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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-07-07, Page 6ue bee • D :age ,Th n> as'o ;nie als aepl' rt K or ugh ut o ius it me In't bine oral ayab pa cia is Ss b ;pe lb rec ity p 17, per {u. hat ;al Dy Yr"til pa • I/s-v'". Thirrtown has gone`.. w.., . Peculiar things are happening'in tltit ` �.tOwn and judging fronv the people and traffic.uring the 'past week. an un .suspecting visi'tor would surely be ..t.. Convinced hat Goderich is a major' Canadian city. The people of Goderich just aren't accustomed to this. The noise, traffic, people' and festivities crop up every time you turn your head. It's. wearing, tiring - and legs .are going fast,but it will only happen' once for most of 'us and it. sure has been a'good time. But visitors . to Goderich and even people living nearby are not fully aware of_the.Jubilee=3..eelebrations_and,a..trip ta. town ,had .them wondering what in the - hell is going on, But even -for the 'greenest of . tourists there are many telltale sign ,that4 Jubilee 3 is. taking place. L, You can telh. it: is Jubilee,.. when it •takes a half .hour tet drive down to the bead' andtheh it, is impossible to find a Parking spot, because of the number of midway, beach and beer tent patrons. -- •fvu can tell it is Jubilee 3 when bylaw _cpntrol officer DickEjsler is ,going crazy trying to chalk the tires of thousands of cars parked in _the. xicinity of .. T -he net— Square. You can tell,it is Jubilee 3.when a man with .an impressive bushy begard and attired in a read tartan kilt is treated as a celebrity in town., Normally guys just don't get away with .thatsort ot'thing. You can tell it is Jubi:l9ee 3_.when a portly middle aged man sidles up beside, you and asks. "You all know where I could get me one of them Tiger Dollars everybody's got." You can tell it is Jubilee 3 whenpeople take great delight In dressing costumes and push bedsround The" Square while yelling and screaming and. frighteningthe bejeepers out of the' spectators.:lining The Square. • You can tell it is -Jubilee 3 when4ver half of the licenselates on cars around town and from another country. You can tell it is Jubilee. 3 when usually sedate and docile citizens of the cominunity disguisethemselves as Indians and paddle a canoe around the harbour while- winds of nearly gale proportions whistle around their ears, You can tell it is Jubilee 3 when the scores of,media men are tripping over each other at every event, obstructing. the view of several hundred spectators and usually trying to get their face in >a; u" cir 1. long .-tiresome decide t0 take the •littitz supper, to a restaluraa an thereare lI>lieupsl 'ou -can tell it is. Jubilee -3: tourist walks wand nknow` ,g- '`Is there something special•gotn,_ town here. today, there are so m people with weird costumes on " You Acari tell it is Jubilee 3 when the`'." organizers and . townspeople Wearily drag -_.-themselves- -to -last-..event•-and-- manage one more smile saying that we" will_ have. to do, it agalg• sprlrjetime__..__ Despite the fun and good times let's wait 150 years before w -e do it again:' si ,a1411, INFORMATION, BACKGROUND AND OPINION he town of Goderich opened its doors ring the^ last week to thousands of itors who flocked to the town to help e townspeople celebrate the 150th thday. he festivities: are -the biggest -ever gid in the townand each day offers w events. The tribute began ,, last dnesday, June 29 the day Tiger clop founded Goderich in 1827 and lowing a wreath laying ceremony at tomb, Mayor Shewfelt opened the me Home Days in Cotirt House Park. uring the long weekend the calendar HERE offered events for land, sea, and air lovers :and even. -was early as -9 'a.m.. Friday morning hundreds of spectators, and holidayers lined the_Ha,rbqr.Hill to watch the youngsters take,art in the soap box derby. Close to 20 youngsters rode their sleek machines down'°^the steep incline of West Street in search of ` cash and trophy prizes. The population of Goderich doubled Friday afternoon as an estimated 15,000 people ,lined the inner and outer boun- daries of the Square to watch -the grown up verson of the soap box derby, the bed IN 14LJ.DI%t races. More than 60 beds were entered in the event and participated in several heats. The fun and excitement of the event was marred somewhat. by the casualties that resulted runaway beds and jostling'for position. Saturday mornings vintage car show in Court House Park also drew a large appreciative crowd as the fine display 6f antique cars provoked nostalgia in both the young and old. Naturally proud owners stood guard near their cars at all times as hundred's' of curious spectators couldn't resist to touch the gleaming • .Aar MOM • chrome. On: Saturday afternoon several thousand spectators made their way to Sky Harbor Airport to view -the airshow that featured aerobatics, parachutists, vintage war planes, simulated bombing runs and a surprise visit by Canadian Armed Forces Hercules turboprop. The event was perhaps an historic one for those who either, trained or tided in Goderich during the Second World War when the roar of the' Harvard was as natural as the sunsets. Prior' to the air show ceremonies,' the ;Sully Foundation • x. donated the Canadian Ar ed Forces Laneaster•tothe-Canadian Warr Planes' Heritage Foundation. The presentation was made by Dominion Road Machinery Company prejident Bruce Sully. Folloawing