assign to them whether they want them or not. This added 70 km of roads must be maintained on a provincial road grant that will be $1 less in 1997 than in 1996. County taxpayers are either looking at a large tax increase or poorer maintenance to the road system. Some county councillors even suggested they should erect signs on the new highways that say "use at your own risk". - The provincial government has offered a kind of "fly now, pay later" plan for taxpayers. First they get to have the joy of a tax cut, then they get to see what it's costing them. The reality of what it's going to cost to bring about that tax cut is just starting to bite for ordinary residents. Until now it's only been other people who have suffered — laid-off government employees, welfare recipients, companies whose contracts with the government were abruptly cancelled. Now the pain is beginning to be shared by the rest of us and it isn't so funny. This, government is waging an economic and ideological revolution. Ontarians used to small incremental changes in the way things are done haven't quite grasped the fact yet. Ontarians used to thinking political pressure by ordinary citizens could influence the direction of the government haven't caught on to the fact this government has turned a deaf ear to those calling for moderation. As these changes begin to affect our everyday life, this message will start to sink in. What people can do about it remains to be seen. — KR Hearing no evil Somebody calls to report a fire but they won't give their name. Should the dispatcher refuse to send the fire department because the tip is anonymous? According to Huron County council the decision would be "yes". Councillors again this month refused to investigate the problems within the county administration because the alarm call was made in a series of anonymous newsletters called "Fast Facts on Huron County". They refuse to dignify the vicious accusations made in the newsletters by investigating whether there is any truth behind them. Hang the "Fast Facts" — all you have to do is quietly talk to county employees and you know there is trouble in the organization. Morale is low. Communication is suffering. Frustration and anger are building. It doesn't take much investigation to know that, while most county employees deplore the vicious character assassinations in the newsletters, they applaud the fact that somebody is doing something — except county council refuses to do anything because they don't want to seem to be giving in to the vicious attacks. Set the letters aside. If county councillors are doing their job they need to know when the system isn't working. It's time to look at the system, not the accusations in the newsletters. Being stubborn will only cause more problems in the future. — KR Thanks anyway It literally rained on the 35th anniversary parade of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association this weekend. It was a bitter disappointment for all the people who spent so much time preparing for the annual event. Attendance was naturally down but the gratitude of everyone who admires the work of the organizers should be as heartily extended as if the sun had shone and 20,000 attended. Thanks folks. — KR E ditorial