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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-03-04, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, March 4, 19$1 Times Established 1E73 Advocate Established 1881 Amol9omated 1924 Imes - ::; �::{i:$:::.:;::: i. yd.:µ • ` ' Mainstream Canada } 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 Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh Advertising Manager — Jim Beckett Composition Manager — Harry DeVries Business Manager — Dick Jongkind Phone 235-1331 PCNA Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Regestration Number 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $17.00 Per Year; USA $35.00 An unfair situation indeed By W. Roger Worth Bell Canada is again attempting to clobber Canada's small and medium- sized enterprises. The company, which pro- vides tekphone service in most of Ontario and Quebec, Is seeking a 30% increase in residential rates and a whop- ping 40(1/o increase for busi- nesses. Rale increase approved by the Canadian, Radio -Televi- sion Commission for this huge territory are generally used as Blood letting The Progressive Conservatives have a penchant for public blood-letting and the less than over -whelming sup- port given leader Joe Clark at the weekend national convention is another example that may prove troublesome for Clark and the entire party in the days ahead. Clark is now painfully aware that a substantial minority within the party is dissatisfied with his leadership, and the minority may be larger than the vote indicates, given the fact there were charges that some delegates were hand-picked for the pro -Clark stance. Clark is now faced with the prospect of attacks from his two op- ponents in the House of Commons over his lack of support from his own party and there no doubt will be growing problems from within his own caucus as leadership aspirants may attempt to gain personal support at the expense of the current leader. While the Tories were clawing their leader in Ottawa over the weekend, they also put the party in a very precarious position. They've not only undermined Clark, they've set the stage for an internal battle that probably won't heal quickly even if they name a new leader. "Jump? I just came out here for a smoke!" Roger Worth is Director. Public Affairs, Canadian Federation of independent Business. bench marks for rate hikes in other provinces, so all Cana- dians will eventually be af- fected by the decision. While the CRTC will have to decide whether Bell's over- all request is justified, the telephone company can't seem to back away from an unfair policy that is costing In- dependent businesses millions of dollars per year. That policy: Bell already charges small and medium- sized enterprises more than three times the residential rate. Now the company is seek- ing to extend the rale differen- tial by increasing business rates 40%, vs. 300/o for resi- dential users. In countries such as Sweden, Greece, and Norway, there is no rate differential. British businesses pay only 18% more than householders, and the rate differential in the U.S. is decidedly, lower than the 2000/o - 3000/0 or more charged in Canada. At a rate hearing last spring, Bell sought a 230/o in- crease for residential users, and 35010 for businesses. Following objections from groups such as the 51,000 - member Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the CRTC allowed a 13% Increase for each group. Instead of attempting to widen the gap between resi- dential rates -and those charg- ed to small and medium-sized businesses, Bell should be moving in the opposite direc- tion. H's high time the CRTC took a long, hard look at this unfair situation. Practice, don't preach While the economy continues to be the major issue in the current Ontario election campaign, the conditions being discussed are certainly not solely related to this province. Canada's Finance Minister Allan MacEachern probably put his finger on the problem when he said in a Montreal speech that Canadians must learn that wage increases should be determined by economic growth. However, just the opposite is true. Most Canadians continue to demand wage increases while their productivity is declining. Canadians do not have a divine right to continued real income gains, MacEachern explained. Our rising ex- pectations or sense of entitlement has served only to fuel the inflation that we have come to know so well. We are en- titled to only what we can produce. He should have added that govern- ment spending and government - assisted social programs can not con- tinue to increase if there isn't a cor- responding economic growth. U.S. President Ronald Reagan has already taken steps designed to boost the economy there by cutting back in those two areas and Canada and all its provincial and municipal governments will have to follow the example if they are realistically considering the current economic conditions. While employment in the private sector declines, it is being increased in the public sector in this country and that has a disastrous effect on the national product and in turn, the economy. Before asking Canadians to "bite the bullet", governments must show they are prepared to lead and not mere- ly follow in that regard. Yolk on union All sorts of low-flying objects — besides sleet and snow — come out during a winter election campaign: jabs thrown by political