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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-11-27, Page 4ate of fitness •11.04 rnis�S`Td4ttA Ja'oil laifve. merits of:fitness :1trs hard .!work., Whyd: ! vete y the nselves with jogg• lifting , swi m ibigatnd c`g 4 wr iwhing, perspiration -producing pasttmea"` . f?ei�ple , are led, •to 4believe t they. 11 live ; longerbylfiting' hundreds of, pounds kover?* their headsor jogging in the grey darIness every morning. The way :Z figure, it, I'm , reducing the risk of physical injury or the., risk of beinghit by a bus, bywatchingtelevi- sion in the cdifortof myliingroo'i• . In fact, I 'would be hard-pressed to recall the last time I read a news item recounting the facts surrounding the death of someone �e your• ,ax ri`g tai) watching television: while haft l , } treats, =<' . g fattening 1118+ �:� J . ,.gars, On :the pother hard, and `atperY physical fitness nuts, run .theerisk"of strain g, or pulling muscles, being' hit by large bataucb4a` nt muttnitpyl It- uld yol�ve,people or�alt Ole urea ' .k -la �' e11co .. a e. - 'i. ;v pea 'le:' . resid is a Ithy., � .,a>moag art x� �; " Naone*ould arrgguue,the fact'tha it .w be benefic%alT to° haye such ,a .facility in Godeich There are many arguments in favor of building a complex and each argu- ianySa the sa ilea; exerdt>se; now: and:Manyy Will ew a new, " ' lex ase a f '.Me#nbers"of , medical axofes. o}iL will' argue that' ft's a ne mit cand.as:important to the health and well b of the citizenry as en'i,nwr TL.nwnf.. wnw.n: �.nlifji ., tp ttilf ',. Wt11 It may Aar"fie a ream o#,a few interestedti people at this point, blit dreams often jean great feats..` Last one in the pool,..,. yu.�idf dye; conalderiUl n torp tq}16 ° • both, -t ie �fyilld-iaising,. ttee� at ;,Puld.have to mice a firm cont- meet to lin nee the' to 1 .� must a total ort . . be ��a�Wt,"y� Opini • • ( THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICK Si DISTRICT SINCE 1848 oe GdericW SIGNAL-STiZR MET ALL p0UN0 COMMUNITY NWa WPA,esal IN CANADA rorim Ow 1500 45001 C C A bow Nesswer Gnome 1984 P.O. BOX 220 HUCKINB BT. INDUSTRIAL PARK OOOERICH, ONT. N A 4013 4: PUBLISHED BY: SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED Founded in 1848 and published every Wednesday at Ooderloh, Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OCNA. Subscription. payable In advance SRR.00, (Senior Citizens 818.00 privilege card number required] In Canada, 880.00 to U.S.A., 880.00 to MI other countries, Single poples 60C. Oleplay, National and Classified advertising rata available on request. Mises oak for Rate Card No. 18 sffeotly. October 1. 1985. Advertising Is accepted on the condition that In the .vent of a typographical error, the edvertleing space occupied by the erroneous Item, together with the reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but that balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rat.. 1n the event of is typographical error advertising goodh or services ata wrong price. good. or .erviose may not be sold. Advertising I. merely .n offer to all, and may be withdrawn at any time. The Slgnsi-8t.r N not responsible for the loss or dames. of un.oUoIt.d manuscripts, photo. or other materials used for reproducing purposes. President and Publisher Editor Advertising Manager ROBERT G. SHRIER DAVE SYKES PON HUBICK FOR BUSINESS OR EpITORIAL OFFICES...plesee phone (61911:1R4-8614 Second class mad registration Member: number 0716 A Not immune to terrorism Here comes Santa. 'I'lie world will have to consider the storming of an Egyptian airliner by commandos as it sat on the tarmack of the Maltese Airport a mistake in view of the fact that as many as 60 passenger and four of five hijackers were killed in the assault. Ironically, Egyptian commandos has stormed the 737 Sunday to avoid a massacre by the hijackers who seemed bent on systematically killing the plane's passengers. But the storm- ing of the plane only turned it into a blazing coffin, killing most of the cargo. 71u' decision, obviously, had tragic consequences. But it leaves us with the chilling rt minder that ultimately, we are not immune to ter- rorism and its consequences. Those words were reiterated by Canada's External Affairs Minister, .Joe Clark yesterday, who said that "No nation is immune to the scourge of ter- rorism.'. And peaceful Canada has learned that lesson in the past year. An Air India jetliner explod- ed over the Atlantic Ocean killing its occupants earlier this year and aviation officials still :.i apple w Ito mangled iron bits in search of clues. Now. ice hear of the tragic news that a young Canadian mother from Alberta, and her 16- lnnnlh old son, died in that plane. They were on their way to join their husband and father, a ';uulsc;rpe architect in Saudi Arabia. That i'anadlan connection brings the tragedy closer to home and that a young baby and 11114 her nurst die at the hancis of terrorists, only serves to illustrate the frustration such a .inni` carne promotes. Pie deat of those innocent victims will surely raise the ire of nations around the world .1111 raise stern and probing questions about the use of force in such situations. The world 1l 11 I1k.1 hive 111 take a tougher punitive stand against terrorists and those that promote ter- I.. \1,Ilt;i. the government refused to allow the plane to refuel until the hostages were freed Taint the alrcract. fiat tactic obviously failed as the hostages began killing off passengers and indiscriminately throwing the bodies from the aircraft. Pic %Lilt est, and Egyptian governments made the decision not to deal with the terrorists utile., passenegers were freed and then took the drastic measure of storming the aircraft ,t I„ •, ,r ; ppeared that not other alternative existed. I i,, ,t I .IIon l of that action will be judged for a long time but many who feel that terrorists hilt e not been dealt with severly, will view the action of the Maltese government as proper. Whether lir not Yves could have been spared in this case is merely a matter of speculation otIs,derini; the hijackers had alredy proved they had no regard for human life. The tilalta incident raises more questions than can be answered. In a world where ter- ori'rn ha, escalated, it is inconcievable how guns and grenades could be smuggled on an airline? what tie the first priority in dealing with such act terrorism, protecting the lives of t tic inn,.