The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1994-06-22, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, lune 22, 1994 Publisher: Jim Beckett News Editor: Adrian Harte Business Manager: Don Smfth Composition Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consitt, Theresa Redmond News; Fred Groves, Catherine O'Brien, Ross Haugh Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Robert Nicol, Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner, Marg Flynn Transportation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert Front ice & Accounting; Norma Jones, Elaine Pinder. Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald ccw • • "1.M COMry Jh ti, Q~ ''!4Jeii Atsf4 inion Publications Mall Registration Number 0388 .SUBSCE1PTON RATES: CANADA Within 40 rotes (85 km.) addressed to non tetter carrier addresses $30.00 plus 42.10 G.S.T. Outside 40 miles (85 km.) or any letter carder address 430.00 plus 530.00 (total 60.00) + 4.20 G.S.T. Outside Canada 499.00 (includes $88.40 postage) Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 158 by J.W. Eedy PuWkat$ons Ltd. Telephone 1-519-235-1331 sn105210135 EDITORIAL Revising Young Offenders Act n response to complaints from police and public, the federal govern- ment has moved to revamp the Young Offenders Act. A few persons, mostly those who work within the justice system are un- happy because they believe the Act is working fine just the way it is. More people are unhappy because they think the revamping hasn't gone far enough. Such diversity usually in- dicates the government is on the right track. Changes proposed will put the onus on 16 and 17-year-olds charged with serious offences to persuade the court why their cases shouldn't be moved into adult court. Previously it was up to the prosecu- tion to persuade the court to make the move. Once a case is in adult court, the penalties are those applied to adults. The proposed legislation also increases the maximum sentence for murder from five to 10 years for young offenders. Under the revisions, only very unusual murder cases are likely to remain under the jurisprudence of the Young Offend- ers Act so doubling the maximum sen- tence seems logical. What is difficult to understand is why the government hasn't moved to do something about young offenders under 12 years of age who cannot be charged under the Act. Since these children are deemed to be the sole responsibility of their parents, why not change the Act to make parents responsible for compensation for what- ever damage their children cause? That might engender some responsibil- ity from someone. The Listowel Banner The Canadian Legion/Sikh controversy ...This matter is not only about turbans - it is about principle - and one is at stake here... Dear Editor: It was a bitter irony and the ultimate hypocrisy to see the Primer Minister on the beaches of Nor- mandy paying homage (lip -service?) to the service and sacrifice of Canadian veterans, while at home his Ministers were castigating and threatening those same veterans in the name of multicultural mania. This perfidious treatment of Canadian veterans evokes the classic words of the English poet Francis Quarles: - "Our God and soldiers we alike adore Only at the brink of danger; not before: After deliverance, both requited, Our God's forgotten, and the soldiers slighted." This matter is not only about turbans - it is about principle - and one is at stake here! In the last num- ber of years we have seen many of our values and traditions denigrated and altered to accommodate ethnic "Johnny -come -lately" This must stop! However, as to the turbans - when the 17th centu- ry guru, Govind Singh, made wearing of the turban and carrying the Kirnan (ceremonial knife) manda- tory he could not have foreseen the future migration of many Sikhs to other lands, particularly the New World whose religion, culture and traditions dif- fered greatly from their own. Had he done so it can be speculated that in those lands which had welcomed Sikhs and given them safe haven, the guru might conceivably have en- joined them to maintain their religion, but to not give offense to their host country by usurping or transgressing their laws or traditions. But this they are now doing, aided and abetted by self-serving politicians and "social engineers". Much reference is made in the media and in the mouthings of certain politicians with "room - temperature I.Q.s" that Sikhs fought on, or by, our side and that constitutes - by extension - service to Canada. That is a specious argument. Units of the Indian Army (of which Sikhs were a minority) served in various theatres of World War II, such as the North African Desert Campaign and in other parts of Afri- ca and in Italy. But the main focus of the Indian Army was in the defence of India itself from attack by the Japanese across the Burma border. All due respect should be, and is, accorded the service of Sikhs in the Allied cause. This does not, however, warrant the overriding and erosion of our laws and a tradition held and respected by many thousands of living Canadian veterans, to satisfy the religious beliefs of a relative handful of Sikh vete- rans - none of whom served in the Canadian Forces. Let us be perfectly clear, there is no discrimina- tion against Sikhs, per se either as members or as visitors to Legion branches, but their insistence on bending our traditions to accommodate the outward trappings of their religion is tantamount to forcing their religions on us. And that is unacceptable. We Canadian veterans deserve better of our politi- cians (and the media!) And the Legion deserves the support of the public in their right to maintain their values and traditions. Thank you, Yours truly William Kershaw Progressive Conservative Mike Harris has be- come the first party leader in history to offer himself with a money back guarantee, but this may note quite the bargain it sounds. Harris said in a debate between party leaders that if he is chosen premier in the election ex- pected next year and fails to keep his promises he will resign. An astute questioner had suggested the three leaders had 'wonderful -sounding plans', but af- ter the election these probably would go out of the window, and asked if they were prepared to promise they would resign if they did not fulfill their election promises: within a specified peri- od. Liberal leader Lyn McLeod responded typi- cally cautiously she would not have to resign, because critical