Huron Expositor, 2002-02-20, Page 11THE HURON EXPOSITOR, February 21, 2001-7
SEAFORTH INSURANCE
BROKER LTD. 527-1610
• Home
• Commercial
'Auto
• Farm
• Out of Province
Travel Insurance
41 Maio St. S. SoaIotth
Christa Leonhard, Lynn Pletsch, Ken Canino, Barb Wan
and Joanne Williamson
News
Contraceptive education does not
lead to sexual activity, says research
By Stew Slater
Special to The Huron Expositor
No direction or action was taken regarding a parent's
concerns about sex education practices by The Avon Maitland
District School Board.
In a report that makes reference to a sizable collection of
recent studies about health education, staff of the Avon
Maitland District School Board and the District Health Units
in Huron and Perth Counties have countered the arguments of
a concerned Stratford parent and her supporters.
Lisa Hackner had challenged the way the "safe sex"
message is delivered to some students at Stratford
Northwestern Secondary School.
She appeared before the board at its Jan. 23 meeting where
she cited studies showing premarital sex erodes self-esteem
among teenagers, and made reference to a book entitled
"Living and Dying the Lie."
She was assisted in her delegation by Bruce Long, a
former physical education teacher who pointed to the absence
of the teaching method used at Northwestem, which involves
a demonstration of condom use, from both the provincial high
school curriculum and guidelines released by the Ontario
Physical and Health Educators Association (OPHEA).
Hackner called on the board to stop the demonstrations
until trustees could receive full information about the
teaching method.
She also suggested sexual education programs should be
dominated by the promotion of abstinence, and that students
desiring safe -sex instruction could receive it directly from the
Health Units or school guidance departments.
Instead, no action was taken while the report was being
prepared. And, when the report was delivered by senior
principal Marie Parsons, it was presented merely as
"information" for trustees, meaning there were no
recommendations included.
The report counters several of the arguments put forward
by Hackner and Long.
"Research studies ... consisently find that providing
contraceptive/condom education does not lead to earlier or
more frequent sexual activity," it states and cites nine
different sources ranging from 1982 to 1998. It also
challenges the effectiveness of an abstinence -dominated
program, arguing, "abstinence -only sex education programs
are deficient because they do not provide students with the
opportunity to learn the necessary information and skills to
reduce the risks of sexual activity if they choose to be
sexually active now or in the future."
Specific references to provincial and OPHEA guidelines
challenge Long's assertions. And the report cites recent
surveys showing Canada's young people most prefer to
receive sex-related information at school, rather than through
other sources.
Trustees appeared supportive, with several speaking in
praise of the people who had prepared the report.
No motions for action were brought forward.
More than one trustee also expressed satisfaction with
Parson's explanation of the process by which students or
parents can receive exemptions from such instruction. She
said the process is described in student handbooks, and is
similar to the process used if parents or students are
uncomfortable with certain selections on the reading list of an
English course.
Parents and guardians have always had the option of
applying for exemptions," Parsons said. "In this case, there
would have to be an assignment given so that the student still
completes that particular course expectation (required under
the provincial curriculum), but they would complete it in a
different manner."
According to Parsons, decisions about specific methods for
providing sexual. education rest with officials at each school.
Of the board's 11 secondary schools, she added, just four
provide condom demonstrations similar to those at
Northwestern.
Financial Advice
RRSP contribution should hQIp
you into a Iow�r tax brackt
Wondering how much to
contribute to your RRSP this
year?
A year ago, says financial
planning guru, author and
seminar speaker Brian
Costello, he would have said
'the max' without thinking.
But a lot has changed in
the past year on the tax front
that has got him rethinking
RRSPs and the role they play
in our retirement.
These include: A cut in the
capital gains inclusion rate
from 75 to 50 per cent; and a
reduction in personal tax
rates and the promise of
more of the same in coming
years.
"That's why I think we
should make a careful
assessment of our RRSP
strategy and decide whether
investing for retirement
outside our RRSPs makes
more sense."
So how much should you
contribute to your RRSP this
year?
There's a simple, easy way
to find out. Best of all, you
can kill two birds with one
stone while you doing it.
"The trick is knowing how
much tax you'll have to pay
when it comes time to file
your income tax return," says
Costello.
"And the simplest way to
do that is to do a sample
return. That will tell you very
quickly what happens if you
contribute $5,000, $6,000,
$7,000 or more to your
RRSP."
"What you're looking for is
something more than just the
relief the RRSP contribution
generates. You should also be
trying to get yourself into a
lower tax bracket. Then it
really pays."
The challenge, especially
before the end of each year,
is getting your hands on a
sample up-to-date tax return
to do these calculations.
But that, thanks to a new
online tax -filing program, is
now fairly easy, says
Costello.
Tax planning is a subject
Costello feels very strong
about. In fact, he recently
teamed up with UFile.ca, the
new low-cost online tax
program being marketed as
UFile.ca with Brian Costello.
Costello is a principal of the
firm.
The program, for example,
allows you to do any number
of what if scenarios that will
enable you to see precisely
the impact of every tax -
planning decision you make
right on the spot.
Ideally, says Costello, this
should be done well before
the end of the year.
"After the clock strikes
midnight on Dec. 31 each
year, it's really too late. Your
options are severely
restricted at this point."