opponents, mud slung by unscrupulous cam- paigners. threats hurled by angry demonstrators. But now a new object is breaking the election atmosphere — eggs. Fresh from the carton, the eggs were hurled at Premier Davis's bus by hard-boiled union members in Cornwall last week. The crowd was trying to put the yolk on Mr. Davis for two reasons: striking Domtar workers were angry over a $10 million grant by the province to the paper company and non-medical workers were upset at the court ruling ordering them back to work. Somehwere along the line, the issues were scrambled up. The Domtar grant was made to modernize mills and save jobs, not bankroll the company through the strike. And the non-medical workers did strike illegally and were ordered back to work by the courts. If either group has grievances they should vent their feelings at the bargaining table, or go public through the news media. Throwing eggs at a politician will not achieve this, it will only make the public think the union members are all a little cracked. At the same time, since Mr. Davis acted cooly and rationally during the incident, his credibility as a good leader will be heightened. If the union leaders look back at the demonstration, -,they will realize they are the ones who ended up with egg on their faces. Winchester Press Staid or dust plain lazy? The battle lines have been drawn for the upcoming provincial election day as all three parties in Huron - Middlesex named candidates last week.' Unless some major issue crops up to change the picture drastically, the race would appear to be a virtual cake- walk for sitting member Jack Riddell. The Progressive Conservatives failed to attract a heavy -weight con- tender as they named former county engineer Jim Britnell to carry their standards. Although active in his home town of Goderich,+Britnell has not had much exposure through the rest of the riding and will certainly be facing an uphill struggle in an attempt to wrest the seat from Riddell. Party leaders in the riding felt this was the election that Riddell could be "had". but failed in their attempt to get a "name" candidate that could have made it an interesting race. Their suggestion of being able to upset the Liberal MPP was perhaps one that was not shared by some of the people they contacted as possible candidates? The NDP, of course, were out of the race even before they started. The party has failed to make any major in- roads in the riding and certainly won't this time around either. Voters in the riding have seldom been known to dispose of sitting members and that is a situation that will undoubtedly be evident again when the ballots are counted on the night of March 19 unless some major issue crops up in the next couple of weeks to totally decimate Riddell's support. • Unless that major issue does arise, i!v area residents can anticipate a rather lack lustre campaign period. That too is the rule rather than the exception for the riding in recent years. Political fervor is not one of the main characteristics of this area and has prompted more than one analyst to bestow upon us the descriptive title of "staid old Huron". The neighbours to the south who have been added to the riding haven't done much to change the image. Perhaps it was not their bent to do so or they merely saw such action as a lost cause? At any rate, Premier William Davis won't have to duck any eggs or endure any hecklers when he Visits to- day unless his opponents m/nage to parachute a few agitators into the riding. Nor will organizers of some of the riding all -candidates meetings have to worry too much about security at their events. Chances are they'll have to hand out no -nod pills to keep the meetings moving freely and it is highly doubtful that they'll have to worry about accommodation if the attendance at such rallies in the past is any indica- tion of what can be expected this time around. • Letter to the editor If the preceding sounds negative then your conclusion is correct. In fact, the writer is suggesting that riding voters are a complacent lot. The majority have already decided how they will cast ballots on March 19 with very little consideration of the issues. It surely can't be that they're totally happy with the status quo! The present economic conditions should cause enough concern to at least get out to a political meeting and ask Jack Riddell what his party would do to correct the ills being listed by Stuart Smith. His diagnosis may be correct but does he have any prescribed cure? Now that the February thaw has shown the proposed South Cayuga in- dustrial waste site to be flood -prone, does that mean the Conservatives will move to their second choice in Huron County? That's obviously a question that Jim Britnell or Bill Davis should be asked. although the possibility of getting a straight answer would appear doubtful during an election campaign, particularly on such a contentious issue. Election meetings are not only op- portune times to question candidates and party officials on the issues of the day. they can also be used to offer suggestions on what the electors would like to see done in the province when the government takes office. There is a suggestion by some, that rather than buying up votes with expen- sive promises, one of the parties could make some valuable gain in popularity in following the example of U.S. Presi- dent Ronald Reagan with a promise to reduce government