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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-05-14, Page 4PAGE 4 —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 1986 It's tough these days to be a public figure. What with people watching every move and the press ready to pounce unceremoniously on every faux pas. Why former US President Gerald Ford could barely tumble out of an aircraft after an exhaustive trip (stopped on the runway, of course) without having the press there to record the stumble in sequential photos that would be splashed across the front pages of most daily newspapers. It tended to dent the man's sensitivity. Or how many times was that same power- ful leader pictured playing a golf shot (usually a mid -iron) from some poor spec- tator's forehead after one of his errant drives sliced into the crowd during a celebri- ty golf tournament. But in true American fashion, and despite the social embarassinent, the victim would lie perfectly still while the revered former President played his approach to the green. DAVE SYKES Quite often the victim was later trampled unmercifully by the crowd as it moved in unison to view the flight of another errant shot. Throngs of secret service agents were left scurrying in the wake to replace the divot. Political figures and royalty can't escape the constant whir of probing lenses and pois- ed pens of the press. The press has recently regaled audiences with all manner of photographs of Prince Charles and Lady Diana at Expo '86 and on a subsequent tour of Japan. They have been smiling, walking, talking, yawning, recieving flowers, carrying flowers and scratching themselves on various royal anatomical parts. Either the public has an insatiable ap- petite for pictures of public figures or the press has an irrepressible penchant for pro- bing the private lives of public figures. It's a combination of both, actually. Peo- ple tend to take notice of celebrities scrat- ching their noses and the press complies with photos to sate our appetites. But the practice tends to reach unbelievable proportions and even minor celebrities are drawn into the act. It seems Opinion THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT SINCE 1848 G8edericlite6). E8T ALL ROUND COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN CANADA miWum Cia.a 3$00 4500)C C h A fetter Newopaper Compout,on 1980 .EIGNAL-STAR P.O. BOX 220 HUCKINB ST. INDUSTRIAL PARK GODERICH, ONT. N7A 4B6 PUBLISHED BY SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED Founded in 1848 and published every Wednesday at Soderlch, Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OCNA. Subscriptions payable in advance 6198.00, (Senior Citizens 819.00 privilege cord number required] In Cenede, 680.00 to U.B.A., 660.00 to ell other countries, Single coplae 60C. Display, National and Classified advertising rate. available on request. Please eek for Rata Card No. 16 effectiveOctober 1, 1985. Advertising is accepted on the condition that In the event of a typogrsphlcal error, the advertising. space occupied by the erroneous Item, together with the reaeonabie allowance for eigneture, will not be charged for but that balance of the edvertleement will be paid for et the applicable rete. In the event of a typographical error advartiing goods or earvicee et a wrong price, geode or aervicee msy not be sold. Advertising is merely an offs to sell, and may ba withdrawn et any time. The Signal -Star le not reeponeible for the lose or damage of uneollclted manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproducing purposes. General Manager Editor SHIRLEY J. KELLER DAVE SYKES Advertising Manager DON HUBICK FO BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES...please phone [5191524-2614 Second class mail registration number 0716 Member:►CNA an CCNA Conflict of interest that these days, a television celebrity can't even punch out his immediate supervisor in the privacy of the office without the story making the headlines on the front page the next day. What.ever happened to a man's privacy? Surely Pat Marsden, head of television station CFTO's sports department, could have explained that he was merely demonstrating Hulk Hogan's latest hold on his supervisor when the boss took offence and fired him. No big deal. He could have learned a valuable lesson from Sondra Gotlieb, wife of Canadian am- bassador to the United States, Allan Gotlieb, who created a sensation by merely punching out a social secretary for, presumably, a decided deficiency in social graces. One paltry punch and public figures find themselves besieged by, newshounds. Do these people not have the right to punch out subordinates and bosses in private without retribution? The evidence would suggest that public figures have to generally behave and main- tain a certain measure of decorum. Cabinet ministers have it especially rough these days. Poor Prime Minkster Brian Mulroney can't even take a trip without one of his ministers getting into hot water and being forced to resign. To date, the cabinet roster has been