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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 1981-03-26, Page 4PAGE 4--CLINTON NE RECORD, THURMAY, MARCH 26,1981 The Cif/411a0 thswaktacarol Is pattlithei Thereda,y at P.O. Ren Se. Cila14awe. 15w Canada. WM V Tata i112 --4M0. Subscrilifilosa Saw Canada -'16.90 Sr. Citizen. 9.1.f1S pad` year U.S.A. A foreignper year. A MEMBER oath tarts. I4 la rsaitstersal es second class man by the past office mailer per_snit ammber Sill. The 14amretteaord inearporated k 1926 the Moran f4amalea®rd, f noted In 9661. and the Haw aw Sra, feud h MS. Total press ruin a.816. JAMES E. FITZGERALD - Editor SHELLEY McPHEE - News Editor GARY HAIST. Advertising Manager HEATHER BRANDER - Advertising MARGARET L. GIUB - Oifice Manager MARY ANN GLIDDON-SubseriptIens O a MEMBER Display advertising rates available on request. Ask far Rate Card No. 11 effective 00. 1, Majority rules, right? The provincial election is over, and the Progressive Conservatives under the guidance. of Premier William G. Davis have been swept into power for another four, years with a comfortable majority. Democracy still lives and the majority rules, right? Wrong. The majority doesn't rulle at all, in fact, the way . our , present antiquated parliamentary system is set up the minora rules in Ontario, just as it does feder►. How ,.can that be, you say, we have the best system in the world? Well, we don't and a closer look at the voting numbers for the recent election will clearly show why the majority isn't represented. In the , last provincial election, only 58 per cent sof Ontlari f-5:5 million voters even btltYered to mark ballots, about 3.16 minima:7N that. total the Davis Tories got only 44.5 percent, or 1.4 votes. So what; it bods• :down to isthat Davis's so•called mandate of 70 -seats represented only ai 0 pt of fhepopulace, with 75 percent of Ontario not supporting him. The Federal Liberals under Prime Minister Trudeau, are in a somewhat similar position, representing less than 30 per cent of the electorate. A political system that continues to operate under such a lopsided represen- tation is becoming a danger to the democratic process. It breeds ill -feeling, regionalism, and fighting between groups in the the country. Just witness the hostility brewing between the west, who have no representation in Ottawa, and the east, who call the shots. Some sort of parliamentary reform must be undertaken in this country, before our system becomes fragmented into half a dozen parties like those in Italy and France, witif no one able to take decisive action, or worse yet, where a small party, which gets 25 per cent of the vote, is elected and then proceeds to take the country down the path of destruction. Remember, Hitler was voted into office. - byJ.F. t cereal � There's'a rrathermonotonous TV- con- fer a ha aat'firm that : "re's,.ce r i Contin uauy. receive we What ing it. ,,main: Character ad In many ''respects, the commercial parallels the regent study into the pricing tices i,#fe s lkki lajor o1Y aiCom- es. It . k ears','for the sthdy to be completd :"anti tlli?e elfdts"were of little ' surprise to anyone, except perhaps in their magnitude. Few people can comprehend what $12 billion;: represents:It perhaps takes on more meaning when it is noted that every man, Woman and child in Canada has been bilked of $2,500. The figure could probably be doubled if the Years from 1973 to 1981 were added in. The, whole situation -is mind boggling, not only from the standpoint of themoney in- kneve it all alo rig" p • as volved, but the Years .it took to come up . Withthosetigures. Now,' of course, the big question is what ,will happen to, prove 'the guilt, to punish those responsible if the guilt is proven, and more irapoilantly, to put , an immediate .halt to the practices if they are in fact con- tinuing. If you're waiting at. the gasoline pumps for someone to come :along and roll back .prices,, chances areyou'llhavea long wait. It took 'eight years''to come up with the report and it will quite possibly take that 'long to get some action, if in fact any does come about. The main hope for Canadians is that the federal government will show enough for- titude to immediately take steps to halt the practices which have permitted the 'rip off and point up once again that the virtues of the free enterprise system are only at- tainable when those involved are virtuous. (from the Exeter Times -Advocate) Peeking through the snow by Jim Fitzgerald remembering our past. a Zook through the news -record files 5 YEARS AGO March 25, 1976 Too many cooks didn't spoil the broth at the annual pancake supper at the Clinton Christian School last Friday night. In fact, they needed all the cooks they could get to help turn out the 150 pounds of mix into pancakes for 500 persons. In one of the most thrilling hockey games in years played before a packed sell-out crowd of 1,365 in the Clinton arena last Tuesday night, March 23, Mike Anstett, captain of the Clinton Mustangs flipped the puck into the net at 11:21 of the second sudden -death overtime period to vault Clinton into the all -Ontario playoffs. The 7-6 win by Clinton gave them the best of seven series against the Tillsonburg Mavericks four games to three. The Mustangs now meet the Essex 73's, who defeated the Dresden Kings 7-2 Last Tuesday nightto win the Great Lakes Junior 'C' Championship. 