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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1996-08-28, Page 4Page 4 Times Advocate, August 28,1996 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lord eterikkg: Barb Co t, Chad Eedy MHz Heather Mir. s Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Brenda Burke gyp; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner Trpnsnoftation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert front Officit & Accounting; Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple The Exeter Times -Advocate Is a member of a family of community newspapers AMA IAN oww, providing news, advertising and information leadership i • • inion l':l)I OR1.kJ. Conservatives ready to okay pinball gambling unny how things change when the opposition becomes the party in power. Mike Harris was dead set against gov- ernment-sponsored gambling before he. was elected to be premier of Ontario. Now he's not only opened more gam- bling casinos, last week his govern- ment introduced a bill to legalize elec- tronic betting machines. Video lottery terminals - called VLTs - let users play games of chance on TV -like screens. Once the bill is passed this fall, the government plans to start with 8,500 VLTs in charity casinos and racetracks, if they are a success (is there any doubt?) another 11,500 will go into bars and other licensed businesses. New Democrat Peter Kormos called the decision, "the ultimate in hypocri- sy" because of how Hams has changed his tune on the issue. Other opposition members have labelled Harris, the "godfather" of gambling. VLTs are legal in every other Canadi- an province, except B.C., but they are by no means innocuous. Other provinc- es have reported serious addiction prob- lems as a direct result of the `pinball' gambling machines. In Alberta, the Al- cohol and Drug Addiction Commission estimated five.per cent 041119 pppula.,; tion has a problem, largely thlated to the video machines. In Saskatchewan, a survey found more than two thirds of gambling addicts call- ing a treatment hotline were hooked on VLTs, spending as much as $1,000 a day. No problem, the Conservatives say. They're going to spend about $9 million a year on education and treatment to combat compulsive gambling. Talk about closing the barn door once the horse is gone! Gambling facilities are questionable ways to make money at best. Usually it's those who can least afford to lose their money who do so. And even though common sense would dictate that the machine or dealer always wins, there's that hope of the big prize and `freedom' that keeps people giving their money away. Gambling casinos and machines are perfect for governments. While people continually moan and complain about paying taxes, they can't give up their money fast enough when it comes to lot- tery tickets, and gambling venues. And it's all going to the same place, only in the second case it's given willingly. Liberal critic Gerard Kennedy said it best. "This is a machine that employs nobody, prodyces nothingLand preys on r, people 4' Si. Marys Journal -Argus Your Views Letters to the editor Stranded travellers send thanks "...Hats Off to Lloyd Regier of Hensall." Dear Editor: Please excuse this stationary, as the result of mov- ing, my other can't be found. I would more than appreciate if you could please print this story in your local paper. Our hero wouldn't accept money, but I do know he deserves some recognition. So... "Hats Off' to Lloyd Regier of Hensall. A perfect example of a model citizen and truck driver. Sunday, August 18 our van broke down between Hensall and Exeter in 900 weather I might add. My friend and I walked up the lane to the house of a stranger to use his phone for a tow truck. After learning it was going to cost between $300-$350 to get home, Lloyd said to pull in his laneway and he'd help us fix it. Mr. Regier took us in to Exeter to get a new alternator.• Well that wasn't all, Lloyd gave us a hand to take off the old and on with the new. After about three hours in 90° weather Lloyd helped us keep our sanity from being so far away from home and broke down. Thanks again Lloyd. A friend indeed. This kind of help can't be found often. Especially here in the 90's. Lloyd wouldn't even accept a dime for his time. So hats off!!! You have truly renewed our faith in mankind. P.S. We did make it to the market in time! Marlene Stephenson and John Fitzpatrick, Waterloo A View From Queen's Park TORONTO - Premier Mike Hams has hinted often he would like to run an election on pre- serving family values, but these days he may feel less comfortable with the issue. Hams complained repeatedly in opposition that the Liberals and New Democrats, unlike his Progressive Conservatives, were not con- cerned about family alA moral values. Hams did not need to make much of a point ofis in the 1995 election because voters were ca*ivated by his promises to cut government and taxes and the issue was held in reserve. Harris must now be crossing it regretfully off his list of potential vote winners. The Tories have been struck by a succession of body blows. Fust, Transportation Minister Al Palladiei admitted he trues paying his former trustless to support a child she had during their was monied atIlmi ume sod'hit girl- friend lavers Much younger laid hid Waked for him, which is not eptly the picture of devoted By Eric Dowd family life that Hams is trying to foster. Then Tory backbencher Bill Vankoughnet was caught soliciting a policewoman posing as a prostitute and sent on a course which lectures offenders on the damage that prostitution caus- es women, families and society. Hams was highly embarrassed that one of his MPPs encouraged prostitution which social agencies and local residents are trying to stop. The day this case was disposed of, a woman who worked as an aide to the Tory Speaker of