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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-12-09, Page 15• GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THI.IRSDAy, M�^ R91g7 P4 r Often eorraetsations which we wpuld like to consider quite philisophical, or politically enlightened, or at least well informed, are nothing more than an exercise in "What One of the more interesting aspects of writing, for a living, and as a result associating with other .writers, is the coming in contact with, or the joint development of, theories and possibilities. Such possibilities are really endless if one is prepared to let one's imagination roam free on a. given sub- ject. The outcome of such sessions is often very funny, sometimes• revealing and on occasion borders on that world created by Rod Serling, "The Twilight Zone", Here in 'the Signal News. Room we become involved in many of these "free form" discussions , each week. (Too many acrnrriinr• to marms,ernf t \ 'They serve as a . form of relaxation and sometimes_,,..indirectly generate some new ideas or fresh ..approaches to the material we are working with. In just such a session this week, we were batting around the pros and cons of capital punishment as it applied to Gary Gilmore the Utah 'convicted murderer whose . ongoing struggle to have the courtsapply the death sentence against him have been making such headlines of late. _— - It seems every time Mr.'Gilmore gets one judge or court to agree to go through with. it, some. other legal branch issues a stay of execution. In. Utah a convicted murderer.. can chose his form of execution; hanging, electric chair or firing squad, and Gilmor has chosen the firing squad. All the delays, which seem to b?. so annoying the young murderer, have led to one developmentwe might have all missed if the sentence had been carried out too quickly... a, book. A hurriedly prepared biography of the life ands trues of Gary Gilmore. Reports are that the book will bring over $1,000,000 in royalties, all of which Gilmore has signed over too his family.' Now it was ata that point we started playing "what if", What developed was a.- -s-cam guaranteed to make any family a million. ft's really very simple. As 'times get, harder, inflation grows, unemployment rises and: disposable income drops it gets harder and harder to make ends meet; let atone put the kids through university, give them a start in life and lay by a nest egg for those days of retirement. So, child number one (preferably a boy) is designated as the famnilr provider for the future. A sacrifice to the survival of the majority. About age 20 he goes out and randomly pulls a robbery bumping off a hotel clerk, gas pump jockey or cashier. All the better if he can work himself into a position where he manages -to hit some head of state, other government official. ' " He is quickly arrested, not toe quickly tried but in the end manages to have himself sentenced to death. Between the time that sentence is' passed and the j, morning on which he finally meets his destiny, as much publicity is" developed as possible. At the same time he cranks out a book. (the backgrot`tni't material for which he hes already prepared) and signs, over copyrights to his family. Sick, sick, sick you say? .,But "what if,'? • INFORMATION, BACKGROUND AND OPINION Perhaps the best known Canadian winter tradition is, not ice .Hockey, or skiing,., or snowmobiling but a less pleasant tradition called "lay offs" and •"unemployment." As the winter of 1976-77 closes down on us men and women across this country are finding themselves out of work as the unemployment figures rise and they join those statistics. Although Huron County has never been noted asa high 'unem- ployment • area, in relative proportions the problems .affects us as well. This year. the situation seems somewhat worse than usual'. HERE The latest group of workers to find themselves unemployed were .62 em- ployees at Bendix Home Systems Ltd. in. Hensall who were laid off last Wed- nesday, The employees worked in the, mobile home•plant of that company. Company spokesman Alec MacDonald said he had no ideaat the present time how long the layoff 'would be in effect, but he did insist' it was a temporary situation and said he hoped the workers • would be recalled "very soon". He explained that the plan has been affected by extremely tough. market IN HURDN conditions . for the past two .years, Several workers were laid off in June of this year,.but most, were later recalled. Mr. MacDonald said the firm • was exploring_ new markets to regain production levels which have been falling recently.. ' The 62 Oinployees represent almost half the 135 workers at the mobile home plant. ' No layoffs were instituted in' the Bendix recreational vehicle plant, however. Huron County Development Officer Spence Cummings admits that plant shutdown and lnvnffq have been hitting Huron County harder than they have for several years. . • In total, during the past months two. firms.have closed completely and others have laid off nearly 150 workers. The closing of Textral Fibres Ltd at Goderich in late October and Barton Tubes Ltd. in _Vana.stra in early November threw a total of 95 people completely out of work. Another 75 employees. of the Dominion Road Machinery Company Ltd. ' in Goderich