Times-Advocate, 1981-02-04, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, February 4, 1981
Times Established 1873
Advocate Established 1881
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SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC
Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited
LORNE EEDY, PUBLISHER
Editor — Bill Batten
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Amalgamated 1924
1.11.11ainstream Canada
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Published Each Wednesday
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A. AR(l
By W. Roger Worth
It's a wonder federal
Treasury Board President
Donald Johnston doesn't
simply Throw up his hands and
slink away to his home in
Quebec.
Johnston, you see, is the
man responsible for running
the nation's ' public service
That's in such a terrible mess.
A mere charade?
Residents in many Ontario com-
munities have every right to be upset
with the decision by deHavilland Air-
craft of Canada Ltd. to build their new
plant at Downsview.
Several communities had been
listed as prospective sites by the com-
pany. including Huron Park. Many of
those communities spent large sums of
money and a great deal of time by
public officials in their bid to land the
new plant.
The stakes were high. At least 1,600
people will be employed at the new
facility and the spin-off would have
been a major boost for any municipali-
ty.
In most of the news stories which
leaked out regarding the choice of
cites. Downsview was never men-
tioned. Now, the firm indicates it was
their first choice from the start.
It no doubt is a practical choice,
that being the site of the existing
deHavilland plant.
However, had officials in the com-
peting centres been aware of the fact it
was the first choice, they probably
would have spent less time and money
in their bid to win the new plant.
London Mayor Al Gleeson may be
correct in suggesting the company took
a number of Canadian municipalities on
a "charade."
"You're in big trouble, fella —
snmokinig in a public place is a serious offence in this town!"
Roger Worth is Director,
Public Affairs,
Canadian Federation of
independent Business.
Consider what's happening:
• Civil servants in virtually
every department are refusing
promotions, and why not! In
a lot of cases, bosses are earn-
ing $2,000 - $5,000 less than
the employees who work for
them.
The wonderful Ottawa
bureaucracy has again man-
aged to Turn the world topsy-
turvy, accepting the weird
principle that it should pay
dividends to be demoted.
What this does for staff
morale is anyone's guess.
• A lack of management
staff to run the show is also a
problem in many depart-
ments. One senior official
recently cited the example of
Everyone's concern
This year is the 35th anniversary of
White Cane Week, an education week
from February 2 to 7 co-sponsored by
The Canadian Council of the Blind and
The Canadian National Institute for the
Blind.
"CNIB is a volunteer organization
which continues to expand its services
to people across Canada who are ex-
periencing vision problem," said
Robert F. Mercer, Managing Director
of the CNIB.
"During White Cane Week we
would encourage you to give special
thought to blindness prevention, learn
more about blindness and how you can
assist visually impaired persons.'
Take the opportunity to find out
more about CNIB and theservices many
ways a blind person can benefit from
them. You might also like to help by
devoting some of your spare time to
volunteer work, such as driving a blind
person to an evening's entertainment,
going shopping with a visually impaired
person, or reading important material
to a student, and getting really involved
with blind people.
Remember, too, the Eye Bank of
Canada. By signing a pledge card you
can donate your eyes and help
somebody to regain eyesight through a
corpeal transplant.
The slogan for this year's White
Cane Week is 'Blindness Is Everyone's
Concern'. Make it yours.
Plenty to do
-There's nothing to do."
This is a particular complaint of
many young people. For some the
situation is only temporary. For others
their whole existence is directed to fin-
ding something to amuse and occupy
them.
The Listowel Banner recently ad-
dressed this attitude. In an editorial the
newspaper recorded the words of what
one judge said to a group of young peo-
ple to the well worn questions, "What
can we do. Where can we go?"
Said the judge. "Go home' Hang
the storm windows. paint the
woodwork. Rake the leaves. mow the
lawn. shovel the snow. Wash the car.
learn to cook. scrub the floors. Repair
the sink. build a boat. get a job. Help a
minister. priest or rabbi Visit the
sick. help the poor. Study your lessons.
And when you are through and not too
tired. read a good hook."
'Your parents do not owe you
entertainment. Your city or village
does not owe you recreational
facilities. The world does not owe you a
living. You owe it your time and energy
and your talents so that no one will be
at war or in -poverty or sick or lonely
again.
