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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1984-08-29, Page 4Page 4 Times-Advocote, August 29, 1984 imes - Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 dvocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North tambton Since 1873 Published by I.W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EEDY Publisher JIM BECKETT Advertising Manager BILL BATTEN ROSS HAUGH Editor Assistant Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager 'fwll,J.! DICK JONGKIN[) Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mali Registration Number 0386. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $22.00 Per year; U.S.A. $60.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'ABC' V. .. ati`ssr.P. Time to stand tall With the federal election quickly approaching and the rumor mill turning out suggestions of a fall pro- vincial election, municipal officials are the only ones not looking forward to the outcome of ballot boxes. However, that does not indicate that they are in- active. Unlike their senior govenrment contem- poraries, municipal officials do not await elections to mobilize. They continue to work at the same steady pace that keeps Ontario municipalities carrying more than their fair share of the social and economic burdens of their citizens. But they're being too modest in the opinion of their president as noted in her closing remarks to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. Some highlights that are worthy of consideration by municipal politicians and their ratepayers are as follows : "As municipal leaders we do indeed stand at the forefront of social and economic change, immediate- ly aware of and called to act upon the changing needs of our citizens. We are directly accessible to them, un- buffered by political party structures and policies, in- dividually accountable for the demands we place on their resources and the way we invest them." "I suggest to you that other levels of government can only be benefit by consulting that collective experience." "But I suggest as well that we have a long way to go in mobilizing and articulating the views of our com- munities, in making even our own citizens aware of the ocoor important role we play, and certainly in developing the kind of influence we must with other levels of govern- ment. We must be less modest, less self-effacing, less meek and mild in our approaches. Every once in a while, a good rocking the boat or burst of anger is in order." "I totally reject, for example, the suggestion by the treasurer of this province that the spending of local government needs to be monitored. Provincial revenues this year are increasing by 9 percent yet municipalities' share of that revenue increase has been constrained to 5 percent or less. In this year alone over half our members face increases in transfer payments of only 2.5 percent." "Municipalities were practising restraint while other governments were piling up deficits. If the pro- vince is to monitor our spending, it can only be to learn how to deliver services of high quality, with reduced resources. While other governments practise restraint by reducing institutional care, we absorb thousands of the elderly, the disabled, the disadvantaged into our communities without new resources to do so." "And the miracle is that we are doing it. We are doing it without overburdening the property tax payers whose ability to pay is buffeted by unemployment, in- flation and dwindling pensions." "It is time for all of us individually and for this association as our collective voice to stand tall and pro- ud of accomplishments, to insist that the concerns of our communities be heard in the councils of this pro- vince and this nation." Best way to learn Each of the three political leaders have their separate proposals to reduce unemployment in Canada - as well they should. John Turner's only concrete plan so far is one which would subsidize on-the-job train- ing for young people who have not been able to find work since leaving secondary school. Turner says he would set up a program under which young trainees would receive $65 per week in government aid during an apprenticeship period. We wonder whether any of these politicians have ever paused to consider the basic causes of widespread unemployment among young people. Turner is right when he identifies the present problem as "no work without experience and no experience without work". However, his proposal to pay young people generous- ly out of the taxpayers' money may fail. Apprenticeship in years gone was a system which not only afforded the beginner a chance to attain skills; it was also a system which called for monetary sacrifice on the part of the apprentice. He didn't get a great deal of money for the first few years, and Le was not necessarily allowed to spend all his time on the job of his choice. He was often required to sweep the floor or clean the machinery. Now, mind you, he didn't like being the "joe-boy" but he did absorb the fact that if he wanted to get away from the broom he had to prove himself a reliable skilled hand who could produce efficiently. Most apprentices emerged as dependable workmen who could hold satisfactory jobs. What happened to this system which produced millions of skilled, self-reliant people over the years? Minimum wage laws, widely -touted as fair and just for the working man or woman, ended the apprenticeship system. Few employers could afford to pay the rates demanded by law, while at the same time providing the learner with a machine to operate and