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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-05-10, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, May 10, 1995 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consttt News; Heather Mir, Chris Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Ingrid Nielsen Production: Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Robert Nicol, Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner, Marg Flynn Transportation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert Front Office & A counting• Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple The Exeter Times -Advocate is a member of a family of community newspapers .N,""" Com", providing news, advertising and information leadership • • inion FI)IT(M I k l .� Violence not a problem in Huron n 1991, Phoenix Second Stage Housing was established in Hu- ron County to offer shelter to families dealing with domestic assault. April 1995, a pellet gun falls out of the pocket of an SHDHS student during class. May 1995, a Grand Bend OPP officer is charged with ten counts of sexual as- sault involving males age 14 to 29 years old. However, there is no cause for con- cern in Huron County when it comes to the issue of violence in our communi- ties. That would be the conclusion drawn from the lack of people at Saturday's Non -Violence Day in Zurich, hosted by the Zurich and District Optimist Club. Unfortunately, this simple conclusion couldn't be farther from the truth. Why didn't the people come? There are many guesses for this question. Some say it is because it was a sunny afternoon in early spring, when people would rather be planting in their gar- dens than be in a dark, cold arena. Some say that non-violence is a tough issue to rally people around and gener- ate support. At least, until it has direct- ly affected someone you know. Some people even say that violence just isn't a problem in this area. The many representatives in Zurich's recreation center on Saturday have much to say about'these observations. Firstly, they all agree that non-violence is a difficult issue to address. Maybe people thought that if they were seen in the arena that day, other people might assume they have a problem with vio- lence in their own lives. As for the problem just not being rele- vant to Huron County, ask Arlene Tim- mins about that. She sits on D.A.R.T. (Domestic Assault Response Team), a community-based group trying to deal with the increasing and often quietly ig- nored problem of violence in the home. The problem of domestic abuse in ru- ral communities is the perfect example of life being held captive by a myth. We all like to think that by living in the "the country", life will be simpler, kinder, and safer. Violence is for the city folk. Maybe that was true once upon a time, but like all fairy tales, the book must close and reality must set in. Saturday had really promised to be an educational day for everyone, and for the few who did show up, they surely picked up a few valuable tips of infor- mation. As for all those people who didn't show up, hopefully it is their hands they have in the sandy soil of spring, and not their heads. And so, with this the insanity begins he jury selection process for the Paul Bernardo trial marks a signifi- cant page in the book of Canadian jus- tice. The page is titled Insanity. Anyone who caught the television film of the first day of jury selection must surely think that it can't be any- thing but insanity; over 1,000 potential jurors and an equal number of journal- ists lobbying for position in downtown Toronto. Bernardo himself safely tucked away in a comfortable hotel room; a far cry from his solitary prison cell. Then there was the American reporter interviewed on CKCO-TV. He wasn't aware Canadian laws prevent the media from interviewing potential jurors in le- gal cases. Nor did he care that his sta- tion was violating that law. The whole process is ridiculous. Our own version of O.J. Simpson. We now know the police have video tape and photographic evidence of the two slain St. Catharines teens. He warned the potential jurors they would see such graphic evidence. And by do- ing so, let the cat out of the bag for the rest of the public to start screaming and hollering about our right to know. Who the hell wants to know what hor- rors those girls went through. That has nothing to do with justice. The whole fiasco simply reveals that our justice system is out of control when it comes to being in control; and under- scores the need for reform when we dis- cover our most notorious criminal (al- leged at this point) gets such comfortable digs for the day as a posh hotel suite. Wingham Advance Times A View From Queen's Park: By Eric Dowd TORONTO - Premier Bob Rae is barely rec- ognizable this election -- he's the guy warning the other leaders not to make rash promises. The New Democrat premier has lectured his opponents and the public daily that there are no 'magic solutions.' Rae urged this cautious approach no fewer than four times in a single debate with Liberal leader Lyn McLeod and Progressive Conserva- tive leader Mike Hams. McLeod had proposed changes to the Toronto area including tax breaks for downtown busi- nesses, integrating public transit schedules and fares to provide easier travel and saving on elections by having regional councillors ap- pointed by member -municipalities. Rae dismissed them all as 'an entire list of quick fixes and wishful thinking.' When Harris said he would speed action by having three groups studying the report in four months and unveil his