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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1996-02-07, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, February 7,1996 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith • Production Manager. Deb tore dcbsaant Barb Consitt, Chad Eedy NewMOW Heather Mir, Chris Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Brenda Burke Embalm; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner Trailsoortation: AI Flynn, Al Hodgen front Office & Accounting: Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings, Ruthann Negrlin, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple The Exeter Times -Advocate !s a member of a family of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership • • pinion — v -i PublicalionsuatoomaiiRATt5_ on Hunter 16 Mob 40 ails (ea km.) a etw.od ismoMater wsroddness* 313.00 pas $3.31 0414: out.td. 40 Wal.. (05 tan.) of1MY $ttI oaltlsr atlak 333.00 pl s 530.00 (total 00.00) + 4.114 .T. 0+440 Canada *00.00 Mos $6.13 D*T Q (Include. 31L40 postage) . mow, latiole, NOM 1$4 rtliMi Ruh Weilldos el 424 Math .t., Telephone 1 i, LPau. W. Pelagian Ltd. SAT. saiannisos 1.:1)1 1Oi11.11. The difference between slashing and surgery is communicating hen Deputy Premier and Ontario Finance Minister Ernie Eves walked into the annual meeting of the Huron PC Association he. received two vastly different welcomes to Exeter. Just outside the doors to the Rec Centre Auditorium Eves encountered a handful of disgruntled members of OPSEU, the Ontario Public Service Union. He was greeted with placard -carrying demonstrators who were showing their frustration and opposition to the actions of the Harris government. Thousands of public servants are slated to lose their jobs over the next few years with expectations the ranks of OPSEU could be reduced by up to one third. Their presence didn't seem to bother the second highest ranking Tory in the province who has obviously experienced facing demonstrators before. Eves strode through the group with confidence, knowing just a few feet beyond the doors he would be entering friendly territory. In fact Eves was surrounded by Conservatives from across Huron who had paid $25 per ticket for the o portunity to hear him and to enjoy e of Jerry Rader's outstit tingling Allis we with Huroh• ,(i8unty Conservatives who were gathered to celebrate their election victory. Ontario's voters turfed out the dreaded NDP and Huron is safely in Tory hands for the first time in 25 years. Many in the room had worked hard, almost as hard as Helen Johns, the newly -elected MPP for Huron. They deserved a good meal, a chance to indulge in self-congratulation and they were honored having Ernie Eves as the keynote speaker. But somewhere between when the tickets were printed and sold and Thursday night the Conservatives slipped nine points in their public support rating. The drop from an impressive rating of 53 to 44 per cent has been attributed to the way the Omnibus Bill (Bill 26) was brought into law by the Harris government. Perhaps this is what led to the appearance of another group of voters at the Rec Centre. Their message was one of fear and concern about the future. This group was relegated to making themselves heard outside the comfort of the annual meeting. Most didn't have tickets and had absolutely no chance of getting invited inside. Some had tickets which were refunded in exchange for a five-minute audience with Eves. But even Ernie Eves has recognized the Conservatives' public perception needs work. "We should do a better job of communicating what we are doing," the minister stressed. He had no trouble communicating his government's goals to the people at the meeting. He informed local Conservatives Ontario is spending $1 million per hour more than they are bringing in. This is on a 24 hour a day basis, 365 days a year. The group heard the interest the government must pay exceeds the amount spent on either education or health care. By this time TV cameras and OPSEU members were long gone, however, we know there will be many more chances for protesters to express their opinions. Eves and Johns, along with the rest of the Conservative team do not appear to be flinching from their goal of fiscal respectability. They don't have a choice. Eves told the group they're paying for years of excessive public spending dating as far back as the 1: ConservativO government tin der Premier Bill bavis. Eves also seems to understand the importance of maintaining public support. We expect the Conservatives to be a little more conciliatory in the months ahead, communicating with the taxpayers of Ontario. This will have a higher priority as more and more reductions in spending have yet to be announced. Perhaps the Conservatives should take a lesson from their friends in the medical profession. When a patient needs life-saving surgery, the first thing a good doctor does is carefully explain why it is necessary.The risks and the suffering will be pointed out as well as the benefits. Ontario needs surgery....not indiscriminate cutting and slashing. The Conservatives are learning the difference. Now they have to learn how to present it to the patient. Picking up your newspaper and reading about the "cut of the day" is a long way from having our government perceived as doing selective and effective surgery. View From Queen's, Park TORONTO -- It's tough being at the top or even contemplating it, as the man who prob- ably could have been Liberal leader has discov- ered. Deputy leader Sean Conway, who is un- challenged as the legislature's cleverest orator now that Bob Rae has left, has withdrawn his candidacy for leader saying he could not give the job the 'total personal