Times Advocate, 1998-02-18, Page 244
Page VIEWS... Letters to the Editor
Be wary of promises; Grand Bend
A research paper prepared by
Gambling in Canada states that
casinos tend to have less full
time work and more part-time...
Dear kditor: -
An in &pendent study warned some time ago "Be
wary of promises .01 bounteous jobs and tax reve-
nues from gamhling casinos". The following points
may amplify that statement
1)a mina►(4+u)-.rt-100-dlro ; full time jobs phis -the
as 50 per cent of net. table games. The ,key word is
net. Fair enough. -but we must consider that Funtime
salaries. rent and other operational expenses as well
as profits for the shareholders are deducted first.
We, or course, didn't hear what slice of the pie that
would be.
5) The ligure of un to $225,000 was used as trait
to the local council. That's lased on the 1.500 brit)
cry dollars the provincial government pays for each
• VLT -ine hundred and fifty will be allowed in the
Grand fiend arca. Funtime. indicated there would be
50 -in- the-- ages:I-Tea eontident our
local, politicians will not allow the extra 100 in eve-
ry conceivable, uncontrolled location.-- .So the
$225.000 perhaps is a bit of a dream.
6) if the exciting dollar figures were to become a
reality it's hard to agree with Funtimc's claim that
traffic will not be a prohicnt, especially at the
heightened summer season when already it's a ma-
jor-headache
a-
jorheadache,
I think thc proposed miracles would be hard to
sustain. •
To quote one noted researcher: "the most impor-
tant message is that many communities are, getting
into casinos without giving serious consideration to
what the true costs arc". I do not recall hearing or
reading in the provided info pack the social impact
•on our community. You would hardly think it
would be that much different than in other casino
areas -both here and in the U.S. where there is a
,much longer period of evidence.
Those of you who have the privilege of voting on
this issue, not only for yourself hut all your neigh-
hors- in the arca, please vote and vote No!
Bob Southcott
(;r:nod Bend
same numbri of indirect jobs with an attractive tnil-.
►ton dollars. per year payroll is stated in the casino
literature,. How do you get that many full -tinge jobs
from a seasonal Operation?
• 2 t While Fur'ime's research may be more exten-
sive than iii my fairly large tile i read a much more
conservative ligure since it is assumed. that some of
the higher paying .jobs will be siphoned -off from to-_
cal.husincsscs. A research paper prepared by Gam-
bling in Canada states that casinos tend lei have less
full -.time work and more -part-time than their coun-
terparts in other nobs. and their earnings tend to be a
bin lowei than the average.
-3) The hand-out literature. and repeated at thc
meeting. indicated that Orillia hasn't shown any sig-
nificant policing costs related 10 Casino Rama. it is
our understanding that the casino is located about
10 minutes from the city. A ,former reporter with the
Orillia Packet and ItineS wrote that. "gamblers roll
blindly through Orillia on the way t0 and from
Ran1a'. The statement. then, may not have included
Costs in that coItltitunity. -
4) The distribution of funds was correctly stated
Total freedom is not welcomed
Re: Letter to the Editor by Bruce
Perry, religious freedoms
important.... •
Dear Editor: • -
Thc 'writer asked two questions; How secure is
our -freedom of religious expression- and is Canada
on thc,samc track''
' Notwithstanding.i am not totally aware of the go-
-.ing and 'coming of our -political agendas I would
suggest that Canada is on the same track and there-
. hire our rcligious.expression (in the context quos -
honed) is quite insecure. With our ever changing
' MixtureOfreligions in Canada. it would he impossi-
ble lo allow religious freedoms without simultane-
push taking away religious freedonls.from.othcrs,
i would say innate in any freedom is some type of
restrictiveness:, Total freedom, in any social envi-
ronment. is not welcomed and in fact would certain-
- lj be a disservice to' the general populace. ,,
•Our history honks have shown us the -glory of re-
ligious freedom; in the Christian battles to purge the
heathens, in the disgraceful treatment of fellow hu-
mans of Canadian Aboriginal descendants, in the
.deplorahlc treatment of innocent young boys in or-
phanages in Nlld and B.C.
Most of us know these people did represent
churches that presented the Christian values.
