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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-03-15, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, March 15, 1995 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consitt News; Fred Groves, Heather Vincent, Ross Haugh Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Robert Nicol, Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner, Marg Flynn Transportation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert Front OfflcekAccountirig; Norma Jones, Elaine Pinder, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple 0,0% M COMA, The Exeter Times Advocate is a member of a family of community newspapers �'"' providing news, advertising and information leadership • • inion Be careful with CBC f you could point your finger at one thing the government has done - to establish and preserve a Canadian identity it would most certainly be aimed at the CBC. Imagine what Canadians from the vastly different regions of our huge country would think about themselves and their fellow citizens without having CBC radio and television serving as one of the earliest types of internet. By providing a forum where literally mil- lions of topics have been discussed and argued the publically-funded broadcast- ing company has accomplished an al- most impossible task, that of giving us some sense of what being Canadian is all about. There have been many critics of the CBC over the years as it grew from ra- dio to television to arguably one of the world's finest communications net- works. Without any chance to have an identity of our own we would have long ago been absorbed into the Ameri- can culture where the lifestyle seems to be centred on what we can do for our- selves without caring about our fellow citizens. No one will argue that the CBC doesn't have some fat that could be trimmed and that government support will be decreas- ing, but if we are at all concerned about a Canadian identity the cry should go out long and loud proclaiming that our country will not be the same without a voice that can be heard by us all. Com- mercial broadcasting must, of course, be profitable to survive. However, it must be understood, the network that links all Canadians performs a service much greater than giving out the local weather and telling us what McDonald's has on special this week. If the slash and burn mentality grows this could be the only type of information to come over the air- waves. Let's not let it happen. Once upon a Canada Pension Plan es Virginia, there was Cana- da Pension. A long, long time ago, in a primitive, fossil furl -burning civilization, people worked hard to make a living and paid a portion of their wages towards the Canada Pension Plan. A pension was money paid to support people who worked all their lives, grew old and stopped working to have a final rest. The money was supposed to help peo- ple have a final rest without working to put food on their tables. The Canada Pension Plan appeared to be such a noble and progressive idea to this primitive civilization but, some- where and somehow, the so-called gov- ernment of the people announced that the Canada Pension Plan was spending more money than it collected. After 28 years of people paying apart of their wages towards the pension plan, the so- called government said if they didn't pay more money into the plan, they wouldn't get any pension by the time they were ready to have their final rest. The so-called government asked the people who worked and the businesses and companies who paid them to work to put more money to the Canada Pen- sion Plan. Then, the earth began to move and shake as people stomped their feet in anger. The walls of the place of the so-called government of the people be- gan to fall Blown and the iron chest hold- ing all the money that was left of the Canada Pension Plan spilled out and people grabbed and fought for every primitive coin they could get their hands on. Ashes and crumbling walls were all that was left of the palace of the so- called people's government. Not one primitive coin was left in the iron chest, and people went back to their homes and continued to work to put food on their tables. From that day on, they could no longer have a final rest because they were forced to work for the rest of their living days. And the so-called government of the people ceased to exist because peo- ple refused to pay them money to put food on their own tables. Primitive Civilization eventually came to an end, Virginia. People finally learned to never trust the words nor the law of the so-called government of the people. Fergus -Elora News Express 'A View From Queen's Park The rich and famous have not always had a smooth path to elected politics. The latest to try is Isabel Bassett. Bassett, a TV interviewer and producer de- scribed by newspapers as a 'media star' and wife of the equally well known John Bassett, chairman of Canada's biggest privately -owned TV station among many interests, is running for the Progressive Conservatives in a byelec- tion in St. Andrew -St. Patrick riding on May 11 The riding had been held by a New Democrat since 1990 and before that briefly by a Liberal, but was comfortable Tory ground until 1987 and, with the Tories showing signs of revival, Bassett should have some chance of winning it back. But the wealthy and powerful have not been automatically elected. John Bassett, a confidant of every Conservative prime minister and pre- mier for half -a -century, failed to persuade vot- ers in both Ontario and Quebec he was worthy By Eric Dowd of being elected as a Tory. Roy (later Lord) Thomson, during a pause in building his newspaper empire: Hal Jackman, the lieutenant -governor who is outspoken per- haps because he is rich enough to buy his own province; auto parts