But UFile does that. And
more. It enables taxpayers to
go online - any time, any
place and start work on their
returns, knowing they're
working at all times with the
latest rulings and budget
changes.
"What's more," he adds,
"you can go back and make
Mutual funds are simple
tools for nava Investors
Keep it simple. One of the
simplest investment
instruments available to a
new investor is a mutual
fund. A mutual fund is a
professionally managed pool
of money invested by people
like you. There are many
different types of mutual
funds. each designed for a
different type of investor with
a different financial profile.
When you buy a mutual fund,
you arc pooling your money
with other investors who
share your investment profile
and your objectives.
There is strength in
numbers. By pooling your
money with other investors
who have similar objectives,
you can enjoy- increased
purchasing power and reduce
your investment costs.
Professional mutual fund
managers trade securities at
discounted institutional rates.
Consequently, the savings
they realize are passed along
to you.
Keep your options open. A
kcy benefit of mutual fund
ownership is diversification.
The range of security types
and asset classes offered in
mutual funds helps to shield
your investments from market
fluctuations. If the value of
one security held in a fund
falls. the loss may well he
offset by a rise in thc price of
•
another security. By investing
in a variety of asset classes,
you can profit from the
growth of one type of
security, while shielding your
portfolio from potential losses
in another. Whether it is by
security, company, industry,
or country, mutual funds offer
investors a level of
diversification that would be
difficult to achieve on their
own.
Mutual funds come in a
variety of shapes and sizes.
The most familiar mutual
funds are bond or fixed-
income funds, money market
funds, equity funds, and
balanced funds. Bond funds
offer investors the benefits of
steady interest income and
the opportunity to realize
capital gains over the long
term. For the interim investor,
money market funds provide
the chance to insulate capital
while receiving returns
superior to those offered by a
hank savings account. A basic
equity fund invests in the
shares of various
corporations.
Equity funds differ in their
selections of individual
company characteristics,
industries, or geographic
locations. Finally, balanced
funds exist for those investors
who want the benefits and
convenience of owning
bonds, money market
instruments, and equities in
one mutual fund.
Do you need fast cash?
Mutual funds are structured
in such a way that accessing
your money is as simple as
calling your financial advisor.
As your investment
needs change, your personal
financial plan can also be
easily changed. Your
financial advisor can move
money from one fund to
another or cash in all, or part,
of your investment at any
time.
To help build assets over
the long term, you can
institute a plan of regular
investment contributions.
Invest with thc hest.
Mutual funds give every
investor the advantage of
continual professional money
management.
These professionals' have
access to some of the best
quality investment research in
the world. Professional
money managers monitor
both domestic and foreign
markets around the clock.
The knowledge and
experience of these
professionals ensures that
your investments will keep
pace with today's ever-
changing markets.
From RRSP.ORG
changes as many times as
you like."
"Most people, however,
will likely do their returns in
one sitting. For most of us,
that's about 10 to 15
minutes."
The price is also right. At
$12.95 for a single return and
less than $20 for an entire
family, it's cheaper than
anything else in the market
place today.
And you don't pay until
you complete your return.
Low-income seniors and
students, in fact, anyone who
earns under $20,000 a year,
can do their returns at no
charge.
NOTICE OF
1 22ND ANNUAL
MEETING
WEST WAWANOSH MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the
Company will be held at the:
SALTFORD VALLEY HALL
on Thursday, March 15th, 2001 at 7:00 p.m.
1. To receive, consider and approve the Financial Statement and Auditor's
{Report for the year ended December 31st, 2000.
2. To appoint auditors.
3. To elect two (2) Directors for a three-year term.
4. To consider amendments to By -Laws #
(3) Location of the office
(19) Notification Period for a person seeking election and
Territories
(28) Times & Locations of meetings
(46c) Signing Authorities
(46d) Approval of Claims
(58b) Refund Criteria
5. To transact any other business that may properly come before the meet-
ing.
The retiring Directors are Barry Millian of the Goderich area and Steve
Faber of the Mitchell area Both are eligible for re-election.
Any qualifying policyholder wishing to run as a Director for these areas
must file their intention to run, in writing, along with a nomination form, with
the Corporate Secretary or his designate, no later than close of business,
March 7th, 2001.
By order of the Board of Directors,
West Wawanosh Mutual Insurance Company,
Dungannon, Ont.
Kenneth Cox
Corporate Secretary
Brian E. Wightman
Certified General Accountant
64 Main St., Seaforth
(519)527-1331
Brian Wightman
• Accounting & Bookkeeping
• Personal & Corporate Tax
• Farm, Business & Indvidual
Tax Planning •
Cell for a free consultation at
Illy office, VOtur home or business.
527-1331
L
At Clinton Community Credit Union, we have trained
investment professionals to help you save money for your
future. Personal attention to your hopes and dreams, investment
options like GICs arid mutual funds, make us an option that
saves you money.
Visit us to discuss how we can help you reach your financial goals.
48 Ontario St, Clinton
Tel. (519) 482-3466
Mon. - Thurs. 9am - Spm
Fri. 9am - 8pm
118 Main St N., Exeter
Tel. (519) 235-0640
Mon. - Thurs. 9am - Spm
Fn. 9am - 8pm
165 Main St W, Dashwood
Tel. (519) 237-3777
Tues. I Oam - 3pm
Fri. 2pm - 7pm
A different way of banking."
Clinton Community
Credit Union Limited