HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-11-03, Page 7Wednesday,October 27, 1999
Exams Times -Advocate
7
Opinion&Forum
10 YEARS AGO
November 1, 1989 -Family
and Children's Services of
Huron County recently present-
ed awards to a number of foster
parents. Jim and Shirley
Wilkinson of Exeter received a
20 year award, caring for 37
youngsters during that time.
Roberta -and Dick Kloss of
Brucefield were recognized for
15 years of service.
More than 300 pigs including 30 breeding stock
were lost in a fire which completely destroyed a
barn on the Stephen township farm of Dennis and
Marian Pfaff, Friday morning.
Harvey Hodgins of R.R. 2, Crediton isn't avail-
able for this year's fall plowing as he is recuperat-
ing from a serious farm accident in which he lost
part of one leg. Saturday afternoon a large number
of neighbours pitched in and the plowing was com-
pleted at the rate of 48 furrows each time the trac-
tors went around a field.
20 YEARS AGO
October 31, 1979 - At a special meeting,
Monday, Exeter council started to clear the way to
permit Kongskile Ltd. to undertake a $1 million
expansion to their Highway 83 plant. The first
phase of the expansion is expected to commence
immediatley after firm president John Burke
advised council this week there was no problem in
granting council an easement for sanitary and
storm sewers.
Exeter council has approved the expendittift of
$52,413.95 for a new garbage packer.
The recent warm weather has provided a sec-
ond crop of raspberries for Ed Little of HensalL
35YEARS AGO
October 31, 1964 - Mrs. Harold Taylor was
named president of the Women's Auxiliary to
South Huron Hospital at the annual meeting
Tuesday afternoon. She succeeds Mrs. R.C. Dinney.
Usborne Township council decided Monday to
establish parks on two sites of former public
schools in the township. Parks will be established
at the Zion and Hurondale sites.
Several telephone operators in the area will
complete their duties this weekend as "the voice
with a smile" will be replaced by a dial tone.
Exeter residents will have Lucan, Hensall and
Kirkton exchanges added to their free calling dis-
trict.
P.D. Ritchie, deputy clerk treasurer at Riverside
for the past y';ar has been appointed clerk treasur-
er of Bosanquet township replacing Donald
Frayne.
40YEARS AGO
Novemebr 1, 1959 - Arsenic poisoning which
killed one cattle beast this spring was not present
in two samples of creek water taken in September.
The Ontario Water Commission told this fact to
Exeter council Monday night.
Mrs. Melvin 'Gaiser of Shipka was crowned
Sweetheart of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority Friday night
during the local chapter's annual ball at the Exeter
Legion Hall.
5OYEARS AGO
October 31, 1949 - A Board of Management was
set up for the Crediton Public Library consisting of
nine members with Rev. Harold Currie as chair-
man.
William Cook who for the past 17 years has con-
ducted a grocery business in Exeter has sold out to
Wesley Ryckman.
Mrs. W.E. Middleton was installed as Worthy
Matron of Exeter chapter of'the OES for 1949-50
Wednesday afternoon.
The third annual banquet for Winchelsea school
pupils, their parents and school trustees was held
in Elimville United Church. Harvey Spading is the
teacher.
75 YEARS AGO
:October 30, 1924 - Rev. W.E. Donnelly BA, pas-
tor of James Street Methodist Church has received
a call to Central Methodist Church in Stratford to
become their pastor for the next conference year.
The Exeter Junior Farmers,' Improvement
Association held their regular monthly meeting in
Senior's Hall on Thursday evening. The organiza-
tion
rganizestion held their annual election of officers, the
results of which are as follows: president - Wilfred
Shapton; vice-president - Horace Delbridge; secre-
tary -treasurer - Harry Strang; auditors - Earl
Shapton, Clarence Down.
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
OPINIONS AND LETTERS
Bad memories of
Halloween '99
Dear Editor:
I just wanted to take the time to especially 'thank'
those three "rappers" as they called themselves at our
front door about 7:45 on Sunday night (Halloween
night). Throughout that evening we had so many big
kids come to the door not even dressed up, looking for
a treat that we were wondering if the older ones don't
bother to take the time to dress up. It's funny but it
seems that it's just the little ones that go to all the work
of dressing up and especially saying thank you, that I
feel it's a shame.
So when these three boys came to the door my hus-
band asked who they were supposed to be because
they were in regular street clothes just carrying a plas-
tic grocery bag, not even with a bit of makeup on their
faces. He also asked where they were from and how
old they were. They answered that they were 12 and
from London (which I rather doubt). He said, "Fine"
and handed them each a pop and shut the door.
He hadn't even got two feet from the door and
bang...they decided to pick up one of my son's lighted
pumpkins and threw it at our front door, smashing it
against the front door. It's too bad you didn't take the
time to unplug it first.
The real reason I am writing this letter is because
you took away a memory of my son's that was given to
him from his deceased grandmother -seven years ago.
Does this sound like something you would want your
son to do?
P.S. Yes, my son is eleven now but he still sat down
and cried, only saying that "that was the lighted pump-
kin Grandma Triebner bought me, Mom, when I was
only four..."
Yours truly,
CATHY' BATTEN.
Panther profile
Hello and welcome to the Panther Profile. It's hard
to believe it's already November. Just think,
Christmas is in 53 days! This is' the time of year
midterm report cards go home.
They will be handed out to students on Nov. 9.