magnate Frank Stronach, whose annual income is larger than some small countries'; and Mel Lastman, who made a for- tune selling discount appliances as 'Bad Boy', all failed in attempts to get elected to the Com- mons or the legislature. In some cases they ran for the wrong party at the wrong time, when another party was mak- ing a sweep. They also may have been victims of some distrust of the wealthy and successful. Many or- dinary voters may wonder what well-to-do can- didates have in common with them and wheth- er they can understand their struggle to pay the bills. Isabel Bassctt is an established journalist in her own right and has reported for and pro - COMA NOW, WITN MoRE ON THE CBC BiJDGEi'CUt'S, k*. co LIVE 1a PARLIAMENT HILL,., Publications Mail Registration Number 0388 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: CANADA Within 40 miles (65 km.) addressed to non tetter carrier addresses 833.00 plus 82.310.S.T. Outside 40 miles (85 km.) or any letter curler address $33.00 plus 830.00 (total 83.00) + 4.31 O.S.T. Outside Canada $99.00 plus $8.93 OST (Includes $88.40 postage) Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 156 by 1.W. Eedy Publications s Ltd. Telephone 1-519.235.1331 • Fax: 519-2350766 M1o5210835 1 kfl 111411110 AhVAk Health Matters By Heather Vincent ,i...L' .-ADD continues into 'adulthood Until recently, ADD (Atten- tion Deficit Disorder) was a dis- order which had received little attention. Of late, a popular television program focused on ADD and the effect it has on individuals, couples and families. What was explained about the disorder rang true to the comments made by the subject of a local inter- view. Mike, an Exeter resident, said that he lives "on the edge of chaos" and it is next to impossi- ble to focus his attention. Mike demonstrated symptoms of the disorder early in his childhood. ADD once was considered an affliction of the young, disap- pearing after adolescence. It is now known that although symp- toms of the disorder must be present by age seven, it can per- sist though adulthood. Diagnosis, Mike feels, is the first and best form of treatment. "A person with ADD never feels understood...It all makes sense now," he said. Once a diagnosis is made, the individual may begin to set up structures or pattern planning which will help focus their at- tention. CH.A.D.D., a support group for children and adults with At- tention Deficit Disorder based in Toronto, provides informa- tion for individuals and families of people with ADD. The group emphasizes that a diagnosis and treatment must be offered by a health care profes- sional. Some of the difficulties an adult with ADD may experi- ence include: chronic forgetful- ness, disorganized lifestyle, feel- ings of anxiety, impulsive behaviour and feelings of rest- lessness. It is an extremely vari- able disorder, affecting individ- uals in many different ways. ADD is a disorder which affects three to five percent of the pop- ulation. Recent studies have re- vealed that it may be a geneti- cally transmitted, neurological disorder, it is not however, caused by environmental factors like parenting styles or diet. Mike works with children who have ADD and is very interested in setting up a group in the Exet- er area for adults and children who have been diagnosed with ADD as well as family and friends who wish to offer sup- port. "All I want to achieve is to create a secure, confidential en- vironment where people can speak freely without being judged." A sport group would offer people a forum to learn better ways of parenting children with ADD, establish methods to lead more produc- tive fives and exist within a structured routine. The best knowledge available, Mike feels, is in the minds of people living with ADD. Anyone who would be inter- esting in participating in a sup- port group is welcome to call Mike at 235-4699. Haunt/ng famous names duced TV programs which have been praised. She ran in much the same area in the 1993 federal election and lost, but every Tory in On- tario lost so this is no reflection on her ability. John Bassett was most in the public eye as publisher of The Telegram who seemed to have success almost everywhere he turned, owning the Toronto Argonauts football club and a large slice of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is remembered particularly for aggressive,. ly using his powers as a publisher to promote personal interests, such as the Tory party, con- struction of the Eaton Centre for friends in the Eaton family and an extension of seating at Ma- ple Leaf Gardens that would have overhung the street and blocked out the sun. He also is remembered for closing the 95 - year -old Telegram with a Toss of 1,200 jobs in a strike when many felt it could be saved and ac- cepting $10 million from the Toronto Star, sup- posedly for its subscription list. He is remembered as having been given the licence for Toronto's first private TV station in 1960, sometimes called a licence to print mon- ey, amid suspicion it was for services around the legislature for getting the Tories off the hook a couple of times. When the opposition parties wanted a TV debate between all three leaders at the same time in the 1975 election, Premier William Davis said he had accepted a different format proposed by Bassett's station in which he would face each opposition leader in separate debates, which he felt he could han- dle easier, and stuck to this despite protests. In the 1981 election Davis did not want an- other TV debate and said he would have one only provided all TV networks jointly produced it, but Bassett's station refused to co -produce with rival Global TV, the debate was never held and Davis won the election. A wife should not be blamed for what her husband did, or course, but this one may find a famous name haunting her. 1