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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-4-10, Page 5It s1 lily YlrEMOP" An 510,, R:1010 003110 41, paplUhed +4egh. a� 41.01,+e a E113x '-, Canton. 9.0000. Igdgl MOM 1.11,0:1014.404.3000. gFap>gg i tion 114,+x taMltfr 4t9 5' 5001,010 l #ltr,. piforye.or ,S„ A,1erolpn - 45.1-00 Pit Y*?r N '!s1sIe� tta mo! q d 51401 mpg hr *II* pa4r Pn ca Nmder /P• permit nut, 9 9011.• 4 h iha Nenng RscO'd antorpoiratpd gn ttMrgn New! R.Eord, towndNU In 1481, and tb05,110tOn ltewfi £nu. f0111nd0d en idp. • total press r4ifs Oirrgr ,. Incorporating J. HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher SHELLEY McPHEE « Editor GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager MARY ANN HOLLENRECK - Office Manager MEMBER Display advertising rates available on request. Ask for Rate Card No. 1$ affective October 1, 1984. MEMBER Consumers will pay In the recently re -negotiated oil deal which basically signalled the end of the National Energy Program, a now bankrupt Liberal adventure into the energy business based Canadian crude oiremises hprices to allow their flixat never ctuae Tories have de -regulate tion at world market prices. This move to de -regulate prices on June 1 has energy minister Pat Carney anticipating a fall in gasoline prices. She is as yet unable to prop vide a firm estimate of how much. The federal government has also dropped the controversial Petroleum Gas and Revenue Tax (PGRT) on oil companies. They believe the com- panies will use this new found wealth to increase exploration and develop- ment and, according to Miss Carney, will create up to 300,000 jobs for Canadians. This tax break will deplete federal coffers by as much as $2.5 -billion and with a $35, billion deficit whose reduction has been an overriding con- cern of the federal Progressive Conservatives, those funds must come from another source. At the same time Miss Carney, sees oil prices dropping by lai mn unspecified amount and the increase of about 300,000 p opimeMing in- come tax ruling out new taxes for .energy consuers, r Brian Mulroney declined to rule out a gasoline tax increase in the govern- ment shay budget. along savings after The oil companies now have the opportunity to pass their release from PGRT, but experience, shows consumers will not benefit at the pumps. "The way the system seems to operate is that prices go only in one direction," said oil industry critic Bruce Willson, head of the energy com- mittee of the Consumers' Association Canada has arranged an enormous, Add that to the fact the federal government evil in , hae three to five cents per litre o'rand an. increase in gaSoline taxes seems in - 14 to 23 cents per gallon evitable, perhaps three and possibly phased over several years. • The foreign oil companies stand to gain the most from this new deal and the belief they will lower prices is naive: They are notorious in their scramble to increase their profit margin, reporting record profits each quarter while crying foul on the federal government. Andwith the government facing a huge drop in revenue, the Canadian energy con- sumer will be reaching deep into pockets in order to keep big government and big business in the style to which they have become accustomed. - by J Friel algid By Shelley McPhee You find. them in the quiet corners of of the crop." Gifted artisans are looking to Huron County - masters of their art. rural communities to make their home and Amidst the fanning communities, and the establish their careers. villages they live, passionately pursuing They're discovering the , secret that we their artistic ambitions. Some of the finest natives have known for years - nothing's musicians and writers, painters and ptit- better for your health and spirit than rural terers in the land have chosen rural Ontario living. it isn't all peaches and cream here fortheirhome. More and more artists and urban proles- everyday of the year. Just ask the farmer sional people are seeking out the serenity about the joys of country living. He'lt tell and comfortable pace of living that can still ,you about his country heart and soul but be enjoyed in rural areas like Huron County. he'll also tell you about coping with financial These people come to live in rural - Ontario, nightmares, government restrictions, to recharge their creative energies and find temperamental machinery and animals. new inspiration away from the distracting at Ask the Clintonmmedical staff about bo tl the es you easy ace hustle and bustle of metropolitan life. about It's exciting to discover the number (Aline the long hours they work, the number of minds that are living along the concession • serious medical cases they confront. They'll roads and quiet town streets in the area - tell you that the facility is operating at among them award winning author Alice capacity levels and every available bed in Munro, Canadian Opera Company soprano the hospital was in use last month. Renee Stalenhoef Van Haarlem, portrait ar- Ask the artist about her quiet life in the tist Cyril Leeper, artists' Leda McAlister, country. She'll tell you about the number of Jack McLaren and Mona Mulhern, authors community projects she's involved the fund rais- Kettlewell. Gisele Ireland and Elizabeth Wilmot- guest speaking app Kettlewell. The list goes on and on. These ing work she's done. are master craftspeople, historians, Rural life is by no means dull or brilliant musicians, playwrights and actors. uninteresting. The people who live here This area easily boasts some of.the finest work hard. They're innovative and enc artistic and professional people among its thusiastic. residents. Only a near sighted, narrow What makes all the'wear and tear . minded fool could believe that we live in the all,bearable thae sfthe bility to get e and calm, the from it backwoods part of this country. Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal no breathing space that rural life offers. longer hold exclusive rights on the "cream There's something to be said for these one i'mthe guy James r Brav� Theatre Ctrele ear Editor: How lucky '.ve are in Blyth and Huron County to have the Summer Festival. How sophisticated and critical we have become in a few short years. Do you remember how people felt about theatre 11 years ago while • Keith Roulston and James Roy struggled to make an idea an accomplished fact?. It was hard work finding other interested people, and building the institution that we have to- day. Once again Keith is at square one — this time Theatre Circle has the purpose of tak- ing 'professional theatre to various towns in the spring and fall seasons, with the idea of dividing the costs of maintaining live theatre challenge toprovihe deamasthat is newwill appeal to a varied audience, to co-ordinate publicity, subscription sales, fund-raising, and find interested volunteers in four com- munities. Theatre Circle's home • I'm the guy who was asked to join your organization. I'm the guy who paid his dues to join. I'm the guy who stood up in front of all of you and promised to be faithful and loyal. I'm the guy who came to your meetings and no one paid any attention to. I tried several times to be friendly to some of the fellows, but they all had their own buddies they talk to and' sit next to. I sat down several times but no one paid any attention to me. I hoped very much that somebody would have asked me to take part in a fund-raising project or something, but base is Blyth, and appreciates the co-operation from the town for use of Blyth. Memorial Hall, andB and Centre for the Arts for use of shop spa equipment. Blyth has first chance to see the production before it goes for one week each to Petrolia, Chatham, and Owen Sound. This year "old man winter" threw extra punches at the rehearsal and travelling time of "One Night Stand". A special thank you to all who volunteered their help. in many ways this season. Beat the winter blahs - attend the April Canadian premiere of T.G.I.F. Every seat filled, every membership, every sponsor- ship will help this young touring company grow. If you wish tickets and/or information, if you wish to join in supporting this new pro- ject, phone 523-9713. Sincerely Mildred McAdam President Theatre Circle Behind The Scene SlaINSIO no one saw my efforts when L volunteered. I missed a few meetings after joining because I was sick and couldn't be there. No one asked me at the next meeting where I had been. I guess it didn't matter very much to the others whether I was there or not. The next. meeting I decided to stay home and watch TV. The following meeting I attended, no one asked me where I was when the last meeting was held. You might say I'm a good guy, a good family man who holds a responsible job, loves his community and his country. stoplight towns and the extraordinary peo- ple who call them home. ++ Clinton will be the setting of an unique three day workshop this week, April 12, 13, and 11• Artists, and arts group organ1zer$ from Huron, Perth, Grey and Bruce Counties will be taking part in the Four Counties Arts Con nittee seminar . at the Clinton Town Hall. Clinton Recreation Director"Kevin Duguay chaired the committee that organiz- ed this event. The seminar will focus on networking the i many artists and arts groups who work in the area. It will also look at improving management and administration skills and fund raising efforts. The three-day event will feature guest speakers from the Ontario Arts Council, the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. The event is expected to attract dozens of people. Please welcome them. +++ Some food for thought - Rev. Robert Ball at North Street Church in Goderich, asked on Sunday - how a province of people would raise' such an uproar and show great con- cern about the recent beer strike and ignore the endangered future of the Great Lakes fresh water supply Y ou Know who else 1 am'? I'm the guy who never came back! It amuses me when I think back on how the heads of the organization and the members were discussing why the organization was losing members. • It amuses me now to think that they spent so much time looking for new members when I was there all the time. ALL THEY NEEDED TO DO WAS MAKE ME FEEL, NEEDED, WANTED AND WELCOME! (from, the Clinton. Oddfellows and Rebekahs) A. fierce thunderstorm shook the area on April 4. Most people stayed indoors, but Jeff Wise of Clinton was out in the midst of the storm, capturing the bolts of lightning on "film. This exceptional photograph was taken near Varna at Hill and Hill Farms. (Jeff Wise photo) Sugar and Spica By Kith Roulston Hockey'olclen era Like a good argument? Blame it on my parents I guess. My argumentativeness, I mean. I mean I just can't help being a devil's ad- vocate. When I'm around a group of people who are politically oriented toward the left, I can quickly sound like a Ronald Reagan economic adviser. I Could then walk into the next room to a group of businessmen who think the whole country would be perfect if you could only get rid of the lazy people who live on unemployment insurance and Canada Council grants and I can quickly have them thinking I should be reported to the new security service as a dangerous communist subversive. How do my parents get blamed for this? It wasn't that they argued a lot. Actually they were kind of quiet. But there were times, looking back it seemed like a lot of times but it probably wasn't that often, when our farm kitchen sounded like the House of Com- mons...well maybe a little more refined. My uncle' and my grandmother lived with us so there were always plenty of opinions and often friends dropped in for discussions that often went well into the night. While the rest of the farm houses on our "line" were dark early, the lights in our kitchen might burn until three or four in the morning as all (sides of the latest issues were examined, points made and rejected. I used to love to sneak down the stairs and sit on the bottom stair, fighting off sleep, to listen to the talk of the adults. Besides the late-night debates- there