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Times -Advocate, September 11, 1996
Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett
Business Manager: Don smith
Production Manager Deb cord
4 Ie, Ltk r' Barb Consitt, Chad Eedy
Jews: Heather Mk, Chris Sklilkos,
Ross Haugh, Brenda Burke
gip; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson
Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner
I010.9121U Flynn, AI Hodgert
front Office & Accounting Elaine Pinder. Sue Rollings,
Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple
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Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St.,
Exeter, Ontado, NOM 156 by J.W. E Publications Ltd.
Telephone 1-519-2354331 • Fax: 5111-2269-0754
e.e.T. Nt105210431
Opportunity to cooperate
t might be exaggerating a lit-
tle but comparing Walper St., the
street dividing Exeter and Hay Town-
ship, with a logging road you would ex-
pect to find in Northern Ontario would
be complimentary.
When McDonald's showed enough
confidence in Exeter to invest in bring-
ing the Golden Arches to town, the
amount of money spent on the street
across the north of their property
wouldn't have purchased a small order
of fries. But. this is not really surprising
because Exeter got McDonald's and the
street is solely owned by Hay Town-
ship.
From the first day the fast food outlet
opened until the present, literally hun-
dreds of thousands of vehicles have ex-
ited over one of the finest collections of
pot holes and muck in the area. One
former Exeter official said if the street
was in Exeter it would have been up-
graded years ago as part of the town's
aggressive paving program.
Now, a couple of years later, and just
a few yards across the street, Hay
Township is the beneficiary of a major
retail investment by the Hensall District
Co -Op. They have also expressed their
commitment to the area by bringing the
large Do -It Center to our community.
And once again, the investment in the
street dividing Exeter and Hay
wouldn't purchase a bag of nails or a
two by four. The problem is, although
Hay owns the road at the moment, it's
not going to be long before this part of
the township will be included in Exet-
er's boundaries. It's understandable
why Hay has not spent any money to
solve the problem. But something needs
to be done soon.
If plans are not underway to trans-
form Walper St. from a trail to a proper
thoroughfare, taxpayers should be de-
manding immediate action.
It's not as if Hay and Exeter are miles
away from each other.
It's not because Exeter and Hay offi-
cials don't communicate.
It's not because representatives of both
municipalities don't know about the
road. They must have the occasional Big
Mac.
The two municipalities should strike
an agreement whereby Hay will bring
the street up to standards, including pav-
ing. When this street finally does be-
come part of Exeter, that municipality
will pick up the cost on a pro -rated ba-
sis. In other words, everybody pays their
fair share and motorists will have their
suffering alleviated.
Apparently this scenario is what Exeter
has in mind because in June they made it
known to both Hay and the Co -Op they
were willing to enter into an agreement
for the upgrading of Walper St.
Residents of Hay and Exeter who shop
at McDonald's or the Do -It Center are
entitled to a street reflecting the invest-
ment by both these firms.
Taxpayers don't stop and wonder if
they're in Exeter or Hay when they visit
either one of these establishments, how-
ever, they most certainly do wonder why
something hasn't been done.
The ball is is Hay's court.
Flying over Huron County
Huron County is lush and scenic,
a very pretty sight....
Dear Editor:
Had a real thrill the other day: a flight with Ken
Kennedy of Delta Bravo Aviation from Huron Park
Airport. It was better than flying in a helicopter, no
flutter, no whomp-whomps of huge helio blades.
The "Quicksilver"recreational "ultra Tight" is a
fine aircraft, cruising along with a 65 horse power
engine and pusher prop - so the noise is behind you.
You take off in no time, and fly along at speeds of
60 to 75 miles per hour, giving you lots of time to
observe the passing scene. Huron County is lush and
scenic, a very pretty sight from this excellent air-
craft.
Ken was an Royal Military College cadet at Cen-
tralia a few years ago, where he learned to fly. He
now has thousands of hours in jets and conventional
aircraft and is a most capable, experienced pilot, so
you feel safe as can be.
You can find Ken and his ultra light at Hanger #2.
It was great regaining the feeling being at an airport
that planes and pilots give you.
Regardless of your age, I highly recommend a
flight with Ken, you'll love it.
Yours truly
Gibby (JM Gibson)
A View from Queen's Park
By Eric Dowd
TORONTO -- A few issues are starting to
shape up for the coming federal election and
one of them is Premier Mike Harris. The Pro-
gressive Conservative premier should not be in
there at all, of course, but he is the only signifi-
cant Tory in Ontario. He also has clashed
twice within a week with the Liberal federal
government on topics that could develop into
significant conflicts in a federal campaign.
