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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1982-11-03, Page 4' .4,. mes-Advocate, November 3,1982 Sl� dvocate Times Established 1873 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex Advocate Established 1881 & North Lambton Since 1873 Amalgamated 1924 Published by ).W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EE[)Y Publisher JIM BECKF ET Ad‘erttsint; Manager 4111 13AI FIN 1 tutor HAJZRI DI \'RIFS Composition Manager ROSS HAI 1-411 Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $20.00 Per year: U.S.A. $55.00 C.W.N.A., O.C..N.A. CLASS 'A' and `ABC' Monkey see, but can't do In what he described as a case of "monkey see, monkey do" an area businessman decided to in- vestigate the possibility of government assistance for the purchase of some new equipment he deemed -valuable for his business. His motive was, that considering the government hand-outs to such giants as Dome,Chrysler, Massey; etc., etc., there may just be some assistance available for a little guy with a reasonably secure business. He soon found out one of the truths of life: govern- ments can't cope with paltry sums of money such as the $2,000.investment he was considering. The pro- vincial bureaucracy told him that the legal fees would consume most of the loan and the feds reported they didn't have time to bother with anything under $10,000. Following the theory of the little red hen, the businessman decided to do it himself, without the benefit of the reduced interest rate that would have been given to a large corporation or the .outright gift which taxpayers have provided for other moguls whose questionable management practices have put their companies indire straits,. although their personal wealth seems strangely untouched. Lest he be totally confused by the governments' attitude, our small business friend can probably take solace in the fact they are hoping he increases his pro- fits through the acquisition of that piece of equipment. After all, they need the increased tax revenue so they can continue to bail out the big guys. They apparently think the lesson told by the lit- tle red hen is fine for small businesses, but when it comes to big business they follow the theories of Robin Hood, only in reverse. Cracks are showing Some weeks ago, the federal government decreed that the way out of the current economic mess was to adopt a "six and five" wage restraint package. Ontario followed suit, even to a greater degree, by making that five percent in the first year for public salary increases. Despite : the hue and cry from public service unions, -there appeared to be a general attitude of ac- ceptance on the part of many Canadians that indeed the governments were embarking on the correct course. However, there are some sizeable cracks showing in that course of action, and not surprising to a disillu- sioned populace, is the fact governments are creating most of those cracks. The feds started the ball rolling by announcing taxes on booze far exceeding their own guidelines and then that expensive wing of the provincial government- -Ontario Hydro --told us that their product would in- crease by 8.4 percent. Now finance minister Marc This time Upon reading the story in last Tues- day's Free Press headed "Richardson irate on Exeter stand" and the accompa- nying article in which Mayor Bruce Shaw was deemed guilty of breech of inter- municipal ethics and common sense, it • was with some reluctance that a call was put through to the local head of state for his comments. After all, coming on the heels of his ad- mitted impropriety involving a local elec- tion situation, there was ample evidence this would be the last straw to proceed on his impearchment, or whatever happens to mayors whose conduct is called into question. The charges levelled by Westminster Reeve Sam Richardson appeared valid on the surface. It did sound as though Shaw had over -stepped the mark in authorizing the appearance of clerk Liz Bell at an OMB hearing relating to a proposed mobile home park in the London area municipality. But investigation revealed that in fact the Maypr had not over -stepped his authority and, was acting in the interests of a major town employer and taxpayer in asking the Clerk to outline the viable addition to this community through the development of Riverview Estates._ This community has every right to be proud of that development, although it should he remembered that many folk voiced opposition to it when it was first considered. They too were relating to the' old-fashioned ghetto -type mobile home parks. While it may appear odd that Exeter would become involved in an 0M13 hear- ing in another municipality, it was not a case of breech of ethics or common sense. In fact, this community had an indirect interest in the outcome, given the fact Northlander Mobile Housing may have been one of the firms which would have benefitted through the establishment of a mobile home park in Westminster Township. Lalonde has boosted unemployment insurance premium by a whopping 53 percent and has forecast a hike in the deficit of sizeable proportions,*despite the fact it was already out of hand. Ontario energyministerRobert Welch contends On- tario Hydro took a responsible position in k ping its increase down to 8.4 percent, explaining th ` rmany of the costs involved were "fixed" or due to outside in- fluence beyond the control of Hydro. . That may well be, butthe- people facing strict government guidelines are also encumbered with many of those same "fixed" costs or those due to out- side influence over which they have no control, such as an 8.4'percent hike in hydro costs and a 54 percent boost in unemployment insurance benefits. • Only