Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-03-22, Page 44 int Vittgbattt Zt4t)atut -irritnto Published each Wednesday at: Box 390, 5 Diagonal Road, W Ingham, Ontari o NOG 2W0 Phone (519) 357-2320 Fax: (519) 357-2900 I•W• Eedy Publications Ltd. Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 We are: Jim Beckett - Publisher Audrey Currie - Manager Cameron], Wood - Editor Norma Colley - Ad. Rep. Jim Brown - Reporter Stephen Pritchard - Comp. Eve Buchanan - Office Louise Welwood -Office z CL 0 Mcmberof: OCNA CCNA The W inghamAdvance-Times is a member of a family of community newspapers pro- viding news, advertising and information leadership. Letters to the Editor All letters to the editor must bear the writer's name, telephone num- ber and addttss. The Advance -Times wel- comes letters. We re- serve the right to edit, but will endeavor to preserve the author's intent. Deadline for letters is Monday before 10:00 a.m.. Some exceptions may apply. Fax: (519) 357-2900 or (nail to: P.O. Box 390, Wingham, Ontario, NOG 2W0 4.310 Editorial Viewpoint offtething not right omething is not right. Perhaps Ole understatement of the year from our Mayor Don Carter. t ' The situation between town council and Wescast Industries is definitely not right. Not right in that council is perhaps being shortsighted in their decision to reject Wescast's offe;y to purchase railway land on the east side of the Maitland. Not right in that Wescast made an offer council had no choice but to refuse; and that lack of com- munication between various levels of management led to one senior executive learning of the town's decision through a third party and the media. It's not hard to see that the game going on between the two parties is potentially dangerous to how the town does business with business. The comments that the town has to demand fair market value for the land hold a shred of truth...if the land was already zoned comanercial property. But it is not. It is currently zoned railway and the only development allowed is a railway. So, let's add to whatever cost the foundry was to pay for the land an- other $2,675 for the cost of rezoning and changing the Official Plan. . % Let's consider that the town has assessed a $3.75 per square foot chargefor the railway land nearest the down- town core based on the average cost of commercial prop- erty in the core. While the town has not asked for the e-„ timated $78,750 for the 70x300 foot parcel of interest to Wescast, it has been said they are asking for a lot more than Wescast offered. Council paid a little more than that for the entire strip of railway land, from east to west, all 17.74 acres. So regardless of the offer, they were still making money. But what is so dangerous about this game, and the manner in which it is being played out, is that potential investors in Wingham will see how things work. How council conducts business, and how business conducts business in Wingham. And no doubt those investors will keep on moving by to Goderich, Hanover or Listowel. Council can hope all it wants that the two sides w11 get back together. They can hope that Wescast will fur- nish there with another offer. And who knows, that may even happen. But when someone comes to the town and says `We're going to invest $5.5 million in improve- ments to our business and we're willing to help you out with one of your problems', you don't turn around and say `We'll take your help, but only for this much.' Fair market value is fair market value. But how does one assess fair market value on railway -zoned land? And how does one establish fair market value on job crea- tion? Or industry investment? Council needs to establish some well-defined rules if they have any intention of further developing the railway, land. That way, we'll all know what to expect."- CJW reason to smile Wingham Tauri Kerr of Wingham and her teammates on the Grey= Bruce Ringette All Stars for their all Ontario championship crown. Tami's team took seven of eight to win the gold. er with Margaret Stapleton MARCH 1948 The. Town of Wingham has suffered the worst flood in its history. An ice jam took out the CPR bridge and damage has been estimated at over one-half million dollars. Twenty families in Lower Town were evacuated and the prairie flats at the south end of town were covered with ice for over half a mile. The water reached as far as Reavie's Service Station on Josephine Street. A modern, up-to-date boys' department has been added to Hanna's Men's Wear and will be known as The Young Canuck Shoppe. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Souch, second concession of Moms, was completely destroyed by fire last Saturday night. Mr. Frank Preston, while having a game of cribbage with Mr. Henry Jensen recently, held a perfect hand. MARCH 1961 Gordon Davidson of town recently received delivery of a new well -drilling outfit. The rig is worth over $10,000 and was built in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Wingham Curling Club was presented with a new trophy for annual competition by Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd. The silver- plated cup was used as top prize at a bonspiel held here last week and was won by the Jack Bowman rink of Brussels. broader scope of learning to the younger generation and since the Department of Education foots about 80 per centof the bill, boards aren't in a very good position to argue the point. MARCH 1971 Miss Verna McLaughlin of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is the recipient of a life membership in the Canadian Bible Society. New executive members on the Gorrie Chamber of Commerce are William Keil, Gordon Moir, Alex Graham, Blake McMillan, Bev Currah, Peter Keil and Harold Hyndman. Sandra Orien was named the most -improved skater, along with having a pleasing personality and being helpful to the Wingham Figure Skating Club. Sandra received the Marguerite Burrell Memorial Trophy, presented by Mrs. Robert Gavreluk. David Frank, David Walker, Doug Wall, Allan` Cardiff and Peter Gibson, a 1 Madill students, won prizes at the Perth County Science Fair held recently at Stratford. MARCH 1981 David Wenger, formerly of Wingham and now of Mount Forest, is the newly -elected president of the Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association. Jim Hunter