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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-09-06, Page 44—TMt HURON IXPOSITOR, Npt.mber 6, 1990 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 TERRI-LYNN DfLt - General Manager & Advertising Manager MARY MEI LOR - Saks PAT ARMES - Office Manager DIANNE McGRATH - Subscriptions TIM CUMMING - Editor QfiEGOR CAMPBE1I, - Reporter BARB STOREY - Distribution A Burgoyne Community Newspaper SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 28.00 a yeor, in advance, plus 1.96 G.S.T. ENIOR; • 25.00 a year, in advance, plus 1.75 G.S.T. Goderichh. Stratford addresses: 28.00 a year, in advance, plus 7.28 postoge, plus 2.47 G.S.T Out of Of•Area: 28.00 o year, in advance, plus 11.44 postage, plus 2.76 G.S.T •a: 28.00 a year in advance, plus $76.00 postage, G.S.T. exempt y Signal -Star Publishing at 100 Main St., Seoforth. Publication moil registration No. 0696 held at Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is.occepled on condition that in the event of a typographical a ror the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable ollowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be poid for at the opplicoble rate. In the event of a typographical error, tldvertising goods or services at o wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely on offer to sell and may be withdrawn of any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. Changes of oddress, orders for subscriptions and undeliv- eroble copies ore to be sent to The Huron Expositor. Wednesday, September 8, 1995 Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Main Sfreet.,Ssaforth Telephone 1519) 527-0240 Fax 15191 527-2658 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Ontork Press Council MPP's get sweet deal If Premier Mike Harris really intends to turn rhetoric into reality, a good place to start would be with the way Ontario's MPPs are paid. Citizens of this province have little idea of what goes on behind closed doors at Queen's Park, but Toronto Star Columnist Thomas Walkom opened a few eyes recently in a piece he wrote entitled "MPP salary system makes no sense". To quote Walkom, "It's a dog's breakfast of indemnities, allowances and benefits." According to Walkom, the basic MPPs salary is a modest $42,218 plus a tax-free "expense allowance" (no receipts required) of $14,160. That adds up to $56,378. Now add on the "sweeteners". There is an additional indemnity ranging from $5,304 to $11,804 for "an array of functionaries from all parties". There is something between $5,171 and $9,269 for almost every government backbencher for serving as a committee chair, vice -chair or parliamentary assistant. Ministers get an additional stipend of from $15,00 to $42,000. There is housing and travel allowances for sitting on a committee when the Legislature is not in session. And then, of course, there's a severance package that goes to MPPs who quit or are defeated at the polls - and an annual pension, for those who have served the required amount of time. (As an example, Bob Rae is eligible for B one-time severance package of $42,000 on top of his $55,000 annual pension.) Walkom suggests Harris should negotiate their salary straight up and pay MPPs a fair wage up front, eliminating all special bonuses - in particular, all extra perks. Walkom claims the governing parties use them to "bribe backbenchers for their loyalty". "Those who toe the party line get a few extra thousand dollars. Those who don't have their perks taken away," says Walkom. If Harris really wants to give backbenchers more clout, he needs to remove these potential bonuses - and make backbenchers more independent of their parties, more representative of their constituents. Harris should also remove the severance allowances. It's ridiculous to pay politicians for quitting. It's even more ridiculous to pay them when they are turfed out in a public election. Finally, Walkom points out that the Ontario Legislature was in session just 67 days out of 365 in 1994. That's much below the 100 day average - something like eight or nine days a month in the Legislature. Walkom's right. Let's make our legislators legislate. Maybe Harris should set a minimum number of days per year for work in the Legislature...and dock MPPs for each day they don't attend. But alas, if Premier Mike Harris hasn't the stomach for all-out mutiny at Queen's Park, he'd better forget adjusting wages there. It will be much safer to concentrate n revising the welfare system. Ontario's MPPs will likely be much more open to cutting someone else's income than their own. - (SJK) You know you're from Wainfleet if... Apparently, a recent column of mine created some con- fusion as to whether I live in the town of Port Colborne or the township of Wainfleet. I realized this when a guy stopped me on the street the other day and ...