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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-03-17, Page 5Opinions Column Every family has its black sheep From Pops 1 how very estranged others can get. Every family is unique, no two are completely alike, it is therefore impossible to have a "typically normal" family. Seriously though, Whose family is normal'? Every family has its black sheep and oddballs and I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that those who deny they have any, probably have the oddest family history of all. • And isn't it funny that the very ones whose behaviours made family members embarrassed, in time turn out to be the most interesting family members. The uncle who was an unsuccessful bank robber, or the spinster sister who kept hundreds of dolls, or the eccentric uncle who followed his dream to the Yukon gold rush. These are ones who kids chose to talk about in their family tree projects. It is the black sheep and oddballs who make a family interesting. Nobody's family is completely ideal. We all grew up watching Dick Van Dyke trip over the ottoman every night that he came home from his job in the city and fall lovingly into the arms of Mary Tyler Moore. She had been at home all day making their house, their son, and herself beautiful. Come on. Where's the reality there? We all know our lives weren't like that, but by watching shows like that on television we came to think'that they should be. How ironic is that? That a television show presented by actors playing parts should come to be accepted as the reality that we alt wished for. Unfortunately, too many of our generation are still looking for that picture perfect family, and are so dissatisfied with the lives they are currently living, they are never ever happy or content. Wake up people! This is your life and they people living it with you are your family. And whether they fit the mirror image of what you think they should be or not, they are your family and I can hazard a guess that they aren't so bad after all. Your biological family is probably never going to be or act the way you want them to, you probably don"t do a lot to impress them either. (especially your teenagers). But that's life. I am as guilty as the next person of wanting my life to be nice and simple and organized, but after the potholes I've hit on this highway of life, I have come to realize that life can be unpleasant, complicated and chaotic. But if there is anything I've learned from my family, it is that life goes on. And to quote my cottage neighbour when he took us kids for a ride in his motorboat, "Sit down, shut up, hang on and enjoy the ride." Letter Area native sees first hand fallout of BSE To the Editor, My name is Jack Chisholm and I reside in the town of Strathmore, Alberta. I have been involved in agriculture all of my life. For me, working in the agriculture industry is a labour of love. We are the caretakers of the land and animals, and are responsible for providing our nation with the best quality of food in the world. I spent my first 18 years in Dungannon, near Goderich, On. The way I see it, with all that is going on in the world today, our way of life is on the verge of extinction! I am a cattleman by trade so I see first hand the fallout of the BSE. It is a depressing thing to watch the news at night and see all the hungry people in the poor and war torn countries, and then I see the price of Canadian grain, beef and pork. Here is my proposal. I feel Canada should stop sending foreign aid in cash form to these needy countries. We have been trying this approach for the past numerous years and it is not working. I feel that this money would be better spent if we made the product (food to feed the hungry) here at home so we know where the money is being spent and it would put more Canadians back to work which is needed. This would have to be run like a business and the profit would be in the savings to the nation. It would be a fair chore to manage but far from impossible. Examples of what I mean are as follows: 1. Canadian cull cattle overload. The government pays 50 cents per pound to the farmer, perhaps one half in cash and one half in a tax write-off which is deferred for up to a year so it can be used by the farmer. Then pay to have the cattle slaughtered in each province, put the hanging beef on reefers and truck it to the empty canneries in Eastern Canada to be de- boned and canned. Then it could be shipped to where ever it is needed without the added risk that if it were money that was sent to the poorer nations, it could be taken by the ruling government (or dictator) and spent for military power. With food being shipped it would seem that it is more likely that it would get to the people to which it is intended. (the same could be done for cull hogs). 2. Instead of shipping raw cereal grains and corn to these nations where there are corrupt war lord governments who take it for themselves, we should take and process the grains into food products here at home and create more jobs for Canadians. Then the food could he sent as humanitarian aid to the needy countries. To ensure this food gets to where it is needed unmolested, our armed services could take over the distribution of such aid instead of where they are now placed in harm's way trying to keep the peace. It is believed that people with full stomachs would be less likely to cause problems that needed a military presence. If a person is always hungry and spends all their lime and energy trying to exist they have no opportunity to better themselves. By doing this Canada would win respect of all the free - world and would give our armed forces an honourable role that everyone could take pride in. To myself and my friends across Canada that I have asked, all feel this would help Canada as well as the world. 1. This plan would help to bring Canadians, both east and west together. 2. This would help create jobs and better the standard of living in some of the provinces who seem to consistently have unemployment problems. (example: the Maritimes). 