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Clinton News-Record, 1985-11-13, Page 4Page 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, NOV'EM13ER 13, 1935 The Clinlan News.Record Is published each Wodnosdey at P.O. Ilex 29, Clinton. Ontario. Canada.. NOM 11.6. W.: 4084443. Subscription Rete: Canada • 121.011 Sr. Citizen • 111.11 per year U.S.A. foreign 116.00 per year it Is registered aa_second clams mall by the post Sallee under the permit number 6611. Tho Newt-iiitcod Incorporated he 1984 thelfuron News -Record, founded in 1051, and The Clinton News Era. founded In 1065. Total press runs 3,700. Incorporating THE BLYTH STANDARD) J. HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher SHELLEY McPHEE - Editor GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager MARY ANN HALLENBECK - Office Manager Display advertising rates available on request. Ask for Rata Card No. 1 S effective Oc- tober 1, 1554. CCNA e4A .,— MEMBER MEMBER BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 When the climate changes A federal environment report forecasts some alarming news for Canada within the next 50 years: - Chronic drought in the Prairies; - Shortage of water in some river systems; - Lower waterlevels in the Great lakes; - More forest fire and pest hazards. Environmental scientists say these are among the consciuences of the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the result of increased use of coal and oil for fuels. It would be useful now for Ottawa to take the next logical step - and forecast Canada's ability to produce food under these conditions. The predicted climate change striking the Prairies and the rapid disap- pearance of the best agricultural lands under urban sprawl raises the in- evitable questions: If weather changes knock the present food -producing structure for a loop, will Canada be able to feed itself? Will we be able to keep up the level of food exports vital to maintaining a high standard of living? In spite of sporadic and largely -ineffective efforts by governments to preserve prime food -growing land, Canada never has given real protec- tion to its most valuable physical resource. The public will and political incentive don't exist. Canadians still take it for granted, as their pioneer ancestors did, that farmland is unlimited. So more first class land is paved every year. It costs so much to start up a farm, young farmers cant compete with builders and speculators for good agricultural land on the urban fringes. Municipalities, anxious for tax -paying development, don't fight to save farmland; more often they fight provincial policies designed to preserve farmland. In theory, governments could get directly into the act, buy farmland themselves and lease or sell it at affordable prices to young farmers, But they couldn't justify the enormous cost to taxpayers - unless they could prove land preservation is necessary. Right now, they can't. But the new national environment study sug- gests it might be necessary to take drastic defensive action to guarantee the Text generation of Canadians will have enough to eat. Ottawa's research makes the food supply an open question. The govern- ment now has a duty to answer it. - from The Hamilton Spectator. Action is being taken BY JACK RIDDELL, M.P.P Huron -Middlesex The Legislature is back in session and already the Liberal Government has made several announcements providing action and direction on 'a number of important issues. 1985 BUDGET On October 24, 1985 at 4 p.m., Ontario Treasurer Robert Nixon presented the first Liberal budget in 42 years. Mr. Nixon's budget will create jobs, increase the supply of affordable rental housing, ' provide assistance to farmers and promote regional economic development. As well as providing sound financial planning for the future, the 1985 Ontario budget will fulfill the social and economic commitments outlined by Premier Peterson, within a framework of fiscal responsibility. In a future edition of this report, I will discuss the 1985 Ontario Budget in greater detail. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT Fulfilling a promise made over two years ago, the Minister of Skills Development, Greg Sorbara, has announced the "Futures" Program for hard -to -employ young people. This one -hundred thirty-three million dollar program will provide jobs for 56,000 young people. , It will he made available through 90 community campuses starting in November. Sorbara said that the Futures Program, young people who undertake educational upgrading to grade 12, will be guaranteed work for one year. EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION While in opposition, the Liberal Party pushed for increased funding for our education system, which was being systematically underfunded by the previous administration. The new Liberal Government has taken action by announcing the University Excellence • Fund. In his capacity as the Minister for Colleges and Universities, Greg Sorbara stated that fifty million dollars will be provided to universities to help improve • uIqidci ccEI Car seats - now these represent a whole new field of learning for the mother -and - father -to -be. Car seats are complicated and expensive little items and there are so many models available on the market that choosing the best one becomes an overwhelmning selec- tion. They look like miniature airplane pilot seats, complete with nicely padded and form fitting comfort, just the right size for a little baby's bottom. And they come with an array of harnesses, buckles, belts and seat positions. A car seat is one of those must ave items. Baby