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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-06-14, Page 44-TMt HURON EXPOSITOR, June 14, 1105 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 TERRI-LYNN DAIk - General Manager & Advertising Manager MARY MELLOR - Sales PAT ARMES • Office Manager DIANNE McGRATH - Subscriptions UNDA PULLMAN -Typesetter TIM CUMMING - Editor GREGOR CAMPBELt • Reporter BARB STOREY - Distribution A Burgoyne Community Newspaper ,SUBSCRIPTION RATES. LOCAL - 28.00 o yeor, in advance, plus 1.96 G.S.T. ,SE 25.00 a year, in advance, plus 1.75 G.S.T. Strolford addresses: 28.00 a year, in odvonce, plus 7.28 postage, plus 2.47 G.S.T Out -of Of -Area: 28.00 a yeor, in odvonce, plus 11.4.4 postage, plvs 2.76 G.S.T s.:•,: 28.00 o year in advance, plus $76.00 postage, G.S.T. exempt 111 x: • P P i w Signal -Star Publishing at 100 Moin 51., Seoforth. Pubticotion mail registrotion No. 0696 held at Sea(orth, Ontario. Advertising is occepted on condition that in the event of a typogrophicol error, the advertising spoce occupied by the erroneous item, together with o reasonable olowonce for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rote. In the event of a typographicol error, odverlising goods or services at a wrong puce, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer b sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or donoge of unsolicited monuscriph, phots or other moteriols used or reprodudion purposes. Chonges of address, orders for subscriptions ond undeliv- erable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor. Wednesday, June 14, 1995 Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Moin Stret.,Seaforth Telephone (5191 527-0240 fax (519)527-2858 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Conodion Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Communiy Newspapers Association and the Ontario Press Council Canada needs some civility Political discourse in Canada sank to a new low last week as Liberal MP's actually responded to parlia- mentary debate by making chicken sounds. It's frightening to see the uncivil tone of debate in the United States seemingly drift northwards. U.S. President Bill Clinton was right to express his dis- gust at 'Talk Radio,' or more correctly, 'Hate Radio.' It's almost certain the vicious and intolerant mess- ages of people like Rush Limbaugh helped to create a climate which encouraged the bombing at Oklahoma. Words do not equal actions but words and actions are some- times joined at the hip. Proper discussion should be based on respect for the other person's position. A rebuttal should dissect the arguments made, not verbally attack the person making the arguments. People like Rush practise the tactics of a schoolyard bully: "I'm bigger than you, so what you say doesn't Tim's Bit by Tim Cumming count...I'm louder than you, so what you say doesn't count...this is my sandbox, so what you say doesn't count." How can people resolve serious issues if they spend their time name-calling? Look at the day -time talk shows. The producers know that conflict sells. They put a person with an extreme view or position against the person who will react most emo- tionally. The idea is that if you put a member of the Ku Klux Klan and a member of the Black Panthers on the same stage you'll get great theatre. You will have an exciting display of fireworks. You will not have informed and well - reasoned debate. A fruitful discussion involves some sort Of discussion about solutions, not just gnashing of teeth about the problem. I believe it was Norman Mailer who recently com- mented on the fact U.S. society (and by extension, North American society) is more fragmented and divided than cvcr. We have lost our sense of community. We have lost our sense of civility and decency and concern for our neighbour. George Bush promised a 'kinder, gentler' nation but it was a hollow promise not borne out by the atrocity in Oklahoma. In Canada we express our bitterness at election time, quickly discarding incumbents and their parties with no thought of the consequences. Where we once expressed pride in a united Canada, we now thumb our noses and ejaculate hurtful and hateful epithets at our French Cana- dian neighbours. We use words like 'traitor' very reck- lessly. It is time we rediscovered the values of love, under- standing, empathy and con- cern for our fellow man (and woman). We must respect the opinions of others even when we don't agree. Perhaps we can teach our young people how to reason and how to articulate their views Iorcefully but respect- fully. If not, we face the threat of becoming a society in psy- chological warfare with one another. Be nice. Be decent. Is it too much to ask? Flashback Klopp deserves thanks Paul Klopp, the likeable and hard-working MPP for Huron, was defeated for two main reasons. Firstly, he was not a Tory. Secondly, he was MPP when the government closed Centralia College. In the election, Klopp was no match for the elec- toral steamroller created by Mike Harris. The maverick Tory leader perfectly echoed the mood of a disgruntled middle class with his promise of tax cuts and