"In plain simple words, grow up,
quit being a crybaby, get out' of your
dream world, and develop a backbone
not a wishbone, and start acting like a
man or a lady. You're suppose to be
mature enough to accept some of the
resonsibility your parents have carried
for years. They have nursed, protected,
helped, appealed, begged, excused,
tolerated and denied themselves many
things so that you could have every
benefit.
"This they have done gladly, for
you are their dearest treasure. But
now. you have no right to expect them
to how to every whim and fancy just
because selfish ego instead of common
sense dominates your personality,
thinking and requests."
In Heaven's name, grow up and go
home."
A strong voice silenced
The death last week of Jack
Delbridge silences one of the strong
voices from which; Exeter has
benefitted in recent years, having serv-
ed on council and as mayor for a total
of 14 years. '
His durability was a bit surprising in
view of the fact he had total disdain for
the characteristics and attitudes nor-
mally associated with popular
politicians. That is, he never engaged
in double-talk.
When an issue surfaced, Jack formed
his own opinions on how he saw the
situation and always called a spade a
spade. There was never any doubt
about that position and it was never )
watered down to appease any par-
ticular
<.
interest group or to further his
own political future.
His booming voice and brusque
manner were intimidating to some and
on more than one occasion the writer
has quaked slightly in his shoes to hear
his "Is Bill in?" query at the front of-
fice. not knowing if his visit was to
chastise the editor for some comment
or to merely discuss some issue in the
community.
Jack's last visit was a few months
ago when he popped in to make his
views known on a certain debate in
which the writer was engaged publicly.
"I'm in your corner on this one," he
said bluntly. "I haven't always been,
but I wanted you to know I am this
time."
That was indicative of his way!
always sincere, open and honest.
But most of all, Jack Delbridge was a
working man and brought that attribute
to his thinking ,in ;municipal affairs.
There was nothing grandiose about
85 executives running 30,000
employees. That's one manager
for every 350 employees.
Al the Pos( Office (about
to become a Crown Corpora -
lion) there are 65,000 employ-
ees, but only 400 or so staff
who do not belong to the
various unions.
• The lack of non -unionized
management personnel in
most government depart-
ments, of course, is at least
partially offset by the Armed
Forces, where there are more
corporals, sergeants and of-
ficers than there are enlisted
men.
"These examples are only
the tip of the iceberg.
It must be slated that
Johnston at Treasury Board is
not responsible for the mess.
He's just the latest in a long
line of politicians who have
attempted to do something
about the situation. And, little
by little, he may be succeed-
ing.
Nevertheless, surely it's
time for a complete overhaul
of the system. Humor is one
thing, but Canadian taxpayers
are paying an expensive price
for the inefficiency that has
been created over a long
period of years.
r owan UNE
Off-season allows farmer
time for business plans
him. If a ratepayer called him about a
blocked catch basin, he was as apt to
roll up his sleeves and look after the
problem himself as call on the town's
works crew. He had little patience with
providing physical or financial
assistance to people who had the ability
to look after their own affairs, while at
the same time going out of his way to
assist those who didn't.
He recognized that tax dollars came
from people. many of whom• had • to
watch their cash flow, and he was
genuinely concerned for those on the
lower end of the scale and that
reflected in his thinking on budget
matters.
The writer wasn't always in the same
corner ' as Jack Delbridge on some
issues. but there's no hesitancy in pay-
ing tribute to his contribution and
leadership to a community that has
been bettered by his love and dedica-
tion.
Although it may be considered for the
category of trivia, it is interesting to
note that Jack Delbridge came to Ex-
eter from the small Usborne Township
hamlet of Winchelsea.
The writer enjoys reminding some of
his acquaintances that Winchelsea has
contributed greatly to Exeter's benefit
and has provided it with several com-
munity leaders through the years. •
It was also the stamping ground of
another previous Exeter mayor, R.E.
-Ted" Pooley, whose contributions to
the community have been duly
recognized by the local branch of the
Legion, which honored him by naming
the branch after him.
SuQara an Sy
/7.
Prior to both Jack and Ted, there was
W.G. Medd, who made his mark in Ex-
eter by being elected to the Ontario
Legislature for the Progressives in 1926
and again in 1929, after being defeated
in 1923 as the standard bearer for the
UFO
Medd owned the creamery at
Winchelsea and in 1919 moved to Ex-
eter and purchased the Exeter
creamery.
Yours truly. of course, also migrated
to Exeter from Winchelsea, although
there is no claim to the fame shared
by the aforementioned gentlemen.
