Times Advocate, 1989-04-26, Page 4Page 4
Times -Advocate, April 26, 1989
Times Established 1873
Advocate Established 1881
Amalgamated 1924
a'.
BI UE
RIBBON
AWARD
1985
Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S0
Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386.
Phone 519-235-1331
Losing
We are losing part of our heri-
tage, some of the crucial build-
ing blocks that made this coun-
try what itis..
Dominion Day was changed to Canada
Day during Pierre Trudeau's term as
Prime Minister. The Lord's Prayer has
been banished from Ontario's public
schools, hoofs set up by Egerton Ryer-
son a century ago as a system of univer-
sal, tax -supported elementary education
based on Christian morality. The Lord's
Day Act is an anachronistic joke. For-
mer holy days are now just holidays.
The Christian precepts and principles
inherent in our governments, our courts
and our educational systems have had a
strong and beneficent influence since this
country's discovery, •and made a large
contribution to the attractive and envia-
ble lifestyle currently enjoyed in this
democratic land.
Canada was built by successive waves
of immigrants who came to one of the
most beautiful and bountiful places on
earth to escape poverty, religious perse-
cution, or a future with no hope.
We are not perfect. Our history con-
tains many accounts of injustice and dis-
crimination. We have had wars and in-
surrections. Yet somehow, we managed
to muddle through our long and often
turbulent gestation period.
In 1867 the Dominion of Canada came
into being, born of a British father and a
French mother. Both founders consid-
ered themselves Christian, and this has
had a profound effect on their offspring:
The name "Dominion" was suggested
by Leonard Tilley, one of the Fathers of
Confederation. He took the word from
Psalm 72:8 "He shall have dominion
from sea to sea, and from the great river
to the ends of the earth".
Canada inherited . two of the world's
basic law systems: English common law
in the nine provinces and the territories,
and civil law in Quebec. Our system,
though flawed, attempts to balance jus-
tice with mercy, and protection of the
rights of the individual with the good of
society as a whole.
Our education system, too, is rooted in
Christianity. The first Canadian teachers
were four Jesuit priests who accompa-
ROSS HAUGH
Editor
HARRY DEVRIES
!+M►CNA
IIM BECKETT
Publisher it Advertising Manager
DON SMITH
Composition Manager Business Manager
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our roots
nied Champlain to the New World. Until
the mid -twentieth century three Chris-
tian denominations - the United Church,
the Catholic and the Anglican - signifi-
cantly influenced Canadian ethics and
morals and prevailing economic, social
and political views.
Our first 100 years of nationhood were
spent establishing a great country. Are
we going to spend the next 100 disman-
tling it?
An increasingly secular society, and
shifting immigration patterns, have ex-
erted subtle pressures over the last few
decades to alter or abolish some long-
established Canadian institutions.
Homegrown Canadians who want to re-
move all vestiges of our Christian roots
are reminded of the story of Sampson:
uprooting the pillars brought the whole
edifice crashing down.
People from non-Christian cultures are
pouring into Canada, drawn by a society
that has its roots in the Christian faith;
some then try to change the very institu-
tions responsible formaking this country
such a desirable place.
Self-serving politicians, ever mindful
of votes, have rushed to the head of the
parade. A multi -cultural policy was pro-
claimed in 1971, and a federal cabinet
post announced the following year. This
=Ices hyphenated Canadians of ethrtic
groups, instead of encouraging them to
join their predecessors in continuing to
make this country one of the most desira-
ble on earth in which to live.
Newcomers are entitled to the same
rights and: freedoms as native-born Ca-.
nadians. They are free to worship in
their mosques and temples, free to pass
on their language and their culture to
their children, free to write letters to the
editor, and free to call for protection un-
der the Charter of Rights.
Those planning to make this country
their future home should come here le-
gally, and live here lawfully. Grievances
and feuds from other times and places
are excess baggage. Our customs and
institutions should be respected, and not
altered to conform with ones left behind.
0, Canada! True patriot love in all of
us command.
By Yvonne Reynblafe—
What happened to 1984 anyway?