can't even come home from the hospital without a car seat, and rightly so. Introduced in two stages in 1982 and 1983, the child restraint laws have significantly made a difference in the loss of lives and the number of injuries sustained in traffic ac- cidents. In 1983, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, 10 children under the age of five died in traffic accidents and another 1,269 were injured. Those figures indicate a decrease in com- parison with the 1981 statistics which saw 19 fatalities and 1,608 injuries. Research has clearly indicated that the use of seat belts save lives and reduce the severity of injuries, yet some people con- tinue to ignore the hard facts. Despite statistics that show the risk of death is reduced by 90 per cent and the risk of crippling injury is reduced by 60 to 70 per cent if children are properly restrained, many parents continue to disregard the facts. A recent government survey has shown that while seat belt use has increased by 10 research capabilities, upgrade libraries and aid in faculty renewal. ACTION FOR THE NORTH ' A special five year, one -hundred million dollar Northern development .fund was announced by the Minister of Northern Affairs and Mines Rene Fontaine. Part of this new money will go to renew the Northern Development Program (NOR - DEV). As well, Fontaine will chair a special committee of ministers to recommend the best use of these funds. "By bringing my colleagues to the North," said 'Fontaine, "they will gain a better understanding of these regions and it will give Northerners an opportunity to make their views known at the highest level of government." And in the next few weeks, Fontaine will be sworn in when the ministry changes its name to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. By the end of November, Health Minister Murray. Elston will be introducing a program that will provide subsidies to northern residents who have to travel over 300 kilometres for necessary medical care. Mr. Elston said the government will also develop a recruitment program to encourage more medical specialists to locate in the North over the next several years. In order to gather more information to move ahead quickly with the program, Mr. Elston said his ministry will begin a series of consultations with hospital administrators, medical staff and local medical societies in five Northern centres - Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay and'l;immins. $1 MILLION GRANTED TO LEAF Living' up to the Liberal Government's commitment to ensure equality for women, the Minister Responsible for Women's Rights Ian Scott has made available one million dollars to the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). The fund will be used to support court cases brought by Ontario women based on the women's rights guarantees in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. By Shelley McPhee per cent since 1981, however a high propor- tion of seats were not secured properly. Children's car seats were not securely fastened, others requiring tether straps were not bolted to the vehicle. Almost 25 per cent of the seats had been installed with the vehicle's lap belt not used nor placed accor- ding to the manufacturer's instructions. The survey further indicated that while 52 per cent of children under the age of one were restrained, another 41 per cent travell- ed on adults' laps, while older children, not wearing seat belt retraints, were allowed to use the car's back seat as a play area. One-third of the children under five 'who were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 1979 and 1983 were not wearing seat belts. Studies have shown that it's impossible for an adult to hold onto a child during a colli- sion, even at low speeds. With the money that parents invest in car seats (they can range in price from $50 to $150) surely they would take the proper steps and precautions to ensure that these child restraint seats were being properly us- ed. The facts clearly show the benefits of seat belt use when it comes to the travelling safe- ty of children. Why then aren't school buses and other -means of public transportation outfitted with seat belts? This question came to mind after hearing of a recent school bus accident in the Kit- chener area. The accident, which occurred on Highway 401, left the school bus lying on its roof in a ditch. Twenty-two student passengers were hospitalized. Could those injuries have been avoided or would they have been less severe if those Sugar and Spice young passengers nau peen wearing seat belts? And how many more children will be in- jured, how many more lives lost before egislation is introduced to make seat belts mandatory in school buses? To date investigations on the matter have been limited and lobbying has been almost non-existant. One argument that has been raised against outfitting school buses with seat belts is the cost factor. To equip a 72 -seat school bus with seat belts would cost about $3,000, according to a study conducted by the Council on Road Trauma. That average ip out to $42 a seat. F'urther surveys conducted by the council and the government indicate that buses built after 1981 do not require seat belts because the seats are well padded and posi- tioned closely together. Opponents of seat belt use in school buses also question the difficulties in unbuckling worn by children in case of emergency. They further suggest that improperly buckl- ed belts can potenially do more damage than good in an accident. Despite the arguments against the in- stallation of seat belts in buses, the strongest defense in favor