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The Wingham Advance Times, 1995-01-18, Page 4ItgUitt .1q • NV41404 Wednesday at: Box 390, • ‘4,51)448,41(04 Tainghnnt,Lnuario . NOG 2W0 Phone (519) 357-2320 Fax: (519)M-2900 Eedy Publications Ltd. Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 Weare: JinkBeckett - Publisher Audrey Currie - Manager Cameron J. Wood -: Editor Norma Golley - Ad, Rep. Dian Brown Reporter Stephen Pritchard - Comp. Eve Buchanan.- -Office Louise Welwood-Office • • Editorial Viewpoint 7,4,4•4.4.1,, • can re -MtOr ' PO' Later montb, Justice Minister. Allan. Roc meet with hfs counterparo.in the prcwinces and. dis alg011eimenta to the Criminal, 04.10i- ,th6 seption of criminal harassment ChlOatalking. Under : the Conservative -implemented In -V4 aver 2.000. ',charges have been laid across the country. flow- ; 01144414 has come at a substantial level of inconsisten- cy: etri4eherges in Nova Scotia to 1,300 in Ontario. On. the -table will be three major areas of debate. Rock's department has identified the need for: a greater penalty for the -perpetrator if they violate a protective court order while stalking their victim. The current pen- alty stands at a maximum of five years in prison. Second- ly; perpetrators charged or convicted of stalking will be required to surrender all firearms and licences "unless it would be inappropriate in the circumstances and would not endanger the safetr of other people." Thirdly, the jus- tice department is looking at the recommendation to make the penalty for a stalking murder to be automatical- ly a first-degree offence. Currently, the Crown must prove the murder of the victim in a stalking case was planned and deliberate. Many of these amendments cothe courtesy of the Manitoba Provincial Court. Manitoba Justice Minister Rosemary .,Vpdrey and her department drafted the pro- posed chtnges after the 1993 stalking murder of Terry - Lynn Babb. Babb was stalked and eventually murdered by male nurse Ronald Bell, who kept a diary of Babb's movements before he shot her to death a bus stop in Winnipeg. In the end, the Crown could not prove the shooting was planned and deliberate and Bell received a second-degree murder sentence. Unfortunately, not included in the amendments is the victim notification if the perpetrator is released or flees custody. And while Rock claims this process can be ad - Ministered through provincial channels, there is a need for it to be mandated across the nation. The victims or stalkers live life in constant fear, even after the perpetra- tor is sent to prison. They should be given the right to know if they are in danger. Nor has there been a call for the upgrading of training for law enforcement officers and attorneys. The rest of the proposed changes, while still not strong enough; still come as welcome additions to the law. Hopefully, this will provide law enforcement agencies across the nation with the added muscle they need to pro- tect the intended victims; historically women. Our past tells us that this process of change is merely a start. Let's hope Allan Rock will continue justice reform for many other criminarcode sections as well. - C.JW ti tr. ,4 "• 10. - 1 Iti '"-41111 as, p.4, v4:4••,.,:v • i...001/41Km„,remm „foto§ '.ce? W.” .srs."14;:i•: reason ta smilTe R'ingfiam The Madill High School Track and Field team. Not -only for another golden performance, but for taking the overall championship at the Spectator Indoor Games. Great effort. Mernberof: OCNA 'CCNA TheWinghamAdvance-Times is a member of a family of community newspapers pro- viding news, advdrusing and informationleadership: Letters to the Editor All letters to the editor must bear the writer's . name, telephone num- ber and addtess. The Advance -Times wel- comes letters, We re- serve the right to edit, but will endeavor to • preservethe authors Intent • Deadline tOtletteas is Monday before 10:00 amt. Some Oxteptions • may apply. •Fax (19) 351.2.0011 &Innate,: P 110x 3904 Wingham Ontario, with Margaret Stapleton JANUARY 1948 Wingham Town Council is ne- gotiating with Wartime Housing for the erection of 50 hbuses in town this year. Those needing ac- commodatien are asked to fill out the,, application forms to be ob- tained at the clerk's office. At a rousing meeting last Thurs- day, Wingham teenagers nominat- ed their choices for the council of 1948. Those qualifying for posi- tions are: mayor, John Crawford, Jim French, John Lancaster, Shir- ley Lockridge; reeve, George Hall, Audrey Henry, Iris Newell and council, Jean Bain, Patsy Brophy, Grace Cambpell, Jean Hobden, Floyd Jenkins, Sally Lou MacWil- liam, Arnold McIntyre, Joyce McLeod, Jean McPherson,. Ron Munny and Jean Rath. Last Wednesday evening the Progressive Conservatives nomi- nated Thomas Pryde of Exeter as their candidate in the Feb. 16 by- election. On Friday evening, the Liberalselected Benson Tuckey of Exeter. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dunbar were in London last Wednesday evening to attend the capping exer- cises of Victoria Hospital when their daughter Lorna received her cap. JANUARY 1961 • John L. MacEwen, long-time •resident of Turnberry Township and former reeve, passed away Jan. 14 in Wingham hospital fol- lowing a short illness. Charles Hodgins, Massey - Ferguson dealerat Wingham is at- tending a one-week technical course at the M -F Training Centre in Detteit. Mich. Aitcr two weeks of lovely, mild weather and sunny days, the mer- cury 4100edized to 16 below on Pit.' day morning. Since that time, the temperature W404 ., i tiOn welt 404O. n of snow: has ' ' at to remind and Stridt*.that ' IS is, 4111 •"goodOld:04WD, lais0* WO for the open - 0 Wingham's: new . Scout House included Warren Callan, chairman of the group committee; Andrew Lunn, Mrs. H. A. Fuller, Mrs. David Crothers and DeWitt Miller. Cubs taking part in the cere- monies were Peter McCarter, Tom and Brian Miller, Bobbie Major, M. Galbraith andJim McCarter. • JANUARY 1971 Wingham Reeve Jack Alexander was elected Warden of Huron Councy at the inauguarl session of county council last Tuesday after- noon. This is the first time in 40 years that a Wingham reeve has been elected to the warden's chair. M. L. "Tory" Gregg will act as master cif ceremonies and introduce former hockey stars at the much - anticipated, match -up between the Midget All -Ontario champions of 1953-54 and the Stainton Spitfires. Retired town councillor, a W. "Bud" Cruickshank, was honored by members, of conned, at agathev • ing at Lee's Tavern, last Friday night Mt. Cfirickeliank was pre- sented with an engraved silver tray in recognition of his years of service to the town. - Trudy Hohnes, a Grade 8 pupil at. Wingham: Public School, • wet named best speaker for her talk on "Worneres Liberation' at the lott- ery HtimeAnd School Association meeting. " • JANUARY 1981 Jim Lee, executive chef, attlfing- ham and District Hospital, recently completed 25 years at the hospital without ever missing a day because of illiteSS., He was honored at a sur- prise party Monday given by the rest of the dietary staff. Seven young ladies are vying for the chance, to represent Morris Townshipatil5theindversinycele. orations this summer. Contestants, include Shelia Anderson, Kim Craig, Janet McIntosh, Karen Coultes, Carot Wheeler, Jeanne gar and CherylFiasdr. Susan Storni Afonner resident , of „Wingham, t a present this annet ibat:.0 hav tz, • •-• ' ' • „ , • „ 9 ' yr", gommtOnfar erA,...-•W4 Jackman:. defenderof the Ctowii TORONTO - The Queen's champi- on has mounted his charger and gal- loped to the rescue of a beleaguered monarchy, but unfortunately tripped over his lance. Lieutenant -Governor Hal Jack- man, accepting an award from B'nai Brith, acknowledged the monarchy's relevance is being, questioned even by respected Canadians and 'tried to make a case that it is worth keeping. Lieutenant -Governors traditional- ly have avoided taking sides on po- litical issues; but Jackman feels that hi ;eat) occasionally speak his ipind, perhaps fiecause he is so indepen- 'daftly wealthy he could almost pick ''itOntario's annual deficit, and he sattimei 'NW rabtir 'prai‘eWerthiuu He confessed recently that busi- ness like government has piled up monstrous debts, for takeovers and buyouts that satisfy greed but do nothing for the economy, which must have pleased the New demo- • crat government. The Lieutenant -Governor also of- • ficially is the Queen's representa- tive, so who more entitled to defend a monarchy under criticism? But his defence is not much of a shield. Jackman said Canadians should separate the individual from the in- stitution - they should not lose faith in the monarchy because of some Royals and their personal behaviour any more than they should lose faith in the democratic parliamentary sys- temif a Prime Minister is corrupt. . But one difference is that a Prime Minister -can be kicked: out at the next election, while the Royals who with Eric Dowd have cost their institution respect show every intention of staying and in the case of the current heirto the throne, who has- led the parade of personal failings, taking an. .even larger rote. • , , „ • The LO went on to spout mum- bo -jumbo beloved of royalists. He even claimed that Ontario was first populated by United Empire Loyal- ists who came after the American Revolution •"because they believed the crown would protect their rights and allow them to have opinions which were then unacceptable in the new republic." But the Loyalists came for varied • reasons including wanting to protect their privileged positions and? the. vast majority of Ontarians are not of Loyalist descent and even those who need not hold on to beliefs of some of their ancestors had two centuries ago. Jackman argued that while democ- racy ensures that the Majority rules, this does not guarantee that the hu- man rights of the minority are pro- tected against tyranny. Monarchies co -existed comfortably enough with • , fascism in Mussolini's Italy and sev-, eral ether European states in the Set2, ond World War. The Commonwealth officially has, the Queen as its head, but many of its 50 member -states are oi have, been dictatorships intolerant Of rights. • Saudi Arabia has a king, but is not noted for its protection -of hu man rights. , Jackman said that laws are pro- claimed and justice dispensed in the name of the Crown and if Canadians, gave up the , monarchy they would "surrender much of what has ;made • Canada more hamads aa p, aeh 4 spest, ( -al -404,W.909481iP41199;.5,1 mom , Cangclians lIALvet4cP13148tiftlk Afti • tolerange and fairness, but it streteh, es the imagination to suggest- this, ▪ would disappear if lawsuits were no longer brought in the name of the Crown and 'laws no longer given ar- chaic Royal Assent. - Since 1991 policemen in Ontario. have sworn allegiance to their cOun- try rather than the Queen without any noticeable harm to law enforce- ment. The legend Royal Mail was dropped from vans decades ago without this making mail delivery • any slower (or faster for that matter).. The Lieutenant -Governor is also irked at what he calls "unwarranted • fascination" with the younger Roy- als. But these are people the estab- lishment brought aver often and ON' raded as role model's - even on the legislature steps - and the public', cannot help being interested When idols prove to have such feet Of clay. 411 41-K4,441.11.'.; • , .•-• • ••