HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-04-20, Page 4Pape 4
Times -Advocate, April 20, 1994
Publisher Jim Beckett
News Editor Adrian Harte
9Wh1•11s Milner Don Smith
Composition Manager Deb Lord
itigtigaiging; Barb Consttt, Therese Redmond
News; Fred Groves, Catherine O'Brien, Ross Hauch
prudwtlan; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson
Robert Nicol, Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber,
Laurel Miner, Marg Flynn
COM.
Transportation: Al Rynn, Al Hodgert
(runt Office & Accounting; Norma Jones, Elaine Pinder,
Ruthanne NegriJn, Mita McDonald
The almost decision by the
French to reject the room reservations
of the Canadian veterans for their trip to
mark the 50th anniversary of D -Day is
nothing short of appalling. To think
that it was more important to house the
American media than those who battled
bravely against the German forces in
occupied France is almost unforgivable.
One might risk saying the modern
French government has forgotten who
preserved their "distinct society" not so
long ago; when a marauder from the
Third Reich practised what is known to-
day as ethnic cleansing. The American
media was not therein force to repel
Hitler, the Allied Forces were. Who
holds the greater impact on French his-
tory?
The act, which has since been rescind-
ed and apologized for, still stands as a
very big signal as to what is wrong in
our global village, and in Canada.
French -English relations are tense at
best, and the initial move - although
corrected - still served to widen the gap.
The treatment of our veterans seems
to turn sour with each anniversary. Our
ethno-centric view of the world leads us
to examine past actions with modern
judgement. We like to think such
things would nothappen today, but the
sad reality is they would - only with dif-
ferent outcomes. The distorted histori-
cal view of events in World War I and
World War II has further alienated
those who fought in the name of free-
Opinion
no
1':1)11'O1Z1:11.
Lest we forget
dom and democracy.
For example, one of the most famous
arguments in Canada over interpretation
of the Second World War is that of the
National Film Board's production of the
Valour and the Horror, and particularly
the segment on Bomber Command. The
production, some feel, portrays the men
in the air force as "baby -killers" and
"murderers". Perhaps more so because
the producers may have a hard time ex-
amining the emotions and reality of
1939 to 1945. One might hazard to sug-
gest that the producers probably have
never been the air during a battle - nor
encountered flak and bullets during
flight.
In a day and age where freedom is pre-
dominant in the Western World, we
sllbuld revere those who led us down
this path. Veterans should, and deserve,
VIP treatment above and beyond those
of us in the media, who often do little
more than inflict the modern-day atti-
tudes that tarnish the medals earned on
the battlefield.
It is acceptable to question why a bat-
tle was fought, or why a country went to
war. But it is reprehensible to question
the actions of our veterans in the battle-
field. Rules of society do not necessari-
ly conform with the rules of survival.
After 50 years of peace in this country,
our ethno-centric view should honour
the last generation of wartime heros, not
forget them.
From the Wingham Advance -Times.
Your Views
Letters to the editor
Community news important
"I try to provide the facts, and
some details to give the columns
a personal touch."
Dear Editor:
For the past few months, I've been writing the
column for Centralia news, as you know. At this
time, 1'd like to thank you for your assistance.
I realize that space is limited, and Centralia's ac-
tivities are not earth -shaking. However, many peo-
ple have commented on how much they enjoy the
columns and look forward to reading the next one. I
try to provide the facts, and some details to give the
columns a personal touch.
Thanks for including the details: even though you
may wish to edit more.
Thank you too, for your interest in covering com-
munity activities. People were delighted when
Catherine O'Brien attended the breakfast and the
country music jamboree. Your assistance is appre-
ciated.
Sincerely,
Mary Peterson
A View From
Anyone doubting Ontario's next general elec-
tion will be nasty need look no further than the
bitterness with which the parties are still re-
fighting the most recent byelection.
The Progressive Conservatives gained Victor-
ia-Haliburton riding in a campaign in which
they attracted most attention by claiming their
first priority is creating jobs while the New
Democrat government and Liberal priority is
assuring homosexual couples the same benefits
as couples of different sexes.
This was a distortion because, while the NDP
and most Liberals favor same-sex benefits, they
have not pushed this issue anywhere near as
hard as job -creation. The Liberals led in polls
in the riding when the byelection was called
and feel they were robbed by the Tories' em-
phasizing the same-sex issue.
Liberal deputy leader Sean Conway has now
described the byelection as 'a very significant
development' in Ontario politics.
Conway said the Tory victor was 'contami-
By Eric Do
nated by disgrace' and Tory leader Mike Harris
was guilty of 'malicious fabrication' and intro-
ducing a 'politics of prejudice' that was rare
and troubling.
Conway said issues involving language, sex
and religion are explosive and leaders have an
obligation to tread carefully on them, but Hams
is out to win votes out of 'the most sensitive di-
visions in home and community'.
Harris also had complained some immigrants
are intent on living on welfare and Con;'ay
warned the Tory pushed all the radical, right-
wing buttons and is 'playing with fire, because
we live in a complex, multi -faceted, multi-
racial society... this is a fire that, once started,
may not be controllable.'