There arc important religious liberties that should
not be lost but should he daily exercised; there arc:
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself
He that is without sin among you let him first cast
a stone... and my favorite story about the good Sa-
maritan who. when he saw a man half dead on a
road. he had compassion on him..
Go and do likewise. .
While I play be. concerned about the religious
freedoms that arc being restricted by legislation. 1
am more concerned about the religious liberties that
are not being exercised.
• 1, too. am part of the problem.
Sincerely.
Carla. Schcrle-Thompson
Copy of letter to MP Paul Steckle
Please ask Mr. Chretien why 40
pages of the original document
given to MPs are missing. ,
Dear Editor:
Having been ignored by your office after request-
ing an interview before Christmas..1 still await your
phone response. At that time 1 wanted your clear ac-
tion plan regarding the Multilateral Agreement on
Investment (MAI) that is before parliament..1 am a
proud fifth generation Canadian who deeply regrets
our present malaise -,.social. economic, environmen-
tal. and spiritual, yet our nation itself is jhe envy of
the globe. 1 must conclude our leadership or lack of
it is the key to our anxiety and insecurity. Mistrust
of politicians. is proportionate to their scorn for the
common good where being lobbied and supported
by pro husiness interests to maintain power over
the voters themselves; If I appear agitated, please
understand 1 must talk to you because you refuse so
far to talk with me. (after Two office calls and a sec
retary's promise you'd phone me).
A recent Macleans poll claimed 76 per cent of Ca-
nadians -believe no political party offers a "concrete
solution to the nation's major challenges". Not only
has your Liberal government failed to respond to
the very real issues of joblessness and insecurity. it
has secretly lobbied with the USA in Paris to pro- -
mote the O.E.C.D.'s new (MAI). We are being sold
out!
How • in • consc fence can you vote for such -a bro-
kered deal? Where is the public debate? Why is the
vote imminent yet Canadians held at bay? How can
you concede the last shreds of control over suprana-
tional corporations what already dominate too much
of our daily lives? (Top 200 corporations have gross
income'equal to four -fifth of the world's people!)
Monopoly control is not competitive, it is the oppo-
site, yet the MAI extends it. -
The MAI (thirrd draft April 1997) outlines global
investment rules so investment here cannot be limit-
ed or controlled here by Parliament. Corporations
rule! Voters lose.
MAI components demand weakened national
standards in labor, environment, law, taxation, so-
cial programs for the poor, intellectual property
rights, banking....
Indeed nationalism and local standards will de-
generate even more,
The MAI creates moral disorder by investing our
ethical reasoning - human needs become subverted
to business values. It focuses on money only and vi-
olates social conventions as outlined by Tony
Clarke in "Silent Corp." This document will make
FTA and NAFTA negligible in relevance. Since, if
passed, it limits future Canadian governments to
even intervene on behalf of votes. it becomes the
new imperialism of money - the darkest day for dc-
)nocracy.
Transnationals will have control (even scripture
prophecy will he fulfilled). Speculation in financial
markets is already out of control and destabilizing
nations (Southeast Asia), even Canada, but with
M.A.I. it will intensify without checks while real
national needs go unmet. This is an outrage impact-
ing six billion people!
Please ask Mr. Chretien why 40 pages of the orig-
inal document given to MPs arc missing.
Please express your contempt for such secrecy in
the House of Commons. Please activate debate lo-
cally and immediately to determine .MAis future -
Refotm or Scrap? The voters demand accountable
leadership and you Mr. Steckle have that onerous
duty: . -
Just imagine these probabilities if MAI passes as
is:
1. Canada will be sued for subsidizing programs
to make jobs here (nations will be barred from suing
corporations) by those TNC's. The reverse will be
illegal. -
2. Foreign companies will get equal treatment
here without our interference i.e. no favouring Ca-
nadian workers at all.
3. Corporations will freely move raw materials
and services globally at will (plunder resources and
skim profits away).- -
4. Crown corporations can be bought up by off-
shore corp.
5. All settlements of dispute get settled by interna-
tional unelected tribunals without recourse by na-
tions in law.
6. Even local councils will be forced to conform
to global terms i.e. contracts for roads...
Fact:
1. MAi if passed, locks Canada in for 20 years. If
we renege in the first five years, all rules will stay in
effect for the full 20 years.
2. Any newly elected Canadian governinent will
be compelled to also follow MAI due to its "no
rollback clause."
