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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-02, Page 5GODtruCH SI NAL- „ 11�4L- �S: •d to, Cons; its R not ician alwagl voriti Ie's valuj osa ails oncisse DCI. ith the hool s usu talk to ncernit the on w nit whole run tinued • leret# Mcy at ' aboiit. 0 per ,. w8s. to y situ ost lave the' ving illau ; ,.nice, angej tOvm+ ways bees s of a-, steering committee to creating a district health or Huron -Perth created some y last week with their dif- inions on the possibility of the f such a council. nk Mills Huron County medical health and Lloyd Morrison, of the steering committee said committee's recent decision, he formation of the council prevent it for long. The ommittee was formed by the of Health two years ago with of determining the public n a district health council. The On May 1K111, his home ti triding. 01 Brampton, Ontario, Premier Wiliam Davis unveiled A Charter, for Ontario, The Charter is a "list of print:.tpa jectives and «commitments ; which, fol the Ontario Progressive Cotier�iat Party's dynamic program of action If ,you read or heard about the', points: in the charger the list, of principals anti commtitments• are impressive and , seemingly' preclusive of ail other legislation. ,tt. document, that will ;free Ontarians from inflation, provide jobs, build houses'and give everyone a fair shake. Right? Wrongo political prognosticators. As impressive as the charter may appear Davis and: his cosnterparts overlooked a few noteworthy items that deserve consideration. For example: The government should make a commitment to erase 95 per cent of our ti etnployment and not set their targets at 190 per cent. If everyone had a joky then hundreds of Unemployment trance Commission employees would lie out of work and would likely protest 'hitteriy if their cheques were tette- ,:The a6e. ,:The government should make ,obtn.mit.ment to encourage work stop- pages, slowdowns and strikes for it is the `one area in which Canadians.excel and i;espite troubled times there would be Consolation and pride in achieving world 'notoriety in at least that"one area. The government should make a eorrtmitment to a target of 900,000 {;,housing starts over tile next ten years to provide cheap government subsidized housing for the unemployed from other provinces who venture to Ontario to seek employment, The government should make a `commitment to a target of 100,000 new INFORMATION, BACKGROUND AND OPINION HERE IN HURON committee was comprised of local politicians, consumers and medical personnel from the two counties: During the two year life of the com- mittee the response to their request for the submission of briefsand attend'hnce at public meetings was poor. Few people responded either in attendance at public meetings or with submissions but those that did were split on the question. Some believed that the council would only add to the bureaucracy or take away the public control over their immediate health care. The Ministry of Health contended that the council could cut costs and provide increased services.' Last week the steering committee voted eight to seven against asking the ministry to establish the health council. The recorded 'vote was not made public but Dr. Mills who said the vote should be public knowledge added that he voted in favor of the council, Both Huron and Perth county councils voted -in favor of possible amalgamation of the two counties rather than join. the Thames Valley District Health Council that serves Middlesex, Elgin and Oxford Counties. That vote was taken two years 'ago. !obs each year for the next decade to be „acdomplished by doubling the civil. eservice if,riecessary. The government, should make a :.commitment to preserve an education system of high quality with accessibility . to —higher education to ensure that thousands of graduates pouring into the labor force who are unable to find jobs will be the highest qualified unemployed to be found anywhere, The, government should make a commitment to continue the battle against inflation while inspiring the private sector of our economy by at- tempting to trade our provincial budget deficit of over $2 billion to, another province looking for a new challenge. The government should make a commitment to containing the size and expense of the government in Ontario by eliminatingome si the least pti llclze cabinet appointments , isu `gra Minister without ortfotio"in cb dispensing executive washroom'' new cabinet prtnisters, `the rMinii charge of organizing' 'campai r becues. and other gala events :a, Minister in charge of';dispel plugs at the Legislature dnsh oor The government, • should , make ' commitment to maintain the :'ltighest,w.,_ quality of health, -'"based'' on a ; system which forcqs individuals to . workt together with- their doctors, who f ny now, conduct kidney transplants -.anti other related operations in their offices..: due to hospital closures. OHIP premiutris will also be increased. That should just about round out the ., commitments needed for the people •of Ontario. Morrison believed however that the Counties 'may be forced to form their own health councils. Mills said that if a health council is not formed it could be held against the area especially when there are requests for funds. He claimed that the attitude had already infected the Ministry and surfaced during the closure of the Clinton Public Hospital and the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital. The province now has 18 health councils and more are likely to be for- med in the future and Mills claimed the