3. Canada would save money in the long run. What we budget for foreign aid would help cut E.I. and welfare and could very easily help save our great nation from economic disaster. What is proposed is not a political tactic. It disappoints me in governments where no one will consider a good idea because the person who thinks of it is in the opposition party. If all votes in the House could be free votes (especially for issues which will benefit all Canadians) our Members of Parliament could better represent the people who voted for them. Perhaps we should, work'on a five-year term system even if the party in power loses the free vote. I will close my letter off and only ask that you will consider what I have provided. I would appreciate any response to my letter. Jack Chisholm 314 Strathaven Drive Strathmore, AB T1P 1N5 Bayfield man honoured at Seaforth Legion By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor A close to 30 -year military career - including 12 years with search and rescue on the Altantic coast - is honoured in a new display at the Seaforth Legion. Bruce Halton, of Bayfield, says he's thrilled to have his military memorabilia displayed in Seaforth. "Most Legions I've been to have a couple of pictures here and there but I've never seen a Legion like Seafotth's. It's got phenomenal displays," says Halton. "Seaforth is obviously attempting to preserve some military history and that's the way most Legions should be doing it," he says, adding that Seaforth's Frank Phillips "deserves a world of credit" for the displays. While Halton couldn't interest the museum at Wolsley Barracks in his home town of London to display his memorabilia, Phillips took Halton's flying suit and jacket, his caps and badges and pictures of the Sea King helicopters he flew and filled a display case. Halton, who joined the military at age 18 during the 1960s and retired in 1995, originally joined the Canadian navy where he became an aircraft mechanic. But, after three years at sea on a Bonaventure aircraft carrier, where he never conquered his seasickness, Halton went on to join the Canadian air force. He then became a, flight engineer, flew for 18 years and then joined search and rescue for 12 years. Despite the fact that search and rescue involved risking his life to save others, Halton remembers search and rescue as "hilarious and great fun." "It let me see humanity at its,best and stupidity at its worst. I got to see the extena- to which people will go out of their way to get into trouble," he says. During those 12 years, Halton helped with plane crashes, sinking ships, medical evacuations and rescues of people stranded during storms, often during the worst weather conditions. "It was always challenging and satisfying. I met fantastic people and I loved it," he says. "I worked with people who wanted to be there, who trusted each other and who put 110 per cent into everything they did. You don't get that kind of dedication in most fields." Halton is also one of a handful of military personnel trained both as a pilot and a diver. "Diving and flying don't usually go together because of the pressure differential. You increase your chances of getting the bends (decompression sickness)," he says. Halton is critical of the Canadian government for not putting more funding into the military. "These days we have an armed farce," he says, adding that mechanical design problems with the Sea King and Labrador helicopters caused him to lose a number of friends to death. "The engine problems with search and rescue helicopters has been a known quantity for 20 years but the government is too cheap to fix the problem," he says. Submitted photo Bruce Halton, of Bayfield, recently visited his new display at the Seaforth Legion which shows his 30 -year military career. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, MARCH 17, 2004-5 NEED A LITTLE HELP AROUND THE HOUSE? frilillip In our business directory! South Hibbert (Cromarty BALL REGISTRATION Mon., March 22 Wed., March 24 Staffa Hall Fees: Regular Athletic Assoc. Park) - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Basement Teams $40.00 Late Fee Contact 522-1030 0 i •� iY / 41 . j V 1 't � f �I� `1. �� �� IAN--- $10.00 Late Entry Marian Vogels South lllbbert Athletic Assoc. is acceptingc. Tenders for Concession Stand for Cromarty Ball Park. r Lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted.-�`` Mall to Marian Vogels. RR2 Kippen. NOM 2E0. Post marked no later than April 16. 2004. "Zse teed caa il:4e rrec ALBERT DENTURE Denture Dean R. McTaggart J ‘ \ i I' 1 1 ' 482_1195 50 ALBERT STREET itt 4 W€t4 a eduatet" STREET C Specialist D.D. Complete and Partial Dentures Denture Repairs Relines - Additions CLINTON Church Services BEREAN COVEANT CHURCH A CHURCH PLANT OF GRACE MINTY COMMUNITY CHURCH 527-0029 Fellowship at 7:00 pm Pastoral Team: Pastor Bob Penhearow Pastor Ron Matthews Pastor Royal Hamel You are invited to attend these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church A Ccogregation of the Parish of The Hay Sprit Jarvis St. Seaforth ' Fr. Michael Atkins Pariah Office 527.1522 The Fourth Sunday of Lent Mothering Sunday Worship at 9:30 a.m. Prayer Group - Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Handers Messiah . Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Catholic Church St. James RC Church 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth 527-0142 Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm Sun. 11:00 am St. Columban RC Church Saturday Mass at 7:30 pm Father Lance Magdziak Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 128 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982 Sunday School 9:45 am Sunday Worship Hour 11 am Jim Wyllie • Pastor B & G Club Wed. 7 p.m. Youth Group Wed. 7 p.m. Egmondville United Church Sunday school 10:00 am Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday March 21 Stew Hildebrand Lay Pastoral Minister In training Coming Events: Wednesday, Mar. 24 7:30 pm •Blue Jeans and Communion' NORTHSIDE - CAVAN UNITED CHURCHES Cavan 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Northside Winthrop 54 Godench St. W. Sunday March 21, 2004 Guest Speaker: Melissa Snyders First, Presbyterian ChurchGoderich St. W. Seaforth Guest Minister Sunday, March 21 11:15 a.m. Get your tickets for the Roast Beef r . . . . err . . . . . . .. ..... . . . . . . . . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11. • ADf I 1 tl 5 !f: NMI NM NMI .1.1 MIN MO IMO IMO OM FREE METERWITH PURCHASE Customer: Present this coupon to rKEATING'S im= PHARMACY 67 Main St., Seaforth 527-1990 Purchase 100 Precision Xtra test strips and receive the Precision Xtra Monitor FREE! CaII 527-1990 For Details. No cash value. Expire Date: November 31, 2004. Limit 1 per customer. 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J