the legislature, Allan McLean, announced she was filing a grievance accusing him of sexual harassment. MacLean, married with children, is respected and considered straight -talking by MPPs who chose him Speaker in a free vote only a year ago and he bas strongly denied the allegation. But he volunteered that a similar alleg>Iltioo was made about him by another *omen aide nhie years aglo end retied ieforntslly ed$— valet). PublicatlOns Mall Registration Number 0388 gunsca Ttou RATS; One year rata for Ontario wbecrbe s • 835.00 + WTI Two year rate for Ontario subscribers - 863.00 + OST CAMMAKARDRENIELQUINDLIMARKI One year subscription - 863.00 + OST Two year subsariptlon - 8319.00 + OST DIHERilATES Outside Canada - 899.00 + 08T Published Each Wednesday Morning M 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1158 by J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1'518.2361,331 • Fax: 511.235.0Tie 4.5.T. Mt105210035 "The Unity Train? We have departures east -bound on Track A, west -bound on Track B, and Quebec service is cancelled until further notice..." Bats in your belfry? When a friend recently called at 7 a.m. asking how to get rid of a bat that had found its way into her home, I began to remi- nisce about bats in the .attic of our family cottage. Bats became a part of the summer and only occasionally would one find its way into the living room prompting us to capture it in the fishing net and release it outside. My room, fondly referred to as the bat room, was alive with loud squeaking in the ceilings and walls that were a play- ground for bats. They seemed to scurry up one side of the pitched roof and slide down the other which was disconcerting to anyone visiting for the week- end. I vividly remember my moth- er waking up one morning with a small bat clinging to her cheek near her eye. My father managed to trap the bat be- tween the screen and the glass in the bedroom window but it took some time before we fig- ured out how to get it out of there. I know bats get a bad rap and do become a nuisance when they invade your home. But did you know a single brown bat can easily capture 600 mos- quitoes in an hour and a colony of 500 bats eats a million in- sects nightly? Still, bats may carry rabies and histoplasmosis, a fungal disease that may be contracted through the inhalation of dusty bat droppings. Although attacks by rabid bats are rare, young children should be warned not to handle a wild animal floun- dering on the ground or a pet with unfamiliar behavior. According to pest control in- formation from Health Canada, the best time to control bats is in the spring before migratory bats return to roost or in the fall when they leave for the season. The timing is important in order not to kill the young bats that may be trapped inside a build- ing. Their carcasses will even- tually create an odor and insect problems. Bird netting may be stapled or taped over entry points with the bottom part hanging loosely several inches from the build- ing. This will allow bats to crawl under and exit the roost site but returning bats will not be able to re-enter. The best way to bat proof a structure, after the bats are out, is to seal all entry points under eaves, electrical conduits and around the chimney and win- dows. Vents that must be kept open can be protected with a fine screen. Creating bat houses in trees where they will not present a nuisance is one way to encour- age them to roost away from structures where people live and work. Bats are important insect predators and should be encour- aged to roost in these houses designed for them. If a bat ends up in your house through a window, door or un- used chimney, don't panic. Open windows and doors that lead outdoors and wait for the bat to follow the fresh air. Bats are nocturnal, so you may need to wait until nightfall for the vis- itor to leave of its own accord. Another method is to use a tube from a roll of paper towels. Seal one end and leave the other open. Slowly move the tutie into a horizontal position next to the bat. Often the bat will crawl inside in an attempt to hide then it can be set free. ' Family values Tory leaders for decades have talked a lot about family values as if they were the sole guardians of virtue and the Liberals and New Democrats, if elected, would let licentiousness run riot, which of course never happened. But the Tories have not always been personal paragons. All parties have individuals who slipped from the straight and narrow, but the Tories have more who were known about. They also have been in government for 43 of the past 53 years so more attention has been fppissed on them. As examples, one Tory premier, outwardly a model of virtue, had a mistress and bought her a condo near the legislature so she could be close at hand. Another Tory premier noted for having a live- ly time was said in a recent book to have taken gird friends regularly to his hotel room and hie Me mage later broke up. • A Tory premier pinched the bottom of an at- tractive woman reporter half his age. 1t eft such an indelible impression that she men- tioned it to others and she has a reputation for accuracy higher than most. One unelected Tory who held senior posts in the public service was understood to owe his advancement to his ability to find girls for min- isters. This also was mentioned in print and he threatened to sue, but it came to nothing. Among many known indiscretions by lesser Tories, there was the MPP wliawas campaign- ing against strip clubs in his riding and hap- pened to be seen in one in the United States. t1arris also has expanded gambling and al- lowed bars to open later, neither of which does much to promote better family life. Polls show that while the: premier is high in polls, he has less support among women than among men - this would not be the best time to put his hopes on family values.