( ant hostages or backing off the demands of terrorists. Was every effort made to deal it !th the situation rationally before commandos were ordered to storm the aircraft? 1'In:natl'l .. n.e have to weigh the lives of these innocent air travellers against giving in to tllc ,Icni,lnds of demented. fanatical terrorists. Each government in the country where such ,,t, ;, t unfolds has to make that decision on its own and now it is easy to second guess. I h, tit answer when terrorists are often ready to die anyway. It only serves to il- I,1,;1.11, :hat wr are not secure or removed from terrorism. D.S. by Dave Sykes QUEEN,'S . PARK • BY JACK RIDDELL HURON -MIDDLESEX M.P.P. The 1985 Ontario Budget In the first Liberal budget in 42 years, Treasurer Robert Nixon has demonstrated the government's commitment to fulfill the promises made by Premier Peterson this past July, while at the same time giving the taxpayers in Ontario value for their money. As well, the Budget works to maintain a high level of both health and social services and post secondary education. In the Budget, Mr. Nixon has made a realistic statement of Ontario's financial position. He has also provided municipalities, colleges and universities and hospitals across the provirt:e with a sound basis for future planning. Where The Money Goes As simple as it sounds, it is the revenue generated by the taxpayers in Ontario that pays for the programs and services provid- ed by the government. With that in mind, the following highlights of programs brought in by the Liberal government demonstrate where the money goes. Training and Employment for Youth $175 million in 1985-86 for youth programs to help young people get jobs and wor- thwhile training. With the 1986-87 allocation of $200 million, this program will provide employment and training opportunities for 230,000 yming people by the end of next year. Also, a $13 million three-year co-operative program will help high school students make the transition from school to the workplace. Providing Affordable Rental Housing Funds towards the construction of at least 10,000 more non-profit housing units, in- cluding 4,000 rent -geared -to -income family units, over the next three years. This pro- gram. plus subsidized loans to developers to build 5.000 rental housing units, will generate over 30.000 jobs. improve Access to Child Care An additional 10.000 subsidized spaces with priority given to ciuldren with special needs and those in under -serviced and rural areas. Helping Seniors Maintain Independence $11 million -a -year to strengthen communi- ty support services for seniors and help them remain independent. Developing Northern Ontario A $100 million Northern Ontario Develop- ment Fund to create viable and enduring economic activity in the North over the next five years; and financial help for Northerns who must travel long distances for special medical attention unavailable at home. Helping Ontario Farms A $50 million program — the Ontario Family Farm Interest Rate Reduction Pro- gram — to help farmers cope with economic pressures; $20 million for Ontario's red meat producers through the Tripartite Stabilization Plan; and a $6 million transi- tion fund for tobacco growers and other farmers leaving agriculture. Boosting Small Business The Small Business Development Cor- porations will have their roles expanded in the North and East. Funding will be increas- ed by $5 million to a total of $30 million. To strengthen Ontario's partnership with local governments and to help colleges, universities and hospitals plan more effec- tively, the Budget provides early details of transfer payments. Colleges and Universities A four percent increase in basic operating grants to colleges and universities; $80 million for colleges and universities ex- cellence funds; an eight percent increase in funding to $145 million for the Ontario Stu- dent Assistance Program; and a four per- cent cap on formula tuition fees. School Boards $107 million in operating funds and $17 million in capital funds to extend support to separate secondary schools. $67 million for the regular school capital support programs, plus an additional $25 million in capital funding for priority expan- sten m rapidly -growing communities. Municipalities A 4.2 per cent increase in the basic alloca- tion for total transfer payments in '86-87 and a special $60 million fund for urban transit and local road improvements. Hospitals An 8.3 per cent increase in total alloca- tions for hospitals for operating costs. Social Assistance A four per cent increase in social assistance benefits effective January 1, 1986. Shelter subsidies, benefits for children of social assistance recipients and special allowances for handicapped children were also increased. Towards A Fairer Tax System In order to create a more. equitable tax system, the Budget of Treasurer Nixon will reduce or eliminate the income tax paid by 390,000 people in Ontario who have low in- comes. At the other end, of the spectrum, people