area would be under pressure to form one from the ministry and other areas. He said the committee will now clean up its two years •of business at a cost of $2,000. Following those statements, Norman Hayes, Wingham Public Hospital ad- ministrator and Dr. Norman McGregor. said the Ministry of Health is not con- vinced of the worth of councils and may be willing to put a stop to the creation of more until further studies have been ,conducted. Ministry officials have apparently given assurance that a council will not be forced on the area and have indicated problems in maintaining the viability of councils already formed. However in two or three years the ministry may ask 1�. • the two counties to reconsider the health council concept. The steering committee received the personal assurance of former Minister Frank Miller that no pressure would be put on the counties to form a council. The progress of other councils may be halted until the ministry can prove the councils are improving services and cutting costs. The committee's rejection of the council idea may indicate that such a council is not right for a•rural area and the fact that health services would be controlled by a committee is even less appealing. amitrascu and his executive ignored and they don't like it ascu, a vice-presidentand member of the Ontario ve Conservative Association, it the Government of Premier avis ignores the executive and ttheJune 9 provincial election cessary. scu, a professional engineer been active in Tory politics for ix years was elected the party ident last May. He thought that rity Conservative government ing with co-operation from the PROVINCIAL POINTS opposition and therefore the party could have accomplished something for the people of Ontario by carrying the party's resolutions adopted at the executive annual meeting. However during the last year, Davis attended only one of the executive's almost monthly meetings. The executive had nothing to do with the calling of the election and several other executive members have indicated their displeasure at the Davis move:One executive member has since stopped attending the meetings and another has resigned from the chairmanship of one of the executive's committees. Dumitrascu doesn't intend to resign but wanted the party membership to know what was going on in the executive. The problem has Dumitrascu wondering if he is in the right party claiming that democracy does not exist in the PC party. The executive was questioned on its opinion about an election on one occasion and was divided on the subject. Dumitrascu claims that Davis reacted to the public opinion polis that indicated a Conservative majority in popularity gains and he went crazy. "Ross DeGeer, the party's executive director. wants to keep that group at a ive Conservative Opposition Clark is taking it on the chin g Quebec Progressive Con - MP Claude Wagner, openly C Leader Clark for the party's five by-elections in Quebec last_ ter six by-elections held last Liberals gained five stats and ds one in Quebec. , who narrowly lost the party p to Clark in February 1976, rters that Clark was the chief organizer in the five Quebec d that he had little to do witch tive by.election strategy in his • CANADA.. home province. Wagner indicated that Clark wanted to be the leader in Quebec and said that his leadership ."produced what they have produced." The Conservatives lost five by- elections in Quebec and another in Prince Edward Island that produced five Liberals and one Socred. After a party meeting Clark claimed that there was no recrimination from other MPs and that,talk of his ineptitude as leader was only confined to the media. Wagner who took little part in the election effort simply stated that the by-election results spoke for themselves. Wagner claimed that his efforts to low profile and said it was not customary to inform the executive of an election call. He said the president was aware of the election plans and that several executive members were in the Legislature when the NDP and Liberals combined to defeat the government on the rent review legislation. Executive president Gerry Nori conceded that the ..xecutive was not polled on their opinion of an election but had been asked to be prepared. Nori thinks that Dumitrascu is bitter about something but had no idea about the source of the bitterness, Dumitrascu is certafin that his comments will lead to IN SEVEN discuss the issue of national unity in the House of Commons and other' parts of the country had been much more im- portant than knocking on doors. But when he was asked whether it was wise that the party's major Quebec ' MP should -play- a- minor role in -the- by- election strategy he stated that Mr. Clark should be asked that question. Clark campaigned in all the ridings and took consolation in the fact that the party increased its percentage of the popular vote in Quebec by about six percentage points. • Clark claims that Trudeau was able to use the election of the Parti Quebecois-' government in Quebec to his advantage by declaring a firm Liberal stand on - national unity. The Conservatives had to show Quebecers that they were also committed to national unity but Clark conceded that Trudeau received far more Parti Quebecois supporter votes than the Conservatives. He claimed that if his party .had received more PQ support then the Conservatives would have won some seats in Quebec. The Liberals celebrated the by- election victories by wearing red car- nations in the House and also invited reporters in their normally closed personal attacks by party workers because he is the