several church ' serf"' . Sunday morning, again hundreds of people made their way to the CP12train station at the foot of West Street to catch a glimpse of the historic run of the 1057 steam train making a trip from Guelph to Goderich; The event marked the 5Qth antiversary of steam train service between the two; communities and the train pulled into Goderich with several • Guelph dignitaries aboard. -Mayor -Deb Shewfelt• and. a host of Jubilee 3 dignitaries welcomed the. Guelph ,representatives on the station platform and several •gifts were ex- changedbetween the communities both celebrating their sesquicentennial this year.' The train - made several' runs during the day. % nAt the Harbor Sunday boat enthusiasts toured the US Coast Guard vessel Sundew and the Canadian ice -breaker Alexander Henry and lined .the pier as the Goderich ,Sailing Club paraded in` a sail past. 30 lec id 30 obs Ik al last va rs nd _R anada Day, July 1, 1977, was perhaps largest celebration in Canadian tory outside of the Centennial and the. idents of Ontario also played a major e. lathe .festivities stressing. Canadian ity, n Toronto a huge -crowd, celebrating nada Day -at -Queens Park devoured re than 30,000 five -cent hot dogs in t over an hour, ferry boats " were ded for the traditional picnic on ronto Island and the hills around tario Place were dotted with people the Canada Day show. The festivities were strung out over PROVINCIAL POINT 5,000 miles across Canada and were brought into the homes of all Canadians via satellite and the CPC in ons of the most impressive "shows aired by the network. The 31,4 hour special' was broadcast live across Canada. " , The scene on Par'iiairrent •Hill in Ottawa was a rather emotional one as 70,000 covering almost every inch of the Hill were on hand to celebrate Canada's birthday in a downpour. Many of the thousands could ,not even see the stage but the thunder storms and drenching, rain could not dampen the spirits of the It wastrttly a testimony to national, unity as the crowd of flag waving celebrants . welcomed the CBC to the final segment of -the show. But the fierce storm sent Prime Minister Trudeau and thousands of others scurrying for cover in the : midst of ,the storm that was televised nation y. But the fireworks refused to fizzle out and ' even the thousands who took shelter were back in full force for the final stage spectacular. Most communities across Ontario had festivities lined up for Canada Day -the 110th anniversary, but the nation's" Canadians. . capital was the place to be for -a truly federalistcelebration. Among the dignitaries at the Ottawa celebration were Prime Minister Trudeau; Governor General and Mme. Jules:. Leger ami State Secretary John itobarts whose department fgnted the 43.5 million bill for the lggest birthday party since the centennial. - Last year there was little if any celebrating on July 1 and austerity was cited as the major culprit but then again that was before Rene Levesque was _elected Premier of Quebec and our national unity was at stake. It is obvious that the Liberal Party sparked the gala celebrations across the country, and underneath the gimmicks it seemed to work. Maple leaf flags hung from thousands of poles and buildings and fluttered in hundreds of hands. Despite the rain in Ottawa the huge -crowd refused to. move farther than the nearest dry spot and as the CBC showbegan they were back on the Hill in full force, - d Th6 crowd burst into cheers when a 145 foot Canadian flag was run up the face of the Peace Tower and even a persistent drizzle couldn't dampen the -enthusiasm as Rene Simard. ballerina Karen Rain and other entertainers went on with the show. The..show lasted wo hours with time off for the incler$ient weather and ._ although the participation was not 'as exuberant. as may be expected at St. Jean Baptiste Day the crowd numbers were reassuring. It was a reassurance of unity not only for the people who braved the weather across the country. for the outdoor activities hut also for those in their living rooms who witnessed the event on television. Loan sharking has now become the ckbone of organized •crime in Canada d the greatest criminal source of. come that nets approximately $5 Mona year. A report in the Toronto Star last week dicated, that loansharking is now the ajor criminal source of income in anada that feeds,and breeds every ime conceivablefom drug trafficking prostitution, robbery and murder. In oronto• alone, ,loan sharking -does- an' timated $300 million annually and is rectly related tel 30 :per Cent" Or all reet crimes and at least one murder ear according to police. CANADA The most horrifying aspect of loan - sharking are the laws of Canada that. virtually protect the criminal practice and 'its . practitioners. Although -some loansharks charge as much. as 1,000 per cent in annual interest rates it is not a crime in. Canada and is in fact perfectly legal. Not only in Canada but aU over North America there have been thousands of murders; beatings, broken bones, los't'" businesses, broken homes and countless steri,e,s of.despair., and yet there is no 'legislation against loansharking. In Ontario there are only two laws that are remotely related to loansharking. IN SEVEN One is the federal Small Loans Act which 'limits interest to an average. of 18 per, coal annually on loans of $1,500 or less. But if the principal is above $1,500 then no -transaction is illegal