(Editor's Note: In the best interest of accuracy and truth I must interrupt here to warn you that what he's about to say is probably a crock. First of all, hardly anybody is speaking to this guy anymore and secondly, the structure of a column includes a set-up on a hook to intrigue you, the reader, followed by a series of pay-offs or punch lines. It's obvious to us here at the paper, the writer just wants to bash the beautiful, bucolic area of Wainfleet and doesn't know how to begin. Keep this in mind as you read on and, as usual, send your letters of displeasure to me, the editor)...asked: "Hey Bill! How do you know if you're from Wainfleet or not?" And I said "Why young man, I thought you'd never ask." "Oh, you'll know alright," I said. For instance, you know you're from Wainfleet if you keep your chewing tobacco in your bait box and couldn't care less about getting them mixed up. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've ever used the term okee-dokee on a cen- sus survey. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've left instruc- tions in your will to be buried with your mud flaps. You know you're from Wainfleet if you've recently sent away $9.99 for one of those Eat Mo' Possum bumper stickers. You know you're from Wainfleet if you have more cars on blocks in your yard than you do in your garage. You know you're from Wainfleet if you think people who are for more gun control should just buy better tele- scopes. You know you're from Wainfleet if all your cattle have names but your youngest child doesn't. You know you're from Wainfleet if the first name on your sister's driver's license is in fact, "Sister". You know you're from Wainfleet if your wedding reception included a baseball team in uniform, and hot wings. You know you're from Wainfleet if you think a car jacking begins with a flat tire. You know you're from Wainfleet if you just assumed back in 1973 when you first voted for Mayor Stan, that it was a lifetime posting. You know you're from Wainfleet if you honest -to -God believe horseshoes should be an Olympic event. You know you're from Wainfleet if you're not feeling well and you think it's because you flunked your DNA test. You know you're from Wainfleet if you're impressed by people who are going to Pearson International to board a flight and not just to watch the planes take off. You know you're from Wainfleet if you take the wife, two lawn chairs and a 12 -pack out to watch Morgan's Point trailer park, whenever there's a tornado warning. You know you're from Wainfleet if you go into town to the Belmont on a Saturday night and if a fight doesn't break out you ask for a raincheck. You know you're from Wainfleet if when you hear the phrase "fruits in season" you're reminded to renew your hunt- ing license. You know you're from Wainfleet if, on your last job application where it Nay "in case of emergency call"...you put 911. You know you're from Wainfleet if you believe being "born-again" will take forty. some years off your original age. You know you're from Wainfleet if you ended up driving to your uncle's funeral in British Columbia because Air Canada refused to accept flashback FRANK PHILLIPS PHOTO TELEPHONE OPERATORS - This photo was when telephone operators were real people. The group is (front row) Marg Hudson, Kate Walsh, Evelyn Cardno, Madeline Case, Mary Lou Ruston, Rita (Walsh) Coombs, (back row) Margaret Wright, Audrey McLean, Marjorie Willis, Phyllis Fry, Hazel Hildebrand and Ena Lillico. Oklahoma support appreciated In August the Victorian J Order of Nurses, Perth -Huron Branch, received a letter from Letters the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City. We would like to share with you some of that letter. "Although we have Your contribution of 412 experienced a great tragedy, the teddy bears for the Child outpouring of support and Development Center and the concern from around the world children of Oklahoma City has been most reassuring and means a great deal to us and to very much appreciated. Your the children and families we expression of caring has meant serve. more than you know as we Your generous contribution have worked to restore a sense of $861.19 U.S. will provide of normalcy to our YMCA and important assistance during our Sincerely, to our community. rebuilding and recovery process. Again on behalf of our entire staff and board of directors we extend our heartfelt thanks for your kindness." The letter was signed Michael S. Grady, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City. On behalf of the VON of Perth -Huron, staff and families, we wish to thank everyone who contributed to the "Teddy Bear - Let's Show Them We Care" campaign. Pam Bieman and Pearl Alles the beer cooler as carry -on luggage. You know you're from Wainfleet if you hide the