HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-10-21, Page 13-
Gerry Montang is a troubled rnan. Of
course he's not alone, so are hundreds
(and perhaps even thousands) of other
men and Women who have taken a
serious look at the direction their
country, the ficgnomy and their' fellow
Canadians are headed. The thought that.
some others may be troubled by it all too
doesn't really seem to make Gerry feel
much better about things.
Henri breezes in, tosses his lunch box
in ,the locker and. slaps Gerry on the
back, "Well, buddy. I guess we were
right."
' Tugged from his cgntemplation Gerry
looks up. "Oh,how's that Henri?"
."About this here day of protest,"
Henri grins. "You know, October 14, the •
strike."
•
'Gerry. begins to tie ;his boots. "We -
were right? How do you -mean, we were
right Henri?"
"Well you know, about .voting not to
help Joe Morris with • his big strike;
About not shutting down the country. I
1
guess a lot of other people felt the same
way. I mean hell, only .1500' people
showed up on parliament hill. They say
Toronto• never even knew anything was
eut of tile ordinary."
.Gerry sat up and reached for his pipe,
"Oh, I don't know Henri, I don't think
you Can pass judgment on the day of
protest as easy as that A lot of people
did go out you know, And a lot of others
would •have if they hadn't felt
management was holding a gun to their
head, or that they had already been on
strikeso much recently. •: they couldn't
afford another lost day's pay "
' • Henri just• fumbled around inside his
locker and mumbled something unin
telligible
"We shay have just see} the birth of a
new political• power block. Just like any
'
infant it may be weak; but it can grow.
And hthink !twill.'°'
"Weak infant grow," Henri -
,
echoed.
Gerry Montag was warming to his
r,npEFTN., SSI+i"i11I" T
subject now. "But I'm, not sore we need
another Never block. Damn•itHenri, you
know I'm on the side of,the workingman,
and we've been exploited true, but we've
come a long way." • .•
". . . . come a long way," Henri
repeated.
"But Henri, the time for confrontation
is past, Maybe it was the proper method
at one tithe, when organized labor was
just a disjointed scatter of locals, but
we've evolved. In a way we've grcfwn up
and its time to act mature. We're an
adult clow, we have .a responsibility .
a responsibility to this • country as . a
whole, to all the people not just the union
members.'
-"Responsibility,'.'' Henri said,` "Welt
yes..'we have but what Henri
the big
companies, I mean
"Oh I don't mean . we're wrong and
they're right. They are doing the same
thing. Approaching every problem,, and
every contract, as a confrontation.
Management has to learn to act like an
STAN, Ti-WRSD�4'Y, k141•li f +z i, i8I6 -PAGE
adult as wefl..Henri, did you knew that in
- C ermany' and Scandanevfa, t'epresen
tatives of the union sit ori the, board Of
directors ofoompaities like this one?
They take part in all the decisions, tkor
consider the whole picture not just.
wages. And it works. Why compared to
Canada they never have a strike,"
Gerry grabbed Henri's arm. "`Dort't
you see what 'I'm getting at? Its bad
enough . with two power blocks, gover ;
nmment and business, but if we go on this'
way Labor will become more and more a
third. This -country willbe pulled in all
directions!"
"Well .... ,", Henri choked and cleared
his throat, ,"'Ah .- . , Gerry you know . . _
mean soniething does seem to be wrong ;
.. I mean ,
The whistleblew to start the shift
saving Henri from stating an opinion,:-
"Power blocks, responsibility, con-
frontation , ... what the hell was Montag
talking about?"
INFORMATION, BACKGROUND AND OPINION
•
HERE
Seaforth',District High School Prin-
cipal Bruce Shawtold the Huron County
Board of Education at its last meeting
that the experiment at his school'.Where
the students operate' the. cafeteria was
working shush better than he had even
• dared to hope.
,He admitted that the new program
was still in itsearly stages but said he
held put hope that with more experience
the students would even improve over
their performance to date. He added that
the way things were going at present, he
could forsee the •students •running the -
cafeteria indefinitely. • ;
Seaforth District High Moot h 'the
A
IN
.first. student operated cafeteria in the
county; as the resultof a presentation
that Mr. Shaw made to the Board of
Education last spring, H.e'ex:plained that
he had two goals in mind: to see if the
quality of the food that the cafeteria sells
to Students would improve and to give
the student workers, all 'volunteers,. an
educational experience.
• Experience to 'date seems' to indicate
that both goals are being met. Student
Mary Jape Salisbury and Bill Jeffery,
president of the student's council, said in
a r • t Huron Expositorstory that each
o£ the 9 student volunteers puts in about
o} tit:Oitnteaoli week.
