HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-07-07, Page 7Wednesday, July 7, 1999
Exeter Times -Advocate
pinion&Forum
10 YEARS AGO
July 5, 1989 - SHDHS princi-
pal Bruce Shaw announced
Friday that a record number of
15 students had qualified as
Ontario Scholars_ They are
Brenda Balsdon, Said Osman,
Shari Black, Paul Becker,
Trudi Bornath, KIm Crawford,
Beth Desjardine, Dale
Ducharme, David Josephson,
Karen Miller, Janet Mowat,
Rob Russell, Mark Stephan, Lori Lynn Wagner
and Chris Weernink. Tops in the other four
grades were Cindy Beaver, David Thiel, Barbara
Tieman and Karen McKay.
20YEARS AGO •
July 4, 1979 Town council were scratching .
their heads wondering why Exeter was experi-
encing such rapid growth. Council were worried
they would be seeing some empty store fronts
once the boom collapses.
South Huron District High School can boast 10
Ontario Scholars for the 1978-79 term. They are
Robin Little, Marian Martens, Brenda Fletcher,
Anne Dearing, Doug Scott, Sandra McLeod,
Catherine Abbott, Brad. Taylor, Steve Paton and
Lucy Van Esbroeck. Top students in the other
four grades were John Kester, Paul McAuley,
Kevin Glasgow and Sarah McClure.
John Wurm of Exeter, a fiddler with Roger
Quick and the Rainbows has recently recorded
his own album of fiddling music.
35 YEARS AGO
July 4, 1964 - A fire believed caused by spon-
taneous combustion levelled, the large barn on
the farm of Alton Isaac, R.R. 1, Clandeboye,
Monday afternoon. He estimated his loss at
$10,000. Besides the barn, a quantity of hay,
some machinery and one cow were lost.
Exeter council set a new policy this week for
employees. Councillor Derry Boyle .presented the
motion which called for a three year ,fit before
two weeks of holidays were granted to town
employees.
A serious shortage of water in Grand Bend
over the July 1-4 holiday weekend has prompted
renewed efforts on the part of council to find a.
solution to a water source in the near future.
40 YEARS AGO
July 6, 1959- Canadian Canners ° Limited faced'
with an exceptionally good crop of peas' was
forced to begin round-the-clock operation at the
local plant Wednesday night. Sixty personnel
from RCAF Station Centralia came in until mid-
night, Monday night.
On the day of the Queen's visit to Kitchener, ..
Mrs. Harold Simpson of Andrew Street demon-
strated over CKCO TV program, "Telescope" her
hobby oh xiaing drowns and tiaras.
50 YEARS AGO
July 4, 1949 - The fifth annual Kirkton Garden
Party drew an attendance of between fou_ r and:
five thousand people.
The Sandy Bawdien - lawn bowling trophy was
won by an Exeter rink of Ken Hockey, Ulric Shell
and Lex MacDonald in Exeter last Wednesday.
60 YEARS AGO
July 5, 1939 - Huron County was cited as the
leader in the district's crop values for 1939, even
though overall crop prices were down from pre-
vious years. Huron had 396,692 acres in produc-
tion bringing in $5,344,650, or $13.41 per acre.
An advertisement in this week's paper reads,
"In full swing at the Lakeview Casino in Grand
Bend every night, Willis Tipping and his Cascade
Rhythm orchestra.
Before the war it must be remembered, not
everyone was convinced Germany was up to no
good. The Times Advocate's editorial page read;
'One of the results of Hitler's tyrany is the offer of
the Bata Shoe Company of Czechoslovakia to
locate in Canada. This company possesses plenty
of capital and no end of business ability. More
over it offers to employ a great deal of Canadian
laCour without in any way interfering with
Canadian industry."
75 YEARS AGO
July 6, 1924 - W.J. Heaman, E.J. Christie,
W.W. Taman and R.G. Seldon captured the
Turnbull trophy at -the London Bowling
Tournament this week. Seldon was also elected
president of the Western Ontario bowling
Association.
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pushing ?
HAD�
Dear Editor:
Knock knock...who's there?....orange orange
who? orange you sick of the manner in which County
Council continues to treat the Huron Adult Day Centre.
It almost seems as though the County is attempting to
push the HADC out of the building. Are they? I'm con-
fused. Wasn't this the building that was spared demoli-
tion just for the specific purpose of allowing the HADC to
occupy? isn't this the building the County offered to the
HADC for one dollar? Hasn't the HADC renovated their
salvaged portion of the old Huronview just to accommo-
date the needs of the individuals who require their ser-
vices? Weren't provincial funds used to renovate the
inside of this facility? Something smells here and I don't
think it is my feet.
The Huron Adult Day Centre has been operational
since 1977. They provide a valuable service to the
elderly, and according to the article that appeared in the
Clinton News Record on June 23, 1999, they have
etnded their service to include Grand Bend and
Exeter. It was disclosed in a letter to the editor dated.
August 23, 1995, in the Clinton News Record, by Robert
L Wiliam, that space was inidally offered to the HADC
"free of charge". So when did money Y become an issue
and how in the world did a fee of $65,000.00 evolve?
Perhaps the Huron Adult Day Centre should have had
the foresight to get a signed assurance that their tenan-
cy would remain 'free'. Unfortunately, an 'act of faith'
can change when new agenda's take precedence.
The disputes between the Huron Adult Day Centre and
County Council are like a revolving door. It has been
swinging aroundfor at least five years but no one both-
ers to stop it. I think the HADC should re -direct the
costs absorbed by the Province for their renovations and
send the bill to County Council if they continue to persist
with their political volleyball. .4.klyikr
I also think that County Council should honour the
commitment of their predecessors and allow this service
to remain in .the building free of charge. As far as it
being the fault of the Ministry of Health....sure....lets
remember who initially offered who space in a county
structure. Take the price tag off. I'm certain the
patrons who use this service have paid enough taxes in
their lifetime to warrant a 'ce that provides care in a
province of deteriorating h alth care.