own proposals for change two months after that, the premier re- torted stiffly the NDP 'will not be stampeded into quick fixes.' Rae scoffed at other reforms suggested by the opposition leaders as 'simplistic, foolish, magi- cal solutions that just won't work.' At rallies, Rae has claimed his opponents 'have a tendency to try to find pat answers ... if there were easy answers, they would have been found years ago' and ab$dlved himself: 'Do I have magic answers? Nd, I don't.' Rae cautioned that `quick solutions encour- age expectations that may be groundless,' de- rided 'people who say you can have it all -- that's a lot of hooey' -- and even when an- nouncing the election insisted there are `no easy answers and quick fixes.' Rae has gone as far as to say 'I don't intend to make any promises in this campaign.' The closest he got has been to say he would contin- Publications Mall Registration Number 0386 SuBACSIPTK» TES: CANARA WIthie 40 Wise (65 km.) addressed to non latter carder addresses $33.00 plus 62.31 O.S.T. Outside 40 miss (65 km.) of any letter caribi address 633.00 phis 830.00 (total 63.00) + 4.31 O.S.T. Outside Canada 699.00 plus $6.93 OST (Includes $88.40 postage) Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Maki St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 156 by J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1.515235-1331 • Fax: 5162360786 4111105210436 -IFYou JuST GIVE ME ANGRIER CHANCE. ONTARIp By Heather Mira Stress management On the stress level scale surely planning a wedding ranks in the double digits. Buying a dress, ordering flow- ers, scheduling a photographer, creating a guest list, printing in- vitations. These are just a few of the many things that go into the planning of a wedding. This recent event in my life led me to think about how stress plays a .role in our everyday lives and how we can keep it to a minimum. Not all stress is negative. We need and can harness a certain amout to be more productive and efficient in our daily lives. But once stress levels are too high, these advantages become liabilities. Even happy events like wed- dings, moving or starting a new job can create stress. Any kind of stress has a negative effect on the body's immune system. It is estimated that we work more hours per year than we ever have in history. Life defi- nately moves faster. It has be- come difficult to find time to re- lax, to do something we really enjoy or to just do nothing at all. Major events are not the only source of stress. Often the small hassels of life produce stress. Rather than finding a solution through a prescription, reducing stress means making small but effectual lifestyle changes. Huron's Living Well brochure provides information on holistic and natural health and lists ser- vices and retailers in the county. The June issue gives a descrip- tion of herbs which aid relaxa- tion. Some of the herbs which combat anxiety, distress, and ag- itation include: valerian, pas- sionflower, hops, chamomile, black cohosh, lemon balm and oats. Exercise, a nutritional diet and enough sleep are important fac- tors in keeping stress at bay. Studies have made a connec- tion between caffeine, sugar, and sodium. By limiting these substances in diet and maintain- ing proper nutrition, some pres- sure can be alleviated. At the far end of the scale, stress ceases to enhance perfor- mance and becomes overwhelm- ing. Some of the symptons of a high stress level are insomnia, fatigue, headaches, depression and irritability. According to Managing Stress From Morning to Night, if not reduced at this stage, stress can contribute to ulcers, heart at- tacks or nervous breakdowns. Making time for proper relax- ation and sleep is crucial to maintain a healthy level of stress in our lives. Laughter is also noted as a good stress re- liever. Through these small altera- tions to our lives, stress can be kept at a manageable level. Rae - no magic solutions ue creating jobs, fighting to maintain health care despite federal cuts, speaking up for Onta- rio and trying to restrain spending. Rae said voters can judge what his govern- ment would do if re-elected by the directions it took in its five years in office. This new, humble Rae is difficult to recog- nize because in three earlier elections he never hesitated to prescribe a swift cure for every ail- ment. The solutions were laid out in manuals the NDP compiled by passing resolutions at con- ventions. They took care of every problem from abortions (provide on demand) to work- place democracy (legislation should require workers to be involved in the structure of pri- vate companies at every level.) The most appealing were offered by Rae in his manifesto, an Agenda for People, in the 1990 election and persuaded many to vote for him. They include, to name only a few, govern- ment auto insurance to end costly premiums, children's daycare that all working mothers could afford and taking most of the cost of edu- cation off needy homeowners. But Rae concluded in the reality of office he could not do these things, which makes it awk- ward for him to promise solutions now because many would not believe him and gives him a giant handicap in the election. The premier often is called a stronger cam- paigner than the other leaders, although this is based solely on his turnaround in 1990. He needs to do a lot of catching up in the campaign because his party has only 20 percent in polls. But he is almost barred from offering exciting visions of the future because they would not be credible and it is difficult to win an election on the cry that answers are hard to find.