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Tintes-Advocate, May 27, 1998
Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett
Business Manager: Don 'smith
Production Manager. ',Alb Lord
Advertising; Barb Consitt, Chad Eedy
News, Kate Monk, Craig Bradford,
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Ruth Slaght,
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I'1)I'I )IU ,kI,
New youth goes too far and not far enough
66
J et the punishment fit the
crime," sings the character in the old
Gilbert and Sullivan musical.
In its updated incarnation, it seems to
be the theme song for the federal gov-
ernment's recently announced changes
to the Young Offenders Act - changes
which seem to have accomplished the
impossible by annoying everyone.
Some say they have not gone far
enough. While the occasional hardened,
dangerous 14 -year-old criminal may
now end up getting tried and convicted
in adult court, the law is still helpless to
deal with the 11 -year-olds who thumb
their little noses at police.
Others condemn the new laws as un-
necessarily harsh - punitive rather than
preventative. They insist that no matter
how horrible the crime, no child of 14
should be written off as a hopeless
criminal.
In general, the new laws will do little
to protect, society. They are not harsh
enough to act as a deterrent, and deter-
rents tend to have little affect on the
crime rate. All the changes will do is
make some people feel the government
is cracking down on youth crime.
This is not the first government to de-
cide it needed to show muscle in fight-
ing crime. At one point in British histo-
ry, the list of capital offenses was
lengthy. Hanging was this ptmisbnleft•
of choice for everything from murder to
minor theft. It guaranteed tfie criminal
would never re -offend. But apparently
the hanging of a pickpocket provided a
wonderful opportunity for other pick-
pockets to ply their trade.
At least in North America (not count-
ing Texas), we are much more civilized
these days. We don't kill people who
take money. As per the O.J. Simpson
situation, the reverse is true. We take.
money from people who kill - unless
the criminal is under 18 years of age, in
which case we pat him on the head and
tell him not to do that any more.
There are many who feel the nature of
the crime, not the age of the criminal,
should dictate how the courts proceed.
Some crimes are truly minor - theft of
someone's garbage can, a shoving.match
at the local watering hole, a bounced
cheque for $20, a shoplifter caught with
a 99 cent bag of chips. All these crimes
have victims, true, and all are worthy of
prosecution. But what good is a couple
of days in jail, or a fine, for the guy with
the stolen garbage can? First of all, th::
victim wants the item returned in good
condition. Secondly, having the thief
mow his lawn a couple of times would
do make amends than paying $100 to
the court. As for the thief, does he really
need a criminal record, something which
would affect many aspects of his life in-
cluding his career, for a single, minor of-
fense?
According to the last pronouncement
from the federal government, we will
continue to have a two-tiered legal sys-
tem', one for youth and one for adult.
The dividing line will be less absolute
than it has been, however. Perhaps the
time is ripe for looking at criteria other
than age for all people charged. There is
ample precedent. We now have various
levels of adult court- general division,
and provincial (without getting into
complex levels of the appeal process,
family court, civil action and the rest of
it).
Could we not have a municipal court
which would operate by the same rules
as ;youth court - stress on counselling,
community service and restitution in-
steadof jail, no names released, no crim-
inal record? Instead of judge and/or jury,
it would have a committee of citizens
(nothing new - eversion is already used
by some aboriginal groups). It would be
used for most youth, and adults charged
with very minor offenses - people who
are unlikely to re -offend.
Because it would exist at the local lev-
el, it would operate more cheaply, and
respond faster, than conventional courts,
thus serving the needs of the communi-
ty, victim and offender better. It would
also free up some badly needed time in
our provincial courts.
As the executioner would sing, "Let
the punishment fit the crime." At
present, it does not.
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 for brevity. Please send your
letters to P.O. Boz 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
ONTO - The luck of the Irish is holding
up better here than it is back home.
While rival factions in the Republic and
Northern Ireland struggled to put together a
peace settlement that wilt last, their relatives in
the Ontario legislature approved unanimously
a private member's bill designating March 17,
St.Patrick's Day, as Irish Heritage Day on
which to celebrate that community's contribu-
tions to Ontario society.
The bill needs only the approval of govern-
ment, a formality, and follows a bill which des-
ignated April 6 as Tartan Day, recognizing the
Scots.
Scots have more dominated Ontario politics
and business. A dozen premiers and the same
number of lieutenant governors were of Scots
origin and Scots ran the banks, education and
medicine and dourly ensured Ontarians were
among the last in the world to be allowed to
watch movies or buy alcohol_on.Sundays.
Progressive Conservative MPP John O'Toole
(you can hardly find a more Irish name) wisely
By Eric Dowd
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It it IC ur •
*****
"THUMBS UP!"
-SHAREHOLDERS
1/2*
"A BOMB!"
-WORKERS
Missiles and musings
By Craig Bradford
Taking trip to herald our hockey heroes
Our Exeter Jr. 1) Hawks may not
he all -Ontario champions. hut each
player is a hero in our, hockey.
hearts. •
- That's the feeling this -.ports
scribe found buried in his naturally
skeptical stomach tollowing•the an-
nual Hawks banquet .and awards
night last week.
Team mcmhers have had a ninth
or so to lick their wounds atter
missing a chance to become provin-
cial champions after losing game
seven of the all -Ontario final series
to a hungry Wellesley club.