spending and the many social programs that continue to eat into the economy after being im- plemented to win earlier elections. Some may describe voters in this riding as staid, but perhaps a more ac- curate description is lazy. Get out and ask your questions or voice your opinions. You may not have an oppor- tunity for another five years and by then it could be too late. As Chairman of the On- tario March of Dimes Cam- paign for Exeter for the past 17 years I would like to once again say "Thank you" to the citizens of Exeter for their generous con- tributions, to The Times Ad- vocate for their coverage at campaign time, to the Ex- eter Legion and Auxiliary for their support and to the merchants who displayed our coin boxes and posters. I would like to say a special thanks to the 45 volunteer Marching Mothers who gave their time and ef- fort to help those less for- tunate than themselves. These volunteer people are special to me as many have worked with me each year for the past 17 years. This year 1981 being the International Year of the Disabled. I am happy to say we had a very successful campaign with receipts totalling $1,929.00 To the Lioness who will be looking after the 1982 March of Dimes campaign I wish them good luck and I hope everyone gives them the support you have given me in the past. Thank you Dorothy Pfaff it it it it and p1: fed by Smiley .. f Letter to the Editor By SYD FLETCHER My father was not exactly a deep-sea fisherman. None of that trophy sail -fish type of thing for him Although he had travelled all the way out to California a couple of times f don't think he had much more to do with the ocean than admiring it and perhaps dipping his toes in salt -water to say he'd been there. Oti the other hand he sure knew how to find the pan - Perspectives fish When we were little gaffers he'd rent a cottage up on White Lake (near Ot- tawa Probably the biggest and meanest fish in the lake was a one pound bass, but that never seemed to dim the excitement for my brother and I. First thing in the morning we'd be out on the lake heading out for the weed beds where our prey lurked in the mysterious depths (all of four feet depth). My father seemed to know all the spots where the sun -fish were for always within a few minutes of theoneIspiny- backed little creatures would he snapping at the worm -bait, causing the red and white float to bob madly up and down. To look at the size of the sun -fish flopping on the bot- tom of the boat one would never think there would be enough meat on one (f;them to feed anyone. much less two starving boys and their father. However. I guess if you get enough of anything, you can make it into a meal. Sunfish. too, have more bones to the acre than any other fish I think, but that never stopped us from hav- ing a tremendous feed of them. When I look back on it, remembering now the sun burn that my father in- variably got, and the patience he must have had to deal with two squirming boys in that little boat, I guess we were pretty lucky to have had such a caring parent. Nearing condition of a cinder 1 remember writing something about teachers' "burnout rate" in an early column. With the eager help of my English department, I'm rapidly ap- proaching the condition of a cinder. The original article, written by Calgary teacher and psychologist Stephen Truch, gave the symptoms for teacher burnout, which is third to only surgeons and air traffic controllers. Here they are: Constant fatigue, insomnia, and depression. I have the first two. I let my wife look after the depression, though she's also got the other two, just from living with a teacher. Every time I start getting depressed, I think back to the late fall of 1944, when I was locked in a railway freight car. I didn't have rings on my toes. I had bars on the windows, and wire ty- ing my wrists and ankles together. And a face that looked as though I'd challenged Muhammad Ali when he was in his prime. That always makes me immediately undepressed It also makes me turn up the heat and go out and buy a lot of food. In those days I slept on a wood floor, no pillow. no blanket, shivering like a dog with rabies. Daily meals were four slices of bread and two -cups of burnt - barley coffee. But that's all behind and forgotten now. The cellar is piled to the ceiling with canned goods, and when the oil runs out, or becomes too expensive to buy, I have two huge oaks and a bunch of maples to see me through until St. Peter says, "Where's Smiley?" 1'11 never by hungry or cold again, if I have to murder. However, I have all the other symp- toms of teacher burnout, and that causes a little concern. As the learned psychologist said, we also suffer "fre- quent minor complaints such as colds, dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, loss of appetite and loss of desire for sex." These are minor? I've had 'em all, in varying degrees during this cruel winter. Not all at once, thank goodness. If I had, they might as well put me in a green plastic bag and throw me into a snowdrift on one of the back concessions. But, somehow, as department head, my colds are not as bad as my teachers' colds. My dizziness is just a slight buzzing in my ears when my wife talks a blue streak. Theirs makes them stagger from wall to wall and take six days off. My headache is created by their con- stant absence. Their headaches are migraines. demanding three days off, with all the lights