attacks on- the 'welfare class.' The NDP's social democratic policies went against the grain of the new trend to the right. Klopp was not defeated, however, just because of the party colours he carried in the election. He will be remembered as the MPP who quietly accepted the closing of Centralia College. Perhaps the closing of the college was necessary for economic reasons, perhaps not. The point is that the NDP government of the day acted hastily and refused to listen to any other alternatives. The Rae administration had no mandate to close Centralia and Klopp has now reaped the political harvest for not standing up against his government. If Klopp had been willing to stand up to the NDP on that issue he might still be MPP today. Although Paul Klopp's loyalty to his party may have sowed the seeds of his political defeat, he should be congratulated for his hard work for Huron. An MPP's work is often thankless. He is worthy of our respect for devoting so many hours to such a demanding and important pursuit. - (TBC). Cut deficit before taxes Ontario Premier -elect Mike Harris has a clear mandate to battle Big Government. The electorate has essentially told him to go ahead and fire civil servants, dismantle employment equity and create tax breaks for the middle class even if it means cutting payments to welfare families. It is ironic that the political leader most insistent about reducing the deficit is also proposing tax cuts. Mike Harris will ultimately be judged by his ability to tackle government indebtedness. Is Harris a RaTph Klein who will slash and burn until fiscal order is restored or is he a Ronald Reagan, practis- ing trickle-down, 'Voodoo' economics which will increase the provincial debt? New Huron MPP Helen Johns has been a strong supporter of Harris' 'Common Sense' Revolution. Although she has promised to support the Harris plan she must be sure to .make .the deficit issue number one. Ontario can't afford another govern- ment willing to risk further debt in the interests of an unsubstantiated economic theory. Promises aside, Ontario's financial order should be the number one concern of the new government. - (TBC). WINTHROP H.F.A. CHAMPS 1953 - This championship football team is (front row) Lavern Godkin, Eric Anderson, Glenn McClure, Hugh Flynn, Don McClure, Mac Bolton, Raymond Chambers, (second row) Gordon Betties, Murray Dalton, Bob Betties, Harry Johnston, Jim Alctmann, Ross McClure, Doug Keys, (back row) Ken Betties, John, Leeming, Ken Beattie, Roy Dolmage, Jim Ducharme, Irwin Johnston, Wilbur Chambers, Bill Montgomery. The photo was graciously lent to The Huron Expositor by Grace Smith. McKillop asked to - repair drain McKillop Council received a request to repair the Johnston - Irvine municipal drain by the owners of Lot 8, Conc. 13 at last Tuesday's regular meeting. Council also opened tenders for road reconstruction, on Concs. 2 and 3 from Lot 26 to 30, and accepted the one from Donegan's Haulage totalling S40,101. Eight .building- permits were issued in McKillop from the start of April until the end of May, with a total value of S355,000. General vouchers totalling S308,888.13, which includes school hoard payments, were approved for payment at the June 6 meeting. Road vouchers of S77,099.64, which included S58,560.92 for calcium chloride for dust control, wcrc also approved for payment. This criminal really on run Crime of all kind is at a record level and getting worse. Just last month down the road in the small town of Port Colborne, a young kid attempted to rob the local fish and chip shop. Humberstone Fish & Chips has been there forever and Mary, the propri- etor, has been there a little longer. Mary has not heard about the crime wave or how shop keepers arc advised not resist armed robbers. Nor, has she heard about how shop keepers who defend themselves against armed robbers wind up charged and facing the innocent crimi- nal in a Canadian court of law. Mary just knows her fish and chip business. So thcn the kid brandished a knife and demanded money, Mary, whose eyesight isn't what it used to bc, mistook him for an unco-operative cod and whipped out a much, much bigger knife. Witnesses who saw him fleeing the scene say his days as an armed robber may be over, but he's certainly earned himself a spot on the high school track team. Kid, you're lucky you got out when you did. The knifc was just the first part of Mary's business. After that you get dunked in batter and then dropped in boiling oil. Crime is so bad out here in Wainflect that farmers have started branding their farm implements. When told about serial numbers, they stopped doing that and began branding their cattle. Yes, crime knows no bounds and the responsibility for thwarting crime and helping to catch criminals lies squarely on the shoulders of responsible citizens like you and ane. That's why I'm turning this column into a Crime Stoppers alert so that by forging .our mental resources we may apprehend a dangerous interna- tional thief. Of course I'm iefcrring to John Doc No Go, the 38 -year- old drywall worker from Seattle, Washington whose life of crimc began in 1993 when he complained to Sandoz