Loading...
Huron Expositor, 2004-11-10, Page 1Discount Mousey Canada inc. Joy Finlayson & Sharon Medd Mortgage Consultants "Anaitx a company that stasis with «discount" (5 191 527-0560 Sharon Medd, Asoodite Brota M.V.A. Appraiser Visit: nda.ca for information of listings in Huron/Perth Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2004 In brief Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance and Huron East council have closed . door meeting By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor An . hour-long closed door meeting between Huron East and the Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance was held at the beginning of last Tuesday's council meeting. And, while nothing was revealed in oiien session, Deputy Mayor Bernie MacLellan said the Alliance made a presentation proposing "several options about the operations of the (Seaforth Medical) clinic." "We have to have another meeting. It's still very vague for us as well," he said, adding Huron East's aim was to see "whatever we can come up with for the betterment of the health of the residents of Huron East." When asked earlier why the meeting was held behind closed doors, Mayor Joe Seili said the meeting dealt with both property and legal issues. Representing the Alliance at the meeting with Andrew Williams, the Alliance's chief executive officer, Mary Cardinal, Seaforth Community Hospital's site leader, Ron Lavoie, Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation president and Alf Ross, a member of the hospital foundation. 51. Annes students on mission to help the needy... P09* 11 Si .25 includes GST CFP 0.MAth FhlincW Pinner (11Cof Nab `XO4 Alluisscormled vamp . 10110111., My a Best 0.1.C. Rates nrs 3. Y 5% 4.1Y5" DUNDEE" rows mneonems tme.l 1 wap.u41101..44.[., clow. I silf:�Tll l •iIjjilili1 26 Main St., Seaforth 527-2222 Maureen Spittal and Ken Larone compile their research on the communitys opinions about Seaforth Community Hospital from six focus groups held fast week. Fear about hospital's future evident in local focus groups By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor After interviewing six local focus groups ranging in size from six to 24 members, a group researching the Seaforth community's feelings about its hospital has arrived at two major conclusions so far. Seaforth loves its hospital and has "a great deal of apprehension" about its hospital's future, says Ken Larone, who along with Dr. Ken Rodney and Maureen Spittal, is gathering information about Seaforth's medical needs and wants. "That's a consistent thrust. Pople are very consistently supportive of the hospital and concerned about its future," says Laron. So far, the focus groups approached have included the Seaforth BIA, the Seaforth Optimists, a sports group, a book club and members of the agricultural community. The group is beginning to venture outside of Seaforth to Mitchell where it recently left questionaires at the Durisol factory. Larone, Spittal and Rodney have created a structured plan to continue their research through a newspaper questionaire, a telephone survey of at least one in 10 Sew LOCAL, Page 2 Child porn bylaw passes By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor A bylaw that reinforces the responsibility of internet service providers to cooperate with police investigations of child pornography received third ,and final reading by Huron East council on Tuesday night. "Our bylaw gives law enforcement pfficers another tool in their arsenal to fight child porn," said Grey Coun. Mark Beaven. But, most of all, Beaven said the new bylaw will pressure provincial and federal governments to make the issue of internet child pornography a greater priority. "It will convince the federal government to act immediately and decisively, following the lead of Huron East," he said. The bylaw was changed from its original version, which was going to require providers to install filtering software to block child pornography from all users in Huron East. However, it still fines anyone who contravenes the bylaw between $2,000 and $5,000. And, while Sharon Chuter, manager of Tuckersmith Communications Cooperative (TCC) who sat on Huron East's child porn bylaw committee, is satisfied that TCC is already complying with the final version, she told council in a letter that TCC is already legally obligated to cooperate with police. "The board of directors and management of Tuckersmith Communications strongly believe that a bylaw is not the most effective process in the fight against child pornography," she said in a letter to council. Instead, she suggested a letter from Huron East supporting a national working group that is fighting child porn across Canada would "be instrumental in convincing government officials of the importance of the required changes in law," said her letter. She also told council that she afraid other municipalities, in supporting Huron East's bylaw, would try to give it more teeth and return to the idea of forcing internet service providers to block child porn, something they are not capable of doing. "We cannot even look at child pornography legally," she said. "The biggest fear we have of the bylaw passing like this is that if the next council you send it to decide it doesn't have enough teeth, will there be negative consequences," she said. Beaven responded that while Huron East has little control over other municipalities, he would encourage them to follow Huron East's lead. Soo CHILD, Ptd 5 Steckle has question period with Grade 5s St. James School invites Huron -Bruce MP as part of studies on the federal government By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle was on the hot seat last Friday as he entered the Grade 5 version of question period. For the Grade 5 students of Christa Ducharme's class at St. James Catholic School, any question was for the asking. "Have you ever regretted being a Liberal?" asked Grade 5 student Kristen Nolan. "No, I haven't," Steckle answered back. "I don't always agree with the Liberals and I don't like some of the things they do. "But, I like them more than I like some of the other parties." Steckle explained to the students that before he became a Liberal MP in 1993, that members of the Liberals had to vote the way the party wanted or they'd have to face penalties. He said when the government was voting for the gun registry, Steckle along with two other Liberal mavericks voted against the policy. By 1997, Steckle said 24 Liberals did not vote the "party line." Steckle told the class that he began his political career in the late '60s because he wanted to help shape his community. "There were certain things in my community that I wanted to see changed," said Steckle. "I thought there were. some things that weren't right and I could make some changes." Steckle said that he worked his way through the municipal government from councillor of Stanley Township to warden for Huron County. Then in 1993 after running to be the local Liberal representative, Steckle was elected into the House of Commons as a member of Parliament for Huron -Bruce. Steckle told the students about the need to dream. He explained to them that the odds of someone having the job of an MP is about one in 100,000. Steckle was asked if he likes being an MP and admitted that although he likes his work, it is tough. "I get tired sometimes. By the end of the week I've seen enough people," said Steckle. I just want to get )away and not talk to people." The Grade 5 class invited Steckle to speak as part of the social studies program where the students have been learning about the federal government. "I hope it brings it into real life what they're learning by having a representative come See STICKLE, Page 5 Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle signs an autograph for St. James Grade 5 student Courtney Janmaat last Friday afternoon. When Accld•nts Npp•n ... COLLISION REPAIR • GLASS INSTALLATION RENTAL CARS AVAILABLE • INSURANCE CLAIMS FOR AFFORDABLE, PROFESSIONAL BODYWORK ON CARS, TRUCKS, VANS AND SUVS, COME TO US. WE'LL GET YOUR VEHICLE LOOKING LIKE NEW AGAIN. "Your complete paint & collision repair centre." 120 Harpurhey Rd., Seaforth 522-2222 We use quality performance coatings C.t a l l IVI.11-1< Ic)f- � 1 • f 1