depleted by five ministers. Send the wife out to drum up a little in- terest in a company and look where it gets you. It's„getting to the point where no-one will aspire to be a public figure. Conflict of interest has been one of the most salient and contentious issues in the news recently. Just this week, Sinclair Stevens resigned as the federal industry minister following two weeks of battering over allegations that his wife arranged a $2.6 million loan through the co- founder of a company that recieved millions of dollars in grants from his ministry. While the minister maintained that he fully complied with conflict of interest guidelines, he tendered his resignation to the House of Commons Monday.and suggested there was "suf- ficient confusion as to fact to warrant an impartial investigation.” Sometimes, conflict can arise out of seemingly meaningless or harmless matters without intent on the part of the politician. However, as purveryors and protectors of public rights, government officials at all levels must guard against the encroachment of personal matters on public turf. Sometimes it's a fine distinction. Two such matters surfaced at the municipal level this week that could easily be construed as being conflicts. In accordance with legislation, and after declaring a conflict of interest, Mayor Eileen Palmer was barred from participating in a meeting between her employer, Bruno Lapaine and the PUC, to discuss an underbilled account. Before leaving the meeting, the mayor suggested that the commission's insurance would cover a commission error in such a case. While that may very well be the case, the remain- ing commission -members could make that determination. They consulted with the owner of the establishment in question and reasoned that despite the error, the commission would ask the proprietor to make up the amount that was owing to the utility. In a separate incident, councillor Peter McCauley said Tuesday that Donald and Lawrence Crich, owners of a 47 acre parcel of land the town agreed to purchase to expand its industrial land base, also exercise an option on his property on Bayfield,Road. While the councillor addressed the matter before council Monday evening and suggested the two matters were not connected in any way, the incident serves to illustrate the potential danger. Irrespective of the fact the two deals may not be connected, the councillor leaves the door open to speculation and the potential for conflict exists. To avoid the speculation, the potential conflict should have been declared. It puts a coun- cillor in a precarious position when he is dealing with a party both publicly, and privately. It is difficult, no doubt, for politicians, at any level of government, to live beyond reproach. But, public office stipulates that that must be the case. Free press is a must Sunset reminiscence photo by Paul Hartman Parents should keep children awa°''�from construction sites During recent years, the media have taken a terrible beating. Every time a politician finds the need for someone or something to blame for his or her mistakes we find the media are the culprits. The people who provide the public With the news of the day often do make mistakes. Some news people are obviously too brash and even cruel in their treatment of sensitive events. However, consider for a moment how important a free and open press is to modern society. The recent nuclear accident in the Ukraine provides a startling example of what can hap- pen when reporters are not allowed access to a crisis situation. First reports of the melt down in Russia included the conjecture that as many as two thousand residents of the area had been killed, and that thousands more would probably die within the next few months. These early reports indicated that not one, but two reactors were burning. Since that time we are hearing reports that the casualty list was exaggerated. Soviet officials reported that very few people had actually been killed and that only 100 to 200 people were injured. We still don't know the truth, which is probably somewhere between the Soviet figures and the guess work of the foreign press. What has become increasingly clear is that the total absence of reporters left the rest of the world in ignorance of the actual extent of the.threat which had been'posed, not only for the residents of the Ukraine, but possibly for vast areas of th earth's surface far removed from the immediate site of the disaster. Without a free press those same politicians who blame us so frequently for every misadventure in which they become involved, would be free to get away without public knowledge of their responsibility for whatever goes wrong. Sure, there are times when publicity can be embarassing, even shocking, but a free press is still a every"necessary part of our free society. ) Dear Editor, On Wednesday, May 7, I was sent to do some work on MacDonald Street here in Goderich. Lavis is reconstructing the road. A summer student and I worked there all day. It is not bad working around heavy machinery such as Lavis