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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-05-14, Page 64 Ti►►les,Ativocatt', May 14 )`t Publisher & Editor: Jing Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consitt,: Chad Eedy Nem; Heather Mir. Chris Skalkos. Ross Haugh. Brenda Burke Production,•. Alma.Baltanlyne. Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson -Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner Ttinsportr9jQn, Al Flynn, Al Hodgen Front Office &Accounting; Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings: Ruth Siaght - Ruthanhe Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie.Oalrympte The Exeter Tinges -Advocate is a memberof a family of community newspapers . providing news, advertising and information leadership• .. CCMe EDITORIALS f, 4,1 Local _issues will tell the tale in .this election lection ,fever�is •upon us. _The official announcement came.as.an anti-climax-hecause all major patties have peen conilitcting s:ampajign. ttir weqks. We.have known -for-quite some! .tptnie what the issues will be. Topping.. - the list 1S inlity: despite effortsto take ,sem e. oIthe pressure -off by:stressing ._-Thi': importance of the economy. V+e have had.the odd sittiatinn.oehav- ir..z as our Official opposition a group of people w,,hoss: maili policy is 10 break• thi'> i:�luntry apart -The prob,lc;ni,With \t:-Igie issue groups is pgli.tical tunnel • vt\i��n true„hut as simile, issues go. this •. olge is a rcSiLmonster. • - / Sonic people .Will stirely,.ay there are m(ite'tmportant issues facing.th'is cttun try than Quebec's staius. ThLv are ig-. nt:ring the. faci that its Quehec'is 'sec cesst u'j' in the,. from Canada. we ,vv ill ha'-e'no country. It-isn'f tieing ai.arnma_to.point out thin -the ocia'I ands eccmornic impact of separation. is likely leo hedev,t_stating on both sides. of the Ottawa ri,Ver.' + ., •, , -' , ' it, was the unity issue, which dealt the first real blow to.the popularity of.the' Chreticn:government. and it may turn Oil! to he the very, issue which brings .This viz ' ;,rin-ciit-dow is But unity issue. , ','r is! a_ Chre:tien i, a.stron * and popular leader. The 'real: question at this point is whether there iN a -valid alternative to the Liberals. ,. Traditionally,, that role was played by the Conservatives. The last federal ' election left them holding only two' eats. perhaps due, tag a strong reaction against Brian/ Mulroney. perhaps duds to tot emergence of the Reform. The past few years have `liven the PCs the chance to/rebuild. but they have also given Reform a chance to:solidify their . position. The -problem is. sometimes it's a hat hard to decide just what the Re • - .1 'form position is: And the party contin- ues,to be plagued by the occasional ra- cist foot -in -mouth statement..froni-its blooper reel contingent. -The NDP has announced itti intention to go after a ' number of seat's. but murmurings of the -Party'} rnodest's.txpectations don't seen - promising. - ' As issues go in every province except , Quebec.:'voters have heard the jobs u taxes- nity song before and know the words and tune too well to he terribly .caught up in them. This is where the+ •..Strength'of the individual candidates takles•on.great importance. Even in this . y'o daf instant communications which -al- - -low each'candidate to reach a huge num: ,her of,voters, personal contact becomes _a vital factor on election day. Despite television. the net and radio - or -perhaps because of them - an honest smile. a . warm handshake and a face-to-face , greeting will will votes. Voters might.be confused by what, is happening in Ottawa, -annoyed by party propaganda and frustrated by campaign promises. but ihey.know their local can- didates. • ,lost a prediction..but unless a new and interesting issue,emerges in the course of this campaign. or,-someoneot national importance really messes up badly, this - election Morel than any other in recent s history will, he fought riding by riding across the nation. Votes will he meas- ured in worn out shoes and sore hands. in meet.the candidates nights at -local 'schools..and speeches on the front Steps . 