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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2009-11-25, Page 4• Page 4 The Huron Expositor • November 25, 2009 • Opinion Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seatorth, ON, NOK IWO x chances is ny to fo lowth In baseball, and most other things, the general rule is three strikes and you're out. But, when it comes to breakinga new provincial law that prohibits cellphone use belld the wheel for Hu- ron Bast's municipal employees - it's six strikes and you're fired. The new Countering Distracted Drivingsand Promot- i Green Transportation Act, 20, ptdhibits a teievi- s1on, computer or other device with a display sc if the screen is visible to the driver, along with the use of hand-held wireless communications devices;including cellphone end Blackberry devices while driving. And, contrary to the evidence of drivers you might still be seeing using their cellphones while on the road, the provinces hands-free legislation is already in effect. Although there's a grace period until Feb. 1, 2010 whew dscretion ice have the diary privilege to give warnings instead of ng drivers, it's still possible to be died. Iri Euron East, department heads are given cellphones by the rnittficipality to use in the course of their duties. And, whilethere is some investigation going on about providing employees with Bluetooth or ear pieces so that they can still answer calls legally on the road while keeping both bands on the wheel, a municipal policy passed'Iaet week by Huron East council is supposed to reinforce that eployees not brims the law. Afterall, the reason the law was passed in the first place is the thousands of accidents and deaths caused by distracted drivers who are texting and dialing in- stead of remaining alert and focusled while maneuvr- ing through traffic. Under the policy, an employee caught using a cell- phone while driving is told he or she must comply im- mediately during a() first offence, is given written no- tice after the second offence and is suspended until the end of the day after the third offence. The fourth and fifth offences involve suspensions that increase from one day to three days without pay before finally, the sixth time, the employee is fired with cause. While we agree that backing up the provincial law with official municipal policy is a good idea, we wonder why it's necessary to provide six opportunities to learn the lesson. Surely, in Huron East, we're not such slow learners. )} S Ly 2 i 3. usain Iiundertx>lalark our Community Newspaper Since 1860 • Publisher - Dave Sykes Editorial and Business Offices -11 Main Street., Seaforth 77blephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 527-2858 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, ON, NOK 1WO Visit our home page at www. sea forthhuronexpositor. oom Canadll OUENCOlt ii�ITtDiA 'WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THROUGH THE PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (PAP), TOWARD OUR MAILING COSTS:" r. Muhammad's return to Pakistan is a loss of a hard-ioddng entrepreneur Up until the last few days he spent in Seaforth, former Mac's Milk contract dealer Tariq Mu- hammad still had hope his ap- plication ' to become a perma- nent resident in Canada would be accepted by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. But Muhammad didn't receive any such news. So, on Oct. 30, he followed orders issued by Canada Border Services to board a plane in Toronto and fly back to his native Pakistan. Muhammad's five-year stay in Canada is now over. After running a business in Seaforth that employed half a dozen local people, Mu- hammad is now looking for a job in Pakistan's capital city of Karachi, which has a population of 18 million and is faced with rising unem- ployment, double-digit inflation and frequent terrorist attacks. ' Muhammad's deportation came just two weeks before Jason Kenney, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multicultural- ism and the federal government released Dis- cover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. The 62 -page document emphasizes the re- sponsibilities of the quarter -million newcom- Ron & Dave Whatcha doin'? I thought that you said Santa Claus is ust a myth perpetuated by corporations to increase year-end profits? ers who come to Canada every year.. Regarding employment, the guide states: "Getting a job, taking care of one's family and working hard in keeping with one's abilities, are important Canadian values. Work con- tributes to personal dignity and self-respect, and to Canada's prosperity." Muhammad, who worked six days a week at the Mac's Milk convenience store on Goderich Street, was in many ways the model worker envisioned in this document. Muhammad appealed to Huron -Bruce MP Ben Lobb to take hiscase to Minister Kenney. But after weeks of making phone calls and writing letters, Muhammad's time ran out. Apparently, this business owner was not what Kenney considered an adequate candi- date for Canadian citizenship. It's true that there is a very long waiting list of newcomers that the Ministry is faced with and it takes time to get to everyone. But Mu- hammad was only informed that he was fac- ing deportation in April, and he was sent away just three weeks ago. See DEPORTATION, Page 5 And you've said that you're going to become an atheist. If you don't believe in God, then you can't possible believe in Santa Claus. by David Lacey SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 38.05 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. SENIORS: - 36.14 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. Foreign: 38.05 a year in advance, plus $195.00 postage, plus G.S.T. U.S.A.: 38.05 a year in advance, plus $99.84 postage, plus G.S.T. Published weekly by Sun Media at 11 Main St., Seaforth. Advertising is accept- ed on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signa- ture, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be solo. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. 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