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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-02-28, Page 5News and Views Huron residents join in protest BY CHRIS SLOSSER SSPNews Staff About 250 Huron County res- idents descended on Canada's steel city Saturday to help cast an indelible mark in Ontario's history books. • In what was one o( the largest protests the province has ever seen, union.members, social justice --groups and concerned citizens from throughout the county joined about 120,000 Ontarians in Hamilton to protest the Harris government's economic policies and proposed changes to social spending. The Huron County contingent was driven to protest by con- cerns that the provincial gov- ernment's proposed changes to educational funding will devas- tate the county's school system. "We're protesting the dcstruc- tion-of our social safety net," said John Clarke, Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation officer for Huron County. Education in Huron County will he hit especially hard by the government cuts, :said Clarke, because, "Rural areas don't have the financial resources urban areas have. We boards in urban centres like Toronto have -a large corporate tax base to draw upon. While urban boards receive little money from government grants, Clarke explained, rural - boards depend on them. Therefore, cuts to those grants have a devastating affect on rural areas, Clarke said. The province has -already announced a $400 million. reduction in funding for ele- mentary and high schools in Ontario for this year. And the ministry of education is set to unveil its long awaited "tool box," :or its recommended changes to the shape of Ontario's educational system. - This tool box is expected to contain further reductions in funding to schools and changes that would result in the laying- offof thousands of Ontario teachers. Protesters piling onto. the five buses (caving Huron County were also worried the proposed cuts could spell the end to uni- versal access to education. "Ontario has had the most equi- table system of education in the world," said Wilhelmina Laurie, president of the Huron County. -branch of -the rural areas rely more on govern- ' Federation of Women"i'eachers mcnt grants" whereas school Association of Ontario. According to Laurie, the trend of reducing government fund- ing for education is the first step toward a voucher system or user fees. In such a system, Laurie said, those who -can afford to pay,lhe user fees receive the service, and in this case, the rich will get the quality education while the poor will be left in the cold. "We're witnessing the destruction of •our social fab- ric." George Barker. president of the Huron County branch of. the Ontario Public School Teachers Federation. said. "If there are additional cuts there's • no question in my mind that that's going to have a negative impact on our educational sys- tem," These negative impacts, according to Barker, could include •the loss of school pro - grains such as Junior Kindergarten and extra -curricu- lar activities like school spoils. • Fourteen , jurisdictions throughout the province have already cut • JK for next September in an effort to absorb their share of this year's $4(k million reduction. While the bus trip taking Huron County protesters to Hamilton on Saturday was organized. predominantly by teacher, support staff, secretari- al and custodial unions associ- ated with the county's school boards, the protest was not lim- ited to workers or issues exclu- sive to the educational field. Dennis Fry, divisional chair- person of the Power Workers -Union at BNPD, said the gov- ernment's proposed privatiza- tion of Ontario -Hydro would drive jobs out of this area. Private owners, Fry said, would -undoubtedly downsize • the workforce and lay many work- ers off. This, coupled..' with the province's proposed plan to eliminate other public sector jobs, would increase the unem- ployment rate in the region. it would mean the number of con- sumers able to afford goods and services would dramatically decline. Fry said the affects on the local economy would he devastating as local business owners and workers would have difficulty finding cus- tomers for their products. The Ontario government is reportedly planning to lay-off up to 27,000 public sector workers in the province as part of its attempt to cut costs and the deficit. Provincial. services affected by the strike. U Roads will he snowplowed when snow reaches a depth of • 12 cm. - LI The Agriculture Ministry office in Clinton is open, hut staffed by one person. - U New applications for Family Benefits. such as mother's' allowance aren't tieing processed. - U Driving licence renewal offices remains open, hut driving -tests won't he held. U The Assessment•Officc remains open. hut staffed by man- agers. No field calls: - -• U The Registry Office remains open. but stalled by managers. Open 12 - 5 p.m. U Blucwater Youth Centre is hcing staffed by essential service workers. School is closed. U Courts continue to run with little disruption due to the :essential service agreement. - - U Birth and death registration will cease. U Issuance of health cards will cease. U Most review boards and organizations mediating appeals, such as the Movie Censor Board, the Rent Control Review Board, and human rights complaint mediations will cease. -U Retail sales tax collection from businesses will cease. U Meat inspections by the province will stop. it's expected federal inspectors can pick up the slack. • Largest local union affected at Bluewater centre hers. About -30 union -mem- the workers have been called hers set up a picket line at essential service workers and • 12:01 a,m..Monday morning. must report to work under an The union is maintaining the agreement between (he union picket line day and night as and the province.. thcy•usually work around the The Ontario Ministry. of clock. About 33 per cent of Agriculture Food and Rural BYJOHN G I Affairs office in Clinton is J REG• SSP News Staff open, but the only staff is Jim O'Toole, the office manager. No bargaining unit workers have come in to work. O'Toole said he's handling "a flood of calls." - - The enthusiasm. of Ontario - public se. -vice strikers is beyond one representative's' 'wildest imagination: . Greg Hansen, president of Local 121 of the Ontario Public Service Workers Union. said the spirits -arc