at any interest rate. Loansharks either laugh at the law or technically workwithin it by making loans above $1,500. If• a client requires a $1,200 loan then a shark will give him $1,600 and immediately take back $400 as `the first payment and technically iti; legal. -The other law is the Ontario. _crjn inal offense- was pending but that `Constimer Protection Act ' whi.ch too fell through. In 1976, Bryce stipulates limits of interest on any loans. Mackasey, Ouellet's successor, But police claim that both of the acts promised that measures to wipe out are jokes and to. put a shark out of roansharking would be introduced last business they have to prove he has committed extortion, assault, blackmail or a murder. Canadians have been promised stiffer laws against loan - sharking and in 1974 Consumer Affairs Minister Andre ,Ouellett said he was considering amendments to the Small Loans Act but nothing ever came of :the promises. Again in 1975 Ouellett ,-,said that legislation making loansharking a ;t -r fall. 1Vlackasey's successor Tony Abbott introduced the Borrowers and Depositors Protection Bill aimed at bringing the loansharking business under control but MP's are still arguing over the fine print in the bill. A Toronto hotel iyaiter who borrowed $800 was threatened with death after his interest hit $1,900 and he eventually wound up owing $13,000. After his family was threatened with death he escaped to Winnipeg and asked the RCMP for help. Now he is back in Toronto but is closely guarded by the Metro Intelligence Squad. Another Toronto waiter borrowed 3500 to' pay off his gambling debts and his daughter's wedding expenses. He was forced to pull off f wo armed robberies to pay the high interest rales and served six years in ,jail. All police can`rlly do is hope that loanshark Victims complain to the police but few ever do: -Most victims end up in jail after stealing to pay the shark and most live in fear. Unfortunately most loanshark customers are low and medium wage earners with little or no credit rating who are unable to obtain a legitimate loan. 1' -WORE A gunman described as racially upset 'jacked an interstate bus in New York onday and ordered the driver onto the sY runways of Kennedy International rrport. A 26 year-old Panamanian sailo w e United States Navy was cap red' 0 nd a��t murdeveningand faces two hair es er and four of atte tedt}ritTritTer connection. with the incident: alter lice pinned, the bus -near a -fence and` ptured the hijacker.- Luis ijacker.Luis Robinson, 26, .gave himself upp to lice. authorities who rarnmedthe bus ith polite vehicles, pinning it against the fence. Robinson' emerged from the bus and, was silently led away. -'----- The hijacking 'began mid-afternoon Monday when Robinson took over the bus that was travelling to Vermont from 'Connecticut with approximately 22 perSo on board. Two persons, a an passenger and the burs driver, Wer killed by, the hijacke1 before the Otis was cornered near, a hangar. Two other persons were also wounded and ',are in serious condition in hospital. Robinson released nine of the hostages atthe airport, and four of them, children, gave officials written demands WEEK from Robinson. He demanded $6 million and a jet to be flown to Cuba.'RoJlowing the release of nine of the hostages nine still remained aboard the bus. A duplicate ort11e captured bus was brought into the area to familiarize marksmen and other police officers with .the interior of the vehicle. Kennedy International Airport-Vlra}s closed to air traffic as officials .tried to talk with the hijacker and prepared a `plane to meet his demands for 'a flight to Cuba. While planes were Sttaked up in the air policemen were kept busy pursuing the bus on the runways. • - Robinson's surrender ended 10 hours or,horror for the hostages who were released just after midnight. The hijacker was armed with a .45 calibre pistol and told his hostages that' he wished to escape from the United States because of racial prejudice and claimed he had been mistreated in the nountry. John McGavern, a librarian at the University of Hartford, was shot in'•the neck when Robinson took over the bus in the New York City borough of the Bronx. McGavern told police from his hospital bed in Jamaica Hospital . that the hijacker just stood up and shot him in the neck. McGavern believes that he- was aiming for his face. "He was racially upset\ --very upset about the racial situation."McGavern' said, "I think he was aiming for my face. He just went boom. I was looking right " down the barrel". McGavern is now in serious condition in hospitah- After McGavern:was ..shot; -Robinson ordered the driver to take the bus south across Long Island to Kennedy Inter- national Airport where it crashed• through a security barrier. . As daylight faded police, eventually had to bring in searchlights ti• illuminate.tKe bus and a • telel3hone was sent to the bus to con- municate with the hijacker. •Later in the evening the bus was cornered at a Trans World Airline hangar and police soon moved in. Police vehicles, including a military type'ar- nioredersonel carrier loaded a with arti`ted blew York City „policemen surrounded the bus at the landing field side of a TWA maintenance hangar and administrative complex, 'erAfter:.Robinson had ,:been cornered 'hear the hangar andaence he, saw the number' -of police vehicles surrounding him and gave upjustfter midnight. • ti ••• �4 9 • .i t: is .4