were laid' off. Reasons for that layoff were much the same as those given by Bendix, a badly depressed market for the company product, in that case road graders. Despite the tight job market however, Mr. Cummings claims the long range outlook is encouraging for the county. He. said it should take no more than six. months to get 'a .new_ company to take over the Textral plant in Goderich and that there have already been several inquiries from potential new owners. Depending on whom you believe another 30 to 400 jobs could be created if,. the on again, off again negotiations with the_ industrial firm Borg-Warner prove successful and bring a new industry to ;Goderich. Mr. Cummings also says that Huron's $135 million a year -agricultural industry is showing signs of expansion, in the farm related service industries. In the meantime the Federal gover- nment has announced grants to var-ions county groups under. the Local Initiatives Program valued at $76,940. in all those grants will provide work for only 18 people, but with unelmployment at" the level it 'presently stands, every little bit helps. According to a brief submitted by the United Church of Canada to the Ontario Human ' Rights Cgmmission, - mental retardation,. physical handicap. , and sexual orientation should -not bar people from employment,: housing or services: The Department of Church in Society of the United Church has submitted a • bnief proposing that revisions to the Ontario Human Rights Code, now under consideration, should be expanded to include the three additional conditions mentioned: "Most persons who are physically handicapped,.. .mentally retarded or .t P RD' .!V.ir. -C 1AL homosexual, wish to. live in- conspicuously • m their communities, working and living where they wish, and . hiving access to the services and facilities that they ii.eed and desire," the Church submission says. "Many have -these opportunities' and 'that access and do not experience discrimination. However, from time to time persons have ' been denied jobs, accommodation or services .on the basis of their physical or mental disability, or :. their sexual orientation. "It is to prevent recurrences of such At last its official An Order -in -council was passed by the Federal Cabinet on November 1 giving notice of. the establishment • of 200 nautical miles fishing jurisdiction on the east and west coasts of Canada effective - January 1, 1977. This took • the form of a joint declaration by the Secretary of State for External Affairs, Donald Jamieson, and the Minister of Fisheries and the Environment, Romeo LeBlanc.' The Order sets outthe geographical co-ordinates of the new fishing zones, including co-ordinates which delineate the limits of the zones in areas adjacent to neighbouring states. situation that we argue fortheir in- clusion under the code. We do not sup- port ' preferentialtreatment for these groups, only equal ' opportunity," the subpiission notes. • The Church group also suggests to the Ontario Human Rights Commission that itadopt a more; positive approach in regard to its code. "The Human Rights Code of Ontario, like many other documents regarding human rights, approaches, the safeguarding task negatively, that is, prohibiting discrimination," • the brief says. POINTS "Some other documents, however, like. the Canadian -Bill of Rights, the Saskatchewan Act to ' Protect Certain, Civil 'Rights.,and the new Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms ap- proach the question positively by enumerating, the various rights' available to all citizens." "This` latter method ...". is .a psychologically and sociologically sounder approach because people respond more successfully and willingly to . the encouragement of positive behaviour than to being threatened with punishment for improper behaviour." While the Church department con- siders healthy' -attitudes' "as .the primary deterrent of discrimination", it recognizes that legislation is also needed for contesting discrimination in the courts. The Church brief concludes with this summary statement, "We believe in the sanctity of human life. Any injustice or discrimination that debases a person's .life, we view as. sinful. The protection of human rights 'is. critical in the fight against such injustice and discrimination." The resolution approving the sub- mission to the Ontario Htiman Rights Commission directed .the Department of Church in Society to send copies to federal and provincial governments and other relevant bodies "as they consider human rights issues.and legislation." In addition to urging extention of rights:: to the groups mentioned, the strongest point deserving the 'support of the : Provincial Government in' the proposal' is a revamping af.'�•the Code's approach • to ,,Human Rights, from a .negative - punishment approach to.a positive - listing - of the rights we all should enjoy. CANADA IN• These zones have been entitled Zone Fo , (Atlantic) and Zone Five (Pacific) for the purposes of describing the areas of sea adjacent to the coasts. Zones one, two and -three are fishery zones established in the .Territorial Sea -and Fishery Zones Act in 1971. - In the preamble of the Order, it was noted that the limits of fishing zones being established by Canada are in- tended ntended •to be without prejudice to negotiations with neighbouring states concerning the :delimitation of the Maritime boundaries. It was also announced that the fisheries limit would be extended to 200 ,•-nautical miles in the Arctic effective March 1, 1977. .