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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-06-21, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, June 21, 1995 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consitt News; Heather Mir, Chris Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Ingrid Nielsen Production: Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Robert Nicol, Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner, Marg Flynn Jransgortation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert front Office & Accounting; Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple 800,01AN Cory 44, 1919-1aM t 19f AffO The Exeter Times -Advocate is a member of a family of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership • • 1.1)11ORi.11,S Canada Post to cover loss 0 nce again Canada Post is about to cost the Canadian taxpayers, businesses and the Federal Government more money. Canada Post will soon announce that mailing a letter in Canada will increase to 45.0 cents. Around the same time they will reveal another substantial loss for 1994/95. A multi-million dollar loss is anticipated. Canada Post blames the loss on the fact that they did not get a hike in postal rates as expected in October 1994. As a result, the Corporation has been losing $1 million dollars a week. To avoid controversy the stamp increase and multi-million dollar loss won't be re- vealed in the House of Commons until late June. Friday, June 23 happens to be the last day Parliament is expected to sit be- fore the summer recess: In late May a coalition of community and daily newspapers, courier companies and independent businesses urged the Federal Government to take affirmative action and rein in Canada Post. The group known as the Coalition for Canada Post Accountability publicly called on the Government to review the entire role and mandate of Canada Post. Canadian taxpayers, business people and the government need to know what the role of Canada Post should be. While Canada Post has a duty to play in mail delivery the coalition has —uestioned the presence of Canada Post in ventures that lose huge amounts of money. These losses must then be covered by rev- enue from other profitable postal activities. This eventually results in postage increases to consumers and business people. An independent examination of how Can- ada Post operates is needed to assure Cana- dians that their tax dollars are not being continually used to prop up this Crown Cor- poration. Taxpayers should not have to bear the brunt of Canada Post's inability to operate responsibly. MEM Your Views Letters to the editor MP pensions changes a charade MPs pensions will still have un- limited protection against infla- tion... Dear Editor: The federal government continues to insult Cana- dian taxpayers with its hypocritical charade on MP pensions. The latest sorry act took place on May 30, when the Liberals used their majority to ram Bill C-85, which makes only token changes to MP pensions, through committee hearings. The Liberals forced the 30 -page bill through com- mittee hearings in only 12 minutes. Talk about arro- gance! This was after they decided to ban The National Citizens' Coalition and others from appearing be- fore the committee. Is this what Prime Minister Jean Chretien had in mind when he campaigned during the last election on a promise to restore Canadians' respect for politi- cians and the political process'? Of course, the Liberals were determined to push this cynical bill through quickly (while urging us taxpayers to pull our belts even tighter!) because they know it's a complete fraud. Despite the bill's token changes, MP pensions will still have unlimited protection against inflation; will still be twice as rich as private sector pensions; and they will pay out at the early age of 55. When the next election day comes, we urge voters to remember the record of the Liberal government on reforming MP pensions. Sincerely, David Somerville, President The National Citizens' Coalition for more free- dom through Tess government. A View From Queen's Park TORONTO - Premier -designate Mike Harris is kicking his vanquished opponents while they are down despite his promise to create a 'kinder and gentler' Ontario. The Progressive Conservative leader boasts he will 'undo all the damage' left by the New Democrats who governed from 1990 and Liber- als who preceded them from 1985. Harris called the Liberal and NDP years 'a lost decade', but others will not share this un- generous view. The Liberals, pushed by the NDP while in minority government, brought in worthwhile laws including pay equity to which the Tories had paid only lip -service. The Liberals banged extra -billing by doctors, while the Tories had been more concerned about the health of doctors' wallets than public wellbeing. The Liberals gave workers the elementary right to be informed of hazardous materials in By Eric Dowd their workplace, while the Tories had always figured what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. The Liberals put question period on TV so the public could see cabinet perform, which the Tories avoided fearing it would show up their bland stoginess and loosen their four decades' hold on power. The NDP made the first serious move to re- duce the cost of the public sector when it cut pay by $2 billion a year knowing it would lose allies, while Harris found reasons to vote against. The NDP also trimmed one-third from Onta- rio Hydro's bloated 29,000 staff, fat put on by