Huron Expositor, 2007-06-20, Page 3The Huron Expositor • June 20, 2007 Page 3
News
No complaints about Smoke Free Ontario Act
from Seaforth and area businesses
Aaron Jack 1 i n
Seaforth businesses don't seem to
have been harmed by the Smoke
Free Ontario Act in the last year.
Janet Haak, owner of Janet's
Donuts, says she hasn't had any
complaints about the smoking ban
and that it hasn't hurt business
either. If anything, the ban has
improved business.
"Some people have come in and
said they like it better without
smoke in the air," she says.
Lois Anne McDougall, part owner
of Terry's Family Restaurant, says
that they've received the odd com-
plaint, but nothing major.
"Everybody's understanding that
it doesn't have anything to do with
us directly," she says. "It's the law.
Nobody can do anything about it so
they just go along with it."
She says that the ban may have
improved business to a "certain
degree."
"At lunch time, people only have
20 minutes to a half hour," she says.
"They go get their mail, they have
their cigarette, they come in, they
eat, they get up, leave and they
have their cigarette before they go
back."
McDougall says this means there
may be more people in and out of
the restaurant than when cus-
tomers could sit and smoke at the
same time.
Gwen Harburn, Seaforth Legion
president, says that the Legion
hasn't seen too many more people
since the ban than before it.
"Those that don't smoke don't
come in anyway," she says.
She says there's a patio outside
the Legion where people go to
smoke.
"In the winter -time, we get the
odd veteran in who still smokes and
it doesn't go over well with them,"
she says, noting that the veterans
deal with it because they have no
choice.
"It's too bad the veterans can't
have their way,
Steckle urging rural protest
about higher rural phone rates
Susan H u n d e r t m a r k
A recent decision by the Canadian Radio -
Television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) to deregulate the
telecommunications industry could lead to
higher phone rates in rural Canada.
And, Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle, along
with other members of the National Rural
Caucus, are hoping to hear a huge protest by
rural constituents.
Steckle sent out a petition addressed to
Leader of the Opposition Stephane Dion hop-
ing rural residents will sign it and return it to
give Dion ammunition to fight the possibility
of higher phone rates in rural areas.
Steckle's constituency assistant
Greg McClinchey, who is also run-
ning in the next federal election as
the local Liberal candidate, says
phone companies have traditionally
subsidized the greater costs to pro-
vide phone service in rural areas,
since the smaller population makes
the service more expensive to pro-
vide.
"It might seem fair on the surface
to charge the cost to provide the ser-
vice but urban Canadians derive
great benefit from rural Canadians
providing all the food for the coun-
try," he says.
"We require a healthy, robust rural
Canada," he says, adding that rural
Canadians are already struggling
economically.
"If we allow this kind of thing to
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happen, it will be increasingly difficult to live
in rural Canada," he says.
Pointing out that the issue is not partisan
but a rural issue, McClinchey says "there's
nothing more basic than phone service."
"Rural areas are already having trouble
attracting new business," he says.
Sent out last week, the petition is already
attracting local interest with a recent aver-
age of 60 calls a day at Steckle's constituency
office.
McClinchey says Steckle is hoping to hear
from 5,000 people in Huron -Bruce.
"That would be a massive response," he
says.
HI. RON 1'I I: Tit
WARE
:AL[1AN(;E
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETINGS
Clinton Public Hospital
St. Marys Memorial Hospital
Seaforth Community Hospital
Stratford General Hospital
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meetings cif the
Members of Clinton Public Hospital. St. Marys Memorial
Hospital, Seaforth Community Hospital and Stratford General
Hospital will he held at the Mitchell Golf and Country Club in
Mitchell. Ontario, on:
2.
3.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
at 7:00 p.m.
to:
Receive Annual Reports of the Board of Directors, including
Financial Statements, together with the Auditor's Report
thereon. The Financial Statements will he available after
June 12'" on the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance website -
www.hpha.ca - Reports.
Appoint Auditors.
Receive the Ad Hoc Nominating Committee Report on New
Directors.
Members who paid their annual fees in full at least thirty (30)
days prior to the date of the meeting shall be entitled to vote.
Members of the public are welcome to attend.
but it's not up to us," she says.
Harburn did say that the ban
doesn't seem to have hurt the
Legion.
The Lager House may have seen
the most benefit from the ban.
"We're much busier," says Donna
Ellis, owner. "We're a restaurant
first, so a lot of people didn't want to
bring their familes in, their children
in, when people smoked."
Ellis says all her servers love not
having smoke in the air.
"People would come in and not
want to sit next to a table that was
smoking," she says.
Ellis says they have a patio that
smokers can use.
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Pick your own or buy already picked
Low ! PICKED DAILY FRESH
Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - Z P.m.: Sat. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.:
Sunday depending on availability
Located on Hwy. 7 & 19 south f Rd 119 #3557J
(1st farm out on Erie St.. Stratford. Kitty corner to Ed's Concrete)
Call for daily updated Picking conditions
& Sunday Opening Hours 519-272-1423
Celebrate & Enjoy
Due to the holiday on
Canada Day July 1st,
we will be CLOSED Monday, July 2nd.
Deadlines for the July 4th edition
will be
Display & Classified Advertising:
Friday, June 29 at 12 Noon
Editorial Submissions:
Friday, June 29 at 12 Noon
We hope you have a safe & happy holiday.
11 Main St., Seaforth 519-527-0240
OPEN
MONDAY -FRIDAY
9am-5pm