only executive member who will not be manipulated. Dumitrascu has been the chairman of the executive's committee .on multi- cultural relations 'and claims that .other executive members tried to suppres,s a report suggesting extended provincial support to higher grades in separate schools. The report that was meant for discussinn in the executive meeting indicated that such a move would be a sympathetic approach to non - establishment groups and result in ,a large number of votes especially in the caucus meeting to witness the cheering of Prime Minister Trudeau. When the cheering had stopped the reporters were asked to leave. Newly appointed cabinet minister, .Jack Horner, who left the Conservative Government just a few weeks ago, believed that Clark did make some gains in Quebec as the percentage of popular vote indicated. In the Prince Edward Island riding of Malpeque, Liberal Don Wood, broke a 25 year Conservative hold on the seat by defeating Conservative Ian Macquarrie. Horner claimed the Conservative ..candidate was a socialist while Wood Toronto area. The report was rejected by the executive committee. Nori said there was no discontent among executive members and Dumitrascu said the executive is nothing mor than mute and deaf and a warm blanket for the Premier. He added that„ the committee is not involved in any decision making. but rather are manipulated by people who are friends and advisers of Davis. The executive's president, vice- president, secretary -treasurer and 12 members are elected at the party's annual meeting. was an advocate of private enterprise. Clark vehemently denied reports that party members blame him for the losses in thew by-election and as the House of Commons resumed he gallantly made congratulatory gestures to the winning parties. As he congratulated the new members and their parties, Con- servative MPs applauded by thumping their desks enthtliastically ` while Wagner was reported to pat his desktop politely. Clark is pow campaigning for support in British Columbia and is expected to tour the province for seven days. RS'AI {alai' stdgB, ed 'tht 1t�tUtc �nurt�i, to dirt�s WORLD tries estimated that the death of burns and smoke `inhalation. A tem - each as high as 300'following a porary morgue was set up at the Fort at destroyed the Beverly. Bills Thomas Armory and bodies from the Club in Southgate Kentucky fire draped in sheets formed long white night. ` lines along the floor and during the teams had removed more than weekend friends and relatives faced the es from the. ruins of the three grim task of identifying bodies. Most of et walled supper club complex the victims died of suffocation but mahy as crowded with thousands of of the bodies trapped inside the building. weekend merrymakers W y nl Were bail{ ,burned. as ti .8ht.`Officials estimated.that ,+ .,The ,club ;can accommodatemany tine. all, the ac's $ 000 eo" le and it was estimated that � ` . , t'ubble is cleared. , ,, � p p ie 1ve'bodies . ` u ` < 4,000people were in the building at the thy rid Watt►d be f'nttnd . �;. � p g ors and cn a :time of the fire and the work of firemen llapi3ed,rtio � <. ere 'many;`small fires er, bred gone said,. . waas.:hampered as _ht. w en ere 3 k out.dtiring �► night. ,, n ho'spf til. for'it'eatl'.me4tC :'contlnuei�; n:brea . The fire was first noticed about 9 p .tit and patrons of the club were scattered in • dozens of rooms and'alcoves and many of the guests had finished their dinner 'and were preparing., to walk to the Cabaret Room for, a show by singer John Davison Who escaped without injury. His musical director Douglas Hero was killed in•'the blaze and Jackson State University` football., coach; Clarkie Mayfield who had helFred"hia; mother, father and wife: out of the building and returned to~ help others': esca e'the fire, �� p also died. , The flames were fir ti tn,gy.ti.'.ce d in the p.e yletried i n are rid sector �dnl uns'uccessf'ully to put the" flames out with •portable fire extinguisher"s. Word of the. fire spread quickly throughout the b iii ling but thick black smoke spread fast ° through the corridors making it impossible to see and ultimately choking ;huridreds'of the guests. A waitress at the club, said that it happened so fast that it was'amazing anyone got out. irucks,had e;trdifficult' ; reaching the ,, y e ne kecatise the club sits on an Isolated ' `parcel` of land atop. n high'"bl'uft. e narrow tvvo-lane road -..;that se ry {eyes, ,the 1bb c' e ata ti ethesie Ott '0,t re a lV4Aitraffic!je�k 1, , • A deputy coroner said that panic resulted in many deaths as several bodies were found in areas of the building heading for what they believed to be exits. Firemen also reported that bodies were stacked up to three feet high like wood near exits, at bars, and under tables. At the height of the blaze flames shot 100 feet through the roof but still 200 people managed to clamber out onto the oof and then to safety. Minutes later the roof collapsed in flames. One busboy in the club had trouble convincing patrons th t there was a f ire but WalterBaileye y ras Credited With .saving Martyr .lives. s4; Bailey jumped on stage before 600 people in the Cabaret Room and pointed Out the fire exits. He led groups of s panicking patrons outside the building arrd then returned to rescue some stragglers. After Bailey had led groupsof people outside smoke and Harries filled the building and smoke was so dense that it was impossible to see. Bailey and some` fellow workers returned tothe`�btildin ° and grabbed Peo le lying en,4h � and dragged them to safety,. "'. Kl h creno NnYe t he clu �a b�, s. e e cY si