a skilled workman to teach the apprentice. A new plan for teaching skilled trades is an obvious answer to the problem of unemployed young people. But unless those same young people are willing to sacrifice to some extent the results may be a total failure. Wingharn Advance -Times Hopefully the polls are If you're among those who believe in election polls. the outcome of Tuesday's federal election is already a known factor. Since the day on which Prime Minister John Turner decided the time was ripe to ask the people of Canada for a mandate, he has been steadily losing support accor- ding to most polls and the only real ques- tion to he answered on September 4 is whether Brian Mulroney will lead his Pt's to a majority or if they'll have to suffer through a minority government situation to live or die at the whirs of the combined power of the opposition. Of course, the pollsters have been wrong on more than one occasion, but it does appear a safe bet that Turner may establish a new record for the shortest term in office. in fact, indications are that he's going to have trouble getting himself elected, let alone his party, and that would certainly be one of the most demoralizing aspects to Ix' faced by the man who was touted as some kind of a saviour for the country by those who headed his recent leadership campaign victory. I1 would take some kind of small miracle now to turn the outcome of the voting around. The momentum has clear- ly swung to the Conservatives, and as is the case in most contests, it is extremely difficult to turn momentum around. Brian Mulroney has already sensed the win and isn't about to create any slip-up on which that apparent tide can he turned. Even the Ihuron-Bruce PCs are playing it cozy Their advertisment last week on behalf of the MI' Murray Cardiff was a simple "Vote Cardiff" message with no hint of his position or that of the party, on any of the issues which somehow basical- ly failed to get debated in this election. 1 it was an advertisement that appeared indicative of the smug attitude with which many Conservatives now view Tuesday's vote. They are apparently content that, given enough rope, John Turner has managed to hang himself. • • • • • One has only to look at the news of the BATT'N AROUND with the editor past week to grasp how desperate the Liberals have become as the campaign reaches the eleventh hour. There was a move afoot to have Pierre Trudeau get involved with the election, particularly in the hope of recouping a few lost souls in Quebec. To have suggested a few weeks ago that Trudeau was wanted, let alone needed. would have been bordering on heresay for many Liberals who breathed a deep sigh of relief when the founder of election charisma finally heeded the not -so -silent wishes of many in the country, and the party, to step aside. The Liberals were obviously grasping at any last straws in an attempt to salvage some favor, but calling on Trudeau is probably not in their best interests. Whether they remember, or not, it was the former Prime Minister who carried correct their popularity to such low depths dur- ing his final months and then probably put the proverbial nail in the coffin with his distasteful rash of patronage appoint- ments for a large number of colleagues who decided that plush tax -paid jobs were more prudent than taking their chances at the polls. The Liberal leadership campaign managed to divert some of the discontent for a short time, but the temporary memory lapse which gave the party some new hope has apparently been overcome by the electorate and they are looking for a change in their fortunes. Whether Brian Mulroney and his PCs can provide that change to any con- siderable extent is a matter of some con- jecture, but it appears worthy of a try at least. Given the indication that Mulroney will pick up some seats in Quebec, his party stands the better chance of the two of finally giving the country a government that is representative of all areas of the nation. Thal in itself is an important considera- tion for the electorate u e lecause the coun- try has to he able to pull together from all regions to get back on the track of prosperity. Under Mulroney's leadership the Quebec interests would obviously he still well served by the Prime Minister being one of their elected members, while the West would probably he equally as strong with its expected number of PC seats. Hopefully, the nation will also give him a majority so that it does not suffer through a long period of being held to ran- som by the Ni)P. tit **4;$110;Auf,40110st„--.41Ats*, "Keep him away from political ads, debates, rallies, issues and editorial pages — he's come down with election fever." Had a good summer? Next person, of either sex, who comes up to me and smiles: "Did you have a nice summer?" is going to get a punch in the gut. I haven't had a nice summer since I was 14 years old. And this was no exception, apart from the magNificent weather that burned my lawns to toast. So. Great summer days, one after another. Ideal beach weather. Lying on the sand, thinking of nothing. Turning into rare steak, which I do. Then a plunge intoisomeof the on- ly clean water left in North America, aside from a patch where some idiot has washed his or her hair, or a patch of oil where some retard has swished too close to the beach. Out. Nice, but definitely out, according to the doc- tor, who says I have per- forated ear -drum, and swimming is a no -no. Ever had a perforated ear -drum? It's my second. The first was in the air force, when I dived from 10,000 feet to 1,000 with a bad head cold. Symptoms? Sharp