The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-01-07, Page 15Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - Page A13 - Mitchell speaks up against young drivers' limitations Dan Schwab signal -star publishing After speaking out on behalf of about 100 concerned constituents earliet this month, Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell is happy about the removal of a provision in a controversial bill affecting the privi- leges of young drivers. Mitchell's comments came during ques- tion period in the Provincial Legislature Dec. 8, and were directed at Transportation Minister Jim Bradley, who introduced the Road Safety Bill, Nov. 18. During the session, Mitchell said while she agreed with legislation enforcing a zero -tolerance policy for teens driving under the influence of alcohol, she dis- agreed with the proposed passenger restrictions for drivers with a G2 -class licence. "I have received a number of letters and a number of e-mails and phone calls on this particular issue ... I'm not the only MPP who has been receiving that type of feedback," said Mitchell in the Dec. 8 question period. "I have heard from the youth in my rid- ing who are very concerned about how this proposed legislation will affect their ability to carpool to school, sporting events and social gatherings," Mitchell added. In his response, Minister Bradley said the government would withdraw that par- ticular provision in the bill, adding that he's heard ,concerns raised by other mem- bers of the House from what they've been told in their communities, particularly in rural and northern areas of the province. In an recent interview with The Huron Expositor, Mitchell reiterated her opinion of the bill. "I have some concerns of my own. I thought it would be problematic in rural Ontario as I know young adults drive to school with friends or go to work togeth- er," she said. Mitchell said the revised bill will go to public hearing Feb. 1; Bradley added that another part of the bill, which requires a G2 -class driver to be accompanied by a passenger with a G -class license from midnight to 5 a.m., is attracting almost as much concern. The law would affect G2 -class drivers for one year, until they get their ,G license. It's prompting Carol Blake, an instructor with Dominion Driver Training in Clinton, to encourage G2 drivers to act fast to get their G license before the bill passe:, :rnd changes their driving privileges. "I don't know the statistics but I would guess that midnight to 5 a.m. is the time that more people fall asleep tehind the wheel," Blake says. "It's the time of night Low energy prices, wise investments: McQuail Bob • Montgomery special to the signal -star Lucknow-area farmer Tony McQuail was one of three Huron County residents who attended a recent peak oil conference in Michigan. McQuail says there are several things Huron County residents can do to deal with increasing oil costs, starting with reduc- ing consumption both for fuel and heat. He also says ifwe had done that the last time we had a crisis in energy costs, we wouldn't be having peak oil conferences today. Peak oil has been defined in a.couple of ways: One - the point at which we are consum- ing more oil than we can produce in a day, and two - we have run out of easily obtained oil and we now have to look at more expensive oil like that found in the tar sands. Either way we're there and McQuail says one of the objectives of the fifth annual peak oil conference was to look at what people can do to 'deal with increasing energy costs. That discussion included transportation sys- tems similar to the one McQuail talked about during his recent federal election campaign. "Substantial reductions in our energy use is the first step towards dealing with this looming energy crisis," says McQuail. "Things like housing retro -fitting, insulating ceilings, better windows, then looking at renewable energy, also looking at the issue of local food as a major way of reducing the energy intensity of. our food production." McQuail says one of the discussions focused on a book written by John Michael Greere called The Long Descent: a User's Guide to the End of the Industrial Age. He says what we're going to see is most likely a saw-toothed graph of energy pricing going up and coming back down and going up higher and coming back down. Industrial soci- ety could follow a saw -tooth graph in the other direction, going down because of the specula- tive housing bubble burst happening at a time when oil pricing was going way up on a speculative high. When the price goes spiking up in response to the fact that oil has peaked and the demand was very high it causes demand destruction because companies can't afford the oil, trans- portation's cut back, companies go bankrupt, they don't ship as much stuff, and demand for oil goes down for a period of time, McQuail says. "And because it's dropped, the oil compa- nies lower the price because they want to keep moving the stuff. They don't want demand to drop... and so the price drops for a while, but then we can expect it to go backup," he says. "The smart move is to say okay, let's cut back on our oil use, that'll keep the price much more stable, rather than say, oh it's cheap again, let's go out and buy another big vehi- cle. That's just going to play into pushing the price up that much more quickly. again." But McQuail says we can take advan- tage of this tempo- rary drop in energy prices. He says now is the time to make wise investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy 2009 Mid -Huron Landfill Site Board Meetings Please be advised of the following dates for the 2009 Mid -Huron Landfill Site Board meetings to be held at 3:00 p.m. in the Hydro Boardroom. Meeting dates may be subject to change, please contact Town Hall at 519-524-8344 to confirm the meetings of the Mid -Huron Landfill Site Board. Larry J. McCabe, Seecrstary Mid -Huron Landfill Site Board January 14 February 18 March 18 April 15 May 13 June 17 September 16 October 14 November 18 December 16 and reducing our dependency and use of non- renewable fuels. The fact that oil is cheap at the moment means people may be able to buy insulation or set up a solar panel or do any number of other energy -efficiency things that will cost less now than if prices peak again. McQuail says the news wasn't all doom and gloom. In fact, he says if we see the current situation for what it is and take advantage of the opportunity presented to us, it can be a very good thing. "But the message is we're not going to have the kind of energy that we've gotten used to over the last one hundred years and certainly, for most of our life times we've lived with an ever-increasing flow of energy into our econo- my and into our lives," says McQuail, "And it's done some good things but it's also sort of withered away a number of good things in terms of human activity and strong local com- munities, so this is an opportunity to address this problem in .a way that could be very posi- tive for us as societies, if we get going on it." McQuail say if society waits until it's con- tinually in times of crisis, in terms of the eco- nomic shock of rising prices and the personal shock of high prices and not having energy, then it will be in a mess. when drivers are coming home from par- ties or from shift -work." Blake says about 200-300 students per year graduate through the Dominion Driver Training programs offered in Clinton and Exeter. BELLVDANCEbas , 5:. If you can move your hips, you can Bellydance! Join us for fitness and FUN! Any fitness level can do this. WHERE: Goderich Kinsmen Centre 185 Keays Street WHEN: Every second Saturday beginning Jan. 17 DURATION: 2 hours START TIME: Beginners 10am - 12pm Advanced 1 pm - 3pm COST: $80, GST incl., Li sessions filltplease call Sherry at 519- 24-5496 after 6pm, or email at bellydancing@blackspoint.com -., - i:H>f Y„ryiKvd�•cyrX+bkl!1� 9/Fred r..x 2M'd D anDonna Young ish to invite family and friends To celebrate their s_ 60t4Weddinflq.141.44e114"ti Mss BLI S BuyThree. 2” Faux Woods & Get the 4th FREES Beauty that is blinding Good Economical Way to Furnish a New Home, finish a Renovation or even a Cottage. The Stylish 2" Faux Wood gives you a Crisp Clear New Look & View! Limited Time Offer! Call for complete details. Blissful Blinds Is the Only Certified installer for Hunter Douglas Products. For your complimentary - In -home consultation Paul & Pinola MacGinty 519-524-5773 Hunterpouglas SINCE 2004