electors would kick out a lead- er who made a lot of promises and failed to keep them. New Democrat Premier Bob Rae said he would not resign because a leader may find he has to govern in very difficult circumstances. But Harris said the time has come for politi- cal leaders to stand fully behind the promises they make and 'I stand before you prepared to make that commitment' to huge applause. Harris' pledge, if adhered to, would break a hallowed, time-honoured tradition, because pre- miers in all parties have made promises before election and conveniently forgotten them once elected without feeling even the slightest com- pulsion to tender their resignations. Rae would have had special difficulty saying he would resign, because he already has broken many promises he made in the 1900 election. As major examples, he promised government auto insurance, but took this off the road after discovering it would be more costly then he thought. Rae allowed stores to open on Sundays and introduced casino gambling, both breaking par- ty promises. He vowed to 'take a real stand' against the federal Tories' goods and services You ASKED roR IT. - NOW HOLD OUT THE SER WRISTS v40.1,44..,:i:;:2...41:47:4,1p Ili % iik sxs ..„ �d , ., : ;ii 111 111 A. ..ill/rr'1 // 11.:61'.111144),11147!()'1) •� iii GSL#1� i•:.•� i 44,1; 45f i'ri t � i I11 11e iill ti �, zlz xi I ti. ` �'� a� .40 NA, ...,,„,/ a ill III WS Iii nit i lil 1 VI 1141 Searching for the right woman For those of you who have not formally met me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Erin Lobb, I am the summer stu- dent for the T -A, for my second, year now. I commute each day from my home in Clinton, a town where many people recog- nize my last name, if not my first, and are usually able to as- sociate me with another Lobb they may have met. Each day I embark on stories and photo assignments through- out our coverage area where I have the pleasure of meeting in- teresting individuals from many fields and areas of expertise, of- ten for the first time. The one aspect of my job that never seems like work is when I am meeting and greeting the people whom I am writing about. However, because of time and distance, much of this occurs over the phone or fax. But, since setting my foot in- side the door of this office, there has been one thorn in my side. I think it became especially ap- parent after completing my re- cent article on Carl Stuckless and his long -lost sister. I quoted him as saying, "If she had of kept her maiden name I would have found her 20 years ago." Never have truer words been spoken. Just ask anyone who works in communications. Women might as well be non- existertt .9-5 have billy their hus- bands name as a means to be identified. I pity anyone who needs to telephone my mother that doesn't know my father's name. There must be at least 15 Lobbs in the Clinton phone book. I have also noticed this is a predominant problem also with most of our correspondence, which actually refers to people as Mrs. John Henry, giving no indication whatsoever of the identity of John's wife. By omit- ting the first name it seems to me that she becomes nothing more than an extension of John and no longer an individual. It has been a long time since women were considered chattel, but unfortunately this tradition is one that has managed to stick with our culture despite the all the efforts of women's libera- tion. 1 am proud to be a Lobb and 1 don't want this name to die out just because I decide to marry. With All the respect given to family tradition in Western soci- ety it's a wonder that people so willingly disregard their heri- tage for the sake of marriage. People whom I have dis- cussed this idea with protest it because thersay it will create "hyphenation hell". We have all seen women or children with names longer than my arm. However, I don't think that is anymore necessary than putting Mrs or Miss in front of your name to identify your marital status. I use the example of divorce, which is as common as mar- riage these days, as a good rea- son for women not to change their name. Especially in situa- tions where a woman has been married and divorced more than once. That's a lot of credit cards, cheques, loans, and other paperwork that will have to be adjusted in order to reflect the break-up of the marriage. I believe in marriage and all that it involves, I plan on it my- self someday. But, before I pro- ceed I will make sure that it is understood that once Erin Lobb, always Erin Lobb. This issue may only be a drop -in -the -bucket for women's rights, but it is a big step to- wards helping me get my work as a reporter done. Leaders don't keep election promises tax and fight their free trade agreement with the U.S., but on both issues proved as aggressive as a punching bag. Liberal David Peterson's best-known promise when he became premier in 1985 was to tallow corner grocery stores to sell beer and wings, a minor issue that caught public imagination be- cause it symbolized more relaxed attitudes. Peterson tried to get a law passed when he had a minority government, but when he won a majority and could easily have had it approved, lost interest. Peterson's best -remembered promise in the 1987 election was to fight the federal free trade agreement with the U.S. to the last drop of his blood, but he put up only anemic token resis- tance. The liberal premier also revealed he had 'a very specific plan' to reduce auto insurance premiums, but unfortunately after being elected could not remember it. Tory premier William Davis when running in 1981 promised to preserve farmland which is now paved over and to electrify rail services around Toronto and in northern Ontario. Davis in 1979 promised a balanced budget within four years and all sorts of exciting new industries along the frontier of James Bay. Don't look for these things because they never happened. Harris already has made many promises, in- cluding reducing government spending by 20 percent and provincial income tax by 30 per- cent in three years and balancing the budget in four years, which will be difficult to keep. The Tory leader, who hag a habit of rushing in where angels fear to tread, may believe gen- uinely now he will resign if he does not fulfill his promises. But there would be nothing to stop him, once elected, saying like earlier premiers that his promises were misunderstood or circumstances came up beyond -his control and he is staying on. This guarantee is not iron -clad. 4