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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-01-21, Page 4Page 4 Tinges -Advocate, January 21, 1998 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: con Smith Production Manager: Deb lord Adverti yirig; Barb'Consitt, Chad Eedy. . News; Heather Mir, Kate Monk, Craig Bradford, . Chantal!Van Raay, Ross Haugh Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner TranSQWtation: Al Hodgert CCM" • Front Office & Accounting; Sue Rollings, Carol Windsor Ruthanne'Negrijn. Anita, McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple, Ruth Slaght. •Sheila Corbett The Exeter Times Advocate is a member of a family of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership EDITORIAL It is much too soon to scuttle the ship calth care has Once again sur- faced as an istiue,of vital importance. The use of the word "vital is nota cri- incidence. This is literally a rttatter of life or death. It is also -a matter of quail- ty of life, of the opportunity to enjoy and contribute to one's community to the hest of one's ability, however limit - cd that might he.. . - This means providing supports to keep the elderly. and disabled in their own homes, providing medical treat-. merit in the community, -and not merely "warehousing" those requiring long term care. It is a concept which looks good on paper - and great in press re- leases. . - This government -is continuing the - policy of previous governments in clos- ing -psychiatric hospitals. The theory is . mentally ill peoplcare Netter treated - close to home and family, in communi- ty hospitals (yes, the ones -which are closing keds and laying off staff). • When one thinks of mental hospitals. . one- pictures a 1 9th century institution with bars on windows and dark wards filled with screaming "Bedlamites".. Horrible places by today's standards', one mast remember they were -a rela- tively modern innovation in their day, marking a vast%improvement in how mentally ill people were treated. Modern psychiatry and effective drugs have long -since removed the Kars from the windows and opened the - locked wards. Can we close them .- com- pletely? Some believe we can, and,' should. But with community hospitals , • in a poor.position to take up the slack, and local support services staff already stretched to the limits, there is a real fear this would'be a step backward.. - Rather than receiving compassionate • and effective care close to home, too - - many psychiatric patients would end up - in unlicensed and unsupervised group homes, jail, or frozen to death under a highway overpass. This is not a matter of seeing shadows where none exist; it is already. happening. • A similar situation is occurring in many other areas otihealth care. Dis- abled people who depend on Bruce Grey and Huron Disability Transportation were hit .with the real_possibility the ser- vice would fold Jan. 1 of this year for lack of financial support from the prov- ince. Notice was received in December that two-year funding had come through, hut it left many people wondering what conies next. During the scramble to to-. Cate alternative dollars, it quickly he - came apparent that no one municipali- ties, hospitals, service organizations - was in a position.to take over this impor- tant service. Funding for hospital respite care has - hcen cut. along with many.programs. which allowed people with serious phys- ical disabilities to remain in their homes. Instead -of being able to have a loved one admitted to hospital at public expense for a day, when the home caregiver is _ill or has to travel out of town, the family must now cover the cost somehow - plus pay for wheelchairs, orthopedic shoes, crutches and other assistive devices. Some families, hit with increased costs and decreased help, are for the first time considering long term care facilities. Waiting lists have stretched from weeks to months to more than a year for surgery and therapy that would enable people to live fuller, healthier lives. Peo- ple with treatable conditions die await- .1 ing surgery. .. For the young woman who sits in a wheelchair because there is no room in a rehabilitation program that would have her -walking; for.the family of the men- - tally -ill man who becomes violent and abusive whenever he is sent home from hospital and won't take.his-medication: and for the -woman whose adult disabled child has access to substantially fewer services than 4i couple of -years ago - this is a plea to officials making decisions about health care. Please make sure - there arcenough life boats before you scuttle the ship. SuuKern !:: Nems Speak Out Letters to the Editor The Times -Advocate 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.forbrevity.- Please send your letters to P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario. NOM 1S6. Sign your letter with both:name and -address. Anonymous letters will not be published: A View from Queen's Park TORONTO -- A natural disaster can some- times blow someone .sottte good, and one win- ner from Ontario's Most destructive storm this winter has been Progressive Conservative Pre- mier Mike Harris. Before the ice storm that shut off power to much of the eastern part of the province,. Har- ris's biggest need. as he conceded recently, was to 'look kinder and gentler after two years of cutting costs and services.- In, ervices.In; the storm and its. aftermath, the( tt mier has been seen on TV and in newspapers fting generators on trucks bound for hard-hit are- as.'-- A determined -looking Harris has been watched hoarding helicopters and declaring •"i want to sec for myself." -- Harris has been pictured serving breakfast to temporarily, homeless people in a shelter, a big changes -of image for the premier whose best - remembered comment on the homeless was that many choose to live on the streets. He warmed up to farmers in stables, asking about their problems looking after livestock By Eric Dowd Publications Mail Registration Number 07511 SUBSCRIPTION RATES; -One year rate for Canada subscribers - 835.00 + OST Two year rate for Canada subscribers - 863.00 + GST 1.1el1L 1riryNeh -1AN COA,A,L„ A2' , •1919-199 �,OM•` ��fe1 ASO 6,,Suc of NS CO`A°' OTHER RATES Outside Canada - $102.00 Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S6 by 1.