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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-07-02, Page 2PAGE 2 —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY JULY 2, 1986 Corr_m_inity News_ Parents m�nicipal da , r4 is the only fea.sible alternative After Coring every possible avenue towards a funding of another private day care -eentre in Goderich, parents whose children have been using the K Day Care • Centre have decided theta municipal cen- tre is the only feasible answer. "If we, go with a private centre, we've discovered we'llneed-to raise $6:6,000 uimthe ` next two months for the first year of opera- tion and that's just not possible even with some parents giving $3000 and $4000 dona- tions,' says Barb Allen, spokesperson for the parents. A private day care would not be eligible fob any financial assistance from the pro- vinicial government other than a $5000 in- itial business loan which is interest-free for the first year.. . If the parents formed a non-profit, incor- porated group, they would be eligible for grants covering 50 per cent of the building of a brand new centre or 80 per cent of the renovation of a building into a day care centre. But, the incorporation process can take as long as two years and can be cost- ly, says Allen. private, it couldn't subsidize the parents who need help and it's only fair that those subsidies;,be available for those who need them. Just because we're middle class and can afford the fees doesn't mean we're the only people who need day care," she says. Because Judy Cooper, of the Ministry of Community and- Social -Services -has in- dicated that setting up a municipal centre will take from six to eight months, Allen says the parents are stepping up their ef- forts to find a temporary centre for day care in alltbuildings zoned CF -1 which will allow day care centres, "As long as we meet the health and safe- ty standards, Judy:, Cooper has told us ,the ministry will be a little more lenient on the other regulations for a temporary location., She realizes we can't ask any churches to knock out walls or put up a $2000•fence if we ask them to use their basement as an interim spot," she says. Allen also says the parents will be can- vassing their friends and neighbors to fill, out the questionaire concerning the' need for day care in Goderich placed last week • in the Signal -Star by the town. "We're hoping the survey shows a high need for day care because the fight for day care may be a lot harder if it doesn't. We realize"there are a lot of people out there with good intentions whd may not get around to filling out the survey arid sen - As well, a non-profit, incorporated group would involve a board of directors made ,up, of parents to run the centre and Allen says the parents believe it would be dif- ficult to maintain an active b.oard. "The parents who need day care are working parents, some of them on shift work. The whole reason they need day dare is because the4r time is limited," she says. And, because parents would only be us- ing the centre when their children are bet;, ween the ages of two and five; the parents involved on the board would be revolving constantly and that could cause problems, she says. "Being on the board would be a big com- mitment for suc a short term," she says. Allen says tharents have decided to push for a municipal day care centre. "A municipal day care centre would 'be most accessible to everyone. • If it's w.......... �..,.,o�n b..anvacan¢ Nem•• ding it in so we'Il.be.eanvassing the'.ntt," she says. Although the parents of the 80, children *ho use the K Day Care Centre are well aware of the need for day care in Goderich, Allen says the survey will give the town the concrete evidence they need to open a municipal day careteritre. "They might be able to put us- off but they can't put off concrete evidence," she says. One of the only drawbacks of a municipal centr,,is 'the fact that the parents will have little control over the staffing and programming. But, as they present their case 011ie town, the parents will recommend the staff of the K Day Care Centre be hired -by a. municipal cen- tre, says Allen. "The move to a new centre will be hard enough on the kids. It's really important to the parents that the same staff go with the kids to the new centre but we realize we may have no say about that,', she says. The parents plan to attend the Goderich administration and personnel committee meeting on July 10 at the town hall as well as the next Goderich council 'meeting on July 14 to present their views. "We're going to present our ppsition strongly but nicely that there's noother alternative thana municipal daycare cen- tre," she says. ch immersion • fro F age 1 adaptatr. s of first language materials which might not be 100 per cent what the teachers need linguistically; lack of stan- 'da�rd curricula for all boards and, the in- ability of parents to : help their children with their homework: The problems with French immersion programs are implementation problems, says Gaetan Blanchette, superintendent of French for the Huron - Perth Separate School Board who believes these im- plementation problems have been blown out of proportion. �sai Fluent in English and French, Blan- chette .,y�s the critics, are not talking about negative aspects a children being educated in a second language, but the problems associated with the implementa- tion of a new program. , on e - Local doctors return to *ork "• from page 1 . just pretend this hasn't happened," he must address the doctors' concerns about • warned. their fundamental freedoms, he said. Dr. Neal said government will find doc- "People started to realize that doctors tors unwilling to co-operate in the future are not so pecuniary rninded...and I . and he expects most will decide to opt out wonder if this public awareness would and treat OHIP like an insurance plan. have been achieved any other way," People will realize government is not the observed Dr. Neal. insurer of all services and hike other pro - `People are profoundly disappointed in , fessionals, doctors will bill for phone calls, the ssystem, in the government'a arbitrary tetters and time spent doing things they action and a government who a year ago once did for free. said it did not want to pass this legislationDoctors feel sufficiently betrayed and and, now is forced to pass this under are no longer willing toe - operate. Pa- • pressure -from the New Democratic tients will,no longer be able consider go- Parte strike ing to a doctor with no cost involved," he The and the passage of the bill by predicted. a government enforcing closure has been p Health Minister Murray Elston hoped to,, avoid a situation where patients would have to get out their wallets every time they go to the doctor by banning extra - billing. But reaching for your wallet when you go to see a doctor will become the very demoralizing, said Dr. 1Veal. "I see this as the first in a potential str- ing of encroachments on health care restricting the access of patients to their doctors," he added. The OMA executive is meeting this Wednesday but there is no scheduled date - norm, said Dr. Neal as doctors opt out of for a meetingof the OMA council. Dr. Neal the OHIP plan, bill patients directly and said the executive will be looking for a new begin to bill patients for services they once direction but "you won't find doctors will supplied free. John Turner to visit Opposition and federal Liberal Party leader John Turner will be in Goderich Tuesday, July 8 to meet with Huron -Bruce riding delegates and members of the public at an informal lunch in the park. Turner will address local riding associa- ir- tion delegates to the party's national con- vention in November, at a morning meeting - at the Bedford Hotel. At noo , the associa- . tion is hosting lunch in the par with the par- ; ,, ty leader at Lions Harbour Park until 3 p.m. , -rs Following the breakfast session, Turner and former Agriculture Minister Ralph Ferguson will meet with area farm group representatives at the home of John Westbrook on Highway 8. The federal Liberal party will hold a convention in Ottawa in November. Local•delegates nominated to at- , tend , the convention include; Howard Aitken, riding association president; Bruce McDonald, past candidate; Maggie McDonald, Mildmay; Eileen Palmer, Goderich; Bob Swartman, -Exeter; A. Y. • McLean, Seaforth; Cathy Love, Zurich and two youth .delegates... 44 SPECIAL• • FREE ALTERATIONS!! Some Alterations can be done WHILEYOU WAIT! ONE OF THE LARGEST INVENTORIES of Men's Wear in Huron County