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The Huron Expositor, 1996-11-20, Page 44—THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Nov*.nbor 20, 114110 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 TERRI-LYNN DALE • General Manager & Advertising Manager MARY MEUOR - Sales PAT ARMES - Office Manager DIANNE McGRATH - Subscriptions & Classifieds DAVE SCOTT - Editor GREGOR CAMPBEI, - Reporter ¢ARB STOREY - distribution A Bowes Publishers Cornmunity Newspaper SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL 32.50 a year, in advance, plus 2 28 G S T. SENIORS. - 30.00 a year, in advance, plus 2.10 G S T USA 3 Foreion. 32.50 a year in advance, plus $78 00 postage, G 5 T exempt SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing at 100 Moin St , Seaforth Publication moil registration No 0696 held at-Seaforth, Ontario Advertising is accepted on condition thot in the event of a typographical error, the advertising spots occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate In the event of o typographical error, advertising goods or services of a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn of any time. The Huron Expositor .s not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes Changes of address. orders for subscriptions and undeliv- erable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor Wednesday, November 20, 1996 Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Main Street.,Seoforth Telephone (5191 527-0240 Fax (519) 527-2858 Moiling Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK two Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Ontario Press Council Views expressed on our opinion page(s) don't necessarily represent those of The Huron Expositor or Bowes Publishers. The Huron Expositor reserves to right to edit -letters to the edi- tor or to refuse publication. Letters to the Editor Seaforth's medical team has strived, succeeded Dear Editor: Recent articles regarding the current local health care . issue have compelled me to express an opinion in your publication. Of particular. interest was the set of articles appearing in the November 13 edition • praising and highlighting the care received at Seaforth Community Hospital by Mrs. Anita Swartmari and Mr. Dave Cornish. These profiles were indeed eye-openers to the uninformed. Praise to Gwen Devereaux for her letter to the editor opening the door for more conversation and educating us on some of the ramifica- tions -of a hospital closure. Dissemination of the afore- mentioned' information to our community through your newspaper provides an important service. How fortu- nate Scaforth is to have a community hospital available to .its arca residents. Too often we take what we have for granted...and•then it may he too late. More is on the line -than money. We in this county don't want cutbacks for cutbacks' Sake. Stakeholder groups -get formed for a variety of rea- sons and causes. but as mem- bers of this geographic area we are already members of an important stakeholder group. As hospital/medical consumers, each of us is affected by health care issues whether we're old .or young. Let us examine and acknowl- edge. with pride. the quality of health care we have and the privilege of having it readily accessible here in Scaforth. The District Health Council and members of gov- ernment will undoubtedly he receiving letters, faxes and other correspondence from concerned stakeholders. Let your opinion he known. Seaforth Community Hospital is an important asset to the health care'system. As a relatively new resident of Seaforth, I. must admit to having some trepidation about moving to a small community after residing in London for years... "Would my family's health care needs be addressed here in Seaforth?" "Could a rural hospital provide as high a standard of care as do larger teaching hospitals?" My concerns were certainly unfounded! i wholeheartedly compliment Seaforth Community Hospital, it's medical clinic and all related service providers. A recent emergency is a case in point - I urgently required medical assistance and thankfully, high quality care and facili- ties were only five minutes from my home. Personally, I cannot imagine enduring a ride to a distant hospital in an emergency. What would the outcome to my health had been if I would have had to travel elsewhere for prompt treatment and subsequent hospitalization? Through timely attention, expertise. quality and com- passionate care. Seaforth's medical team has strived and succeeded in becoming a fine organization. Please fellow residents take note - your emergency will not be planned. Your accident will not he planned. Your child's or your illness will not be planned. But you can plan to.voice your opinion and show support for Scaforth Hospital as it has been supporting us. our com- munity. Sincerely, Sue Lane Seaforth Thanks for supporting annual poppy drive Dear Editor: 1 wish to express on behalf of the members of the Seaforth Branch 156, Royal Canadian Legion, sincere thanks to the people of Scaforth and. area for their help and co-operation during the 1996 poppy drive. As a result of their generous con- tributions, the net results of • the drive show a much appre- ciated increase over most previous years. The Legion also appreciates and thanks the merchants who co-operated in allowing poppy collection boxes in their stores and all those indi- viduals and groups who con- tributed wreaths and who took part in the memorial ser- vice on Remembrance Day. it was greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Errol Skillender • Br. 156 Poppy Chairman Tax me please Canada is number one. Not only have we received the U.N.'s