HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-02-04, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Feb. 4, 2004
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• Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004
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Editorial
RCMP tactics
smack of media
intimidation
If the RCMP wants to know who leaked damaging
information about Syrian -born Canadian Maher Arar, it
should start by investigating itself.
And not by storming the home and office of Ottawa
Citizen reporter Juliet O'Neill, confiscating her notebooks
and Rolodex and even looking through her underwear
drawer.
O'Neill was simply doing her job last November when
she reported on suspicions by the Mounties and the
Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) that Arar
had terrorist connections — allegations Arar has denied
and which have never been substantiated.
The irony of the RCMP raid on O'Neill is that this was
the very information our security agencies wanted made
public about Arar — anonymous allegations Arar has
complained he has no way of fighting and which have
wrecked his life.
As O'Neill wrote in her Nov. 8 story which sparked last
week's raid: "It was in defence of their investigative work -
against suggestions that the RCMP and (CSIS) had either
bungled Mr. Arar's case, or worse, purposefully sent an
innocent man to be tortured in Syria — that security officials
leaked allegations against him in the weeks leading to his
retum to Canada."
The Arar case increasingly sounds like the plot of a
Kafka novel in which a citizen is slowly ground under by a
relentless, anonymous government bureaucracy. The
Liberal,government's response has been a maze of
contradictions.
Prime Minister Paul Martin said he didn't believe O'Neill
was a criminal, but didn't know enough to comment
further.
Public Security Minister Anne McLellan defended the
RCMP raid, saying we should all be concerned that
someone was leaking damaging information about poor
Mr. Arar.
Problem is, the Liberals sure took their sweet time
worrying about poor Mr. Arar after U.S. authorities arrested
him at New York's JFK airport in September, 2002, while
he was on his way home to Canada, and deported him to
his native Syria. There, Arar says, he was tortured and
forced to make false confessions. Last October, the
Syrians finally freed Arar — without charging him — and he
returned to Canada.
Even Arar's own lawyer has condemned the RCMP raid
on O'Neill, adding it's also unacceptable the RCMP is
conducting the investigation since its members were likely
the source of the leaks against Arar in the first place.
In December, Martin said he saw no evidence of
wrongdoing by Canadian law enforcement or security
officials.
But that was well after the damaging Teaks about Arar
had started appearing, which the RCMP now says were a
crime.
Meanwhile, the U.S. television show 60 Minutes II
reported last week that Canadian law enforcement
agencies knew about Arar's deportation in advance and
sanctioned it — which Canada has denied.
Arar has since launched a lawsuit against U.S.
authorities.
To sum up, the conduct of our own govemment in the
Arar affair is highly suspect and the Mounties' tactics
smack of media intimidation.
It's time for a public inquiry. - Sun Media
HO
Letters
can be
All le
and acc
nu
for
Opinion
Cattlemen president remains optimistic
U.S. will open borders to Canadian beef
To the Editor,
In late December a six -and -a -half -year-old dairy cow was
diagnosed with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE,
or "mad cow disease") in Washington State in the U.S. The
origin of the cow was traced to Canada.
I wanted to write and update your readers on what this
means to the Canadian beef industry.
While the diagnosis was a surprise, it was not entirely
unexpected. The international panel that reviewed Canada's
investigation into the cow diagnosed with BSE in Alberta
last May had indicated a few additional animals might be
found with BSE.
The discovery of this second animal doesn't change
Canada's status as a country at minimal risk for BSE.
According to international guidelines, provided all necessary
precautions are in place, a country can have up to one case
of BSE per million head of cattle and still maintain a
minimal risk status.
The cattle population in Canada is currently 15 million
head. We remain cautiously optimistic that the U.S. will
soon re -open its borders to live cattle from minimal risk
regions, including Canada.
Much has been written in the media lately about Japan's
insistence that all cattle slaughtered be tested for BSE. The
purpose of BSE testing is not to ensure food safety. Other
food safety'regulations, especially the removal at slaughter
of parts of a carcass (Specified Risk Material) that could
pose a risk if the animal were infected with BSE, ensure the
safety of North American beef.