After all, you have to take a little of
the bad along with the good.
•
On a recent NBC show there were
details about a Senate hearing in
Washington. at which an official of the
Post Office was asking for funds to
create a new nine -digit zip code to
replace the present five -digit system.
One senator suggested that people
could not remember a number of that
length. whereupon the postal represen-
tative explained that there would be a
10 -digit telephone number thatpeople
could call toll-free to obtain informa-
tion.
A member of the committee then
commented as follows: "Let's see if I
have this straight. If a citizen can't
remember a nine -digit number, he can
call a 10 -digit number. If he is unable to
recall the 10 -digit number he can call a
three -digit number -411 and find out
what 10 -digit number to call to get the
nine -digit number that replaced the
five -digit number."
By SYD FLETCHER
I was visiting a friend once
in a hospital and noticed a
fairly young man sitting in a
wheelchair just down the
hall. Ile had a vacant ex-
pression in his eyes and
made little if any response to
the people walking up and
down the hallwyas.
Seeing him there again the
next visit, I remarked to my
friend about him.
"Oh, yes," he replied.
"That's Dr. . He had a
Perspectives
stroke. It's left him not much
better than a vegetable. He
used to be a surgeon, you
know."
I didn't know. Had never
heard of the man, in fact.
however, the incident stuck
with me and I couldn't shake
it away from my mind.Here
was a man trained in all the
art of treating sick people;
trained in the skills of human
body repair, and here he
was, not much better than a
small baby as far as
knowledge of his surroun-
dings. Indeed how fine is the
thread that holds us here in
the conscious world.
I wrote the following about
him :
Physician -heal thyself
You sit there in the
wheelchair
Mindless,
Vacant -eyed
Strapped in by an uncaring
orderly
Who has eyes only for the
passing nurse.
Your twitching useless
hands
Are only ghosts
Of the skilled magicians
Who suturted and cut with
such precise skill before
And never knew
How frail was their master.
Years, dogs and women
Due to the vagaries (and! could think
of some other words for them ) of our
mail system (system?), this column
has been getting to readers at some
peculiar seasonal times.
My Christmas column, written in
November. appeared after New Year's
Day in many papers. My New Year's
column written in early December, has
appeared in mid-January. A letter from
my daughter, written on Dec. 10, reach-
ed me on Dec. 31. First-class
something or other.
So this one, written Dec. 31, 1980, will
be'my Valentine's Day job for 1981, and
perhaps you'll get it by the March
break.
Looking ahead at a new year is more
dispiriting, very often, than looking
back at the old one. At least you know
that the old one can't be any worse than
the one that's coming up. That applies
to years, dogs and women.
Some pretty darn nice things happen-
ed to me in 1980. Generally speaking, it
was a rotten year, but there were some
bright moments that helped dispell the
gloom.
First of all, I read an article in the
Toronto Star, with a headline:
Teachers suffer highest burnout rate.
This highest cheered me immensely ,
because it proved something I'd known
for years, and we're always cheered
when we're proven right, even though
we prophesy that the world will come
to an end next Tuesday. And it does.
Some of the statements in the article
might be considered a bit alarming, but
they made me feel kind of special. 1
quote: "On average, teachers die four
years younger than the rest of us. And
next to air traffic controllers and sur-
geons, teachers suffer the most stress
of all professions."
You see the cheery note there? I
could have been a surgeon oran sirtraf-
fic controller.
The author of the book on which the
article was based stated flatly that
many parents and school boards con-
sider teachers, "No more than
glorified babysitters and are prepared
to treat them as such both through
working conditions and salaries."
Did you get the key word there?
Glorified." Saints and martyrs are
glorified, though I haven't heard about
too many babysitters reaching that
status, though there are some who
should be. And there isn't a babysitter
in town who makes as much as I do. So
l m happy.
And another nice thing happened to
me in 1980. I made a speech to honor
students at a high school banquet.
Honor night speeches are usually about
everything except honor. Mine wasn't.
And inreceived a fine tribute about it
from a teacher, Burton Ford.
"Your presentation to Honor
students here was damn good. It was
refreshing to an old boy, like myself, to
hear it acknowledged that the Bible and
Shakespeare are the models for correct
P,nglish. In a time when old values tend
ideas are constantly being demeaned
and even discarded, it was very
refreshing to me to hear a teacher talk
about Honor." Thank you, sir.
