Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-07-25, Page 4BJXTH STANDARD) •�_ • 4 x004.4 I1 0.0011 MIM►r., M1Ra491,�IlroOhC NOMIi 1h0 ei,s 402440. Pair Imo! ire 1 Incorpioraotlrlg J. HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher SHELLEY MOPHEE - Editor GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager MARY ANN HOLLENBECK - Office Manager A real bum deal A MEMBER Olivier . advertising rates ereUable on reyotaat. Ash to Neto Curd. No. 111 effective October 1. 19113. I, The petty politicing in the 1984 federal election campaign has begun -"and this time it isn't being done by the politicians. Feminist groups across the nation are jumping on the band. wagon to crucify Prime Minister John Turner. It seems Turner's derriere patting of fellow female supporters has outraged the groups. Last week, Turner was put through the meat grinder for two incidents where he patted the derrieres of party president lona Campagnola and Quebec cam- paigner Lise St. Martin -Tremblay in a congratulatory manner. Feminists across the nation are standing up and adopting a hands-off policy for Turner's campaign practises. In Kitchener -Waterloo, a feminist group has taken the ridiculous hands-off policy to the limit. The K -W Status of Women organization is selling "a Turner shield". The devise is being billed a•s an "election protective devise" made from green bristol board and includes a pink wool belt. They are asking $1 for their politically petty devise. People will do anything for an edge. This outcry by the feminists is nothing more than a ploy to pressure Turner into taking a stand on more women's issues. Has the pressure affected Turner's decision to participate in a third debate on women's proposals? Turner denies that last week's bottom patting incident had anything to do with his agreement to participate in the debate. Turner claims that he held out l because he didn't want the debatetaken over by the television networks. 1) Turner should be leary of the media taking over the debate. Media manipula- tion has blown this derriere incident out of proportion to begin with. The media had to find a dent in Turner's armor. Last" week, his polished act lacked a bit of spit while he was in the spotlight. Everybody dug their claws into the dent.and enlarged it, It was a joy ride for the media and groups lobbying for support. A petty move but effective. - by R. Hilts High risk farming It's a myth that farming is an easy going, comfortable life. In fact, farming is a high risk.occupation without the proper care, knowledge and responsib.ilty. • According to the Farm Safety Asccoiation, farm accidents caused 48 deaths. in Ontario last year and several thousand injuries. The Association and the Canada Safety Council -chooses this time of year, from July 25-31',to emphasize the need for safe farming. practices. Harvest time has the single highest number of accidents, due to inexperienced help and time limitations. .. Untrained harvest workers, including young children often lack experience and proper education. The Safety Council believes that most farm machinery .ac- cidents are largely predicable. They warm that workers should be aware of poten- tial hazards on the farm and understand machinery operation before starting the job. Long hours during harvest often leave workers over -tired and prone to ac- cidents.' Operating farm machinery requires an alert, mind and body. Fatigue means lack of concentration, short cuts and potential disaster. Farm mechanization today,is highly sophisticated and efficient. Yet this same machinery causes some 160 farm deaths in Canada each year., Of these deaths, 20 per cent were children under 10 years and nearly 40 per cen.t involve youth under 20. Still, it's the most basic of farm machines - the tractor - that is seen as one of the most hazardous pieces equipment on the farrn. Tractors account for up to 20 per cent of injuries, with' rollovers causing the greatest proportion of fatalities. Safe farming practice requires sound judgement. To ensure a safe harvest season, the Canada Safety Council urges farmers to know their machine, keep it in top condition and stay alert. Behind The Scenes By Keith Roulston The cynical decade So it's election time again. So where's the excitement. The last time Canada faced an election with two new leaders of the major parties was 16 years ago. It seems like a lifetime ago ( and it nearly is for some of the younger voters). The world has changed since those heady days of 1968. Canadians were so glad to escape the interminable squabbles that had plagued the country under the seemingly -eternal minority governments of Lester Pearson and John Diefenbaker that the two new leaders seemed exciting. That was a huge new generation of idealistic voters influencing the way people thought. We had just come out of the year-, long national ego -boosting party of the centennial ¶and we believed our own propaganda that for