when the government of this nation come to grips with the folly of their current "do as I say, not as I do" policies will they provide the leadership re- - quired to generate the confidence needed to solve the • current economic woes. he was on course This writer congratulates Bill Smith, the Mayor and Mrs. Bell for their efforts and hopefully the bad publicity and the fact they ended up on the losing side of the hearing will not dissuade them from tak- ing the same action again should the situation aril -e. business are the ones who will probably succeed. The local industrial promotion commit- tee had obviously reached the point where negotiations with prospective German industrialists had to progress past the let- ter writing stage. The seriousness of the community in wanting industrial growth has to be displayed in tangible terms. The trip has to be looked upon as an in- vestment, nvestment, and probably even a long-term investment. But it is one that is wor- thwhile and necessary. When the Mayor heads for Germany this week to talk to potential industries for this community, he should take along the clippings to point out that town officials will go to bat for local industries in their attempts to gain business. It's an example of an energetic effort to promote established industries, which obviously must be given as much con- sideration as attracting new ones. There's little doubt that prospective in- dustries would have any trouble in choos- ing between Exeter and Westminster Township for their prospective new sites. There have been a few negative com- ments regarding the industrial promotion trip being taken to Germany by the Mayor . and Councillor Bill Mickle, but hopefully they are in the minority. The poor economic- conditions may work against the full value of the outing, but it should he remembered that growth (and even survival) depends upon an ag- gressive attitude when things get tough. Those who sit around and cry about the economic conditions are those who will be most adversley affected by those condi- tions. Those who take some initiative and aggressively get out and promote their * * * * * Following the recent ratepayers' meeting, one local candidate suggested that the event should be dropped in the future due to the disappointing turnout. I agree to a point, but the fact is most candidates do little to make the event in- teresting. The majority, use their time to outline historical events of their past term, and while they have every right to be prod of those accomplishments, it is not the typebf evening that attracts much enthusiasm. The promise of a good lively debate would undoubtedly attract more people, but the "motherhood and apple pie" ad- dresses. are about as provocative and enlightening as a funeral dirge. The time would be more constructive- ly used if officials took that opportunity to discuss with the ratepayers some of their ideas for the future and where they would like to see the community heading. Our hat's off to Ted Chaffe for adding a bit of spark to the recent session by put- ting forth some criticisim and some ideas. Perhaps before the meeting is scrap- ped, it would be a good idea to'have'local groups and individuals present questions or statements and have candidates respond. It may not only serve to attract more ' interest and spark some debate, it could result in some good ideas being presented for the betterment of the town. 'm afraid we'll need more collateral than what four different political parties promised you!" No speaking I feel quite hurt this year. Nobody has asked me to - speak at their Remembrance Day din- ner. I would have turned it down, of course, because I think you can flog the old poppy and talk abut throwing the torch from our failing hands only so long, before it becomes irrelevant. However,- I've not been ignored entirely. A teacher asked meta send a copy of a Rememorance Day column I wrote either last year, or the year •before, to be read by a Grade 8 student, to the whole school, I presume. Some order. If I kept a decent file of columns, I could put my finger on it, run off a copy and shoot it to him. But my files are something like my mind: scattered all over the place, confused, mixed up. My wife, in a fit of pique over some little thing; once stuffed about 200 of my cdlumns into a large plastic bag. It's a little dif- ficult to reach into that bag, l it's really a garbage bag, as she implied when she did it) and pull out the right column. And of course, I haven't been forgotten by the good old administration of our school, which has re- quested that I write a two - minute thing about Remembrance Day. My, how that day has shrunk. When I was.a kid, the whole school marched to the arena, bedecked with flags, heard speeches about our "fallen" and "our glorious . dead'.. I think we got the afternoon off, to enjoy more im- mediate pleasures. But before we were dismissed, we heard some haunting hymns, such as "Abide with me," and , Lord help us, "Onward, Christian Soldiers," and saw some real tears fall from the eyes of people who had lost a husband or father. After World War II, but not for several years, I joined the Canadian Legion. Not because I wanted to, particularly, engagements Now, the tiny remnant of old vets still remember, but they are very old men. And the young vets of that timeare rapidly becoming old men. Then I started teaching school. Remembrance Day was still observed, Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley but because I was a week- ly editor, and you hat! to join everything to get the news. Each ` year we swag- gered, with a certain amount of the old flair, down the main street to the cenotaph, followed by a rag -tag of Scouts and Guides and Brownies, to