Some players were there in '95/
96 when the Hawk. won it all.
They savored the victory and atter
the tough loss to Wellesley now
know how special it is to win an
all -Ontario title. Some great hockey
players go through their careers and
never hoist a championship cup
over their heads.
That's the story for most of the
rest of the Hawks. The pain of los-
ing game seven was ev ident with
almost grown men crying like ha -
hies over Lalling fust short. both on
the ice follotiing the final hurter
and in the dressing room preparing
for the long hus ride hack to Exeter.
But the '97/98 Hawks deserve to
hold their heads high for what they
accomplished. They proved naysay-
ers wrong hy surpassing preseason
predictions that they didn't have
the stuff to go all the way. And
they earned what all people need a
little ot. whoever they get it —
character. -
The Hawk;' run for the provin-
cial title this playoff season provid-
ed me with many memories that are
still fresh in my
mind. Sean
N1cCann's short-
handed goal ,in over-
time to win gattte
two over Seatorth.
McCann repeated the
same rare teat to win
game lour versus
Wellesley: the game
seven performance
versus Port Stanley.
the Hawks' hest played game of the
.casein: the pain evident by the
tears on players' facgs when the fi-
nal huller broke their dreams at the
end of game seven versus Welles-
ley. •
But the moment 1 will always re-
member is atter the third goal was
scored in 'Exeter's 4-1 game seven
win in Port Stanley. Jeff Glavin es-
• sentially finished the Lakers off by
scoring a shorthanded goal to give
Exeter a commanding 3-1 lead. But
instead of doing the usual in your
face celebration. Glavin Nkated
hack to his brother. Andy. who was
stopping Just about everything in
between the pipes for the Hawks,
Jeff gave his older brother a big hug
to share his elation. That's about as
good a feeling hockey -can give you
at any level.
...the Hawks
deserve our thanks
for providing us
with much needed
drama to help us
forget the ups and
downs of our
everyday lives.
•
•
Only a few players
can win awards given
out by the league and
the team executive.
But all of our Hawks
deserve our thanks
for providing us with
a season full of thrills
and chills and some
much needed drama
to help -us forget the
ups and downs of our
everyday lives.
The Hawks' executive showed
their appreciation for their team's
drive and desire that brought them
to the hrink of an all -Ontario title
by giving them team jackets despite
tolling short. We. the fans. can do
the same hy adopting some of that
championship spirit and applying it
to our lives:
See you at the rink next season.
did not compare the contributions, but said those
of the Irish have been "outstanding", particularly
in such fields as scholarship, oratory, literature
and sports.
The Irish have had success in business. Timo-
thy Eaton, from Antrim, founded the noted
chain of department stores now fallen on hardet
times. Their recent politicians included Darcy
McKeough, a commanding Tory treasurer and
cost -cutter before it was in vogue, who would
have been premier in 1977 if William Davis had
stepped down (as many felt he should) on fail-
ing to win a majority in two successive elec-
tions.
The legislature's cleverest orator for two dec-
ades has been Sears Conway, who described Da-
vis's noted circumlocutious style of speaking as
being "like the old Newfoundland railway,
which twisted and turned, chugged up hill and
down dale and meandered through the remotest
sidings before eventually reaching its destina-
tion."
O'Toole said, .t bit tongue in cheek, that i; is
Ontario is a place to be envied
mere stereotyping that the Irish are great drink-
ers and fighters. But one who fit. this bill was
Frank Drea, a Davis minister.
A delegation that met Drea in his office com-
plained that he had over -imbibed. but Drea,
also endowed with the gift of the gab, was such
an asset in adding a human touch to a bloodless
cabinet that he had to be kept on.
Lieutenant Governor Hilary Weston was
born in Ireland and even those who begrudged
her the post on grounds she had not done
enough to deserve it will concede that she has
thrown herself into the endless roundof wel-
comings with enthusiasm and poise.
Among thinkers of Irish descent were such as
Marshall McLuhan, with his revolutionary. ac-
claimed theories on culture and communica-
tions, and gentle humorist Gregory Clark.
The sportsmen included Sean O'Sullivan, a
world champion amateur boxer, and Conn
Smythe, who built Maple Leaf Gardens.
O'Toole also threw in the name of Sid Ryan,
the union leader who most gets on Premier
Mike Harris's nerves' and who • was last heard
threatening to picket and close companies if
they attempt to employ workfare recipients. No
one can deny Ryan has that Irish trait of stick-
ing up for himself. -
A distinctly non -Irish • MPP, Liberal Rick
Bartolucci, said he had a right to join in be-
cause his wife Maureen was a member of the
Reilly family and the best Irish bands anywhere
are in his hometown of Sudbury.
MPPs told the charming, fanciful stories the
Irish tell, one claiming to be related to a king of
Ulster and another to St. Patrick himself.
But it was left to Irish-born New Democrat
Tony Martin to explain, more down to -earth,
how he emigrated as a child in 1960 and "found
a new world where Protestant and Catholic
Irish got together, partied, celebrated and sup-
ported each other, and most weddings and
dances were held in the Polish hall" and why,
therefore, ,Ontario is a place to be envied.
A
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