commitment' that would have been necessary. Conway, who had announced his candida- cy and then spent six months travelling seeking support, said his journey made him realize he is not prepared to make the personal sacrifice re- quired to do the job well. Conway would have been as close to a sure thing for leader as anything in politics can be. He had no serious rivals among those who expressed interest. The dangers to him would have been that, although only 44, he has been in the legislature for 20 years and some in tiffs party would have yearned for a fresher face or felt his elegant phrase -making outdated. Conway's withdraw- al underlines the pressures on leaders. The fo- cus in politics has sharpened so that it is almost entirely on the leader, who embodies the party's entire hopes and expectations. Issues are more complex and solutions harder to find, par- ticularly now governments are short of money and will be for the foreseeable future. Views often are so deeply divided that building con- sensus is impossible. Leaders get almost no time for home life or privacy, which should move no-one to tears be- cause they asked for the job, but still is hard on them. Leaders are less respected and often treated with scorn. The day before Conway withdrew, Progressive Conservative Premier Mike Harris praised Rae, the New Democrat premier from 1990-95, on his retirement as leader. Harris noted that Rae 'served at a time when faith in political office has diminished, something Harris similarly has to grapple with. Running for leader also costs money and reach- ing the highest peaks is no guarantee of survi- Fasting a lesson in moderation With our modern lifestyles we have easy access to food and drink at all times of day. As a result we have lost touch with natural feelings of thirst or hunger. Our bodies are constantly satisfied and fed. For centuries, fasting has been a practice that has linked people throughout the world for health or spiri- tual reasons. Like Christian Lent or Jewish Passover, mil- lions of Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan. Each culture that partici- pates the practice will de- scribe different benefits to be gained ranging from strength- ening self discipline to cleansing the body of toxins. Ramadan is an effective les- son in applied moderation and willpower. "When a person observes the regular course of fast- ing....he relieves his stomach and relaxes his digestive sys- tem," states one scholar. It is believed through fast- ing, the poor and weak stom- ach will not be filled with food before the previous meal has been digested, and there- fore will not attract illness. Fasting also leads to a bet- ter understanding of diet as we become aware of our body's true needs and not just its desire for food. As one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting, from before the break of dawn until sun- set duringthe ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a re- quirement of all Muslims. The mentally or physically ill, young children . and the very elderly are exempted from fasting. Older people who cannot bear the hard- ships of fasting must offer at least one needy Muslim a meal for each day of the fast. People who are travelling may temporarily break the fast but must make up for it at a later date. Pregnant or menstruating women and' nursing mothers are not per- mitted to fast, however, the days of fasting must be also made up, a day for a day. . Ramadan began on Jan. 21 and will conclude on Feb. 20 with Eidul-Fitr, a major holi;'' day marking the end of the month of fasting. Because Is- lam is based on a lunar calen- dar, Ramadan is celebrated .� 11 days earlier each year. During the winter months when days are short, fasting does not present as great a challenge as long, hot sum-' mer days whin taking no food or drink can be a true test of will. Sean Conway withdraws from leadership val. Ontario's last three premiers were tossed out fairly quickly and contemptuously, Tory Frank Miller after only five months and Liberal David Peterson and Rae each after five years. Conway is not alone in shying from leader- ship. Murray Elston, a former health minister who lost the Liberal leadership by only nine votes in 1992 and would have had support this time, has said he prefers life outside elected politics, although Conway's exit may prompt him to change his mind. Jim Bradley, who lacks Conway's verbal gymnastics but with his more down-to-earth delivery and tenacity runs him close for best -performing Liberal in the legislature, seems content to be a house leader for life. In the NDP, which also has a vacancy for leader since Rae left, the only declared candi- date so far is Peter Kormos, a far -left maverick who has no chance. Its former natural resources minister, Bud Wildman, who as one of the few NDP ministers to keep out of real trouble would be expected to run for leader, this week opted to spend more time with his fami- ly.<B The growing reluctance to run for lead- er was evident when Harris was chosen Tory leader in 1990 and only Dianne Cunningham ran against him. Others declined, although a Tory leader traditionally has some chance of becoming premier and Harris at that time had given no hint of Ibis potential for sweeping all before him and should not have frightened off anyone. In contrast, when Miller became Tory leae;-. er and premier he had to outface a field that in- cluded Larry Grossman, Dennis Timbrell and Roy McMurtry. His predecessor, William Da- vis, had to beat off the likes of Allan Lawrence,1 Darcy McKeough, Robert Wekh and Bert Lawrence. Before that, John Robarts won a race in which,no fewer than oyes MPPs corn- peted.L.eacieishiPtfbot seen ria itake the prize it was. 1> rr