has, but when you have kids running around it can get hair- raising but mostly annoying. The men at Lavis are first class men. They know their work and operate their equipment quite well. On this day they had an approximately 10 foot hole dug. About 4 p.m. kids started showing up. They thought it was great to play on the banks of this hole. Although the banks were sloped, a kid could have easily fallen in and maybe just scared himself. But when the men told them to get away from the banks, the kids more or LETTERS less told them to take a hike. The kids finally left. • About 4:45 p.m. we were pulling our utility to the truck to put it away. There were about half a dozen kids walking along with us in front of the trailer wheels jumping on and off the trailer. No matter what I said they, still persisted. Finally when the trailer was hooked onto the truck and ready to go, I noticed this kid sitting on the fender of the trailer, I told him to get off as nice as I could, but he said "I want to go for a ride". I told him again and he said, "No". Well, I blew my top, I grabbed the kid by the arms and took him off the trailer and stood him on the ground. I said to him in a frustrated and angry voice, "When you are around this construc- tion site, you do as you are told or you will get hurt." The boy ran away crying, yelling, "No, no, I will not." Parents, if he doesn't do as he's told he could get hurt and possibly killed. Those men have a job to do and they can't always see YOUR KID. If you work at a place where you run a machine, a lathe, a fork lift, farm machinery, or at any construciton site, would you let your 10 -year-old play there without getting nervous? The same kid was back the next morning, mouthy as ever. Tim Martin Goderich PUC Employee • State controlled medicine is blow against free enterprise. Dear Editor, your service, whether you opt in or out? A recent letter to your paper from so- Many previous letters from physicians meone supporting the Health Care Ac- with "state medicine" experience have cessibility Act unwittingly made the basic . outlined the problems which will be en - point which those of us affected by the Act countered. It has also been well-established have tried to make. that passage of the Act will actually cost On - It was suggested that "free enterprise" be tario more money than they stand to lose by allowed to operate. Is it not painfully ob- allowing "extra billing" to continue. vious that this is exactly what is being I think most will admit there are problems removed? Where is the free enterprise when in the present system, however these can be the government states a dollar -figure for tackled by serious and reasonable negotia- tion. Surely we can see that government - controlled medicine and health care is a blow against free enterprise and democracy. People currently employed in non- government occupations should start asking how long it will be before they too fall under total government control. Sincerely, P.D. Padfield, O.D. Mila thanks Kinsmen and Kinettes Dear Friends: I understand that the Kinettes of Goderich are kicking off their fundraising campaign today, and I have asked Mr. Murray Cardiff to extend to you my personal good wishes for a very successful campaign. As Honorary Chairperson of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, I am keenly aware of the tremendous contribution Kinsmen and Kinettes, across Canada, have made to the CF cause over the past 22 years. In fact, I am told that by the end of this fiscal year, the total amount donated by Kinsmen and Kinettes to the efforts of the CCFF will top the $10 million mark. This ex- traordinary accomplishment epitomizes the kind of community service involvement for which the Association of Kinsmen Clubs are recognized. On behalf of all the members of the Cana- dian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, I thank you very much for your continued support and generosity. Yours sincerely, Mila P. Mulroney Honorary Chairperson Harris Township residents plan reunion Dear Editor: We invite all former residents of Harris Township to a funfilled weekend July 26 and 27. We would appreciate receiving pictures of former residents, their homes and histories as we are compiling a book for all to see when they visit the township office at the reunion. In this way we hope to reach our former residents of Harris Township who might otherwise not receive an invitation to the many planned events of this forthcoming reunion. Twp. of Harris Reunion Committee P.O. Box 129, New Liskeard, Ont. POJ 1P0 Stanley Sesquicentenial plans school reunion Dear Editor: The Township of Stanley Sesquicentennial Committee wishes to enlist the .help of any former students and teachers of Stanley Township Schools, and to inform them that there will be a School Reunion on August 3 from 2 - 4 p.m. at the Township of Stanley Community Complex west of Varna. If you have any historical facts, old pic- tures or other memorabilia pleased contact ,the undersigned. Blanche Parke, RR 1, Varna, Ontario NOM 2R0 519-262-5423 ti