10 YEARS AGO April l ,1971 - -A city 45 miles long with a -population of 10,000 persons on the very edge of Lake Huron is something that could happen in Huron County unless thoughtful legislation prevents it, according to the representatives of G.V. ;Kleinfeklt Associates Ltd. of London who presented the official, plan to members of Huron County -Council in Goderich on March 26. J.A. Nicklom and T.S. Keith told county council that the development of scattered cottages along the lakeshore ' should be stopped. They said county planners must look at these cottages as prospective permanent residents in Huron County, who may one day demand all services they would have a right to expect in any municipality. "'These 2,800 cottages along the lake can pose a real threat," said Keith. "You cannot prevent cottages from turning over to per - sugar and spice dispensed by bill smiley Stormy weather Isn't it amazing how little our world real- ly is? How pretty and small and mean we are underneath our professed liberalism, generosity, compassion? The situation in Poland is very dicy. The Mexican stand-off in the Middle East is a torch, loaded with pitch, just waiting for a match. There are bush fires and brush fires of wars all over the world. Canada is in a mess, politically, economically and spiritually. There are noses thumbed at 'the Queen by would-be head -liners. There is a big flap about the constitution. The West is howling separatism. Quebec still wants it, psychologically. Even Newfie is threaten- ing a referendum on separating. Shame, after all that federal money poured in to ensure the perpetuation of the Liberal government. Outside, as I write, the great February storm is raging: snow, high winds, rain, freezing. Tomorrow will be one of those days when the school buses don't run, the smart kids in town will roll over and go to sleep after looking at the snowbanked win- dows. And a few dumb kids, and a lot of dumb teachers, will stagger through the storm, at risk of life and limb, to keep the stupid school open. And yet, all these storms, international, national, and local, don't bother me half as much as the one in my own household. Here's where the suspense begins. Wife left him? Nabbed by the cops for mope and gawkery? Poles and Russians have been clobber- ing each other with ten -foot poles and vodka for hundreds of years. The Jews and Arabs have been doing the same :or three thousand years. Likewise the North and South of whatever: Vietnam, Korea, the U.S. Likewise all sorts of black people all over Africa. In Toronto, the cops punch up the gays, who respond with violence. In the West, a whole can of worms has been opened, and the worms all turn out to be from Ontario and Queliec. In parliament, lies are told, fingers pointed, desks thumped, and the government goes right on dazzling us with one hand, and with the other, lifting money from our wallets to help out poor little old Massey -Ferguson, poor little old Chrysler, poor little old Petro -Can. While that bulwark of idealism, the NDP, nods and smiles, and taps its foot to the Liberal tune. Right outside my window, the snow is coming down so hard that the wind has no time for sculpturing. One guy is trying to climb the hill sideways, in his car. Another has just rammed his into a snowbank and walked away. He is the one who boasted that he never used snow tires, because he had radials. Across the country, people are driving under insane conditions, taking their own lives and those of others in their hands, to get from nowhere to nowhere. And yet, as I said, all these storms seem trivial compared to the domestic storm. More suspense. To generously, not to say wildly, paraphrase King Lear; "Blow, storm; lie, politicians; smite, Middle -Easterners; plot, Slays. Go to it, and the best of luck to yiz But your plight brings little sympathy, no tears, from one who is spider -webbed into a binge of decorating. As I am. Most women do their spring decorating in the spring. Mine, just as perverse as the day I asked her to marry me, and she retorted, "Why should I?" does hers in` mid -winter. Don't ask me why. I'm likely to erupt in a fountain of bad language. Pll swear my eyes are permanently crossed from looking at wall -paper samples. After the first four books, they all begin to look alike. Same with paint. After inspecting peach, ivory, mushroom, off- whitand six others, I wouldn't know a red cow from a purple