out, medication, and tender loving care. Diarrhea? Theirs, to hear them tell it, is ten times worse than my mere six or eight times a day. It's a hundred times worse than what I had in Nor- mandy, 1944, when I had to be carried to the facilities. More days off. Loss of appetite? Even though I gag over my breakfast of toast with peanut butter and half a banana, they think they've lost their appetites if they don't have juice, cereal, bacon and eggs and hot buttered toast with jam. lass of desire for sex? I have to have somebody explain to me what it means. And all this is not because I am burn- ed out, but because the teachers on my staff are. I think that what's done it is trying to keep up with their Chief. They just can't do it, and they're breaking down and falling apart like a leaky old ship caught in a hurricane. Item. One of my teachlrs has developed insomnia, not to mention chest pains and frequent bouts of 'flu. Combine them and you have an eighty - pound shadow desperately hanging on. Item. Another veteran had an attack of angina, his second, and decided to call it quits. This meant a great shuffle of teachers and classes to fill his place. Which was filled by a capable young woman who went to Florida for a holi- day, after teaching a month, there con- tracted, ironically, pneumonia, and missed most of January. Item. A young English teacher, in great physical shape, plays hockey, soccer, golf, has been plagued by 'flu and migraines, and totters in practical- ly weeping with self-pity, behind in his work, determined to move to B.C. Item. A solid performer, male English teacher, neverbick,agotiterrible "cramps" in his stomach, thought it was the 'flu, because that was onepfkhe symptoms, still had a horrible soreness in his abdomen after the cramps, and wound up with a burst appendix - three weeks off. The idiot. Add to that the fact that, to preserve jobs for people, my department con- tains one science teacher who swears he has never read a book, one art teacher whom I know hasn't, one teacher of Spanish, and various other dogsbodies, and you know what I'm up From : TheHuron Power Line Committee To: Whoever Concern For some time now the general public has been in- volved in the planning process of Hydro Electric Power Development in On- tario. For example, the farm community, during a period from 1975 1979, helped provide vital agricultural in- formation to Ontario Hydro via the "working Group on agricultural methodology. Farm orgainzations represented on the "Agricultural Working Group" are: 1) The Ontario Federation of Agriculture, 2) The National Farmers Union. 3) The Christian Farmers Federation of On- tario, 4) The Ontario Cattlemen's Association, 5) The Soil and Crop Improve- ment Association, 8) The Concerned Farmers of the United Townships. We, as the Huron Power Line Committee, are con - It May vinced that this kind of in- volvement by the public sec- tor is very keenly crucial in assessing energy needs, and determining the criteria by which those needs are met, in order for all of society to benefit. The Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning, during their hearings, followed a very open and participatory precedure, and in their recommendations urged Ontario Hydro to do the same. We have been expecting a South Western Ontario study (which has been available in draft form since the end of October/ early November, 1980) to be released by On- tario Hydro. This study is expected to propose a 500 K.V. power line to be con- structed from the Bruce Nuclear Power Develop- ment and run south through Huron County to serve the South Western Ontario grid and possibly export surplus power to the U.S. A considerable amount of correspondence to and from Ontario Hydro , the Ministry of Environment, and Premier Bill Davis urging a release of this study as soon as possible has to date failed In bringing any results, for which we as a committee are deeply disappointed. We are particularly con- cerned about th( tact that the Ministry of Energy, Robert Welch, has requested Ontario Hydro "to hold in abeyance any planning which Hydro has underway in order to come to a final decision of the process which might best be follow- ed to ensure full public par- ticipation. and until the Ministry's reveiw is com- plete". Is the government and Hydro planning to release in- formation in detail on, the study after public cm4nients have been received, therefore eliminating any other contribution the public may wish to make? We feel it is of utmost im- portance that the public be included in the initial stages of planning in order that not only the environmental and agricultural considerations be discussed. but also the needs of the entire popula- tion of Ontario be enhanced. On behalf of the Huron Power Line Working Com- mittee. Bill Jongejan, 11 R 2, Goderich. Ontario against. Supply teachers come to me on their knees, begging me to tell them what my missing teachers were doing when they went sick. The administration fondly (in Shakespearean sense of foolishly) believes that I know what every teacher was doing on fourth period last Friday, and can help out. If you see an odd-looking piece of charcoal next summer when youare doing your barbecue, something that vaguely resembles the outline of a human, don't throw it in the flames and douse it with gasoline. It might be me. Burnt-out. Still waiting for St. Peter to speak up or launch an 1nvestliation.