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1-519-235-1331 • Fax: 519-235-0766 emall:taeeedy.com G.S.T. *R105210835 That's my opinion By Chantall Van Raay • Slowly, I lose my faith in the Leafs When Tie Domi takes a shot at his offender. which he is known to do. and Felix the Cat tltvt;s to save another incredible_ shot. rut' _ ahashed when" i look at the stand- ings • and. find the • Toronto Maple. Leafs just -aren't what they .used to. he. Granted, it has keen a long time since the Maple Leafs have -won the • Stanley Cup.. but at least when 1 was •growing up it was enjoyable to Watch a game hecause you. knew: they still had a chance of winning. or at least not embarrassing them , •selves. Now. they go off on these five - gable losing streak washroom breaks and shrug'thcir shoulders as - if to say. "We played well, defcn-- lively. They got a. -couple of good hreak=aways: We .need to -work on • our offence. defence. whatever." 1f you listen carefully to the com- ments of a hockey • player after , a .game you. will. notice they are all' the same. • Hockey players arc told what to' say. That is why you will, , always here • the same remarks. Somdtimes 1 think they accidentally' say'the wrong remark because it makes: very little sense to what ac- tually went on - during the game. National hockey, players are not al- ways the smartest athletes. Football. and soccer players. yes. because most of them went to university. Hockey players get .to the top by moving up from their home town " junior league to the NHL draft Where- they don't play for a couple of years until they are thrown in cause of an injury or soniething and then they're praised for their talent. They were sitting on the bench .'the whole time and out on the ice we have retirees like Wendel Clarke: Another disappointment is Felix Potvin. Onc of my long-time favor- ites is heginthing to lose his claws. Granted. he sweats so much during the gable he has to drill Miles in the bottom of his skates to let the sweat out, - Maybe he's lust going through. a spell, maybe he'll he hack. maybe he'll remain a constant embarrass- ment to the die hard Leaf fans who "keep telling themselves it's just a spell. 1 don't know. • . • ' But as much as I slam the Leafs 1 still have faith in them. They do the oddest thing like lose five games to the worst teams and then win a game against the top team and you begin to wonder. "How do they do • that:'" • .The team has been .analyzed to mulch already so). won't even be gin to attempt figuring them out. i justenjoy watching the game. I'm not 'very good at analyzing it so don't call me up tomorrow wanting to discuss the technicalities of last night's game. i'Il probably say things like "the Leaf's *^&! me off." or '-why the (kg -ft! am 1 still a heat's fan:'" •- . - Onc day.. many moons from now. the Leafs will drink from the Star; Icy Cup. That will he the day 1'l1 sigh a sign of relief and say. "the ul- cer was worth it." f• without power, and in his jacket with the Special Olympics logo encouraged cold and tired emer- gency worker clearing fallen • branches and re- storing power. The premier was reported requesting help from the Canadian Forces, urging drivers to stay off icy roads and out of storm areas, thanking community groups for rallying around and .as- curing vaguely his government would "do every- thing we can" to -help: . • The Toronto Star, not normally a friend, ran front-page banner headlines declaring. that Har- ris cares, including "Harris pleads for aid as vi- ral zones freeze" and "Harris fears for storm vic- tims." • At least eight of Harris's ministers were viewed lending a hand. Deputy Premier and Fi- nance Minister Ernie Eves was at the front in- specting damage with the explanation he has to find funds for repairs. Energy Minister Jim Wilson investigated dam- age to the electricity distribution system and at- tempts to repair. Agriculture Minister Noble Harris depicted as someone who cares Villeneuve checked dairy farms. Natural Re- sources Minister John Snobelen• took a "ferry to • see his ministry's work crews help residents on- Wolfe nWolfe Island. Solicitor General Bob Runciman and .Envi- ronment Minister Norm Sterling; both from the, storm -hit area. toured it soothing residents. Transportation Minister Tony Clement was spotted among the high-priced help loading generators and Consumer Minister David Tsu- bouchi stacking firelogs on a truck at a liquor store collecting donations for relief.. The Tories had almost as many of their lead- ing lights on the road as in an election and -en- sured all their activities were well publicized by inviting news media. Harris and his ministers have- legitimate roles to play in a disaster like this. Anyone can lift a generator on to a truck, as Harris did several times to make sure the cameras got it right, but TV is more interested in a premier doing this and gave it more space and it helped a good • cause. A;premier who goes to a disaster scene heart- - some in difficulty and encourages them to . feel government is listening. . Harris would be criticized if he failed to • spend time on front lines focussing attention on needs and letting know his government will help. The Tory premier looked in charge and ensur- ing practical things were done, which is a way he has looked before. But he also looked for a change compassion- ate and caring, which is the image he needs • most at this time. - - Harris upset Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty, who accused him of not helping enough and or- ganized a rival tour, but must have smarted most because hard-nosed Harris was being de- picted as a premier who cares. Harris is still being criticized because he left on an overseas trade mission before all power was restored, but if he had wandered with ATV cameras down many more icy streets he could have been seen as cashing in on a tragedy.