of the restraints rests on one point - providing optimum safe- ty for our children. Still, Ontario drivers still haven't reached 100 per cent seat belt usage levels with their own children in their own vehicles. It is highly unlikely that they are prepared to fork out more money to the government for additional safety restraints in school buses. Unfortunately, money seems to be more important than our children's safety. Explaining associations purpose Dear Editor: The purpose of this letter is to inform area residents the purpose of the Stratford and District Ostomy Association Chapter of the United Ostomy Association. We are seeking to reach people who are anticipating or have had any type of ostomy surgery, which includes ileostomys, col- ostomys, urostomys ( ileal conduit 1. We are a group of people who meet the first Wednesday of each month ( excluding July and August), at 7:30 p.m. in the Special Ser- vices' Building behind the Stratford General Hospital to discuss any problems, and pro- mote better methods of ostomy care and management. We exchange ideas and aid the rehabilitation of ostomates. We encourage people to ask their doctors about the existence and assistance of our club or to contact the number listed below, and we will be happy and ilii,l 1: than glad to call or visit you. Also, we have written infor- mation regarding this tvnr of surgery. After Storm windows For years or more, we got along fine with ordinary storm windows. Oh, I'll admit they, caused a certain amount of domestic hassle, chiefly .because they were put on too late in the fall, or taken off too early .in the spring, according to the old lady. But she was always in a .rush •to "get things done." I get them done,, eventually. Never once did I fail to find someone who would put them on before'Christmas. And they were kind of ugly. And they did warp. And they did have to be painted. And it was costing more money every year to get someone to do the job. But, ah, what a good feeling I had every fall when -I'd conned some guy with a strong back to do the job. I wouldn't touch ther7 with a six-foot pole'. It's a big house, and there were 14 of the brutes, weighing about 70 pounds each. I don't mind heights,• as long as I'm not attached to the ground. I've been up to 32,000 feet, all by myself, in a Spitfire, and higher than that in passenger jets. • But it fakes all my nerve to climb a step ladder and change a bulb in the. kitchen, with my someone holding the ladder. There was no way I was going to climb 30 feet up a ladder, carrying a 70 pound storm window, and punch and hammer it into place. • I always had a vision of a wind catching the storm broadside when I was halfway up, and taking me off for a hang-gliding trip. That actually happened to one chap who was doing the job one fall. A gust caught him . and he sailed off the ladder, landed on his feet like a cat, still clutching the window, and nothing was damaged. He just grinned. That was Jim Fletcher, a young fellow who was completely unafraid of work. Made all, who would be better qualified to help you over any 'humps', than another ostomate? Our programs include people who are representatives of our surgical supply houses who give expert advice on the care and management of an ostomy. Also, doc- tors who are specialists in these fields are often guests speakers. We wish to emphasize that our members include businessmen and women, both working and retired, whose • social and business life is not altered because of an ostomy. We urge you to ask your doctor about our Association, or contact Ray Rynor anytime at 393-5316 or myself, evenings at 273-0797. We will be happy to help you or put you in touch with another member. Paul Emeny, President, Stratford & District Ostomy Association. By Bill Smiley his living at cleaning floors, windows, etc. and built up a nice little business, scrubbing out banks and stores and such atnights. You don't see too many merchants or bank managers in there scrubbing their floors after they've closed, do.you? Might do. them good. Jim used to charge „$14 to put on the storms, which included washing them, and washing the outside of the regular windows, storing the screens. 'It took him a couple of hours. In the spring, he'd take them off, wash everything again, store them, for $10. The price went up steadily after he went to greener pastures, and the quality of the workmen went steadily downhill. Some of the young guys I hired took twice as long and charged twice as much. Sometimes the window would stick and they'd leave it with a one -inch gap around half of it. One bird put his fist through a storm and bled all over the place. Another dropped one and glassed half my front lawn. Last year, I had a young fellow, newly started in the cleaning -up of properties, raking leaves, that sort of thing, I gave him the job of doing the estate, provided he'd do the storms. He looked pretty dubious, but agreed. Brought his wife around on her day off to hold the ladder. Well, he got them all, but he was peagreen and his legs were rubber, when he'd finished. He swore he'd never do them again. But this time it was costing me almost $100 a year to get the brutes on and off: Not to mention a great deal of harassment from the distaff side, and a frantic search for a putter-onner. Nobody on unemployment insurance was vaguely interested. All this, combined with the energy crisis propaganda, made me cave in, and we had aluminum storms put on. 1 coma nave paid $100 ayear for the next 13 years if I'd stuck with the old wooden ones. "But look what you'll save on fuel", you say. That's what they all say. Probably 