great for tho 300 local people on the picket line: . The union,• representing about 66,000 workers across the province went on strike at (.12:01 a.m. Monday after fail- ing to reach a new contract with the provincial govern- mcnt. Talks broke off on the - weekend and no new talks are scheduled._ . You will find it 'much more .difficult —• if not impossible • — to register a house. sate, a birth pr -death," get -a- new health card, or driver's licence, or mother's allowance in Ontario. As well, agriculture and social services ministries -arc at very low staff and roads won't he plowed until there is • at least 12 cm of snow. - The union gave its Leaders a strike mandate Feb. 18, with a 66 per cent rejection of the province's 'last offer'. The largest union local is Local 122, at the Bluewatcr Youth Centre with 170 mem- Letters VON 100th anniversary soon • Dear Editor, 'On behalf 01- the Pei -Oi- l -Junin Victorian Ortkr ol- Nurses, I would like to thank all the readers, the newspapers and all the business who .promoted VON Week in their communities. We hope - that you will support VON in our upcoming I(Xhh anniversary celebrations, with kick-off events starting in 191X►. All monetary donations are tax deductible and a. charitable receipt will be issued. Thank you for your continual support. Sincerely, Jean Bennett Publicity Committee EVERYBODY'S DOWN' IT ®sk/400. Engineered For The Way You Ride. - - SALES • SERVICE • ACCESSORIES 1 1/4 Miles North of Seaforth 527-0120 APERIffeffigr Your ARCTIC CAT Headquarters rig&Ktftitt ON COUNTY110A0 all SNOWMOBILE COUNTRY STRATFORD CYCLE CENTRE Where Service Counts! YAMAHA I -he Power To Satisfy 20 Dover St., Stratford 271-8911 Open 6 Days a Week The INTREPID SNOWMOBILER - Nicholson RIDING AFTER DARK K by Craig Nicholson (51995 by Craig Nicholson. All rights reserved.) • I donT ride at night anymore. Eight -or nine daytime hours is enough. Nighttime is for lounging in the whirlpool, partying or cozying up to a warm fire. Why would I want to go back out when temperatures are most frigid? There's nothing quite so miserable as jostling around bumpy trails after a big dinner. I experienced that one time with a lump of pasta that felt like a ball of dough and almost ended up giving birth to a loaf of bread. Talk about Tum - city! Beside;;. my night vision isn't as sharp as it used to be. 1 tike to see where t'm going. There's.a group_of dead snoermobilers who couldn't see their way either. Each season their ranks grow. In fact. a recent study indicates that 9 of every 10 snowmobile deaths occur after dark. That's enough to keep me indoors. Nighttime also accounts for over half of snowmobile injuries. Odds are greater that night riders have been drinking. My theory: let the yahoos have the trails after dark. 111 be safer as they sleep it off during the day. Obviously. not everyone agrees with me. So if you choose to ride at night. here are some pointers. Consult your. local snowmobile dexter for help in obtaining products. - Reflectorize - Many darkness accidents happen because riders can't see one another well enough. Visibility is key. Brightly coloured sleds and snow- mobile suits help because basic black throws back no light .at all. Bombardier had the right idea when they introduced rear -facing reflective strips on their product line. Ski -Doo is now the number one choice of sled to ride behind at night'because it's like following a beacon. Every sled should be so trimmed. but don't forget the front and sides too. Riders are no less important. I wouldn't wear a suit that doesn't sport reflec- tive piping or stripes. Hand signals are lost without sleeve and glove treat- ment; some boot manufacturers build it in their backs. A company called Be Seen Reflective Safety Products (1-800-567-4812) even offers a reflective rig for ttfose whose suits are unadorned. I've even seen night rider§ wearing those reflective safety vests. Oops - those were cops! With headlight beam angles. snow dust and build-up on rear lights, helmets •can be the most effective reflective location. Several manufacturers offer decal kits for this purpose. HJC Helmet Curtainseven have reflective collars. I even put reflective material on the back bars of my Ski -Doo Grand Touring luggage rack. Clubs also play a key role in night -safety. The OFSC requires signage to be reflective and over the past Iwo seasons has subsidized over 100,00 new trail markers to point the way. Inum,nize: Make sure you have the strongest quartz halogen bulb your sled will take and drive with your high beams on. 1 carry a spare wrapped in pack- ing foam and. nestled in an old foam drink cooler sleeve under the hood. Wipe your taillights clear of snow at each stop and be sure to flash your brakes lights to warn those behind of dangers ahead or your intention to start slowing. There are flashy underside and strip running lights in aftermarket kits to jazz up and brighten your sled. A company called Sled Lights (716-924-3232. ex. 203).makes a nifty. battery-operated, red flashing helmet Tight that attaches with velcro. To avoid critical fuel shortages, try a fuel gauge illuminator from Snow Glow (218.749.4829). And never leave home without a flashlight in your pocket for emergencies. Nighttime riding is inherently more dangerous than day. But 11 you plan your route carefully, take it easy and don't drink, you'll likely beat the odds. Meanwhile. 1'11 be Catching sofie zzz's to rest up for another great daylight ride. Until next tinge. happy trails and remember -to Sled Smart - Ride Safe, Ride Sober. Bring A Buddy, to Snowarama. For club or driver training Information, contact the Ontario ederation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) at (705) 739- 7669. To plan your Ontario tour. call 1.800.263 -SLED. For Snowarama can 1-800.461.3391. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, February 211, $996--5 1-800-263-0626 Thedford - NEED SERVICE? - NEED PROGRAMMING? kUEn hth6 ,.F OF ir! lit Exta1laiarttaitl? THE HOME �OCJ HTRY KAt3 LE $ PAYING $ TOO MUCH $ TAX? $ 1 ike moot people Lou rrl,bar,l% lt.,n 1 have time to keep up old' evt'rc nr1k and it,iiirlex tar change. But the things you dont k could he talking money out of your pocket. Whether it's your personal, business or farm faxes that concern you, let the tax profs.. ' iota at Deloitte & Touche help! 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