Tories who had appointed friends as chairman and allowed them to play building empires. TI>h t NDP fought to get construction workers admitted to Quebec more fiercely than any pre- decessor and Harris should remember because he praised it and wished his own party had Publications Mall Registration Number 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: CANADA Within 40 miles (85 km.) addressed to non letter carrier addresses 533.00 plus 52.31 G.S.T. Outside 40 miles (85 km.) or any letter carrier address 533.00 plus 530.00 (total 63.00) + 4.31 0.5.T. Outside Canada 599.00 plus $8.83 OST (Includes 588.40 postage) Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S8 by J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1-519-235-1331 • Fax: 5132350756 ' G.B.T. nn1052101= Health Matters By Heather Mir Long, hot summer has arrived If the past few days are any in- dication of what's to come, we have long, hot summer ahead of us. With the warm weather comes intense rays from the sun and although the presence of the sun is essential to our lives, ex- posure to the damaging UV rays can contribute to skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most com- mon of all cancers and most damage occurs before the age of 18 because children tend to spend more time in the sun than adults. Health and Welfare Canada estimates that 60 to 80 per cent of damage is done at this time. It is for this reason that par- ents need to be aware of protect- ing their children from damage that could lead to skin cancer which can be disfiguring or fatal if not treated. Your Kids and the Sun is a pamphlet put out by the Canadi- an Dermatology Association and it warns against the damage done to skin at an early age. "Although the sun emits vari- ous types of radiation, it is the ultraviolet range which most af- fects our skin. Ultraviolet rays damage the skin's DNA and cell function, and from a child's first sunburn or tan, the damage just keeps on adding up, resulting in wrinkles, dark blotches, leathery skin, and possibly skin cancer years later." Each student of Exeter Public School was provided with sam- ples of sunscreen lotion by the Huron County Health Unit to use on their track and field day. Many other schools in the area took advantage of these free samples as well. A sunscreen with a sun protec- tion factor of 15 or higher should be applied at least 30 minutes prior to exposure on all areas not covered by protective clothing. Ernest Miatello of Hu- ron Apothecary Ltd. advises us- ing a sunscreen which has a SPF of 15 or more. Several are rec- ommended by the Canadian Dermatologist Association in- cluding Photoplex and Om- brelle. Both are paba and fra- grance -free because some people have an allergic reaction to these ingredients. Ombrelle has recently come out with an 'extreme' 30 SPF for very sun sensitive skin in addition to their regular 15 SPF formula. Both provide waterproof UVA/UBV protection. Wearing loose fitting, light coloured natural fibre clothing will help to protect skin. Long pants, long sleeved shirts and wide brimmed hats will also help to minimize exposure. Fair skinned, blondes and redheads are at a greater risk for sun dam- age because their skin has less pigment to protect itself. According to the Huron -Perth Unit of the Canadian Cancer So- ciety, more that 50,000 new cas- ' es of skin cancer are expected this year. Don't be fooled by clouds. Up to 80 per cent of the sun's rays can penetrate through Tight clouds, haze or fog. Environment Canada reported the ozone values observed in Canada this winter were close to the record low values recorded in 1993. Ozone depletion, caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other industrial sub- stances, will continue for many decades. Ontario open for business, again says Harris shown the same backbone. . The NDP set up a committee of MPPs of all parties that looks at appointees to boards and commissions and whether they are connected to the part in power, which the Tories never dared because the boards were clubs for their bud- dies. Hams would have difficulty finding i decade in which governments produced more useful in- itiatives Harris says Ontario is' 'open for business again' as if only Tory government could man- age prudently, but Tory premier William Davis had $2 billion -plus deficits, massive for the times, which Hams should know.about because he voted for them. The Liberals are the only party to have bal- anced a budget in recent years. The Tories failed, although they also enjoyed some boom times and won one election promising a bal- anced budget. The NDP in the recent election was widely acknowledged to have had several striking suc- cesses directing money to keep major employ- ers operating. The toties' financial help included spending $40 million on a resort later sold for $4 mil- lion, $140 million on a rail design firm dumped for $30 million and $800 million for oil compa- ny shares let go for half that cost. Hams says recent governments eroded tnist. But none did so more than the Tories. As Har- ris acknowledged when he ran for leader and complained his party lost principles and gov- erned by clique and polls. Harris recalled Davis 'would come into our caucus and tell us what we had all decided' and his chief adviser Tom Long noted 'all the im- portant, final decisions were made by four guys sifting polling data in a Toronto hotel room.' But these are flaws they would like forgotten because they are trying to build an image that Tory times are close to paradise.