Phar- maceutical that its Ex -laxative wasn't working worth a...a damn. Sandoz Pharmaceutical decided to send the man thc refund of $1.99 he demanded. (People who like to same large drug companies take note. Laxative companies give immediate refunds because 'they can never talk an employee into corning to your house to check out your claim.) So Sandox Pharmaceutical requisitioned a , cheque for S1.99 and their brand-new, highly technical and expensive automated cheque -writing system immediately kicked out a certified cheque in the amount of the man's zip code - S98,002.00. I am not making this up. Forgiving a future of excite- ment and glitz in the drywall industry, John Doe No Go cashed the cheque and split. Since September of 1993 this man has been on the run. Police have no idea of this man's whereabouts claiming that by now, he could be on any incontinent in the world. - Crime Stoppers wants you to help YTnd John Doc No Go before an innocent washroom, maybe even in your neighbour- hood, is the scene of yet another senseless explosion. , With my years of experience as an investigative reporter, I telephoned the Seattle Post Intelligence which broke the story first. After getting in and out of several voice mail boxes I located a real person who inadvertently spilled thc beans on our fugitive. After asking several question of him, the reporter hesitated a momcnt and then said: "Don't you have anything better to do?" "No," I said truthfully and he hung up. Ah hah, a cover-up involving the media! Okay so what do we have on this guy? Basically, wcrc looking fora white male with -a permanent expression of discomfort on his face. Thcrc may be one or more mailing addresses because for hits, postal deliv- ery is like a box of chocolates - you ncvcr know what you're going to get. We're looking for a guy, who if he hasn't already thought of it, will soon take a vacation in Mexico. Hcy! It's worked for every other tourist, We're looking for a purgative fugitive who stops frequently for gas that is not his own. In bricf we're looking for D.B. Cooper with abdominal cramps. Remember do no confront John Do No Go directly. He may be armed and for sure, he's irritable. I suggest if you suspect you have our man, try a more subtle approach. First offer him a brassiere. He'll probably reply that he has not use for it. Then offer him a free rude of Kaopectate. Once again he'll likely rebuff your offer. Be patient. You're establishing a pattern here. When you produce him a nice soft roll of four -ply Dclsi tissue and he says he has not use for it - call a cop! Remember do hot attempt to apprehend this pian yourself. The FBI confirms that in only -two years John Doc No Go has already risen on their most wanted list, to the position of number two. Crime Stoppers - it takes the efforts of us all to build a safer world. Welcome to meaner Ontario under Mike Harris BY SCOTT PIATKOWSKI A week before last Thursday's election, a seven year old boy came into the Waterloo North NDP campaign office with his aunt. He had brought along two quarters with him to donate to the campaign. Why? Thc boy had heard Mike Harris on TV, saying that he would be taken from his mother and put into foster care if she refused to participate in Harris' workfare scheme and he wanted to help the people that were fighting against that mcanspirited pro- posal. There arc a lot of Ontarians with reason to fear lift in Mike Harris' Ontario. Whether you're somconc living on welfare or somconc trying to get by on minimum wage; whether you're a tenant or somconc on a waiting list for affordable housing; whether you're a visible minority look- ing to break out of a job ghetto or a woman trying to find a subsidized child care space; whether you're trying to form a union to fight against an unjust employer or a govern- ment employee trying to pro- vide essential services to the public - you should be very worried about the next four to five years of Conservative rule. You don't have to accept this abuse passively. Like the boy with his fifty cents, we can each make a small contribution to fighting this draconian agenda. Thcrc are some, no doubt, who will accuse me of being too hasty in calling for action against the Harris gov- ernment. "He hasn't cvcn been sworn in," they will complain. "At least give him a chancc." Others will say that I am anti- democratic - that I refuse to accept that Harris has an elec- toral mandate to implement his so-called "Common Sense Revolution". Nonsense! Do you think that Saskatchewan doctors cvcr accepted that Tommy Douglas has been given a mandate to introduce medicare in 1961? Did Auto insurance companies accept that the Ontario NDP had won an election after promising public auto insur- ance? Of course not! In both cases, vestal interests tough( long and dirty campaigns to defeat a policy that voters wanted. In this former case they lost; in the latter cast they won. In neither case were they accused of being too hasty or anti -democratic. Thc targets of Mikc Harris' policies don't have the resources of Saskatchewan doctors or Ontario insurance companies. Nor do they have the car of :hc media. see Democracy, page 5 A