Canada, anything was possible And we had the prosperity to believe it was. It's hard to imagine now, the excitement of those days. I mean there in pational newspapers was a picture of Pierre Trudeau being mobbed by followers in a main street vote -getting session for Mait Edgar IN HURON COUNTY. A' Liberal getting that kind of reception in Huron County? In the 16 years since it's hard, to think of Trudeau drawing that kind of crowd in Huron unless it was to his public hanging. Ah yes it was all so long ago. The people' were idealistic, perhaps. They wanted to dream big. The political parties werpe a touch idealistic. The Conservatives elected $ob Stanfield because he was a' nice honest guy. The Liberals elected Trudeau because Alley liked his fresh style, rose in the lapel, sandals on the feet, nope of the stuffy old feeling of former Canadian politicians. Heavy contender by Wendy Somerville Sugar and Spice Trivia, all trivia You've possibly been wondering why I haven't been writing about current affairs: the fortieth anniversary of D -Day; the Liberal leadership .campaign; the Pope's Projected visit; the Queen's projected visit; the lateness of the strawberries; the price of beer and other such trivia. I didn't write about D -Day anniversary because it would have been contemptible of me. I wasn't there. My heart bled with 'the • old veterans on TV as they searched the cemeteries of Normandy for the names of old comrades who had died on the beaches; and wept at the waste of young Canadians. I got a lump as big as a golf ball in my throat, and wept a little too. , But I wasn't there. On D -Day, 1944, I was playing softball in Northumberland, a god- forsaken, cold, 'wet ( even in June) piece of England up near Scotland. Oh, we'd heard the news on the radio, and we were excited and a bit disappointed that we weren't in on it. But the casualties hadn't started yet, and a bunch of us who had been training and training and training, on Spit- fires, Hurricanes, then• Typhoons, were formed into a makeshift squadron to repel a counter-attack from Norway, just in case. • There was no counter-attack. ' So we played softball. Somebody sprained his ankle. That was D -Day for me. A year later, half of us were dead. I didn't write about the Liberal leadership campaign, because I don't like inhaling hot air unless it's good for me. But I did watch and hear the final speeches and the conven- tion. Could have been there if I'd bothered to get a press pass. No thanks. I've been to political conventi seen proud, ambitious men s pride, ambition, and dignity sc Flash ahead to 1984. The Conservatives have dumped their old leader because, although he was a nice, honest 'guy, they didn't feel he could win. They elect a man who has never made a commitment to run for office before, a man who's sat in the backgriund waiting to ambush the nice, honest lender at the first opportunity. The Liberals elect a man who deserted them years ago, a man who stands against everything their former leader did. They elect him over a man who stuck with the party, who stood by what the party believed in and who many people wanted to have as their leader except that they felt the other man would win an election and keep them in power. Now we have the spectacle of a royal tour being called off because the polls tell the new prime minister he's at the top and he can't wait until late September or October for a vote when he might not be there. I have never been a royalist but I couldn't help be embarrassed at the action of the man we call prime minister when the Royal yacht was already sailing up the St. Lawrence and the Queen had her bags packed ready to leave for Canada. The idealism of the '60s has given way to the cynicism of the '80s. And it is reflected in the people at large and particularly the media. Mr. Turner is going to be shocked not to get the traditional honeymoon with the press. Mr. Mulroney is already finding that the press was nice to him when he opposed Pierre Trudeau but 'is not so, -•agreeable any more. And me? Cynical as I am after watching our leaders, I'm thinking of voting Rhinoceros. • alti ns, and I've allow their ambling for By Bili Smile a few votes from delegates who don't repre- sent the people, but The Party. It's a bit sickening. Turner had it made from the beginning, because the delegates, at least a majority of them, wanted a Winner. So, as some clever man wrote to the Globe and Mail, we now have a smart, rich, good-looking chap representing one of the major parties, and a smart, rich, good-looking chap representing the other. Both are lawyers. Turner had better produce or he's a gone goose. Mulroney had better produce or he's baloney. Sliced. Take your pick. • What was interesting about the conven- tion was the reaction of the losers, who knew they were going to lose long ago. • Mark McGuigan, who even looked like a jackal, scampered to Munro after the first ballot. • It took some guts to