Not all tie letters were like that.
('assie Staffbrd of St. Thomas rips me
up a bit, though she always sends along
a poem at Christmas. She claims I am
influencing her ,child`rens' thoughts
about sex.'evh though they are all out
pf high school by now. Her letter ends,
"My own writing is deteriorating from
reading your column each week." Me
too. Cassie, and thanks for the poem.
From The Corner Store in Newton-
ville comes a note from Gwen McOuat:
"This is not a school paper. It is a love.
note. I think you are terrific and I love
ya." Thanks, Gwen. She encourages
me to get on with putting a book
together, and guarantees it will be on
display in the Corner Store.
Just before Christmas, an old friend,
who worked with me on a steamboat
resort ship on the Upper Lakes back in
the Thirties, was on the blower. He was
the head bell -hop, and a consistent
failure in medicine and dentistry at the
U. of T. He is now a successful dentist
in Vancouver, which says something
about something.
He may be a good dentist,' but his
memory is not so hot. He claims we
once went to a whore house in Detroit. I
have never beet in a whore house in my
Iife.Knowingly.And I don't ever expect
to be. Knowingly.
Then there's always the Christmas
card from my old friend and critic,
from Westport, who invariably signs
his card Your TV Repair Man, and
gives me a verbal cuff on the ear, slap
on the back and tells me to go on saying
it like it is.
Bless you all, and the many others
who have written encouragement,
vitriol, and just good old-fashioned
gossip about the good old days, when
our hearts were young and gay, and
hamburger was a dime, and a Pepsi
was a nickel.
By Donald J. Shaughnessy, CA
This is the time of year
that farmers traditionally
take it easy -- comparative-
ly speaking, of course.
It's "between seasons"
and many farmers occupy
their extra times with main-
tenance work -- repairs to
barns, machinery, equip-
ment and so forth, or with
bookkeeping work.
If you are in this boat,
with a little more free time
than you have the rest of
the year, why not use it to
plan a long-term, realistic
Dollar Sense offers general
financial advice by mem-
bers of The Institute of
Chartered Accountants of
Ontario.
business strategy for the
year ahead?
What kind of strategy?
Well, for a start, why not
try thinking of your farm
purely as a business? Put
yourself in the place of an
independent management
consultant and look at your
farm as though it was
owned, and run, by some-
one else. In short, if you
were looking to buy a farm,
would you buy yours?
And if not, why not?
Let's look at some
specifics. First, insurance.
Now is the time to sit down
with your insurance agent
and discuss your coverage,
in total and in detail.
Exactly what is covered and
what is not? What are the
different insurance risks,
and what are the costs of
covering them? Do you
have, OT need, forest -
fire insurance, or earth-
quake insurance?
It can be a good idea to
have your insurance prem-
iums fall due very close to
the end of your financial
year, instead of in the
middle. That way, if you
have a good year you can
pay and gain an additional
tax deduction for the year,
or in a bad year you can
hold payments for a few
day§ until the next year. In
any case, you are free to
decide.
Next, how is your busi-
ness financed? Most farm
purchases are - financed
with long-term mortgages -
but when farmers need
cash for expansion. they
often take short-term,
demand -based bank loans
which are subject to
interest rate fluctuations.
It might be better to re-
mortgage, or to go back to
farm credit.
Now plan your capital
spending for the coming
year. If you think you might
need a new tractor this
year, decide now. You can
shop around for a deal on
the machine itself, and also
on the loan.
The same applies to your
operational expenses. Give
yourself time toy shop
around for discounts on
fertilizer and seed, and also
on feed contracts. Estimate
your needs for the coming
year, then go out and
negotiate over prices.
Finally, now -- not in
March -- is the time to start
thinking about tax, and es-
pecially about a Registered
Retirement Savings Plan
((RRSP). You have until the
end of February to make
RRSP contributions deduct-
ible in 1980, but the time to
decide is now. Gaining a
tax deduction is not suffic-
ient reason to buy an RRSP,
unless you plan to save the
money anyway. The penal-
ties for early withdrawal
can wipe out the tax
benefit.
Donald Shaughnessy is
with Ward Mallette,
Chartered Accountants in
Cobourg.
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"Now that I've finally found a docto who
agrees there's something definitely wrong
with me; I feel better already."
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