pig, if I bumped into one or fell over the other. Not that there's a difference of opinion. We did agree on the wall -paper. At least the design. She liked the stuff that was $14.95 a roll. I was swept away by the stuff, identical design, that was $4.95 a roll. But the difference is chicken -feed, as you'll agree. Some chicken. But it's not that. It's not the money. After all, you can't take it with you. Though I doubt if I'll be around long enough to take anything anywhere, even the garbage out to the roadside, after the latest decorating orgy. It's the little details. She can't seem to sort out the order of things. She makes a deal with the painter -decorator to start on e certain day. The day before he is to ar- rive, she rushes out to pick the wall -paper. Wall -paper is like the ' Canadian mail. It gets there when it gets there. If ever. Next day, she arranges for a cleaning lady to wash the woodwork. The lady, much sought after, can come only between the painting and the papering. This means that the paint goes on over dirty wood- work, and there's nobody to clean up after the plasterer, who makes such a mess that the wall -paper looks like the dunes of the Sahara. And so on. I could write a book about decorating. All I'd have to do is listen to my wife before breakfast, before dinner, after dinner, and before bed. Which I have to do anyway. No wonder colleagues say when I arrive at work: "You look exhausted." Substitute "harassed," "frightened," "desperate" or "frantic," and you have the average Cana- dian male when his wife decides that the homestead is shabby, disgraceful, slum- my, and so on and on and on. manentsresidences." • 25 YEARS AGO March 29, 1956 Sunday will mark the 21st anniversary of work fro the mail carrier Norman .Long, Kippen. Now71 years old, Mr. Long has been on the job since 1935, and claims to have never missed delivering mail on RR 2, Kippen and in fact has never been late. Mr. Long can remember having to crawl on his hands and knees to the mail boxes and wipe the snow off them in order to get the mail in. Some.winters he has driven a horse through snowdrifts piled five feet deep. Playing his best game of the playoffs, Mait Edgar led the Colts attack with five goals and three assists. His persistent back checking was also a big help in holding Kincardine to one goal and moving the .Colts one step closer to a berth in the WOAA homebrew finals. ' Three entrants in the girls open solo class at the fifth annual Hullett Township Music Festival on Tuesday, did a fine job of a dif- ficult song, when they sang April Rain at the conclusion of the competitions. Top marks were -awarded -to Margo Grange with second 'place going to Miss Virginia Gardner and third to Miss Dianne Gardner. Marks ran 84, 83and82. 50 YEARS AGO March 26, 1931 • The'aioir of St. Andrew's United Church, Bayfield, under the auspices of the Ladies Aid of the Clinton Baptist Church presented the comedy drama Love's Magic in the town hall on Tuesday evening to a good house. Tuesday happened to be the first rainy night we've had in a long time but it did not seem to discourage people from coming out, although some who bought tickets did not venture. 75YEARS AGO ' March:10, 1906 The trustees of S.S. No. 8 in Hullett, if they have not done so, should appoint a truant officer. There are several children in the section who go to school so very seldom. The remains of all that was mortal of Albert Johnson of Goderich township was . borne to its last resting place on Thursday week. The doctor had fair hopes for his recovery, but a sudden relapse took hold of him, and death claimed the young life for its .victim. The young man was just in his 18th year. We are often led to exclaim, "Oh Death, where is thy,sting." Much sympathy is ex- tended to the family in their hour of af- fl ication. W.B. Cook and son of Constance have turned 1,550 horse shoes, which mean, when set on the hoof, in the neighborhood of $475. This indicates a large business being done. Mr. Cook also has horseshoeing stocks in his shop, which enable him to shoe with satisfaction the most ferocious animal. The newest thing in the way of wedding favors is known as a "shower." The latest event of this kind took place last night, when a lot of the young friends of Mrs. James South- combe drove out and "showered" her with linen and china. The novelty of the event is enhanced by the reckless disregard for conventionality in reaching their destination. Last night the young ladies went out in a dray and a lumber waggon. One vivacious young lady said her did not care a'continental if she did have to let her -ahem !- "limbs" hang over the side of the dray: she objected to the use of a more common word. They're a pretty lively crowd, and "limbs" were in evidence. 