3. A "Standstill Clause" bars nations from en-
hancing present national standards and in fact, lim-
its them over time.
I can only urge you, Mr. Steckle, to speak out on
dear Canada's behalf now while it is a prized na-
tional right. We have some building to do and the
MAI is only destructive to Canadians. We will un-
doubtedly earn future scorn from our own children
by our complacency in allowing MAI.
Patriotically
David Hern, Woodham
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Smoking survey
"The survey uncovered a potential
new market in the bar industry for
non=smokers
Dear Editor: •
Two Massachusetts. universities jointly conducted
a survey of 2,356 adults over.thc space of 10 months
to determine whether or not people would change
their dining habits if restaurants and bars went
smoke-free. .
The results, presented to the American Medical
Association in Deeemberrwere-sut +rising, parlieu
increased use was ahnost twice as much as those
predicting decreased 'use (20 per cent versus 10.8 per
cent).
The results of the survey clearly contradict the
popular argument that restaurants and bar's would
lose husiness if comrnunities.enact non-smoking •
Ordinances. The results -support the findings of
another American study showing no adverse eco-
nornic impact of smoking bans in Kars in California
and restaurants in Colorado and California.
Other findings of the -survey:
. • the vase majority of srnokcrs and non-smokers
Iarly to those who assumed that going smoke-free
would mean the death of many establishments.
About two-thirds of those surveyed said ending
smoking in restaurants aftd bars would have no
impact on how frequently they patronize those estab-
lish►nents, while one in three people would choose to
dine out more often al smoke-free restaurants. One
in five surveyed would patronize Kars more often if `
they were smokeless. -
The survey uncovered a potential new market in
the lar industry for non-smokers. potential_
per
cent ()I' those surveyed said they never go to Kars: -
lounges or places where alcohol is served. hut tin
per cent of them said they' would start going -if srilok-
ing were eliminated.
Of those who predicted a change in thcir.restau- -
rant -going habits. the proportion predicting
increased patronage was almost four times greater
than those predicting decreased patronage (31 per
cent versus 7.9 per cent). For bars, those predicting
believe environmental tobacco smoke (E'1'S3 can
cause cancer in non-smokers and is harmful to chil-
dren's health.
• sixty-four per cent said They were bothered "a ..
.great -deal" or "somewhat" by ETS. .
• nearly forty per cent reported avoiding a place in
the past due to tobacco smoke.
As of August 1996. 191 cities, towns and counties
in the UtS. had enacted ordinances Nanning smoking
.in restaurants. Thirty of these ordinances also require -
hars to he smoke-free.
The survey pioinisesto be important 10 the
(',utadian-niedical contuiunity as well, as large and
small cities alike in this country. wrestle_ with thc
issue of enacting'non-smoking legislation and the
effect this may have economically for loth owners
of the affected establishments, as well as in oiler
areas sacci as tourism.. - •
-
Ken Camphcll.
• RR I. Hay -
The "P" word
Does nobody care anymore. Is
there no concern for others,:...
Dear Editor:
The other day I was having a coffee (one of the
world's hest) and three teenagers came, ordered and
sat down. 1 was not listening to their conversation
but 1 clearly overheard some_ favorite expressions of
today's people; F you, No F ing way. Should 1
have mentioned the "P" word?
I walked over to the grocery store, past a car
stopped at the front, motor running, windows all
closed, young Mother all bundled up inside srnok-
ing a cigarette, child all' bundled in the protective
carseat; breathing in _the second hand smoke..Sad
ignorant Mother; poor unfortunate child. "Should i
have mentioned thc "P" word?-
! drove home, .stopped downtown to buy some
medicine for my allergies, parked the car in front of
thc store. A senior citizen drove into thc parking
spot ahead of me, got out of the car, left it' running
-and went into thc store. Dear wife -was inside the
car, all bundled up, windows all closed; Should 1
have mentioned the "P" word?
Here is an example of people born in different
times, all creating to the "P" word POLLUTION.
In the first instance, this type of pollution, al-
though soniewhat offensive use of language in pub
lic, did me little harm.
Secondly, _-1 was also not harmed by the Mother
smoking in the car. but is there no way .i as a caring
parent -can conte to the rescue of !his poor innocent
child? 11 I saw Mother strike thc child in public i
certainly could and, would,. say something; second
hand smoke is much more damaging, long ,terrn;
than the strike. of a frustrated parent. The running
car motor , well that's another is'ue.