LJRDN
The volunteers make french fries,
soup, home-made sandwiches, get the
milk, fruit drinks, fruit and yogurt out on
the counter and cook and serve ham= '
burgers and hotdogs; 'Meanwhile
another student takes in the money as
hungry teenagers work their way down
the cafeteria line.
:The students say they have learned
something about cooking, and a lot about.
nianagement, since the student run
cafeteria started. The 19 students, and
four supervising teachers, teachers, Don Ren
shaw, Harry Scott, Karen Teskey and
Mr. Shaw, have only one employee..-
Jenny, the operator ofcafeterias in
•
Exeter and Goderich high schools has
helped them set up for the first two
weeks of school but left them pretty well
on their own since. She does check in
from time to time though to help.
straighten out any particularly thorny
"problems. •
In 'addition to the students. who .
voluntarily, give up their spares to run
thecafeteria, for no pay, the principal.
saysother of er students .are involved.
Accounting students keep books"for the •
venture, which takes in over $100 per -
day, -and home economics students plan
menus and cook 'hot meals such as chili
andspaghetti which the cafeteria offers
one day a week: •
•
School Boards and educators across
the province are hailing Education
Minister`. Thomas Wells' announcement
last week of an • expanded core
curriculum for Ontario secondary school '
students, =�
Starting next September, Grade 9 and
10 students will be requiredtb take two
:credits in English, two in mathematics,
two: in Canadian history and -or
geography, and one credit in science.
The new tore, coupled with existing
requirement for two,additional credits in
English for senior students, means that
the basic core curr-iculurn_will. consist of
nine mandatory courses, one third of the
ROVI
minimum' credit requirements for the
secondary school graduation diploma.
Mr. Wells said that the emphasis was
being placed on the Grade 9 and 10 level
because '`we believe that students in the
first. two years of secondary school need
a greater degree of : direction :and
guidance than students in the senior
years". . . .
He said the Ministry of Education
:believed "that `these required courses
represent essential disciplines which all
students must experience if they are to
graduate from an Ontario . Secondary
school." .
•
"I believe that in some respect the
IAL POINT
pendulum of .change in education all
across North America swung a little too
far during the 1'960'x. Today, in' man-
dating a basic core of required subjects,
we are ••easing the pendulum back to a
more balanced position .that will be to
the advantage, of the vast majority of
students," said the Minister,
Mr, .Wells said that the Ministry's
curriculum guidelines for `the man
datory core subjects will become much
more comprehensive and of greater
assistance "to teachers. As an example
English guidelines will "be revised to
__ensure that e -very... student receives_ . a
good groiinding in essential com-
munication skills, including the
traditional concepts of English gram-
mar, compbsition and literature. The
setne.. approach will •be taken with
Canadian ' hittory and 'geography,. 'en-
suring that every student is •aware of
Canada's identity, Canada's place in the
world, together with•a knowledge ef'how
government in Canada's, :democratic
seciety,works. .
Mathematics• and• science „guidelines
wilt also be- revised to give teachers and '
others involved in curriculum planning
more direction and more practical'
assistaxrce
> Mr. Wells said the Ministry stands
The new cafeteria program does not
sell chocolate bars and gum and very
little in the Nay of candy. They attempt
to- offer healthy snacks, like nuts and
raisins, and find, in spite of what- a
confectionary salesman predicted, that
they sell well. "And we ran out of white
milk three days," Mr. Shaw reports.
Students. seem to.like the healthier
foods. As they lined up fbr sou , Jan
Bolton and Pat Anderson said the used
to bring
lunch from home • but we'tlon't
need to now."
Other students pick up a container of.
french fries to supplement what 'they,
bring from home. Two girls say they are
• (continued on page 11)
loommemmosmome
firm on its commitment to the` young-
people
oungpeople and their, parents that the
secondary schools will serve all
• teenagers of Ontario, not just the
academic ..elite: There will be no return
to the rigid .lock -step curriculum of
previous years, which he said, caused
many students to drop out of secondary
school because they were unable to cope
with a curriculum that was "geared to
the cream of the- crop who were headed
for university". • -
The new requirements, he said, will
ensure that all students receive a solid
grounding in the essential basics. of
(continued on page I1).
CANADA
. The Federal Government is pursuing a
redefinition of its relationship with this
country's estimated 280,000 Status
Indians
Indians to make thein equal partners
.with all Canadians while safeguarding
their unique and inherent rights.