pain, almost total deafness in the ear, and a feeling as though it were full of water. Have you ever heard of someone giving himself a perforated ear -drum by swatting a horse -fly so hard that he bust his ear- drum and didn't even touch the fly which was almost finishing the chew- ing off of his right ear- lobe? Now you have. Nice summer? it's been swell, old friends. Two grandboys for two weeks. Paradise, right? Oh, they've improved. They hardly ever break anything any more, just for the fun of it. Now, they do it accidentally. "Oh, it broke, Bill." Somehow, they haven't 3d � 4,1 Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley managed to completely disable any major ap- pliance in the house. But every little silver cloud has its lead lining. Each of them eats more that their Gran and I put together. When they're around, it's like being a short-order cook. After three bowls of cereal, topped with bananas or some other ex- otic fruit, I ask, inanely: "Anything else, boys?" Well, it turns out that they might be able to choke down a couple of fried eggs each, along with two pieces, each, of toast, smothered in peanut but- ter and honey. Let's forget the orange juice and milk. It's only money, and you can't take it with you. And their life program has changed drastically. They used to be up, prowl- ing around, about 6 a.m., hungry, when 1 felt like a sack of wet oats. Now, it's like digging a well. The other morning, I'd done my ablutions. Woke up the boys, who stared at me as though they'd been on dope for two weeks. Told them to get cracking. Went down and started their breakfast. Ten minutes later went back up and found them sound asleep. Made loud cheery noises about "getting cracking". Only thing that cracked were the eggs I was getting for breakfast. Back up again, and haul- ed them, literally, out of bed. They slept -walked their way through dressing (and they can never find their shoes) and next thing I heard, while 1 was mak- ing their breakfast, was the TV on. This time, I didn't make 'cheery sounds. I bellowed. Down they came, swollen -eyed and sulky. It was only after two bowls of breakfast food that they became slighly human. From there on, it's Twen- ty Questions time. They: "I can't find my towel, Grandad. Where's my swimming suit, Bill? I've even looked under the bed and no shoes. Why do we have to get up so ear- ly? Which is Balind's lunch? Which ;s Nikov's lunch? Do we hafta eat an apple again today? Why don't you just give us the money to buy our own pop for lunch? Will you untie my shoelaces?" Me: "It's on the clothesline. Swim in your underwear. Your shoes are right where you left them, in with the orange juice. You have to get up so early or you'll meet yourselves coming home. Who cares? Yes. Because you'd lose it. No, just pull them on somehow." By the time they've finished breakfast, and good old Bill, the butler, has packed their towels, swim suits, sweater and lunch in a shopping bag, they're almost human. By the time they get home from day camp, they're feisty little guys, bright, witty, ready to play games, even polite, which throws Gran and me into confusion. They help set the table and are ready to talk philosphy, economics, or about that bully in their class. By 9:30, bed -time, they've become the ultimate in diplomacy. They can stretch that out to 10:30 by a devious number of tricks too miscellaneous to mention, and maybe that's why they're such utter grogs in the morning. Yes, I've had a grand summer. Good neighbor seriously ill. Good col- league undergoing a triple heart pass. And deaf as a post in one ear. Eh? In the wrong direction Last week I commenced Liberal -bashing and believe me, I'm not quite through yet. Something that really ir- ritates me is the deliberate attempts made by our present govern- ment to subsidize the rich by taxing the poor and the middle-class working man, and by giving the wealthy corporations all sorts of tax breaks. The net result is a very unfair tax system. Let me give you a cou- ple of examples. if you work as an employee in Massey -Ferguson you will have to work till July to pay your taxes. 1)o you have any way to avoid those taxes? i think not. Situation number two. You're a farmer and you are suddenly faced with twice the payment on your Massey -Ferguson com- you've forgotten or didn't really hear because the government doesn't "Y. Perspectives By Syd Fletcher kine because of a floating interest rate. [)oes the government help you? i doubt it. Now. Massey - Ferguson had a couple of had years not long ago. Sighs of anguish went up. We're going to go under they screamed loudly. [)id the government help? You bet your sweet hip- py. As a matter of fact, if broadcast these types of things, the Ministry of State for Social Develop- ment under the present Senator Jack Austen pur- chased shares in that com- pany in 1982-83 to the tune of $126,000,000. I ask you, how many farmers would those $126 big ones have helped over the hurdle and though i seem to be a lonely voice in this, what business does the government have to be buying private companies? 1 also ask you how many of those farmers are about to purchase a new com- bine when they've got stung so badly during those high interest years? You can see where the money is going: totally in the wrong direction. if you help the little guy over the hump then he is ready to become a con- sumer. if you beat him down long enough you're going to encourage him to be very very cautious about buying new cars, farm equipment, whatever. In the long run this will have disastrous effects on our consumer economy,