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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-02-17, Page 9Wednesday, February 17, 1999: Exeter Times -Advocate Qpifli�n&Fo 9 10YEARS AGO February 15, 1989 - Leanne Bickel] was named Queen of the 1989 Kirkten-Woodham Winter Carnival. She was crowned by last year's winner Carolyn Dykeman. Zurich Hydro manager Charlie Eckel has resigned his position to accept a similar post with the Palmerston Hydro Commission. Grand Bend Winter Carnival Queen Kathy Merner was featured front and centre in Saturday's parade which included floats from local organizations and businesses and most adhered closely to the Walt Disney theme of the carnival. 20 YEARS AGO February 15, 1979 - Lions club treasurer George Godbolt reports profits from the sixth annual Exeter Sportsmen's dinner for crippled children would be over $5,000. Top speakers were Frank Selke Sr. of the Montreal Canadiens and baseball's Bobby Bragan. Thanks to a $3,200 donation from the Exeter Kinsmen club, the South Huron Hospital physio- therapy wing will get some new equipment. Laurie Russell was crowned Queen of the 1979 Kirkton-Woodham Winter Carnival. 30YEARS AGO February 16, 1969 - The Times Advocate editori- al page came out against the doubling of post office box rental fees in 1969. The argument was that urban and farm customers paid nothing for deliv- ery right to their homes. 35 YEARS AGO February 17, 1964 - Mr. and Mrs. Ward Fritz recently returned from a cruise to Kingston, Jamaica, Haiti and Nassau. Dennis Hazelton, Kirkton and Ann Marie Kraft won the senior public speaking contest at SHDHS this week. The new system of arithmetic favourably impressed Exeter public school principal Arthur Idle and a group of teachers who .viewed classroom work in Kitchener schools last week. A Centralia rink skipped by Mardi Johnston won the second draw of the ladies invitational curling bonspiel at the airport club, Wednesday. Other members were Lil Walker, Helen Burton and Grace Skinner Tenders have been called by the federal depart- ment of public works for construction of a new post office in Grand Bend. 40YEARS AGO February 14, 1959 - Kaye Worden of Staffa won the district spelling championship and the Times Advocate plaque. Runner-up was Joan Smith of Crediton. Sandra Lee Jory captured first prize and Margaret Howey and Pauline Aquilina were next in line in the Exeter PUC public speaking contest. Dashwood village trustees -honoured Charles Steinhagen last week for his 50 years of faithful service to the community. He was appointed a county constable in 1909 and has also performed since then as PUC and utility man. Three members of the Stephen 4-H calf club were presented with winners' cheques at the annual meeting of the Stephen Federation of Agriculture. They were Glen Sharpe; Doug Russell and Ernest Morenz. 50YEARS AGO February 16, 1949 - Clark Fisher is in Toronto this week as a delegate from the Exeter Agricultural Society to the Provincial Fairs Association annual meeting. Preston Dearing was in Toronto last week attending a meeting of the Ontario Sheep Breeders Association. Arthur llaist of Grand Bend suffered the loss of his left eye from injuries received in a hockey game in 'Tedford, Wednesday. 75 YEARS AGO • February. 18, 1924 - At the meeting of the llurondale Women's Institute held at the home of the Misses Oke, Rev. Donnelly gave an excellent address on Filling Your Neck. A demonstration on icing cakes was given by Mrs. J. Bolton, Miss N. Keddy and Miss J. Strang. A leap year skate was held at the Dome rink on Wednesday evening last and many enjoyed a pleasant time on the ice. The finale was -a grand march led by Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Boyle. ROSS HAUGH BACK INTIPIE LETTERS TO THE EDI rOR A clergy's perspective on heath care Dear Editor: To acclaim that society is changing dramatically is not an over -statement. Indeed, we have made sig- nificant advances since the introduction of general anaesthetics and the first gramophone. Household computers are now commonplace. Of course, not every person, or institution, celebrates every shift in society's direction. Nevertheless, changes are happening rapidly in every facet of our lives. Perhaps the implications inherent in change significantly impact on our sys- tem more than in any other area. For example, approximately one third of current government spending is directed towardthe support of the health care system. This financial obligation is both • alarming and challenging. It is obvious that changes are needed. For not only will spiraling health care costs impact on the quality of health care delivery, but it will be a determining factor in `who' gets treated when and with `what' resources. Of course, change in technology is a major contrib- utor in this important arena. Technology is never going to be the panacea for life and death issues. Furthermore, financial con- straints are an integral part of our daily function- ing: institutions have to effectively operate under such a similar umbrella. Consequently, as clergy, we have to engage patients, their families, and the community in an effective framework whereby questions can be addressed and decisions made if life is to be celebrated. Furthermore, we have to empower patients and their families in their decision making, through support and compassion, and in consultation with the community. Of course, when confronted with the complex issues surrounding quality of life, there are frequently many more questions than clearly defined answers; nevertheless,• with soci- ety's slate ever changing in scope and colour, choices have to be made, however painful, if patients and families are to experience