number one status as best place to live (and play hockey) on this planet for the past two years, BUT we are also the top property tax pay- ers in the WORLD! - What an honour! All this glorious informa- tion is provided in the latest edition of The Taxpayer pub- lished regularly by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation whose sober and sensible slogan is: "Promoting the responsible and efficient use of tax dol- lars." In the exact words of these tax experts, (since we jour- nalists haven't got a clue • -about half the things we write about). "Canadians pay more in property tax than any other developed nation on earth. At 4.1% of GDP (the total production of the econo- my) our property taxes are. far more onerous than even relatively highly taxed nations such as France (whose property taxes amount to 2.3% of GDP) and Germany (whose taxpayers contribute 1.1% of the nation's production to prop- erty taxes)." This publication is full of interesting facts that make your blood boil about where your hard-earned tax dollars actually end up. Here's a good one for those out there who would like to see all Quebec separatists move to Baffin Island. Paying for French Athletes Most people realize the fed- eral government kicks in money to send athletes to compete at the Olympics. And considering the 1996 games in Atlanta was one of Scotts Thoughts by Dave Scott our hest showings ever, the $615,000 pricetag for a pile of gold medals is relatively cheap. But did you know the fed- eral government will he spending $2.4 million to send 220 French-speaking athletes, coaches and support staff to attend the Francophone Games in Madagascar in 1997. According to our tax expert friends, this works out to almost $1 2,000 for each person going. In contrast, our Olympic contingent only received one-tenth of that - approximately $1,200 a piece. 4 in an editorial on the Madagascar Games. colum- nist Dianne Francis high- lighted the fact that in the past year. France has sent three political leaders to Canada in support of Quebec's separation. She said, "To underscore the fact that Frapce should Nutt out of Canada's internal affairs, Ottawa should completely withdraw any financial sup-, port for France's games." Severance Payouts Here's one you'll love. I'm Canadian Most provinces in Canada, including Ontario, pay sever- ance to politicians even if "they decide to quit or retire on their own volition." In Ontario the severance pay- ment ranges from $39,003 to $78,007. This means even if politicians leave to take a bet- ter paying job, they still receive a severance. And tax- payers, in addition to footing the bill for the severance, will have to pay for a costly by- election caused by the depar- ture of their representative. I could give you more sev- erance details but it's too depressing. Waste at Defence Dept. A recent internal audit of . the Department of National Defence found that millions of dollars could be saved by cleaning up. operations, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. One Targe area for improve- ment is distributing pay to soldiers. The audit revealed that it costs the department $31 to get a paycheque into the hands of a soldier. This is almost double what it costs an average private -sector firm to do and 15 times greater than large world-class organizations. . The reasons for the ineffi- ciency are that the depart- ment has no centralized sys- tem but rather dozens of small pay offices and an outs dated computer system. Because of this many tasks are done by hand. According to the audit, an overhaul of the system could save �26 million. Handouts to Business The latest edition of The Taxpayer listed "just a few" (a few hundred) grants and contributions handed out Ky the federal Department of Industry in the 1994-95 fiscal year. in the 1996-97 fiscal year, the department will be overseeing the spending of about $3.7 billion. Here's how just a bit of your tax money was spent a few years ago: • $25,000 to Linda Jean Doxtator-Landry of London, Ontario for Pizza Pasta Inc. * A further $22,363 to study this pizza and pasta opera tion. • And $17,550 for operating and marketing costs for this • pizza restaurant. • $66,600 to Gordon Gervais, Prince George, B.C. to establish a billiards club. • $99,900 to Great Barriers Inc., Edmonton, Alta. to expand furniture refinishing business. And my favourite: • $92,500 to Katherine Ferguson of Kamloops, B.C. to establish a clubhouse/food concession on golf course. Gosh, could I get $80,000 to study the prolonged effects of consuming beer and pizza and remaining on the couch watching television for months on end? Forget the Beaver Not that any of this is cause for celebration hut if you check out the hack cover of Taxpayer there is a full-page ad- for the "Tax Me I'm Canadian"" t -shirt and cap. The ad says: "Forget the heaver! Canadars national symbol is taxes. Show your national pride." You can order by phoning 1-800-667-7933. T-shirts are $18 and caps are $12. (Plus taxes, of course). Hospital important through the years' Dear Editor: I am writing to -Show our support for the Seaforth Community Hospital which h -as been a very important part of everyone's life in our community. My contact with the Seaforth hospital has been since birth which was at Scott Memorial Hospital, the predecessor of the present hospital. The excellent doctors' care in those times was.provided by Dr. E.A. McMaster *and Dr. Paul Brady. There was a very dedicated nursing staff. All through. our lives the Seaforth hospital and medical clinic have been very impor- tant hecausc-of the accessibil- ity of the Out -Patient and Emergency Depanmcnts. On February 8. 