Conway blamed Harris personally, claiming
the campaign was written in the Tories' head
office and the riding Tories would not stoop so
low.
The Liberal, whose oratory sometimes verges
on the melodrramatic, said Harris has now taken
the Conservatives so fat right that the party
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Short cuts, short cuts, get yer short cuts
Will we ever learn?
When times get tough, there
always springs up a bunch of
people trying to offer us the
easy way out. I remember that
close to the end of the grim,
great recession of the early '80s,
a few pyramid schemes sprang
up in Canada's cities. When the
_ police cracked down on these
scams, many lost thousands.
Well, the hucksters are at it
again.
I have on my desk a copy of a
letter encouraging my member-
ship in something called the
"Prosperity Program".
In big letters it assures me
"You Can't Pass This One Up".
I assure you I can.
"The money that can be made
is simply unbelievable", it says.
That is true - it cannot be be-
lieved.
They also promise this "club"
is "unique, controlled, and hon-
est". They say that the "friends"
in the club are all members le-
gally free to send each other
gifts in the mail. This means
you send $4 wrapped up in an
envelope to someone you've
never met, and you are invited
to use a pseudonym for your
membership. Very friendly.
The idea is if you recruit, say,
eight members. They all start
sending you gifts. When they
recruit people, they get some •
money and send the rest on up
the line to you.
In any other words, a pyramid
scam.
Why are they scams? Why
does the justice system consider
them illegal? It's all in the
mathematics, of course.
If you work it out, any plan
that prop** that e'.acir tbeffbe#
sign up ld new members a' '
month to help build the pool of
funds is doomed to fail. Within
10 months, the number of peo-
ple in the pyramid would ex-
ceed the world's population five
times over.
Most pyramids collapse long
before then. Even this "Pros-
perity Program" suggests that a
person taking a group to six lev-
els will have between 75,000 or
3,500 people sending them $4
each month. The earnings are
virtually assured of being at
least $14,272 a month, or as
much as $303,888.
Given basic facts about hu-
man nature, the limits of gulli-
bility, and the actual supply of
free and easy cash in the mar-
ketplace, what are the odds of
having 3,500 people a month
sending you money? And this,
of course, is supposed to be
happening to hundreds, or thou-
sands of people all at once.
Not every pyramid has to do
with sending money. Multi-
level companies run at the
ragged edge of legality, luring
people in to sell soaps, pens,
satellite dishes, or whatever.
The easy way to success is to
recruit people below you, who
will share part of their profits
with you, and recruit even more
people into the system.
In short order, it is impossible
ito recruit more people, and
'those left stuck on the bottom
are sharing their profits with
everyone else, so no one is pay-
ing them. They get disgusted
and get out fast.
The only ones who really
make the money these "pro-
grams", "clubs", or "groups"
promise are those who start it
up. If enough people are gulli-
ble enough, they'll get rich
quickly and disappear before
the pyramid collapses, the com-
pany goes broke, or the police
break the door down.
Still, there are those who actu-
ally believe their own figures,
and can't understand why their
scheme won't pay up "forever".
Maybe we shouldn't be blam-
ing all this on the recession and
greed. Maybe it's all the educa-
tion system's fault. Anyone
who got a good grasp of grade
10 math should be able to un-
derstand why a pyramid or a
multi-level scam is doomed to
fail.
Aha, at last something no one
is blaming on the media.
Next election will be a nasty one
which was generally moderate and contrict
when governing Ontario from 1943-85 is 'dead
and buried. We are witnessing the death of a
colossus, one of the great parties in this prov-
ince in the 20th century.' He also doubted Har-
ris's MPPs support his tactics.
This prompted an equally bitter reply from
Conservative Bob Runciman, who accused
Conway of being holier-than-thou, arrogant,
hypocritical, insulting, degrading and 'spewing
venom'.
Runciman said many people are concerned
about the same-sex issue and the elite and polit-
ically correct have no right to say it should not
be discussed.
The Conservative nailed the Liberals by
pointing out that, while they were horrified
same-sex benefits were stressed in Victoria-
Haliburton, Liberal leader Lyn McLeod de-
manded same-sex benefits be introduced ur-
gently in a byelection last year in Toronto
where there were a Targe number of homosexu-
al votes to be won.
A
Runciman accused Conway of being a sore
loser who, after the Liberal government in
which he was a leading minister was defeated
in 1990, vanished for almost a year and sulked
while still drawing MPPs salary. The eloquent
Conway for a time was not quite the force in
the legislature he has been over the years.
Runciman accused the Liberals of phoning
voters in Victoria-Haliburton saying the Con-
servative was 'the Mulroney candidate' about
the most damning thing that can be said about a
Tory.
The Tory also recalled the Liberals' arro-
gance in calling an early election defeating
them in 1990, Liberal premier David Peterson
spending $1,200 a night on hotel rooms in Eu-
rope and a Liberal cabinet minister resigning in
1986 because her husband advised a company
that got a government grant. This general elec-
tion will be more like kick -boxing than genteel
political debate. .
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