In the not -too -distant future
"This is the last grant approval
for you to sign today, Mr. Treas-
urer," said George, pulling a
form out of a slim file of papers.
"What's it for, George?" asked
the -Traistr=ittriffirt5ffek in his
chair and setting his pen aside.
"It's the Ministry of Studies
again, sir. They want the final
$1 million installment for their
two-year safety study of percus-
sive impactors." •
"What are they, exactly, then?"
"I'm not sure, sir," said
George, shuffling through the
file. "It may be classified...no
wait, it says they're used for
'installing fibre -intrusive friction
fasteners'."
"High=tech aerospace stuff, eh
George," sniffed the Treasurer. -ice
"I don't think so, sir. This
document says the fasteners hold
pieces of wood together,"
George replied, glancing up from
the file. "Nails, I suppose."
"That would mean the percus-
sive impactors are..."
"Yes sir, hammers," interrupt-
ed George.
r
"How much did you say this have a field day with this one,
study cost?" the Treasurer asked, especially with the erection com-
after a deep breath. • ing up. The Ministry will never
"Five million in total, sir," said get away with it."'
GOorge. "I don't know, sir," sighed
"Ttr toss-be...ohmi�.a dollar George. "It might not be all'that
.�., rr. 7-131- i, L hgticTring tpc Ministry oT
Studies already makes up 21 per-
cent of the provincial workforce.
We shouldn't lose too many
votes."
"Eyen so," replied the Treasur-
er, "we don't need this kind of
controversy right now. Do you
think we could have this study
classified and sent over to the
military so it never goes public?"
"I'll see what I can do, sir.
The military just classified a $3
million review of pressure -fed
helical inserters last week."
"We never did find out what
they were, did we?" said the
Treasurer as he scribbled his sig-
nature to the paper in front of
him.
"No, sir," answered George,
who quietly added "But I think
the box of screwdrivers they or-
dered had something to do with
it."
old that
thought...
by
Adrian Harte
for every hammer in the prov-
ince," sputtered the Treasurer.
"Can you imagine what the tax-
payers will say when they find
out we've spent five big, big
ones looking at hammers? Who
approved this thing anyway?"
"I'm not sure. The study was
part of the MOS's Overall Indus-
trial Technology Review. It's
too late to stop it now, sir.
We've already spent $4 million
on it."
"George, the press are going to
Serving South Huron, North Middlesex
& North Lambton Since 1873
Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited
More challenges
When Vicki Keith was at the
February 7 Exeter Lions Sports
Celebrity Dinner, she told us she
was planning some more ambi-
tious swimming projects for
1989, but hadn't completed the
schedule.
A few days ago she announced
her plans for this year and they
certainly will be challenging. She
is already on the way to her first
challenge.
Keith, who swam the five
Great Lakes last summer is now
in New Zealand where she will
undergo a tough training program
before jumping into the chilly
waters of Cook Strait which is
located between the North and.
South Islands in New Zealand.
We don't know how far it is
across this strait, but on May 6
when she begins, the water
should be more than chilly; With
a complete switcharoo on sea-
sons as compared to our country,
May 6 in New Zealand is the
same as November 6 .here in
North America.
From New Zealand, Keith ex-
pects to do a double crossing of
the Sydney Harbour in Australia
followed by a one-way crossing
of the English Channel, the Cata-
lina Strait in Califomia and Brit-
ish Columbia's Strait of Juan de
Fuca before returning to take an-
other crack at Lake Ontario.
The 28 year-old Keith who col-
lects swimming records the way day, Keith said, " You have to
the youth of today collect musi- be confident and believe in your
cal records, says she is hoping to goal. When I'm in the middle of
add some excitement and endu- my swim, I first start to set my
ranee to her marathons this sum- focus on the shore. As I get
mer. She will be risking sharks closer and more tired, I set my
in some waters and will be using sights lower and when I'm near
exhaustion, I concentrate on one
stroke at a time."
