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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-12-03, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1997. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil JW 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 newscrlpts or photographs. Contents ot The Citizen are © Copyright Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 E ditorial i ... ............. ......... Value you can’t measure The problem with many government services is that you can’t measure their true value. Yes there are attempts to apply bottom-line business thinking, but most times it just doesn’t work. Last week in the midst of the postal strike, for instance, there were two estimates of the cost of the strike. One suggested Canada Post was losing $17 million a day. That figure was insignificant, however, compared to the estimate that small businesses in Canada were losing $240 million a day in lost sales. There’s been a fixation in the last decade or so on Canada Post turning a profit. Certainly it’s important that the company be as efficient as possible, a reason it can’t go along with the union’s attempts to block efficiency moves in the name of permanent job security (security not just for the workers, but for the job positions). But economically, the post office is more important for what it allows other businesses to do than it is for its own bottom line or from the people it hires. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business estimated small business in Canada was losing $240 million a day during the strike, and that didn't count what big businesses lost Our roads system is much the same. Faced with more miles of roads after the province turned over Hwys. 83, 84, 86, 87 and Hwy. 4 north of Clinton, stuck with less money because of provincial grant cutbacks, living with the reality that taxpayers are demanding no more tax increases, Huron County has turned in the one direction that’s left: cutting service. This year there will be no plows on county roads between 11 p.m. and 4 p.m. as the roads department tries to stretch a limited budget and have the roads open for people to go to work in the morning. But, as Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey told county council, more and more companies have trucks on the roads 24 hours a day. As Tumberry Twp. Reeve Brian McBurney said, one of the county’s largest employers has shifts that start at 11 p.m., just as the plows are coming off the roads. The idea of a tax freeze, or even better, a tax decrease, is attractive. But if you lose a day’s pay because you can't get to work, the tax saving will seem small. If businesses avoid Huron, or leave it, because road transportation becomes more risky, how much will your tax savings be worth? Your job may be gone. Your taxes will definitely go up because those large taxpayers will be paying their taxes somewhere else. There's an old English expression about being “penny wise and pound foolish”. Taxpayers in the county, the province, and the country may be living examples of that expression these days. — KR Unleashing powerful forces When police overreact, as videos of the RCMP using pepper spray on human rights protesters at the recent APEC conference in Vancouver, are they picking up unspoken signals from their political bosses? Certainly that might seem to be the case when Prime Minister Jean Chretien joked that pepper was something he used on his supper. Police also arrested people for putting up signs of protest, then released them without charge if they promised not to put up more signs. There’s something worrisome going on here. Some police seem to feel they’re being encouraged by the current political climate to disregard the laws of the land — such as the right to free speech — in the name of peace and order. Why, for instance, would police acting as security for Premier Mike Harris several months ago, think they could get away with throwing a newlywed couple out of their hotel room because they were considered a security risk? Let’s hope we’re not heading into a time when some police think they can act with impunity. — KR Bottom line question Here’s a bottom line question for supporters of the provincial government’s Bill 160. When the day comes, as it inevitably will, when the current government is defeated, would you be comfortable with an NDP government having the same power the Harris government has given itself? — , Photo by Janice Becker Letters THE EDITOR, Do you have a family doctor? That has become a common question in Clinton, Blyth and surrounding areas. It is a serious question and Clinton Public Hospital (CPH) is trying to recruit new*physicians. The catchment area is currently short two family practice doctors. What that means is that too many people are forced to seek medical attention in other areas. Having to travel away from one's own comfort zone when ill, can be very stressful for the patient and for their family. The six family physicians in Clinton are also under a great deal of stress trying to cope with their increased work load. It is often impossible for them to see new patients and it has also made it more difficult for their own longtime patients to get in to see them as quickly as they have been accustomed. All of this creates a difficult situation for everyone. CPH, with the help of the medical staff has been working to alleviate this problem. They know it is a serious problem and you, the community, have a right to know what is going on. We have had physicians show interest in coming here over the past year through extensive advertising, and several times we have had our hopes raised but none have come to fruition. Janice Cosgrove, the site administrator, recently attended the job fair for medical students at the University of Western Ontario but was disappointed in the interest shown. Ms Cosgrove and our newest family physician, Dr. Marianne Smith, travelled to Queen's University in Kingston on Nov. 21 and were more encouraged by the interest created there. There seemed to be interest from several students wanting to practice in south-western Ontario. It always seems to work better if the graduating student can talk one- to-one with someone in the field. We understand how difficult it is for a doctor to take a day away from their patients to go recruiting. We appreciate Dr. Smith's effort and we are keeping our fingers crossed. The board has also decided on once again attempting to get Clinton designated as an "under­ serviced" area. Wingham was recently successful in acquiring this designation and it would seem that this has brought them at least one new doctor. The "under-serviced program" is a government program that offers extra incentives to the doctor to practice in a given area. It is a program that should be community driven rather than hospital driven. Therefore we have called some of those wonderful people who worked so hard on our behalf last year, to see if they will take this new ball and get it rolling. CPH is prepared to offer good incentives as well - such as guaranteed income for two years - financial assistance with living accommodation, office accommodation and moving expenses. We are even willing to help with a final year's tuition in exchange for a promise to come here to practice medicine for a period of time. Medical schools are now acknowledging the need for rural physicians in Ontario and are adjusting the medical school programs to include more training in rural medicine. We are very hopeful that CPH, with its alliance with the London Health Science Centre, will become one of those rural training centres. Although the foregoing does not address our immediate and urgent need for family physicians, it is an opportunity for us to show them what a superb facility we have here and what a great area we have to live in, an opportunity to show them the superior quality of life a rural community offers. Our alliance with London also gives us quick access to all the expertise that a teaching centre can offer which in turn, can only make it better for you the patient, as well as your doctor. CPH is an excellent hospital and you can help us remain that way. If you can think of any information that could benefit our search please give us a call. If you can work on the community action committee to Continued on page 6