was also the farm forum that took place in one house or another along the line all winter long. When it was our turn 1 started thinking up excuses to stay up late weeks in advance. And there were the times the men gathered for threshing or other community chores and spent their,time over dinner or in the quiet of the fields in arguing politics. Whatever reason, the urge to argue stuck in me. If I get around a good Conservative, I have the undeniable urge to act like a New Democrat, and vice versa. When people hold extreme views, whether Pro -Choice or Pro-life or anti-American or Anti- communist, I have to bite my tongue to keep from advoca the other side of the argu- ment so th maybepeople won't be so smug in their conclusions. It's the kind of attitude that can be good for a writer, especially someone writing editorials • or columns but it can be dangerous in real life. I remember once sit- ting at a dinner across from a rather large, bald-headed man who looked like the stereotype of the red -necked bigot in American films. And he was, in the middle ss By Bill Smiley 1,ike every other red-blooded male in this down behind the players' bench, and fought country over the age of four, I am an expert r broke a stickother and with a lordly gesture, the bone when a �handed it on hockey. 4 As a player, I didn't exactly make it to the back •toward us. NHL. rSenior A. Or Junior A. Or Junior B.hockIf ey stick, took iou were t,home ou and had your old eces of Or Junior C. man splint it, taped it up, and played the But you don't have to make it all the way in Canada to become a connoisseur of the rest of hockey tre season with a six-foot man's ick practically tearing the armpit game. All you have to do is to have been ex- posed to the game since -you were about out of your as five-foot teenager, the home town three, and it's in your blood for life. As a kid, i felt culturally deprived because ant crap over iced a Junto beg Tubimporting po ting I didn't have a pair of "tube" skates. To my players, great shame, I had to indulge in the sport hih school when guys were imports, from tate by wearing an old pair of my mother's "lady's jealousy tic skates' ( pronounced with utter scorn by the towns as Ottawa, Montreal, Brockville, kids with tube skates.) Mine went almost to came locals didn't and havele our ris awaylt was the knee and supported your ankles like a We bag of marshmallows. Obviously, that is the Depression times. We were lucky if we had sole reason I didn't make it to the big two bts) y to leoalonethe t ke along night girl and ovie leagues. • feed her afterwards. As a kid, i played shinny on the river with But the hockey imports had everything. some guys who actually, later, did make it Flashy uniforms. Great physiques. iteroarr to pro or semi -pro ranks. When I was in high of the crowd. And money. They g school, some of my best friends were play- a week for room and board and spending ing Junior A. money. They often had two or three dollars of dinner he began to tell some e ��rra - I was brought up in a rabid hockey and to throw around, so, naturally, they got the ingly racist jokes and the urge was � a; girls. (Some argue back but it was evident that ar • i ent had a Senior hockey team. It was made up of them, ha, ha. )of them are still stuck w ah would not break through his bigotry and it local factory hands, blacksmiths (yes, I go Ironically, about a third of those guys who might lead to a breaking of my nose. back that far), and generally good athletes, made us green with envy would be knocking Ah well, at least I won't plagnu,the world 'V no particular rank or station in life. off 85 to 100,000 a year if they hadn't been by turning my kids into such argumentative They played for fun. They bought their born 40 years too soon. They were good types. The farm forum and the threshing own equipment. There was tremendous enough to make the so-called NHL today, gang are long gone and my wife falls asleep rivalry with theecjther towns in the country. but not then, when there were so few teams on the couch by 101:31110 there are no late The rink was jammed for every game. and so many aspirants. night parliaments irrvur kitchen. If the kids We kids sneaked into the games through There were only eight teams then: Toron- turn out to like to argue they can't blame it the place where+ they threw out the snow to, Montreal Canadians, Montreal Maroons e to Iacrosse town. When 1 was a little boy, we hangers, New Y (Nit Americans, Chicago, and Detroit. There were probably just as many hopeful players. Today there are 21 or 23 or 28 teams in the NHL. Nobody seems able to count them any more. Well, figure it out. Take a quart of whiskey and add a similar amount of water. Split the remains in two and add a half of water to each. What do you get? Not a whiskey with water. A water with a touch of whiskey. And that's why so many once -ardent hockey experts like me just don't bother ga� ing to games, or even watching them on TV, unless the Russians are playing, when you see a few flashes of the old-time hockey, in: stead of a group of high-school dropouts high -sticking, slamming each other into the boards, pretending to fight by dancing ring - a -round while carefully clutching each others' sweaters so they won't be hurt, trip- ping, clutching, hooking, and doing everything but play hockey. Perhaps the most sickening thing of all is the great hugging and kissing and dancing that takes place when one turkey has scored a goal by shooting toward the end of the rink and having the puck go in off a teammate's stick pure accident. It's O.K. I don't necessarily want to go back to the days when players had some dignity, -and diiln't have to pat each others' bums all the time. Nor do I want them reduced to the sort of wage slavery they en- dured years ago. But please spare me, on the sports pages, from their constant whining, tantrums, hurt feelings, and never-ending interest in the big buck. Boston New York on their parents. after clearing the ice, squirmed our way Ottawa Senators, ,