Thirdly, i was. somewhat disappointed in the per-
son enjoying their retirement years having no regard
to polluting the air around us. if enough motors
were left running this 'had" air would creep into the
grocery rystreland
on the fresh vegetables and otber
non packaged foods. it would enter thc hake shops_
and land 0.n the open baked items. Eventually this
will enter our body and do us little good.
'Docs -NOBODY care anymore? is there no con-
cern of others, would we not do all to protect our
precious child from lurking danger; how about our -
• grandchildren? Have we forgotten about "acid .
rain", air pollution. noise •pollution? Have • we bc- ..
cgme totally selfish? Where. are thc "Do gooders" of
today? Cloistered together oblivious to their respon-
sibilities'? -
But.for one voice crying from the wilderness!
- Yours very truly
J. Wilson Thompson
..Record year for Heart and Stroke Foundation
Much of this record-breaking suc-
cess lies in our ability to let our
community know what the issues
•• are....
Dear Editor:
Thanks to the donors in our community. who, like
. our volunteers, made 1997 a record year for us at
the Heart and Stroke Foundation. We heat all our
fund raising records by breaking through the $50
• million harrier for the first time. We've been able to
allocate significant new funds into research, includ-
ing $6 million to create- three endowed .research
chairs. We are also very proud of our continuing in-
crease in • research funding to a record amount of
.$23 million this past year. .
Our first, province -wide multi-million dollar lot-
tery enabled us to raise these record revenues! Not
only wasour program the only mega -lottery to com-
pletely sell out last year, but it sold out two.weeks
early!
Our on-going challenge is to motivate thc at -risk
members of our community to modify thcir life-
styles to help prevent heart disease or stroke.
Stroke, often cited as Canada's forgotten disease.
has reinaincd a Foundation priority. A Stroke Care
Ontario plan was developed to improve medical
care standards and is under review by the Ministry .
of Health. We introduced several new' resources for
stroke patients and caregivers, and continue efforts
to increase the general public's ability to recognize
and react to stroke's warning signs. ,
We are also making great strides in raising aware-
ness among women about their risk of developing
heart disease. too often thought to be a man's dis-
case. This year, we will continue to hold informa-
tion sessions around this topic. -
Much of this record-breaking success lies in our
ability' to let our community know 'what the issues
are. and what we're doing about them. Through the
many health promotion and fund raising activities
we organize, the memhers.of, this, community con-
tinue to learn about thc Foundation's work for rais-
ing money -for life-saving heart and stroke research.
it's the wonderful partnership we have between
our loyal volunteers, donors and the community that
has made our successes possible. We are truly grate-
ful for your enthusiasm and commitment! . -
• Gayle King.
Huron Heart and Stroke
Foundation President
Province still collecting road user, fees
"Road users will now have to pay
twice for this essential service."
Dear Editor:
When the present provincial government was first
elected, we heard a great deal about users paying for
services rendered. This policy appears to have been
completely ignored in the restructuring program that
is taking place between the provincial government -
and the municipalities.
Let us look at road user fees. Here we have the sit-
uation where the province is transferring total
responsibility for the majority of the road system to
the municipalities to be financed by the property
taxes, while at the same time the province continues
to levy the same road user fees. Road users will now
have to pay twice for this essential service.
Meanwhile, even before the full extent of this
financial transfer is known, estimates for 1997-98
show the province is now collecting $1.275 billion
per year more in road user fees than is being spent
on our total transportation system. All this while our
roads continue to deteriorate. Road safety becomes a
major issue and congestion worsens. To put it blunt-
ly, a higher percentage of fees now being collected
needs to be put back into the roads.
The Better Roads Coalition urges the provincial
government to carry out a full review of road financ-
ing practices not from a jurisdictional point of view
' (province and municipality) but from the road user
perspective - the taxpayer that drives the roads and
pays the fees.
We would urge all road users to contact their
provincial members of the Legislature to request that
this injustice be corrected.
The Better Roads Coalition is a Coalition of road
users dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of
the total road system.
Yours sincerely,
Harold Gilbert, Chairman
Better Roads Coalition, Etohicokc