• ' From the Keith hopes to raise up to $1
editor's disk million toward a $6 million
swimming pool for Variety Vil-
by lage, a sport training and fitness
Ross Haugh ® centre for handicapped children
operated by the Variety Club in
Scarborough.
the gruelling butterfly stroke in Her travel expenses will be
each of her attempts. paid by a Canadian airline while
In order to have some protec- charity groups, many associated
tion from sharks in her swims in with Variety Village will cover
New Zealand and Australia, most of the other costs.
Keith will be accompanied by a
barge with a netting apparatus
encircling her.
During the summer, she ex-
pects to swim a total of 209 kilo-
metres across waterways in the
five countries before Labour
Day. The crossings will range
from 22 kilometres to 51 kilo-
metres.
Already the holder of five
world records, Keith will be try-
ing for a different record this
summer. For the first time she
will be attempting all of her
crossings using only the butter-
fly stroke.
During a press conference Fri -
No win
I'm not a gambler at all. I like
winning, but I hate losing. Gam-
blers enjoy the thrill of the game,
whether they win or lose.
I buy lottery tickets once in a
while, when I happen to be con-
fronted with them at an outlet.
I'd say that in an average year I
may buy $25 worth of lottery
spent $5.
I know, people who earn a lot
less than me and spend 20 times
as much. They play a number of
different lotteries every week.
They might win $10 here and a
book of free tickets there, and
those token wins make them
continue to spend their hard
earned money.
We talk a lot about winning.
"When we get a million in the
lottery..." I keep forgetting that
in drder to win, you have to at
least buy tickets.
It's fun dreaming about a big
win. What would I do with the
money? It depends on the
amount. If I won a mere
$100,000, I'd pay off the mort-
gage, my bank loan, and my Ea-
ton's account, and then"cant' on
as before. It would be nice to be
able to spend more money in the
* * * *
Have you ever had problems
with trying to keep old newspa-
per clippings and find they tum
yellow or even worse fall apart?
A recent column in the Toronto
Star gives a suggestion which ap-
parently works.
Mix two tablespoons or one
tablet of magnesia with a quart of
club soda. Let this chill for about
eight hours, then soak clippings
in the solution for about one hour
or so. Remove and place on pa-
per towel and pat dry. That's all
there is to it.
Pun of the Week - Pastuerized -
Beyond your sight.
without tickets
future instead
the usurers.
If I'd win a
the above, plus
of giving it all •to first-class provider. 'a"""" -
I'd surprise her with an in -
million, I'd do all door swimming pool and tell
I'd pay for some her that my great-uncle in Mo-
naco died and unexpectedly left
PETER'S
POINT
by Peter Hemel
major improvements to the-
house, like, a bigger dining
room, a fireplace, and a new
coat of paint on the roof. Then
I'd hire a reliable babysitter and
take Elizabeth on a South Sea
cruise. The rest of it I'd invest in
bluechips, and then I'd carry on
as before.
Winning a jackpot of, say, 20
million dollars is a little harder to
imagine. Maybe I wouldn't tell
anybody, not even Elizabeth.I'd
just. make her believe that my
readers and editors appreciate
me so much that the papers have
voluntarily quadrupled .my fee.
That my books have been trans-
lated into Japanese and Urdu.
And that I've finally become a
me a little money. The tennis
court I'd explain as a proving
ground for a new type of tennis
balls, installed free of charge by
the municipality. And-ilx; Jag,..,.
2� a gift from the Sultan of Su-
Ieike (who really enjoyed my
book on the Algonkin Indians).
If Alexander asked me for a
new bike, I'd have a Raleigh
flown in from England and tell
him it was provided gratis by
the manufacturer, to be tested
on gravel roads.
Stephanie's Laura Ashley
dresses could be explained as
seconds or as free samples.
Du-lcan's pure-bred Golden Re-
triever, complete with the
$8,000 dog house from Har-
rods, could be called a tax
write-off.
And I'd still have about 19
million left in the kitty, with in-
terest mounting at a rate I find
too mind-boggling to figure out.
I'd contribute generously to a
dozen deserving charities at
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