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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-12, Page 6a Mt*ter TMP *1 A.041P Editorial&Opinkin Wednesday May 2,'ft9 TIMES-AD\OCATE, PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 075511 • Jim Beckett Publisher and Editor " Deb Lord • 5 . , Production Manager Don Smith General Manager Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIAL Vote! Let your voice be heard The long awaited provincial election announcement came last week. Not unexpectedly, Mike Harris broke the news shortly after the release of the new budget. The official announcement came as an anti cli- max; the Tory re-election campaign has been oper- ating at a rolling boil for weeks, if not months, while the Liberal and NDP campaigns have been bubbling long nicely. A provincial election usually brings out the news- paper ads and television announcements. Both have been so much a part of the Harris government (and opposition) game plan all along that voters have noticed nothing new. We still see Mike's smiling face, telling us all is well. We still see Dalton frown- ing politely from the sidelines. And make no mis- take, Howard is not one to sit back and let the other two hog centre stage. If he has heardstatements that Dalton is the only contender with a chance to - unseat Mike, he clearly disagrees. • A boil is as hot as water gets under normal condi- tions. When the only fresh bit of information- in an election announcement is the date (June 3), 'some- thing is wrong. The voter has heard all thd'"'argu- ments, promises, and protests. He has heard all the campaign speeches masked as public service ads. He has heard all the pros and cons. There are only two questions left to be asked, and answered. Does Ontario want another four years of Mike Harris? If not, who does the voter want in charge? The real danger now is the voter may just want the whole election to disappear, and let him go about his business. In political campaigns, there is such a thing as overkill. There are only so many political speeches and promises one can listen to with interest before tuning out. Tories would be the last people to disagree with the fact the last four years have been eventful. Ontario residents have seen their province hit with dramatic changes - to municipal politics, health care, education, and more. Some view the changes as positive, as something which needed to be done. Others see the changes as too much, too fast. And a third group views them as a hair's breadth from criminal. As voters, we owe it to ourselves, our neighbours and our province's future to find out, not tune out, what the issues really are. This is not the time to decide that because we have grown weary of listen- ing to the leaders of the various parties debate the issues, that we know what those issues are. This is the very time to pay close attention to political speeches and read those brochures dropped off at the door. We must attend an all candidates meeting, or drop in at the campaign office and speak with the candidates. At the very least, we must make up a list of questions we, as individuals, want answered, and we must not sit back and relax until they are answered to our satisfaction. This election gives us the opportunity to have a say in how .our province is governed. It does not matter if we wish to endorse the present Tory gov- ernment, or put someone else in power. It does not matter if we are millionaires or on welfare, if we work in a huge city or rural farm, if we are retired or just starting out - one person, one vote. We each have a say. If transportation to vote is a problem, there are crowds of volunteers in each candidate's office who would love to arrange a ride. Election volunteers will help you register to vote, or assist in whatever way they can to make sure your voice is heard. Voting is the only way you, the voter, will bo heard. Getting the royal treatment at the Derby The people at the Grand Bend Salmon & Trout Derby have the media thing down to a science. Last week members of the media covering the Grand Bend area were treated to a day of fishing on the beauti- ful waters of Lake Huron. The conditions last Wednesday were near perfect, the warming rays of the sun offset by the cool breezes and the cold water. This scribe felt a twang of guilt explaining to my boss that a day out in a fishing boat was actually work. The Derby's media day is always a highlight of the year for me, even if I don't bring home,fresh fish I caught out on the lake. Protected by our sun screen armour, myself and T -A reporter Scott Nixon travelled to Port Pranks Wednesday morning to meet up with Derby organizer Tim Steele of Dashwood who was our captain on his 26' Penn Yan boat for the day. We were then treated to six hours of boating and fishing fun with Steele and another Derby organizer, Grand Bend's Bob Green. This year's media day was a bust when it came to catching fish. Out of the two boats that went out, only one angler had a fish on their line. That angler happened to be on the boat -I -was on the Bowhunter captained by Derby organizer Tim Steele. • The lucky angler was new Lakeshore Advance editor Nellie Evans who hooked a tiny Coho salmon and reeled it in right to the boat. Evans didn't bring home any filets though — captain Steele flubbed bringing the fish in with the net then lost it when he tried to haul in the catch of the day by hand. Despite the disappointment (Steele especially — that's the first fish he's lost at the boat in at least a couple of years), everyone had a great time. . Steele did manage to bring in something from the lake — a banana peel that Green threw overboard after lunch that got caught on one of the lines while we were trolling. Steele and Green took an entire day out of their life to share their fishing expertise with us media types. Steele also spent a fair amount of money out his own pocket gassing up his boat and taking the day off work. After reaching land, everyone was invited back to the Pinedale Motor Inn in Grand Bend for a free barbecue where Scott and I were joined by T -A reporters Katherine Harding and Kate Monk (Katherine and Kate are landlubbers but also had to work). There was a 12 lb. salmon cooking on the barbecue when we arrived plus two whitefish and enough sausages and hamburgers to feed an army. Soft drinks and just about every kind of alcoholic libation were also on the house. With friendly, generous treatment like that, if's ng wonder the Derby is a highly anticipated event `that is growing each year. In '97, 635 tickets were sold; in '98; 755 tickets were sold; this year Steele forecasts even moretickets will be sold and there should be 1,000 anglers trolling for the, biggest salmon or trout. The 11th annual $erby kicks "off on Saturday (May 15) and runs till May 24. There is $30,000 in cash and prizes with $7,500 of it going to the angler who nabs the biggest salmon: The second place salmon gets $3,000 - cash value and third place $1,000. The first place trout lands $2,500, second place $500 and third place $250. Big fish of the day at each of the two weigh stations (Grand Bend and Goderich) wins a downrigger rod and reel worth $750. The mystery weight of the day also receives a digi- tal fish weigh scale at each station. Prizes will be awarded for the top 15 salmon and top five trout. All' Derby entrants will also receive a chance to win a 9.9 h.p. Johnson Motor. The little anglers aren't forgotten either. Fifteen prizes will be given to children age 15 and younger who fished in the Derby on a family ticket and are in attendance at the Derby awards banquet on June 12. Anglers entered in the Derby can fish from Blue Point in the south to Port Albert in the north. The weigh stations, Grand Bend Municipal Docks or Goderich's North End Marina, are open from noon -9 p.m. each day except for May 24 (Victoria Day) whew they will be open noon -4 p.m. The Derby is sponsored by almost 150 businesses and community groups from throughout the region. Derby tickets cost $18 for a single and $30 for a fami- ly. Ticket outlets in the T -A coverage area include Grand Bend's Barefoot Pedler, DV -US Charters, Fish Tales Charters, Forbes Fresh Fish, Grand Bend Harbour Master, Pinedale Motor Inn and Tanqueray Charters,,,, Exeter Canadian Tire; Centralia's Gary's Auto & Marine, j: Kippen's Huron Sports Outfitters, Lucan's Lankin Shell and Hensall's O'Brien's Bait & Tackle. CRAI RRADFO MISSILESMUSING G RD AND s • About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales (519) 235-1331 24-hour automated attendant (519) 235-1336 Fax number for all departments (519) 235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $35+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $63+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada: $102 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription. 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