Report cards also lead up to a Parents' Night, held
in the large gym on Nov. 15.
The school has received some new cr. -nputer soft-
ware, a program called "Autodialer"
that will call home to parents auto-
matically if their child has been
away from school. It will also be
used to announce special activities
at the school. The first call will be
coming shortly to announce report
cards are going home. This service
is only supposed to call home
between the hours of 7 and 9:00
p.m. If you receive a call at any
other time, please let the school
know at 235-0880.
Guidance wishes the student body
to know there will be a member of the clergy in the
Guidance office every Friday at lunch. Please feel
free to come and talk to them. That's it for me,
have a great week!
Upcoming Events
Wed., Nov. 3 School Council Meeting 7 p.m.
Take Your Kids to Work Day - Gr. 9
Renison College Rep. 2 p.m.
Thurs.. Nov. 4
Boys' Volleyball Huron Semi-finals. Jr. @ Madill, Sr.
at Goderich
OSAP Presentation 2 p.m. (students only), 7 p.m.
(everyone welcome)
University of Waterloo Rep. 10:30 a.m.
Fri.. Nov. 5
Girls' Hockey to Stratford 1:15 p.m.
Senior Girls' Basketball Tournament at Blenheim
$at.. Nov. 6
Boys' Volleyball Tournament at Dorchester
Mon., Nov. 8 Girls' Basketball at St. Anne's
Art 1 rip to Stratford Festival
Birth Control Drop -In
Redeemer College Rep. 11:30 a.m.
Tues.. Nov. 9 Art trip to Stratford Festival
Peer Helpers field trip to Goderich
Midget Boys' Volleyball H -P Tournament at SH
University of Guelph Rep. 10:30 a.m.
Trent University Rep. 2 p.m.
Midterm Reports. Go Home
Wed.. Nov. 10
Boys' Hockey SH at Stratford Central 1:30 p.m.
Bridges to Agriculture Field Trip to Royal Winter
Fair
JAMIE
REABURN
PANTHER
PROFILE
Rights for same sex
Toronto -- Premier Mike Harris has swallowed
his pride and grudgingly given same-sex couples
more rights, but is unlikely to drop what has been
for him a profitable issue.
The Progressive Conservative premier has a long
history of fighting against extending same-sex
rights and gaining votes from it.
He won a general election in
1995 partly because he led the
opposition to expanding rights
when a New Democrat govern-
ment proposed it in 1994.
Harris smelled his first blood
on the issue earlier in a nasty
by-election in Victoria-
Haliburton riding, where the
Liberals started with a huge
lead in polls.
Their leader, Lyn McLeod,
had said among many policies
she would support were some new rights for
same-sex couples.
Harris used a little licence and ran ads claiming
his first priority was improving the struggling
economy while the Liberals' was giving rights to
gays and this appealed to so many the Tories won
and scared the Liberals off supporting the NDP's •
subsequent proposal.
Since becoming premier, Harris has shown no
inclination to support same-sex rights, refusing to
join other party leaders in gay pride parades and
explaining his priority for the day was taking his
son to camp.
When the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in
May Ontario was violating the Charter by not giv-
ing its same-sex couples the same rights as cou-
ples of opposite sexes living together under com-
mon law, and ordered it to do so, Harris sniffed
defiantly same-sex couples were not his definition
of family.
My family is Janet and I and our two great kids
and that's our family,' he said, somewhat holier-
than-thou because within two months he and his
wife split up.
Harris eventually coughed up his legislation
more grudgingly than any has ever been intro-
duced in the legislature, showing he has strong
feelings and is anxious not to let it go as an issue.
He stressed he brought it in only because the
court forced him and same-sex rights were cer-
tainly not part of his agenda.
Harris is fond of giving his legislation names that
imply it bestows blessings such as the Fewer
Politicians Act when reducing ridings and An Act
to Restore Balance and Stability in Labor Relations
when gutting union powers.
The premier tried to show where the blame lies
by calling his same-sex law an Act to amend cer-
tain statutes because of the Supreme Court of
Canada decision in M. v H. (the principals in the
case which precipitated the change in law.)
Harris also did not have a single Tory speak in
the debate on the bill when the legislature passed
it except Attorney General Jim Flaherty, who had
to introduce it.
This suggests his party has nothing good to say
about it, but would have sounded incongruous
knocking a bill it was introducing and will have
criticisms to make at a more appropriate time.
One likely target will be a change allowing same-
sex like other couples to apply to courts to adopt a
child, which was the biggest stumbling -block when
the NDP tried to extend same-sex rights in 1994.
The Tories are bound to revive their argument
which many share that a home where both par-
ents are of the same sex cannot~ instill family val-
ues and might encourage a child to feel a same-
sex lifestyle is normal and desirable.
A requirement same-sex couples be given the
same rights to employment including pension ben-
efits, although already provided by many employ-
ers, also will force extra costs on some business,
which is a Harris ally.
No-one is going to win elections solely on the
issue of same-sex rights, but Harris is trying to
build an image as a champion of family values, as
tax cuts for which he is renowned become less
possible and lose some appeal.
The premier has started by getting stricter on
crime and promising to force beggars and
squeegee kids off streets and improve behaviour of
students.
He would like to call the opposition parties per-
missive and could argue they are by their support
for same-sex rights and might do it again because
he did it before.
ERIC
DOWD
A VIEW FROM
QUEEN'S PARK