100. YEARS AGO March 25, 1881 Building operations in Clinton have assumed a very lively aspect. Preparations arealready being made for the erection of three blocks, and the work is to be pushed ahead rapidly. The Record would like to see: better ventilation in some of our churches; a new passenger station on the Grand Trunk Railway; a thousand more people read the Record. Boney Campbell has placed in his barber shop, one of Archer's patent chairs, of Rochester, and it is, without exception, one of the best and easiest we have ever seen or sat in. Boney is bound to keep even with the times, and in doing so, has procured "solid comfort" for all. Mr. C.H. Maddaugh has opened up a business in Brucefield in the tailoring line. He intends doing up clothing in city styles, and being a good cutter and an experienced work- man, should command a good share of the trade. On Saturday last a tree was being'removed from beside Ransford's book store; and after digging and cutting around it for some time, we understand two or three teams were hitched on, but could not stir it, until Mr. Thos. Connell who had been engaged in ex- t.avating Mr. Perrin's cellar came along with 'eam, when he ordered the other teams to .ken off and his put on. At the signal of "come here" Tom's team took out the tree with one pull. Tom says his team cannot be beaten in these parts and from this work we think he cannot be far astray. Get support Dear Editor, With another provincial election on the 19th and an obsolete election act as far as ballots are concerned, we are faced with the fact that many candidates will be elected with less than 50 percent of the electoral support. In a recent federal election. using the same type of ballot, we found that there was a candidate elected with 12,322 votes while 22,254 opposed his election (the latter amount being split between five can- didates). Some other examples are: 19,756 ballots (elected) 0 29,967 ballots (opposed - between four candidates); 13,610 ballots (elected) ® 26,373 ballots (opposed - between six candidates); and 11,619 ballots (elected) – 23,904 ballots (opposed - between two candidates ). These examples certainly indicate (Democracy defeated by The Ballot). It will be noted that when Australia evolved a multi-party-• system like Canada's, it adopted a preferential (signal -transferrable ballot) to ensure that the winner would be the preferred choice of electorate. It will be noted as well, that in the opening of Federal Parliament, the speech from the Throne indicated the necessity of electoral reform. We know that countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela, El Salvador; and many others, which are the trouble spots in the world today are places where the governments are supported by less than the majority of the electorate. In view of the strife, tur- moil and blood shed, I can see that in another 30 years, if this situation is not taken care of our country will be in a similar condition. This type of balloting is not new in Canada. It was instituted on a provincial basis in both British Columbia and Alberta and for a number of years they had good government. This was disposed of in both provinces in the 50s by Social Credit governments. The reason at the time was weakness in party strength and so they reverted back to the system of a simple plurality ballot. When one looks at those countries in turmoil and looks ahead to the possibilities of this happening in Canada, one would have to assume that political strategists that oppose reform in this area are little short of being treasonous. Due to the . experiences of those two provinces, I see the necessity of having the electoral system handled in such away in the constitution that no federal, provincial, municipal or school board representatives could ever sit in any of the elected offices without a clear majority of electoral support. It is hoped that the readers of this article will demand from the candidates in their constituencies their support in electoral - reform. Sincerely, Osborne Fansher, Bayfield. Take off the rose colored glasses, Dear Editor; Maybe I should have taken up newspaper work instead of obtaining my degrees in Engineering and Business Administration, because I am writing more letters to the various presses than at any time in my varied and interesting life. No one is contesting my views, I cannot understand this. Is it apathy? Do some people read my letters (to the editor) and say, "The silly old b—r," or is the general public only interested in news like, "Mrs. Barry B. Joneses had a nice visit from her uncle who lives in Tim-Buc-Too, and had fish sticks for lunch which were un- fortunately burnt, but still , tasted delicious." You know folks, we cannot wear rose colored glasses all the time. This country of ours is not progressing, our young people have to have a chance to be taught a productive trade. I am amazed that certain training programs have been dropped from a number of schools in this area. Is the real reason money, or a lack of competent instructors.? I