• The extension of the fisherieszone will bring the fisheries in 502,000 square miles of the Atlantic and 128,000 square miles . of the Pacific under 'exclusive Canadian control. The Canadian announcement brought an immediate response from the United States. The . Americans • noted that negotiations and .consultation with the. Canadian government were going on concerning Maritime boundaries and that an agreement had not yet been. • SEVEN attained: " Therefore, the United States would not accept all of the co-ordinates published by Canada. The 'United States Depart- ment of State released co-ordinates delineating maritime areas off the coasts of the United States adjacent to areas off 'the coasts of Canada, within which the United States stated they will exercise jurisdictional control. The fisheries waters thus claimed by the Americans overlap those claimed by Canada in the Gulf of Maine and off Juan de Fuca Strait. In Dixon Entrance, the United States is actually claiming Waters ' on the Canadian side of the long established boundary between Alaska and British Columbia. The new Canadian limits also en- compass St. Pierre -Miquelon, the French islands off southern Newfoun- dland. France has announced its intention to declare an economic zone around the islands. Therefore, negotiations with Canada On its extent will have to take place. St. Pierre -Miquelon fishermen have specific fishing rights in Canadian east coast waters under a 1972 treaty. After many years and many man- • • hours of work by Canadian officials; the precedents set by other countries, the dewelopm.ent - of • the economic zone concept at the Law of -the Sea con- ferences, and bilateral' negotiations, the extended zone will not be a reality. The first- step in the rehabilitation of Canadian fish stocks, long over fished through competition with foreign fishing fleets, has been taken. The new limits will not mean the fishing fleets of other counties. will no' • longer be seen within 200 miles of the Canadian coasts. Some 'will try to.fish illegally and 'others will fish Within pre- determinedquotas set.by Canada. "The developing counties of the world are beginning to demand more than the crumbs from our table," declares Professor J.C.M. Shute, Director of the Ghana Project at the Centre for Inter- national Programs, University of Guelph, and Chairman of the Canadian Save the Children Fund Program Committee. "They. are exhibiting anger and frustration with the status quo of the world's economic system ti Some may regard this as a, threat, but it is becoming apparent that changes will go on with or without our concurrence, "The question is one of our willingness ORLDWEEK to adapt, and I feel confident that all Canadians of goodwill are prepared to read the- signals and respond ap- propriately." Professor . •Shute's statement was made as CANSAVE CHILDREN launched its Annual Appeal for funds to support social development programs on behalf of the world's children. $3 million must be raised during the next 12 months to meet vital commitments in more than 30 countries, A target of $1 million has been set for the pre -Christmas sectionof q; gin'• A, the Appeal. The campaign includes' a direct.mail appeal sent to many Canadians this month, public and cor- porate' i donations, sponsorships and special events held by CANSAVE volunteers in Branches throughout Ca ada. ' ' Professor Shute said that CANSAVE CHILDREN had recognized for more than 50 years that poverty is; the fun- damental cause of the developing world's miseries and ' that its prime• victims are children. As we become increasingly aware of changing, 0: priorities in developing amties, we must learn to conserve and share our personal resources. In the past year,. CANSAVE. has continued its policy of using local 'per- sonnel, labour and expertise in its in- ternational social development programs. o. .CANSAVE joined other organizations in sending emergency relief funds to Guatemala after this year's devastating earthquake: Following this action, and in line with its specific emphasis on reconstruction and rehabilitation, it combined with sister 5 Save the. Children organizations from Austria, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and the United States to form an SCF Alliance. Encouraged by the national and local authorities, the SCF Alliance is in- tegrating a developmentprograrn in the rural area of Joyabaj which includes improved nutrition, education, preventive medicine and agricultural and economic improvements. Because of the . emphasis on local training, Guatemalan craftsmen have been in- structed in the construction of model earthquake -resistant homes, using local materials, and are passing on this knowledge to fellow villagers. Commenting on CANSAVE's par- ticipation in the Guatemalan program, Kenric R. Marshall, National Director of the Canadian Save the Children Fund, o said that the principal aim Ywas to im- prove those conditions in children's lives which made such programs necessary: This philosophy is typical of all CAN - SAVE progratns in Korea, the Carib- bean• and elsewhere. 4-