The . present course of • action un-
dertaken by the Government follows a,
year-long reviewof the Government's
relationship with Status Indians. The
views and recommendations arising out
of ' the review„, undertaken by. the
Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, •
have been formulated in -a report to
Cabinet.
The. approach is based on the -concept
of Indian identity within Canadian
society rather than, a separation from
Canadian society or assimilation into it.
This., concept envisages that there
would continue to be recognition for
Indian status, treaty rights and special,„
privileges . including land claims set-
tlernent. In addition, services-. and
programs would be based on need
because of the disadvantaged situation
of many Indian communities and in
dividuals. And the widest opportunity
would exist .for local autonomy and
control of Indian affairs with ' Indian
communities.
The Government -Indian relationship
based" on, • Indian- identity within.
Canadian society comprises six basic
elements. The six••.• elements include
gr"duip . continuity, \ political change,
• personal fulfilment, social equity,. en-
en-
vironmental concerns . and d economic
strength.
Group continuity is concerned With
such things • as treaty rights, full
citizenship, special privileges ' and
reserve lands. Political change deals
with a revised Indian Act, enlarged band
powers, representation in . advisory.
bodies. Personal fulfilment takes into
consideration safeguards for Indian
languages and other cultural- values,
hunting and fishing safeguards and
special assistance for .education and
training.
Social' equity revolves around social
services on and off reserve§, federally
-assisted •education and preference in
Frequently, too frequently, we ream-
stories' or hear reports through the
media of torturia and gross atrocities
which ' are being ; carried blit by the
miiitaa y.. or. law enforcement arms of
extreme right wing governments , in ,
• certain third world countries. The
stories, recounting protests by such
groups as Amnesty International; or
• church groups, • often as not relate to
South;. American dountries and most
often to the states 'bf Chile, Paraguay
and Uruguay:
That is not to say that the South
Americans have an exclusive franchise
of torture activities, some ' Afrlean
countries and morerecentlyIndia get in
"on the act occasionally, but the right.
wing, military dictatorships of Latin
America seem to make torture more of a
routine weapon in their battle against so
called "subversives."' Subversives being
roughly defined as anyone who might not
agree with the government line, ranging
from Marxist guerrillas to progressive,
social .thinking churchmen and critical •
•
' journalists.
;Wily do such governments revert to
strong-arm tactics in their struggle to
stay in power, and just how do they
manage: to get away with it on such a
broad scale and for so long?
"Members cd 'the ruling forces, or
supporters of those rulers, see things in
terms of a atruggle or war against
subversion. They are willing to' accept
the old adage that "all's fair in war" and
advance it one step further to accepting
that In every war a few innocents will
•
•
..employment. Environmental concerns
deals with environmental protection for
Indian lands, involvement in en-
vironmental .protection and planning
•and employment for Indians in national
parks, tourism and game control.
Economic- strength takes into account
tax privileges for reserve 'l;ands,
economic development assistance and
special counselling and training., -
The recommendations' set out in the lz
report are being worked out with Indian
representatives in consultation at the
nationai,'provincial and band levels
Most o 'the work so far has been done --
at the national level, through :the
establishment of • a joint National
Brotherhood -Cabinet Committee. The
inevitably suffer. The important thing to
remember, they feel, is that preser-,.
tvation Of the authority they support is a
most important end and one must oc-
casionally overlook some of the means,
Those who oppose the regimes in
question see things in much the same
way. They are involved itra struggle -for
social justice, or whatever, and must
fight the"cruel oppressor by every means
at their disposal, Which side is right, and
which 'wrong, depends on where you sit.
Which came first, governments so mei
•
NIB is largely funded by the Govern-,
rnent and the. Cabinet • Committee in-
volved the participation of . Cabinet
Ministers whose responsibilities_ em-
brace : programs ,involving. • Status
Indians. The Government has also
established a sub committee •of three
ministers and three ,Indian leaders and
(has approved the establishment of a
Canadian Indian Rights Cornmission.
• The.objectives`zif'the Joint Committee
process is -to enable the: Government and
the Indian leaders to work • co-
operatively toward the betterment of the
Indian .people through joint deliberation
at the policy level. •
,,The diversities of need, aspiration and
(continued on'page 11)
they resort to torture, or subversion, is a-•
question like 'the chicken or the egg'•,
But whatof then so called 'silent
majority?' Why does the bulk of the
!population remain silent? Partly
through fear, yes, but moire so because
they are simply not aware. They maybe
aware in a vague sense but they have no
opportunity to learn of the magnitude of
the problem. even : with the Sketchy
reports squiggled out of thole countries,
the rest of the world is probably better
(continued on page 11)