quality of life. Put differently, patients and families more than ever before, need a listening ear, a reasoned pres- ence and a compassionate voice, if they are expect- ed to address the many complex issues confronting them, while at the same time being able to make decisions with some degree of comfortability and confidence. Although this pathway is embedded with many intangibles, hopefully the pilgrimage can offer patients and their families some semblance of control and newness. REV. CORDELL PARSONS Minister, Exeter United Church Working together to get drunk drivers off the road Drunk driving accidents are the number one cause of death through criminal activity in this country, killing 1,400 people per year - more than twice the number of homicides. Yet our laws don't reflect the gravity of this crime. Drunk drivers who kill people often get sentences of 1 or 2 years probation and/or community service. The House of Commons Justice Committee is cur- rently reviewing these laws with open hearings. It is a chance for Canadians across the country to voice their concerns by writing to us. Without your input, drunk drivers who kill or injure will continue to receive a slap on the wrist for their crimes. I encourage you to contact me, your own MP, or members of the government listed below. We expect to table a report in Parliament by mid May. We need your input now. By working together we can get drunk drivers off of our. streets. RICHARD M.(DICK) HARRIS, M.P. House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 iarris.R@parl.gc.ca You can write to your MP c/o the House of Commons, Ottawa, Canada, K1A 0A6 - no postage necessary. The Hon. Anne McLellan Minister of Justice House of Commons Ottawa KIA 0A6 McLelA@parl.gc.ca Fax (613) 990-7255 John Maloney, M.P. Chair,Justice Committee House of Commons Ottawa K1A 0A6 MalonJ@parl.gc.ca Fax (613) 995-5245 Homeless TORONTO -- A heating grate outside the legislature on which a homeless man died has pro- vided a ghoulish setting for media conferences, but ensured that their message got heard, After the man died under blankets and scraps of card- board, New Democrats invited reporters to no fewer than three conferences at the scene. NDP leader Howard Hampton stood beside the grate and accused Progressive Conservative Premier Mike Harris of giving handsome tax cuts to the wealthy but little to the poor. Frances Lankin, NDP spokesperson on youth, came out to say Harris can see the death site from his window and now has a wake-up call to help.. Jack Layton, the leading New Democrat on Toronto city council, stood on the grate and said council will move faster to allocate funds' for homeless. Liberal MPP Tony Ruprecht, whose office is only a few steps from the grate, arrived even before the body was moved and, standing beside it, declared that the homeless crisis has reached the legisla- ture's door. The Tories kept away from the scene, because they have no wish to be connected to deaths of homeless people; whose numbers have increased after Harris's cuts in support for low-income resi- dents and housing. • A squeamish Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty also chose not to go out and said he would feel uncomfortable seeming to capitalize on a human tragedy. McGuinty instead issued a statement that the death should prompt those in leadership positions, and especially Harriii, to reflect on whether they are doing all they can to ensure that everyone benefits from an economic boom. McGuinty wants to build an image as compassionate and responsi- ble. The politicians who rushed to use the death scene did so because they know TV, which domi- nates electioneering, prefers to go where there are pictures. This has become an overriding facet of cam- paigning as the parties gear up for an election expected within months. The government and parties virtually no longer state views in the sterile media studio at the legis- lature, provided for the purpose at no small cost to taxpayers, or in the legislature chamber. Harris has announced policies or gone merely to have his picture taken in factories, stores, schools and parks, on farms and boats and beside high- ways. McGuinty and Hampton have been in more classrooms than many teachers in the past year of strikes and lockouts. The three party leaders are on location more than Leonardo DiCaprio. They also take risks when they show themselves so much. Harris has had s� many hostile recep- tions he often refuses to tell media exactly where he will go in a community until hours before he is due to arrive. Harris held a media conference on the CN Tower last week to say he will take legal action to reduce air pollution from the United States, but cameras captured him with smoke belching from Ontario chimneys in the background. Harris, who likes to be seen as a sportsman, also allowed himself to be pictured in a boat, fishing without wearing a lifejacket, and was swamped with complaints he set a dangerous example. Al Palladini, as transportation minister, similarly invited media to hear about safety and was caught driving away without his seatbelt fastened. McGuinty has been embarrassed by taking media where they could not find anyone who knew him and Hampton by 'inviting them to a school where he had to turn a planned speech into a kitchen -table format because only 13 turned up. Hampton cannot draw much of a crowd to a media studio and was criticized earlier for taking media on a tour of streets meeting the homeless and going home to a comfortable bed. But the NDP leader focussed attention on his party and the homeless then, and did it again at the legislature grate, because media cannot resist showing where a man died. ERIC DOWD A VIEW FROM QUEEN'S PARK