go across to Jean Chretien. And some guts were displayed. Eugene Whelan, looking like an old elephant heading for that mystic elephant graveyard, made it first, big green hat and all. John Munro, about as much like John Turner as I am like Pierre Trudeau, made the long walk to Chretien. Then came John Roberts, a handsome, eloquent cabinet minister. Hugs and kisses. The only thing missing was the ghost of Judy LaMarsh', whose famous, "We've gotta stop this bastard", did not endear her to Pierre, Elliot T., at whom it was aimed when he donned the crown, about fifteen years ago. Just remember, these guys were laying their political future, and about $65,000 a year, on the line, when they joined the loser. It was a display of loyalty and guts and damn the torpedoes which made ally the sweaty, shrieking, boring parts of the, con- vention worthwhile. SCOPQ nor outh supporter i4 1)earEdttor: I am writing this letter in response to the sharp criticism given to the Clinton Park lcriau a�ia�nee crew. Mr. McDonald is quite quick to point out the things these young men don't seem to be able to do. I don't see anything in this col- ulmn about how they keep the barns shovell- ed out and the painting they seem to be do- ing right. He states they are running to Mr. Fleet a lot. Well if he's their boss, then who else should they ask. It's too bad that the ones who are so quick to criticize couldn't take a few minutes,of their busy time to explain to these young men first what they are doing wrong and",show them a better way to do things.. I praise Mr. MacKay for giving the boys a bit of back up. It's nice to know that somebody understands the young people of Clinton and if Mr. McDonald feels they are so inadequately pitiful on the job, maybe he could do better. Enough about the leadership campaign. WHich it wasn't. It was really a Liberal Campaign for the next election. And all the hysteria produced might last two weeks, in a Canadian summer. So. We wind up with a guy on one side who never won an election until after he was leader, and another guy who hasn't been in office for ten years, squaring off to be P.M. Lord help us. • Now, let's get back to the Pope. He's com- ing to Midland, where I live; in September. There's a bit of panic, naturally, about security, traffic, and whether the stores can stay open on Sunday after he's left. I'm sorry, but you're too late. I'm com- pletely booked up for the Pope's visit. I've divided my entire house into two by six feel sleeping spaces, and the entire space has been taken by a Pittsburg group called the Holy, Moses Maria Polish Society. They get kitchen and bathroom privileges. There will be only two hundred of them at $100 for the weekend. I oversold just a tad, and will be sleeping, myself in the toolshed. Two of my closest friends, whom I couldn't refuse, will be sleeping in my car. With their wives. Well, that takes care of the Pope. Unless he cancels his visit because John Munro calls an election for that day. If_ he does, there'll be a Polish massacre. Of John Turner. As for the Queen, we've never been close. She's been ticked off at me ever since I didn't go to the Garden Party in 1945, for ex - Prisoners of War. She wasn't the Queen then, of course. She was just Princess Elizabeth, but apparently she was checking the list and she circled my name in red. • Red! That's the name of the girl for whom I forsook the Garden Party. Clintonians know what it's like to live in a communitywhere a sensational murder has happened. It's been just over 25 years since the name Steven Truscott headlined newspapers across the nation. Clinton area people have long since closed the door on that incident, but still, after more than two decades, many others still associate this community with the Truscott case. "You're from Clinton," they say. "That's the town where that guy killed the young girl. Isn't it?" "Yea, yea," the Clintonian replies. "But that was.a long time ago and no one much remembers it." Here, no one wants to open old wounds and no one wants a community image that's remembered for an unfortunate incident from the past. San Ysidro, California will carry that image for years toicome. It will be haunted and remembered as the town where the worse mass murder on a single day in the U.S. occurred. By Shelley McPhQQ The McDonald's chain restaurant where the horrible slaying took place should not reopen. It would only, stand as a gruesome reminder of the massacre. New glass windows could be installed, bullet ridden tables and flooring replaced, but renovations will not erase the facts. People will still recall the gory details of July 18, 1984. Some believe that the restaurant should be demolished and a park created as a memorial to the 21 people who died. The restaurant should be torn down, but the park proposal should be forgotten. The creation of a memorial park would not serve the purpose it was intended for. It would become a morbid tourist attraction