make up a parade, and led by the town band. The names of the local boys were read, a prayer, a hymn, the Last Post, some sniffles in the meagre au- dience, and some wet eyes and lumps in throats among the Legionnaires, who really did remember. Then back to the Legion Hall for beer and b.s. There was a good feeling between the old -times of W.W.I. and us young veterans who had never gone over the top, delous- ed ourselves, coped with a gas attar , or been under heavy bombardment of, artillery as the old vets frequently reminded us. The native Indian veterans turned out in force. This was before they were allowed to buy any kind of spirits, and they made a day of it. with the whole school be- ing calletl for a special assembly, and the . old platitudes recalled and regurgitated I was asked to speak to one of them. The head of the students' council preceded me, and pulled out all the cliches and hackneyed references. "Sacrifice," "the fallen, and carrying "the torch" were among them. I didn't mean to, but pulled the rug right out from under him. I pointed out that the dead didn't fall; they were killed; that the sacrifice made • by millions of young men, from many nations, all of them fighting for "the right" - achieved absolute- ly nothing; that if some- one threw them a torch to carry, they should throw it right back, and so on. The kids loved it, but the ad- ministration thought it was iconoclastic. These assemblies went on for a few more years, steadily disintegrating as the remembrance ceremony was turned over more and more tc, the students, to whom both wars were ancient history. They degenerated into folk songs like "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", juvenile diatribes against war, and maudlin sentiments about peace, fare worse than the Legion, which always had a certain dignity, could perpetrate. Eventually, - the assemblies were cut en- tirely, and yours truly became the goat. His task: to write a two - minute commerical reminding th students that Remembrance Day is not just a school holiday. Try. doing that in 200 words that will stir the students' emotions, uplift the souls, and make them want to rush out and de- fend their country against something or other. The wars mean almost nothing to them, and the only things they'd fight to the death for are their transistors, motorcycles, hi-fi's, and high allowances. Most of them have only the vaguest idea of the tensions in theworld and small reason. They're. sick to death of politicians and are inured to violence by seeing it daily on TV. They don't really care much about abstracts like patriotism, loyalty, sacrifice. But I get my quiet revenge. There's no teaching, in the usual sense, in my classes on the day before the "holiday." I show them souvenirs, 'pictures of "your hero" standing beside his Typhoon, and tell them funny stories about stupid senior officers, and make them realize that if it were 40 years ago, most of them would be in the process of being shot at, or losing a sweetheart. It works. Let's have a cheer Last week I was talking about a young fellow who was panhandling on the streets of Toronto. I'd just like to point out something - I can remember my father telling me that he had seen in the Depression years. Young fellows would go down the street and very carefully turn over garbage cans, look- ing for something to eat in them, then would just as carefully replace all the garbage. These fellows were too proud to beg even though they were on the point of starving to death. blowing. At the street cor- ner was a tall man selling newspapers, forty or fifty Toronto Star's tucked me! Not only that, they put more boxes in the stores. The grocery store over there even has one." fx 5� Perspectives By Syd Fletcher Another case which really shows the contrast between the style of life that Canadians have. chosen to adopt happened just one hundred yards away from where the boy had tried to beg some money from me. I stopped at a red light there at the corner of Eglinton and Yonge. It was about 7:30 at night with a cold October wind under his arm. Ile had thick woollen gloves on with the last inch of the fingers cut off so he could make change and get at the papers. He was shaking his head and complaining, "Look at them. They've already got their papers. A guy can hardly make a living these days." "Pretty tough, eh!" I said. "Look over there on that far corner!" he exclaim- ed. "The 'Star' puts boxes right over there. My own paper and they undercut I got talking to him some more and an amaz- ing story unfolded. This gentleman had been on that same corner, twelve hours a day, six days a week, for over forty years. He had started as a youngster in 1942, right in the middle of the war. Ile could still vividly remember the headline "Unconditional Sur- render" at the end of that war, and seeing people with tears streaming down their faces all around him as they flock- ed to get their papers. "I used to sell four or five hundred papers a day," he sighed, "but now it's only about three hun- dred. Today I've only made about six dollars." He went on to say that he was an epileptic and couldn't get a job anywhere else as a lad. People were almost afraid of him then. Now his pro- blem could he handled by drugs but used to his cold corner he had stayed on. Tough work, I would say. Twelve solid hours on your feet and little securi- ty or thanks. I was sure glad I had met him that same night as I had met the 'beggar', because it left me with a good feel- ing. Sure there are a few people out there who want something for nothing, but hopefully for every one of them there are many more who are trying to make a go. of it in an honest, worthwhile man- ner. Let's have a cheer for this last group.