The purpose of testing is surveillance. It determines the
prevalence of the disease in Canada's cattle population and
ensures that regulations to prevent the disease from
spreading are working.
Of the 3.5 million cattle slaughtered in Canada each year,
approximately 85 per cent are well under the age of 30
months. Cattle under 30 months of age rarely ever exhibit
BSE or have the abnormal prions present in their central
nervous system.
Therefore testing these cattle would be a waste of money
and resources that could be spent preventing commonly
occurring food safety concerns that present real risks to
consumers.
Some Canadians question why we don't give in to Japan's
demands in order to regain access to their market. Canada is
urging other countries to base their trade decisions related to
BSE on sound scientific principles.
Overreacting by introducing testing that goes way beyond
what is necessary based on science would encourage other
countries to continue to react in an irrational manner.
I'd like to close by thanking Canadians for their continued
support for our beef industry during this time of difficulty.
By continuing to add an additional meal or two of beef to
their family's menu each week, Canadian consumers are
supporting not only cattle producers but workers in rural
communities right across the country. The rural regions are
the backbone of our nation. Canada needs strong rural
communities for the health of our nation, from coast to
coast.
Neil Jahnke
President, Canadian Cattlemen's Association
Livestock farmers want compromise
with federal environment department
Ontario livestock farmers and
their organizations are in search
of a solution to the
By Ron Bonnett, OFA president
confrontations that are taking
place across the province between fanners and the Federal
Department of the Environment.
The department is responsible for enforcing a portion of the
Fisheries Act that, when enforced as written, can result in a
farmer being fined up to $300,000 or spending six months in
jail if livestock is allowed to set foot in a stream or river
adjacent to that farmer's property.
A representative of the
Ontario Cattlemen's Association
made a presentation to the January
board meeting of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture on the
subject.
He indicated a high level of frustration exists within the
farming community with the way the department is
See FARMERS, Page 5
Families out of coal and wood forced
to leave homes, move into hotels in 1904
FEBRUARY 7, 1879
T. E. Hays, warden of
Huron, entertained members
of the county council, the
county officials and a
number of friends at a
complimentary support at the
British Hotel in Goderich.
The vice chairmen at the
event were D.D. Wilson, of
Seaforth, and Wm. Glegg, of
Blyth.
The new Presbyterian
church at Egmondville was
formally opened on Sunday
last. Rev. Graham preached
in the afternoon and in the
evening Rev. Thos.
Musgrave, of McKillop,
delivered a happy and
profitable address.
Mr. and Mrs. Geo.
Campbell, of McKillop, were
proceeding home from
Seaforth when their
conveyance capsized. Mrs.
Campbell was thrown out
and she fractured her arm.
John Henderson, of
McKillop, while starting to
cut straw with a power
machine had his left hand,
which had a mitt on it,
caught by the knives. The
greater parts of two of his
fingers and the third were
entirely cut off.
Charles Redmond, of
Kippen, has purchased from
Mr. Mellis a part lot for the
sum of $100 per acre.
FEBRUARY 6, 1904
Dr. R.E. Copper, of
Seaforth, was appointed
Grand superintendent of
Huron District at the Grand
Chapter of Royal Masons
held in Toronto last month.
Harry Chesney, son of
Wm. Chesney of
Egmondville, who was
engaged as a brakesman on
the CPR has been promoted
to the position of Conductor
on the same run.
Years Agone...
The stormy weather and
bad roads have completely
paralyzed business.
Wm. Smithers, who has
been here for some time, left
for his home in Eudcrten,
North Dakota, taking with
him a life partner in the
person of Miss Bennett,
niece of Mrs. Jamieson, of
the Huron Road.
Peter Daley has resumed
his position as head carver in
J. W. Beatties meat business.
Several families in town
who are out of coal and
wood have been compelled
to vacate their residences and
some are living at the hotels
and others with friends.