for the curious. History will immortalize that horrible day, San Ysidro, the wounded, the families of the dead, the , wife and children of the enraged gunman will carry the terrible burden of July 18, 1984 with them for the rest of their lives. Lasting reminder§ - whether it be a restaurant or a park - will only mar the future. A concerned citizen. Ode to Mom and Dad Mom And Dad Days go by - they come and go We forget to say the things we know About our Mom, about our Dad' Ancllet thin know, good times were had. And all the times that they were there When needed most - times of despair • A helping hand when down and sad Always there, my Mom and Dad. The smiles, the laughter, the joy of being Together and sharing yet always seeing That all those things when needed were had I can only mean, my Mom and Dad. The worries, the sorrow we put them through When all our problems became theirs too They share it all, the good, the bad Never complaining, my Mom and Dad. We went our ways, we travelled far In search of finding who we are Returning, always when needs were had To fill our cups, from Mom and Dad. And now as twilight years descend Upon their lives I want to send All my love and say we had The very best - Mom and Dad. - by Dennis Jackson, of London, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jackson of Clinton. + + + On a happier note, there was no shortage of entertainment at the annual Kirkton Garden Party held last week. Local dancers, The Chickadees from Clinton took part, including. Jennifer Tyndall, Jennifer Burt and Sherry Preszcator. Another group The Kountry -Kids, including Kelly Bosman, Stephanie Bush, Cheri Taylor, Shari and Nancy Lobb were also crowd pleasers. Anne McKnight, daughter of the late Dr. Ken McKnight has returned from a world tour with her friend Sue Calderwood of Mississauga. Anne graduated a year ago from Guelph -University with her Bachelor of Arts degree and later studied and obtained her Bachelor of Education degree. • She reports having a wonderful experience on her world tour. She learned of other cultures and saw many beautiful sights and scenes. She says however, inspite of their grumbling, Canadians are, the most fortunate people in the world: Timbrellw strikes out Hon. Dennis Timbrell, Minister of Agriculture - and Food, 801 Bay Street, TORONTO, Ontario. M7A 2B2 Dear Mr. Timbrell: The red meat tripartite stabilization pro- gram is dead. Eugene Whelan is gone; the Federal House adjourned last Friday; Bill C50, the amendments to the Agricultural Stabiliza- tion Act never got beyond first reading; and,' • an election will be called before the House reconvenes. The proposed tripartite plan has been the centre piece of your excuses during your whole term as Minister for not going ahead with your own provincial beef, hog, and sheep .stabilization program. On Sept. 9, 1983, you said that the Federal -Provincial producer program should be in place that fall. On Oct. 31, 1983, y%." said the plan was "over the hump" and wbuldonly take "a few more weeks" to have the details in place. When you were questioned in the Legislature on June 8 of this year, you said "we can and will finalize the agreement at the July 23, 24 or 25 meetings of the Minister of Agriculture". Well, now, you've struck out three times • in a row and your team has missed the finals. You are either the wrong batter or playing in the wrong league. I am convinced • it is both. It's time you moved back to the provinical league where you can set your own rules and make a hit. If you can't, you ought to get out of the game altogether as called for by the resolution of the 0.F.A. On June 19, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture lobbied you and all the MPP's with four "common sense solutions". The first of these was a $67.4 million emergency payment to., red meat producers based on proposals which you agreed to in the tripar-• tite plan. Now, with the hope of any federal participation eliminated for, the forseeable future, I call on you to immediately meet the OFA request and proceed with a provincial plan. All other major red meat producing provinces have done it. Why can't you? Yours truly, Mel Swart, MLA. Welland - Thorold Ministers se• ek election Three United Church of Canada ministers and one lay person will seek election to the position of Moderator when The United Church of Canada mets for its 30th General Council in Morden, Manitoba, August 6 -17. The newly elected spiritual head of Canada's largest Protestant denomination will replace The Right Rev. Clarke MacDonald who was elected in 1980 in Montreal and will, upon stepping out of the Moderatorial role, be addressed as The Very Rev. Clarke 1,1acDonald. Three hundred and seventy-one elected commissioners from across Canada will attend General Council to help determine policies, set goals and debate issues. The election of the Moderator is scheduled to take place the evening of Wednesday, August 9. •