DEBRA ScHERLE 482-7854
Alcohol abuse & death
Dear Editor, .
You may think bush parties are a lot of fun — but
think again! In 1993, eight teenagers were killed after
colliding head on following an unsafe passing maneuver.
They were returning from a bush party. Landowners,
you could also be held liable despite taking all the neces-
sary precautions.
Even if police don't find out about your party, how do
you think you're going to get home? You're not foolish
enough to get behind the wheel after a night of drink-
ing? Are you?
This is an open letter to all parents of young people
everywhere. I am writing in response to some of the
questions you ask me daily. I am not one police officer,
but I represent every officer in every city and town in
Canada.
You may know me only as the cop who gave you a
' ticket last summer, but I am also the guy who lives down
the street from you. I am the parent of four children and
I share with you the same hopes, ambitions and dreams
that you have for your children. I am faced with the
same problems as you have. I share with you those
moments of agony and ecstasy. I share with you the feel-
ing of guilt, shame or disappointment when my boy or
girl gets into trouble.
The scene is a long stretch of highway with a sharp
curve at one end. It had been raining and the roads
were slick. A car travelling in excess of 126 km/h missed
the curve and plowed into an embankment where it
became airborne and struck a tree. At this point, two of
the three young persons were hurled from the' vehicle,
one into the roadway, where the car landed on him,
snuffing out his life like a discarded cigarette on the
asphalt. He is killed instantly and he is the lucky one.
The girl thrown into the tree has her neck broken and
although she was voted queen of the senior prom, and
most likely to succeed, she will now spend the next 60
years in a wheelchair. Unable to do anything else, she
will live and relive that terrible moment over again
many times.
When I arrive, the car has come to rest on its' top, the
broken wheels have stopped spinning. Smoke and steam"
pour out of the engine ripped from its mounting by a ter-
rific force. An. eerie calm has settled over the scene and
it appears deserted except for one lone traveller who
called it in. He is sick to his stomach, leaning against his
car for support. See ALCOHOL Page 8
Only looking at himself
TORONTO -- Premier Mike
Harris has become the first
Ontario premier in half a cen-
tury to disown his federal party
and make it clear he is more
intent on looking after himself.
The Progressive Conservative
premier threw cold water on a
plan by his party's federal
leader, Joe Clark, to invite him
and other Tory premiers to a
meeting to discuss ways of
working together to help their
federal party, which in the last
won only 19 per cent of votes
Canada.
Harris pointed out that there are others, obvi-
ously meaning particularly the Reform Party,
who also want to see the federal Liberals
replaced, but "their priority is federal politics
and my priority is provincial politics."
Harris said he would not rule out meeting
Qark, but it would be to talk about "what's good
for the province and how we advance the inter-
ests of Ontario. If it's an agenda to talk about the
future of a federal party, then that's not my
interest."
The premier has grown steadily more reluctant
to work with his federal party. He refused to
endorse either the Tories then led by Jean
Charest or Reform in the .1997 federal election.
This was partly because he liked many of
Reform's views better than those of his federal
party's. For example, he is much stricter on law
and order.
Harris also repaid Reform for having recog-
nized this compatibility and not run candidates
against him in the 1995 Ontario election, the
first he won.
By the time Harris called another election and
won last month, he was so entrenched, dominat-
ing and worshipped by the far right that Reform
could not even consider running candidates.
Harris now is supported by a comfortable com-
bination of ,more traditional Tories and
Reformers, the latter including some in his cabi-
net, and would not want to strain it by showing
preference for the Tories under Clark.
Harris is breaking a long tradition of Ontario
premiers helping their federal . parties. William
Davis, while in his role as the last long -serving
Tory premier, campaigned for his party in five
federal elections.
Davis was at one rally for prime minister Brian
Mulroney as party veteran George Hees said in
introductions, "we have the best campaigner in
Canada on this platform." Mulroney nodded
"thank you, George," and Hees replied, "I don't
mean you, Brian, I mean Bill Davis."
Davis came out of retirement to speak twice for
Charest in the 1997 federal election, and pri-
vately and unsuccessfully urged Harris to do the
same, and only once showed reluctance to speak
for a federal leader.
This was after Davis spoke at five rallies for
Clark to help him become prime minister briefly
in 1979 and Clark promptly repaid by raising Qil
prices. Davis had little enthusiasm for again
endorsing Clark, but after some agonizing still
said he endorsed Clark "totally anerwhelm-
ingly. "
John Robarts, premier before Davis, had the
tricky task of trying to appear supportive of
prinwminister John Diefenbaker when public
arid even Tory enthusiasm for him waned.
Robarts often was forced to declare he was
"not responsible for events at Ottawa," but still
dutifully turned out for Dief in three elections.
Leslie Frost, Robarts's predecessor, introduced
Diefenbaker at five rallies in one election and
even after stepping down as premier cam-
paigned for him at meetings and on radio and
advised him privately, without success, on how
to survive.
But it was a Liberal premier, David Peterson,
who rallied most to a federal leader, attending
22 campaign events for John Turner in 1988 and
particularly backing him against free trade with
the melodramatic line "Canada is too important
to trade away for a few pieces of silver."
Harris has now abandoned this tradition of loy-
alty and winning friends in his federal party, but
it won only one seat in Ontario in the last federal
election and he is so popular at this time he does
not need it.
ERIC
DOWD
A VIEW FROM
QUEEN'S PARK
federal elction
across across