Harris first attacked the federal govern-
ment over the grip. it has on the design and de-
livery of social programs, medicare and social -
assistance, because it pays part of the
cost. He said the provinces should take re-
sponsibility, because Ottawa is gradually de-
creasing its share of cost and provinces are con-
tributing more. •
Harris objected to the federal government
using its power in medicare to withhold pay-
ments as penalties against provinces who want
to shape their propanes differently. Provinces
NEEDLESS1a SAY RiWDING
ctrrAcK, sod INECURflY
AND ScHooL gogRD BUNGLING
HAVE RESULTED IN SOME
MINOR AMIDE pRoBLENIS,,,
Expectant mothers
I'm not sure exactly when it
happened, but lately having' a
baby has become a very com-
plicated process. It seems that
today's mothers -to -be are faced
with not only preparing to be re-
sponsible for another human be-
ing, but are also challenged with
the increasing demands of creat-
ing an ideal environment.
Two of the women in my im-
mediate family are pregnant,
one with twins, and it doesn't
take long before talk turns to
folic acid supplements and
whether or not eating peanuts
during pregnancy can cause an
allergic sensitivity in an infant.
And now that they are well on
their way, I have become the
next likely candidate.
Between working full-time,
scheduling ultra -sounds to get a
sneak peak at the little darling
and attending pre -natal classes,
it's no wonder expectant moth-
ers are exhausted.
Having a baby used to be sim-
ple and new mothers weren't
burdened with too much knowl-
edge that can create panic in-
stead of serenity. I've heard
tales of my grandmother giving
birth to twins, at home of
course, and keeping them warm
in front of an open sto''e. She
was certainly not concerned
with whether or not a yellow
nursery makes babies'anxious.
Even naming a child can be-
come an onerous task for par-
ents today. Children used to be
named after a family member,
perhaps a grandfather or favor-
ite aunt. Today's names are
carefully considered by their
meaning and if the name can be
made into a horrible shortform
on the schoolyard. Family
members and friends are not shy
about letting you _ know what
your child should be named but
don't make the mistake of tell-
ing anyone in advance what
your favorites are - they won't
be timid about shooting them
down.
Expectant mothers are under
scrutiny by not only family and
friends but even by perfect
strangers. My sister-in-law
found the most annoying part
of being pregnant was that her
belly became public property.
People would not feel awkward
about putting their hand 6n her
stomach to feel for a kick, a to-
tal invasion of her private space.
Pregnant women must give up
alcohol, smoking and many oth-
er vices to help deliver a healthy
baby but there is an up side to
the story. Studies now show
that moderate caffeine intake
will not harm the fetus' develop-
ment. Up to the equivalent of
four or five cups of coffee daily
is now considered a safe
amount to consume although
some women find the smell of
coffee makes them nauseous.
However, eating ice cream with-
out guilt is one of the benefits
of being pregnant so take advan—
tage of the situation and consid-
er it a great way to get your cal-
cium.
should have "flexibility," he said, so they can
deliver programs which they judge suit their re-
gional needs.
Harris's opponents will see this as the pre-
mier wanting to revamp medicare to bring In
mike user fees, which could violate the principle
of universality the federal plan requires. Harris
mused a lot about imposing user fees when he
was in opposition.
Prime Minister Jean Chretien has responded
quickly by insisting he will never give up im-
posing and enforcing national standards, be-
cause this would be equivalent to abandoning
medicare. Without standards toughly enforced,
Chretien said, medicare would look after the
rich but neglect the poor. Chretien said he wants
medicare that is "flee for everybody" and not
like that in the United States, which provides for
more affluent resldenta but leaves many ordi-
nary people without coverage.
In his election expected putt year, Chretien
Issues starting to take shape
will need to distract voters from such irritants
as unemployment having climbed back to 10
per cent, although his main promise in the 1993
election was to create jobs, lack of progress to-
ward national unity, his failure to keep his
promise to abolish the goods and services tax
and scandals in the military. He might relish
campaigning in Ontario, which is a key to na-
tional victory because it contains one-third of
the seats in the Commons, and where the feder-
al Tories are not a factor but Harris is, on the
claim he is the defender of medicare, which Ca-
nadians generally value, against Harris's at-
tempts to weaken it.
Harris is no easy target, with more than 50
per cent support In most polls, particularly be-
cause of his swift cuts in government and tax-
es. But Ontarians probably could become
concerned by a vision of medicare eroding into
the U.S. system and Chtetien would not remind
anyone, of course, that Harris also cut taxes.
The federal and Ontario governments also
have got in a nasty row over law and order,
which with current concern over crime is
among the more useful issues for an elec-
tion. Solicitor General Bob Runciman com-
plained the Chretien government is soft in al-
lowing hardened criminals parole and failing to
deal with young offenders sternly enough to be
a deterrent.
Justice Minister Allan Rock responded as
if shot out of a catapult that the Ontario Tories,
should be more concerned about their own cuts
in social assistance and education, which he
said increase crime. "Empty stomachs and
lack of education are as likely as anything to
drive children and adults to crime," Rock said
passionately.
This is about as a clear a difference of
opinion on fighting crime at you can find -- it
could provide more fodder for federal Liberals
and Ontario Tories in an election.
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