Bour- bon bottles under the newspa- pers in your blue box and then put the juice containers on top. You know you're from Wainfleet if you have more than one autographed picture of Roy Clark. You know you're from Wainfleet if you're still stick- ing to your story that it was just a coincidence you took the wife to Niagara Credit Union for your fortieth anniversary and it happened to be "free hot dog and pop" day. You know you're from Wainfleet if when somebody asks you for your ID your response is "Bout what?" You know you're from Wainfleet if you best pick-up line is still: "Ever ride in a truck this high, honey?" You know you're from Wainfleet if you've ever been caught with a flask at a church supper and then you and the minister killed it out back. And finally, you know you're from Wainfleet if you believe it's wrong, but it still cracks you up when your brother-in- law lights those blue flamers after dinner. Editor's Note: By all means come out to the Wainfleet Heritage Festival September 2- 4 (905-899-3646). Fun and games for the whole family and we promise, he won't be there. f Letters Skateboarding one of only teen activities Dear Editor: Is it just us, or is rollerblading very much similar to skateboarding? For example, we both use the streets for outside enjoyment, and it seems to us that there are more rollerbladers than skateboarders in this mundane town, anyway. We are responding to the "Tim's Bit" in the August 2 issue. We are sorry if we clutter up town streets and disturb citizens, but skateboarding gives us something to do since the town of Seaforth doesn't offer any alternatives for teens. Apparently people are looking for some long-term solutions, and we have some ideas to help the town of Seaforth out with the so-called problem with us on the streets. Some solutions might be: barricading smoothly paved area; building us launch ramps, quarter -pipes, railslides, etc. We would like to discuss these solutions with Seaforth representatives as soon as possible. They could contact Brandon Nash, Karl Reynolds or Tim Sills about the subject 'natter. Recently we have been approached by police officers demanding us to carry our boards uptown. We have a little problem with this request because rollerbladers seem to have the freedom of using the main street to ride but skateboarders don't...WHY? We think the citizens and "authority" should think twice about complaining when they are only complaining about half the problem. Yours Sincerely, The youths on skateboards: Brandon Nash, Tim Sills, Joel Rickert, Rob Spittal, Karl Reynolds, Anthony Pickering, Taum Bannon, Josh Miller, Pat Culligan, T.J. Martell March protests violence against women Editor. The Take Back the Night March is a world-wide protest expressing women's anger about all forms of violence and oppression. Since the 1970's this annual event has been held to encourage women to organ- ize, speak out, and fight back against all forms of abuses against women occurring in our communities. It is also meant to inform women of the shel- ters, counselling, education, job training, advocacywork, and other activities on-going to promote women's equality and safety within and outside of the home. The theme of this year's march is "demand our rights". It is being held on September 6, an International Day for Women's Equality, to coincide with the fourth annual United Nation's Conference on Women, taking place in Beijing, China from August 30 to September 8. Human rights abuses and violent acts against women occur worldwide. The July '95 Amnesty International report details how women are being raped, mutilated and murdered as state repression spreads. Canada committed to implementing the 1985 For- ward Looking Strategies of the Nairobi UN Women's Confer- cnce, and this Beijing Confer- ence will develop the "Platform for Action" - priorities and strategics. It's up to us to ensure that these are imple- mented in our communities. The violence is not always visible. For example, there is economic violence, single moms trying to break the cycle of poverty and violence; the wage gap between women's and men's carvings ($.70 to the dollar); insufficient child care to permit women to obtain an education or seek quality jobs. Anything that limits a women's economic independence can act as a chain to an abusive part- ner. Myths, fear and intoler- ance of women's social, cul- tural, racial and lifestyle choices can be linked to viol- ence and oppression. The ways in which things are decided and done create barriers for women which go unrecognized, with old ways and behaviours con- tinuing. The new Ontario conservative, government refuses to acknowledge the links between it's economic policies and violence against women. Why else would it take away from the very services that help women achieve economic Ace Cuts, page five