50 bucks a year. "It will increase the value of your house", someone else says. Maybe. By a few hundred. But it's not the money that bothers me. You can't take it with you. Seems to you can't take a house with you either. No, it's not the money; it's the stress. Those windows have to be washed spring and fall, and maybe a few times between. According to the brochure, and the dealer, there's nothing to it. You just tear off the wooden inside frame, hoist your inside window, push this, pull that, and the storm comes in. You wash it. Then you get out on the ledge, hanging on by one hand and one foot, 30 feet off the ground, and clean the outside, After which', you get back in, you just zip, whip, slide, lower your inside window, and hammer back on your now splintered wooden frame. My wife used to have a girl who would come in to help her and they wrestled with thosethings, got them stuck, got them in but not on the rails, and generally found the whole process like roping a steer. I don't blame them. I've always had an aluminum door on my back door, and spring and fall I nearly rupture myself, swear like a sailor, threaten to smash the thing with an axe, and take an hour just to slide the screen up and let the storm down, or vice versa. I was always expecting to come home and find two women, each clutching an aluminum window, unconscious on my lawn. Or hanging by one foot from an upper window, screaming for help. ' 4 Reader feels letter influences election Dear Editor: I find the letter which appeared under the heading "Moral standards in the teaching profession" and signed "A ' Concerned Parent" offensive in timing, content, style and intent. ( Clinton News -Record, November 6 Edition). The letter . appears . in the midst of a municipal election in an edition of the Clin- ton News Record which provides no oppor- tunity for rebuttal or comment before the polls close on November 12. No matter what the outcome of the election, people in the community may he left with the feeling that the letter influenced the results. Since the author didn't have enough conviction to sign his name the letter will be attributed to, many incorrect sources. A letter of this type creates unnecessary ill will and puts a com- ponent of "dirty tricks" into the municipal election. In the letter the author chooses to smear the Huron County Board of Education and its employees. "Concerned Parent" had on- ly to inquire Of a board member or of the board's administration to find out the pro- cedure for resolving a complaint. The author further indicates something is true because a number have said it is true. "Concerned Parent" is naive. However, if the author or one of those who "substantiated" the rumor would step for- ward the board would be in a position to at- tempt to determine the truth. "Concerned Parent" expresses concern for the moral standards applied to students. The Huron County Board of Education is also very concerned with moral standards. It does not appear to me that the author has applied a desirable moral standard to the conduct of this matter. Yours truly, Eugene Frayne, Chairman, Huron County Board of Education. Nothing more than rumor and gossip Dear Editor: I am writing this letter in response to the letter published last week concerning moral standards in the teaching profession. I am astounded and shocked at the journalistic ir- responsibility of the News -Record. How on earth could you publish a letter which is nothing more than rumor and gossip? Where are your standards of journalistic in- tegrity? Apparently, based on this letter, anyone may malign the unnamed members of any group and then hide behind the mask of anonymity To deal specifically with the charges, I would like to say that in 17 years at Central Huron I have never had the slightest evidence of a teacher coming to work in the morning under the influence of alcohol. I simply do not believe the allegation of a teacher being bribed by a bottle of "spirits". The author of the letter declined to name the alleged culprit. Instead, he tarred every teacher with the same brush because such a rumor could apply to any teacher. Secondly, the letter writer did not even have the courage to sign his name to the letter. I believe the public has the right to know who is making these serious allegations. The writer of last week's letter was Mr. D. Steyn the administrator of Clinton Public Hospital. In my opinion, someone in such a position of community influence should act responsibly. Again, in my opinion, his letter can be termed nothing more or less than rumor mongering. It is particularly., unfortunate that the let- ter was printed the week before civic elec- tions. Many teachers around the county are running for various positions on PUCs or municipal councils. the tone of Mr, Steyn's letter casts aspersions on all of them. In future, I hope Mr. Steyn and others will not engage in promoting gossip. I hope as well that editorially the News -Record will not aid gossip. and abet the spreading of suc Yours truly, T. Fox, Acting Principal Central Huron Secondary School. Editor's Note;, The Clinton News -Record does not publish anonymous letters to the editor. All letters to the editor must be sign- ed before they will be considered for publication. Pseudonyms may be used at the discretion of the editor, and with the understanding that the name of the letter writer will be divulged if requested. The News -Record will not publish libellous or slanderous letters. It is worthy to note that the letter from the "Concerned Parent" (News -Record, November 6) neither mentioned the school or,teacher in question.