1982 I -suf- fered severe chest pains. The roads were near impassihle but we made it to the hospi- tal. 1. It was diagnosed that I had a heart attack 'and shortly after being admitted my con- dition became worse and Dr. iWoldnik sent me to Stratford Hospital by ambulance. After b6ing in Seaforth hos- pital in intensive care for five days and 19 days overall, I progressed enough to be sent hack to Seaforth hospital. A' total of 34 days later I returned home and' later Former resident drives o FROM THE PAGES OF THE HURON EXPOSITOR NOVEMBER 27, 1896 It is said that four Wingham "Whitecaps," at present serv- ing terms in the penitentiary. have had their sentences reduced on the strength of application from Wingham citizens. At the expiration of one year's imprisonment they will be allowed their liberty. Two are married and- two are unmarried. By special request we pub- lish the following resolution which speaks for itself: "It was with deep regret that we heard of the proposal to run an excursion- train from Stratford to Goderich, on Sunday, November 8 and learned that said train did actually pass through Seaforth on that day. Therefore, he it resolved, that at this our first regular meet- ing held since the excursion was advertised. we, the mem- bers of thc Seaforth Women's Christian Temperance Union, record our most emphatic disapproval of the running of that excursion train, and our strong opposition to any such violation of the sacredness of the Sabbath Day. Also that a copy of the resolution be sent for publication in each of our local papers." * * * The foot ball match on the Recreation grounds on Saturday afternoon last, between Egmondville and Alma, for the Craeford cup. resulted in a tie, each side securing three goals. In con- sequence of this the Alma club, who are the present found that I had been in such poor health when I was sent to •Stratford i was afraid I wouldn't make it there. If Seaforth hospital hadn't been there to help me. I wouldn't have made it to Stratford myself. In the Years Agone holders of the. cup. will still rctain it in their, possession. On account of the heavy snow fall the grounds were in very bad shape. The -Alma boys have a strong team. add have withstood the attacks of a number of clubs and to all appearances they are good for many more. NOVEMBER 25, 1921 - Word was _received here on Wednesday that Mrs. Earic Minne had been drowned that morning at her home in Port Huron. She was driving across the bridge in that city in her sedan car. and with a car in front of her obstructing her view. she did not see that the bridge was open to admit a boat through. Both cars plunged into the river and all their occupants were drowned. Mrs. Minnie was a former resident of Seaforth, being the Daughter of Mr. Thomas Rawley, and also a niece of Mrs. John Nolan and Mrs. Con Eckert, town. 4.* * • The Department of Education • has forced the Collegiate Institute Board to appoint a truant officer to enforce the Adolescent Act. Section 3 of the Act announces that pupils arc expected to remain at school until sixteen years of age, unless employed on. the authority of a home permit or an employment certificate as provided by the Act, but that is not intended to make the ' Act retroactive by making young persons between four- teen and sixteen who have been regularly engaged to return to school. In compliance with this act Mr. William Harry has been appointed attendance Officer by the Collegiate Board for the .Seaforth Collegiate . Institute. NOVEMBER 29,1946 Miss Betty Anderson. grand daughter of Mrs: Robert Bell„ of Scaforth has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship given by the Daughters of the Empire for .the highest standing in General -Proficiency at Delta Collegiate Institute. Hamilton. ** It rained 85 days at Brucefield in 1945 and the total fall was 31.17 inches, it is revealed in the annual report of the Statistics Branch of the Ontario Department of Agriculture which has just been released. ' During the same period of the total snowfall was 62.6 inches. snow having fall on 34 days. The provincial average in 1945 was 30.40 inches rain on 97 days and 67.1 inches snow on 45 days. This com- pares with 1882-1945 aver- age of24.32 inches rain on 86 days and 73.4 inches snow on 42 days. Lloyd Noakes of Hensall is confined to his home, suffer - Yours Sincerely, George Love Walton bridge ing a badly hruised log and severe lacerations received when operating a corn pickers • on the farm of Edward Munn. near Hensall. when in some manner his leg was drawn into the mower. X-rays taken revealed no hones broken. DECEMBER 2, 1971 Power from the Douglas Point nuclear power develop- pent will flov4 to the Seaforth transformer station ' with the completion of addi- tional transmission lines which Ontario Hydro offi- cials have announced. Na firm progress dates have been suggested but officials said first power is expect in 1975 -with completion in 1979. *-** Douglas G. Scrimgeour. 27. -Blyth miraculously escaped serious injury when the sta- tion wagon he was driving was in collision with a CPR freight train at a level railway crossing on County Road 8. one mile south of Auburn - Tuesday afternoon. Visibility was reported poor as it was snowing at the time of the accident and the road was slippery. The station. wagon skidded 50 feet before the left front corner of thc car was struck•hy the right front of thc train. The station wagon was dragged 75 feet before it tumbled down an embankment. Constable Ray Primcau of the Scaforth detachment OPP, estimated damage to the 1971 station wagon at $3,000 and to the train about $200. Mr. Scrimgeour received minor injuries described as -- "a bump on the top of his head".