'of public libraries. - One of the beauties - and frustrations - in Canadian politics is the decision we must make. to vote for the party or the person. This i5 shaping up to be a very personal election where local issues and local people take precedence. : What's on your mind? The. Times Advocafe continues to welcome letters to the editor as a forum for open discussion of local issues, concerns, complaints and kudos. The Times -Advocate reserves the right to edit letters for brevity. . Please send your letters to P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S6. Sign your letter with both name and address. Anonymous letters willnot be published. f: A. View From Queen's Park By Eric Down h(gR0`TO - Premiet \like Harris and his I'togresive Conservatives can breathe a sigh of rr -- but •Diet too deeply. Harris's delivery of more.cuts in provincial iodine tax a.: pr inised in the 1995 election should prop up the Tories against any further .lido in popularity and restore some of the opti- oning they have ;larked fur months. • The l' ,Inew'cuts. effective July I and at yr,u end, help make up a total 22 per cent re- duction sine they took over government, and they appear On target for the 30,per cent cut promised by 1999. "fhe "furies had fallen sharply in esteem'first through it clumsy, transparent attempt to shift responsibilities costing hundreds of Millions of dollars ayear on to municipalities, while pre- tending they would incur negligible extra cost, and retreating without grace'only when munic- ipalities raised opinion against them. The. Tories also angered many including some in their own party by trying to force mer- gcrs oI oun,cipalities that local residents did not want . d.had 16 back off some. They offended many. again including Tories, by announcing closures of 22 hospitals with many more.lnore to come. although Harris had said in the election he had no plans for clo- sures. . • • A half-dozen Tory MPPs, including a minis- ter, rebuked Harris publicly for acts as diverse • -as closing hospitals and promoting video linter - les: Several Called hien unreceptive to advice and intolerant in the mostoutspoken revolt in an Ontario government since the 1940s. Another minister let slip that he is thinking of packing up. Harris and his government looked fumbling, disorganized and unsure of what they were doing. ' Those who voted for Harris were attracted primarily by the tax cuts and smaller govern- ment he promised. They also liked his confi- dent style, which they have not seen as much of lately.. •.Publications Mad Registration Number 0386 ' 1 $IPTIOti f ATE& Ono your foto for Ontario subscribers : $31.00 + 011 Two'year Wolfer Ontario subscribers - $13.00 + GIT REeSSES OUTSIDE OMTAWIt One year subscription - $83.00 + GST Two year subscription - S119.00 + GST OTHER RATES Outside Canada - 5102.00 Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S6 by J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1.519.235.1331 • Fax 519.2360768 .-max address' tImes.advocaterteedy.com O.S.T. #0106210836 I:, ple "C.elties .Brenda Burke Brown -spotted fever W.hiie,►t ttie vet clinic buying at.s.50 hag of dog Bloc. tmy • -' Dalmatian' is allergic 10 protein :and iheretore needs sur • expensive Iambincc •.•(:rsiun.it nilinchII s t. I read an iitrigurng notice:-'I)alnlatian.to _1lye ' :Tway. neutercd.etc. Tlunktng That's .vhat 4 .suddenly wanted for Inv- • birthday, 1 called up they �suy and went to•take a bilk at this dog. \' brown-spilttcd Dalmatian. i.erteet. 11 would match the one 1 had .rt !unite.- \IR(i I could -tell . pe(ipie I left two ,licks n1 the sun ,. and that', how their spots. faded • trona black to halon: .. . \ittiottuh-(herds also .t ,al .tt holne:uid,.t habv un its .y.ty. there was iiu doubt about '1. ' .wonted anotherdog. ' `The next day. 'billowing the huge protest ut my husband - at me -,log man). i :;:one!