whose income exceeds $50,000 will pay a 3 per cent surtax. A Realistic Presentation Ontario has over $2 billion in financial assets on its books that do not represent any real value other than to record debts the Province owes itself. Mr. Nixon has taken steps to end these "left -pocket -to -right - pocket -and -back -again" bookkeeping en- tries. The Treasurer has also dealt with Suncor. Purchased by the, Conservatives in 1981 for $650 million, the value of the shares today is significantly lower than the purchase price. In order to get the Province out of this bad deal, a review is underway to determine the best way of dealing with the Suncor shares. In the meantime, to clear the Province's books, the recorded investment will be writ- ten off and the Province's remaining obliga- tion for the Sun note, which totals $420 million in prinicipal and interest, will be discharged for approximately $305 million. For more information on the 1985 Ontario Budget, you can call collect at 1 416 i 905- 8400. 1m.,,:lne a grown woman falling down on her face on a dry sidewalk, on a sunny ;iftorn..,n it happened to me a couple of '.t irk ,it`o on the street where we live. 1 was returning from a walk with my husband. It teas not a stumbling, gradual fall. One moment i was upright. the next second 1 was down hill length. The toe of my walking shoe hail somehow caught ,in the cement. F'unn11� enough. one of the first thoughts going through my head after the fall was the erhn of my mother's voice admonishing me decades earlier to keep my hands out of my pockets At home my husband made me a nice hot rip of tea always a great comfort at times of distress 1 and we began to sort things out. i was very lucky to escape with an assortment of temporary aches and some Targe bruises, one on my face where it had touched the cement. it has been fading surprisingly fast. However, 1 was quite startled to discover how mentally unnerving the basically minor accident was. What 1 should have done, of course, is to dash out and sue everybody in sight - the town. the shoe manufacturer, etc. Is it not the latest "in thin:"? Never accept responsibility for anything; always blame it on others. The suing virus has come to us from the States and it is spreading fast, with disastrous results to the insurance rates and pocketbooks. in the realm of ridiculous lawsuits, special acknowledgement must surely go to the number of heavy smokers suing cigarette companies For health damages. One of them is a hospital patient who is reported to pull off his oxygen mask to take a puff. He is not responsible for his actions; everybody else is! 1 would give the top prize in the category to the student who is suing the Ryerson Polytechnical institute because he flunked his course. Now there is an imaginative and enterprising young man for our times. There is a general perception that municipalities are good targets for suing purposes and that somehow their insurance companies will cheerfully hand over limitless supplies of dollars. The increasing numbers of claims and high amount judgments are creating a near crisis situation and result in prohibitive increases in premiums, with the possibility that the insurance cam , anies mi: ht refuse to insurance to municipalities at any price in the future. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has a special task force working on the problems in question. The situation is that serious. For Goderich, the annual insurance premium doubled in 1985, from $25,000 to $50,000. For large cities, the insurance goes almost out of sight. There is no bottomless purse anywhere. The unreasonable demands are backfiring and this time there is nobody else to blame. What is it they say about "free lunches"? There is another, much more positive and cheerful subject of community interest to which I should like to turn at this woint. Some recently published letters by local doctors and others, with further comments made elsewhere, have pointed out the need for a fitness centre in town. It is a subject that has surface periodically in the past, in different forms, but now it just might bg an idea whose time has come. Our small town has many other features for a good and healthy lifestyle environment. With The Livery theatre recently placed on a stable and productive foundation another enrichin: : • • • t has 1 yw ELSA HAYDON been secured for the varied interests within our community. A fitness centre would complete the picture in a most desirable shape and spirit. Perhaps the project could be undertaken by private sector interests; maybe the initiative will come from the' service clubs; possibly a combination mi ht serve the purpose, with strong and healthy support from the town council. The now outgoing town council continued or completed (and did it very well) programs basically started by their former colleagues in the past. This project offers the new council just a terrific chance of making its mark in a very positive way and leaving a memorable contribution of outstanding value. An active committee could start looking into all kinds of possibilities and should leave no stone unturned. Political asides should not be allowed to muffle enthusiasm in other quarters in this very important matter. As advertised by the town, a public meeting has been called to discuss the choices of soft and hard services under a new phase of Ontario Neighbourhood Improver ht in a west end area. The meeting will take place on Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the community room at the grandstand on McDonald Street. I have no idea whether this could offer a step closer to a fitness centre beginning, but it is worth looking into every nook and cranny. 1`/