Pathmaster Delaney, of
Dublin, has made a number
of sidings on the Beechwocxl
side where thc nervous
travellers can switch off and
allow other travellers to pass
without the danger there
formerly was of either one or
the other going down out of
sight in the immense banks
of snow that this road has
always bean noted for.
FEBRUARY 15, 1929
One of the heaviest
snowfalls of the winter came
on Monday night when
nearly two feet of snow fell
on the level.
At the Ladies Aid meeting
of Cavan Church, Mrs.
Cuthill, Mrs. McClure and
Mrs. Johnston were
presented with Life
membership certificate.
A successful father and son
banquet was held in the
Bruceficld church. Speaker
was Rev. W.P. Lane, of
Seaforth.
Miss Effie Balfour is
spending a month in Seaforth
visiting with Mr. and Mrs.
Edler.
C. Bennett, of Winthrop.
and Ed. Miller, of Walton,
paid a flying visit to London.
The weather man has been
handing out some real
snappy weather and it was
claimed that Monday
morning was one at the
skating rink at Hensall
arranged by Miss Ellis, Miss
Buchanan and Claude
Blowcs.
Mr. and Mrs. Chas.
Holdbcin, of Seaforth,
celebrated their 64th
anniversary of thcir
marriage. Mr. Holdbcin is in
his 86th year and Mrs.
Holdbcin is 83.
There were 13 .deaths in
thc Township of Tuckcrsmith
during the month of January.
W.F. Darrock, of thc
Wolverton Mill in Seaforth,
has leased the residence of
Louis Aberhart on Goderich
Street.
FEBRUARY 13, 1954
Miss Mabel Turnbull was
re-elected chairman of the
Carnegie Library Board.
According to Miss Turnbull
circulation has increased
during the past year to over
9,000. F.J. Sills was re-
elected secretary -treasurer
and Miss Greta Thompson
was re -appointed Librarian.
Mr. and Mrs. J. O'Rourke,
of Dublin will celebrate their
golden anniversary on Feb.
18 when they will he at home
to thcir friends and
neighbours.
Following an illness of
three weeks the death
occurred in St. Joseph's
Hospital in London, of
Seaforth postmaster Chas. P.
Sills and widely known
Seaforth resident. He had
been postmaster for 30 years
and was a veteran of World
War I when he served in
France for 22 months.
The family night party of
the Seaforth W.I. was held in
the Seaforth Community
Centre. Jean Papple favoured
with a recitation and Walker
Hart led in community
singing. Step dancing by
Mrs. Storey accompanied by
Mr. Hart was much enjoyed.
FEBRUARY 8, 1979
The winter's most serious
storm so fir, closed area
schools on Monday and
resulted in the Goderich OPP
temporarily closing Seaforth
arca highways. Many
township roads were closed
or reduced to one lane track
but there was no drastic
increase in accidents in this
immediate area.
One of Scaforth's older
homes was demolished last
week to make way for the
new senior citizens'
apartment building which
will be built on the site. John
H. McLlwain Construction
demolished the building on
Thursday. The home was
once the kitchen of the hotel
which was located where the
Royal Apartment Building
now stands. The house was
moved to John Street in 1869
and used as a residence until
the land was purchased for
the senior citizens complex.
Lloyd Eisler, of
Egmondville; is one of six
Canadian skaters who will be
competing in the junior
world pairs competition in
Augsburg, Germany in
March. Lloyd and his
partner, Lorri Baler, of
Mitchell, captured the junior
pairs title at the Canadian
figure skating championships
in Thunder Bay last week.
Ron & Dove
Hey Ron, What's
a conservative?
A conservative is someone
who believes in fiscal
responsibility within a
ionote socie
dmRQronorddeve cam
A liberal is someone
who believes in a
compassionate
society with fiscal
responsibility.
Oh, okay,
then what's
a liberal?
by David Lacey
What's the
diff