(, :ny. ,eases. \Vc don't' need another .dog tike the one we've .tlrcadv got: a shedding. neurotic: maniac who will do aurything tiir Douai. stoles tip etIer,gy like .t wnld-rip lock. is afraid ,if garbage hags ontiie side of the road,anal lets • un like helw.ill” !rungtt • strangers when they suave .it t .ttuut. Despite .ill ' ,l his Lige Flaws. the. critter has hect,ine.a part tit' the faintly: I've heard (Wpm* - spinliitg their' pet 0 the tioint whercoliev•re treated list people. or even better. SVbv -not.' The do have feelings. Besides. they aiever zrititazevour eookine: notice when. you're tate Dor-wnri; ,ir to tel ,ell yinix1cuttanrleaners iuesri'i take n hit ru make thein happy.:' Take ,iur gat. !or exarnple. ►ffectionate. lie hist looks,at you .and tarts,purrin.c. He even •Talks . hack. Yoh .tsk him a key, �luesnon, \.'uu bongo:' • tiid v n1 het ..rc ullr ans.ver ,'very erne: Seuneittnes !,1e: •urry For the cat he . arse fir 1(ive the (kid ,u -much. livery Ile gets. li ,oats .tt his tail. ifrabS. as his rye's .111(1 looks for ham when ttc•, gone. The clog. lie lust ignores .all this :mention. • Leftovers from supper or talk of taking at. walk these issues . interest him must. Su pets' deinands are slinple..,most of the lime. .\[riving e•erv.ytnckt_y. however, is to .tppuintnlent for our annual..at vaccination, dog and t:at Ilea !r'catmentand +lou heartworm .,ttew-tbles. This ;::4uais ,me hit:. vet 'mil. Then 01 . • course., there's dog..acculation time in December. Lots to Look forward to. • Pets are tlsir,i problem (vhen you want to go away. Do vote send the dodao a fr'iend's house and,hope:,t doesn't min away. • keep- ,t; at home andgets# • : neighbor to do•daily roundis or-- give •it up to:a kennel for the - , cyeekend - \Ve t' !tied kennels before'.' While I. Nits :easing the tog , behind at one of them: he climbed at 10-toot'lenre and. • chased my CAI' ;rut the driveay. During .tnother.kennet istt..he ended up with bite marks resembling .Dracula's t radentark. Once. kennel' kcepershad to sedate biro , ilecadse he got too hyper. -1. hope the \earth for habvsitters won't Ex .'s difficult. The cattcan look after himself. If we're awm but it means locking him indoors with a • never-ending: supply of food and a.hig-cat litter Normally he eats i.ine.aSured portions you give. him. ►rid is.accustomed to going , 'riside :about _2O times each clay. and making a little hammock un :op of the i.overs between your feet :it night. ; ., \inght, animals area big, responsibility. My family . doesn't heed more dogs and • gats. S(i...where do they sell rabbits around here? -- 1 Tories anger voters •The new cuts will remind them of why they • supported Hams and that for good or ill he is still keeping more promises than most poiiti clans. The Tories had tumbled to 35 per cent in pulls„behind the Liberals' 39 per cent, which ;should net have struck terror in them. because they .were much further behind the Liberals.be- fore the 1995 election and still won. The Tories also should have been resigned to . losing popularity between tax cuts, because their. redbctions in services hurt users and cost jubs. Their new tax cuts on schedule should make ihetn more respectable in polls and pro vide some comfort. Harris will face escalating Charges by the opposition parties and others that he is cutting services and hurting the disad- •vantaged to provide tax cuts which many don't need. The premier also will have to contend with a growing argument, particularly during the fed- eral election, that governments benefit mom by reducing their deficits and paying Tess interest than by cutting taxes and hoping residents. will spend their extra cash to create sales and jobs. Harris takes the second view, that putting more inoney in taxpayers' pockets will increase spending and jobs, but does not have much evi- . dente to support this so far. An increase in con- sumer spending is being attributed more to unu- sually low interest rates making financing of purchases less costly. Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien says it is more useful to ctit the deficit and' he will eliminate it first and then cut taxes, about 1999. Reform Party leader Preston Manning also is opting to eliminate the deficit before cutting . taxes, and only federal Tory leader Jean Char - est is promising tax cuts in his first year. Harris has his own timetable for wiping out Ontario deficits by the year 2000 and could do this earlier if he was not intent on tax cuts, but their attributes include coming along at conven- ient times to hearten his troops.