happened to be in The Met store in Goderich on Friday, March 20 and seeing the situation made me think. I wish the Mini thoughts Today's column will be filled with a col- lection of mini -thoughts that have been running through my mind m helter-skelter order. +++ Politics is a topic I usually avoid because I'm not versed in the subject. However, the Ontario election campaign intrigued me. According to market researchers hired by the Progressive, Conservatives, the voting public could be won with a catchy ad campaign. I was a bit miffed. Just because I could sing the campaign jingle in the shower did not mean I would mark the PC ballot in the polling booth. I never quite figured out what the pro- mise was, but I knew who was going to pay for it - the taxpayers. I was concerned with the economy, unemployment, an education system that seems to be cutting back, a human rights code that does not prevent discrimination against handicapped people in this the In- ternational Year of Disabled Persons, and amendments to the building code to make all public buildings accessible to all members of the public, that have been under study for five years. By the time you read this, the outcome of the election will be history. Advance polls predicted the Conservatives would be returned with a majority government. Whatever the results, I trust the people of Ontario voted with intelligence and thoughtfulness, and whatever party is now in power, I trust. it will work for the better- ment of all residents of the province. +++ Perhaps now we should take time out to pat ourselves on the backs for surviving another election, two Friday thirteenths in a row, and a St. Patrick's Day that was almost obliterated by snow. +++- My ego was given a boost recently when a friend asked me to coach her before she took her driver's test. Some of my family reacted with mock surprise that she asked and amazement that she passed. I can't take all the credit, though, because other teachers rode with her, too. +++ Amusing remarks come from would-be teachers trying to instruct new drivers. One man admits when he let his girlfriend behind the wheel: "I know she's going to stop at the stop sign, but I find myself yelling at her anyway." The most honest advice I've heard came from another man: "Watch the way I drive and don't drive that way." +++ I thought I had considered the situation of refugees resettling in Canada, but, after meeting a family at London airport two weeks ago, I realize I had not fully grasped the trauma. No one can, unless they have lived through it. I wonder how I would handle having to leave my country, my culture and perhaps my family to settle in a new land with un- familiar language and customs. I now have a revived appreciation of my homeland and a growing admiration for the new Canadians who are starting out in our communities. readers of this letter would comment on it. I saw three young males of Asian ex- traction, extremely well dressed, pushing carts filed to the top with new clothing of all descriptions. Turning my head 20 degrees, I saw a young Canadian husband pushing a cart, his wife walking and two small children (I would guess about 4 and 7 years old) walking beside him. They stopped at the sock counter and started an under -the -breath argument to see what they couldafford. Sincerely Fred "Doc" Jackson, Clinton Give generously Dear Editor: It is sometimes difficult to realize that 36 years have passed since' World War II and that to many folk in their 30s, the war and all it implied is history. Yet to those of us who remember, it is all very real. The Red Cross chapter formed here in Clinton sent hundreds of knitted goods (free), food parcels, put on plays, bazaars, book sales and teas to raise money. As war progressed and we had many casualties and our boys were taken as prisoners of war, food parcels sent through the Red Cross kept them from semi- starvation. The end of the war was not the end of Red Cross work. The Geneva Conventions recognize the vast need for Red Cross volunteers in cases of natural disasters, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and famine. Where these occur, who is the first there with blankets, clothing, medicine and food shelter? The Red Cross workers of course. Greece is presently suffering a terrific earthquake. The Hellenic Red Cross of Greece has appealed to the Canadian Red Cross for money. People have been killed and injured, 500 million damage of property and left 12,000 homeless. James McDermott, director of the London Red Cross said that all money raised in London during this canvass will be sent to the Greece Red Cross. It will purchase tents, blankets and relief goods. Those who still say what does the Red Cross do in peace time surely do not forget the Blood Donor Clinics held here in Clinton where blood generously given, • saves thousands of lives. Yours truly, E.D. Fingland, Clinton