has announced his resignation from East. Wawanosh Council. A large crowd attended the J. T. Goodall of Fergus arrived variety concert in the Belgrave in Wingham on Monday to take Women's Institute Hall last over the law office formerly Friday evening. Those taking part operated by J. W. Bushfield, included Mrs. Howard Morton, Q.C., who has taken the position George Cull, Joe Sanders and of Crown Attorney for Huron Jennifer Procter. County. Mr. Goodall is a graduate Kathy Underwood, a student at of OAC and Osgoode Hall. the F. E. Madill Secondary Many 'signs indicate that the School in Wingham, was one of days of the little red schoolhouse the guests of honor at an awards are numbered. New, centrally- night held at London for the located schools offer a much Youth Citizenship Award. ISEaTHED IECJREP ON AN ELCI1ON TIIF1dE.,. HOW-tO should be unplugged , e uicide on-line. That's the latest rage across the country'in regards to •the Internet and worldwide net- working. Last week, major media outlets across Canada carried an article about the discovery of a suicide how-to guide that was accessible via the Internet. From there, the outrage greatest example of controlling ac - began and on the weekend, Canada's cess based on special interest. biggest Internet access outlet in Cal- When I went to school in Water- gary said they would block access to loo County, we studied Shake - the guide for their users. speare's The Merchant of Venice. In The concept of such availability is the mid-1980s it was banned from not new. Remember back when our the classroom because some relig- most notorious convicted killer Kar- ious groups complained over the la Homolka was on trail in St. Catha- manner in which Shylock, a Jewish Anes. The Internet was the subject of money -lender, was portrayed. much debate as news that was I recently read that the school banned from publication in Canada board is now allowing it back into was accessible via the American- the classrooms, but only for the based system. higher grades. Then carne the bombing of the Catcher in the Rye was another. World Trade Centre. It seems how- Censorship is a tough debate for to guides for terrorism could be journalists. Our nature is to seek the found on-line. In fact, one bulletin unobstructed truth..no matter how board that I belong to in this prov- unpopular that may be. We strongly ince carries similar material. I have protest closed -door sessions of coun- yet to even browse through that file; cil; and most recently Bill 163 de- but 1 choose not to because that is fined the rules more clearly on what my choice. was public domain and private in Access to controversial materials government. has been an issue of modern man. Yet, in another light, there are Newspapers were founded on politi- times when delayed access must be cal propaganda. Some smaller Amer- supported. Such is the case of Paul ican papers still follow their roots: Bernardo. My personal feelings are Republican or Democrat. that it is much more important to Our school system is perhaps the win a conviction against him if he is The Outer Edge Cameron J. WOOD ----N\ guilty of the crimes than it is for us to know presently how horrib e those crimes were. In a case like this, the details will come out even- tually. Our courts, government and school systems have rules defining access. Despite my own feelings against them, they have a purpose and are there, in front, for all to see. In addition, free speech being as it is, we can question those access rules without consequence. However, computer bulletin boards fall intra shady area. Private BIM's are notetiuMnidomain. There- fore, access to controversial material falls under personal preference. The Internet, being as large as it is, will be hard to contain in terms of accessibility laws. How does one know if that 12 -year-old hacker is 12 -years -old, or the 2I -year-old he or she claims they are while on-line? You see the problem. In school, we know how old the child in front of us is, and according to the rules set down by our elected government, we determine what they can read. Computer access comes back to the parent's responsibility. Like tele- vision, we as parents, must deter- mine what our kids can see. • How-to guides on the Internet may have their place. Despite our own feelings on the sanctity of life, it remains a subject of the American Bill of Rights. But in Canada there's nothing wrong with pulling the plug. • . • Wrtting the ' .ton script• TORONTO - Premier Bob Rae the Tories in government up to 1985 and Liberals from 1985-90 snoozed at their desks, so the NDP is entitled to claim credit. These issues have been.supersed- ed by the Liberal federal govern- ment's unprecedented cuts in spend- ing in its budget, which will drastically reduce its payments to Ontario for health, education and so- cial assistance. They will make it tougher for the construction workers and transit rid- province by forcing it to reduce ser- vices• ers, but is seen instead as prepared to or impose much higher taxes, P P which no government facing an elec- _build anything to win votes. His pro- tion wants to contemplate. posal looks like it should be referred Rae has warned melodramatically to the Better Business Bureau and the federal reduction "literally means his largesse toward Toronto also is the end of the Canada that we beginning to annoy residents of oth- know...the campaign and fight for er areas. Ontario have just begun." Rae has pulled a snore useftfl issue Rae is trying to tie McLeod to the out of the hat by promising to reform federal cuts and claim she is too education, moving it from laissez- friendly to the federal Liberals to ob- faire attitudes and back toward ba- ject to anything they do, so that On- sics with province -wide exams, cur- tario needs the NDP to defend its in- riculum more under provincial con- terests. trol and stricter monitoring of the Provincial parties in the past have system and teachers. profited from attacking Ottawa in The NDP is partly to blame, be- elections, but voters are now indicat- cause in opposition it was all for the ing overwhelmingly their priority, is learn -if -you -like system a Tory gbv- cutting costs, most Ontarians in a ernment set up in the 1960s, and the poll approve the federal cuts and NDP's reforms have been welcomed provinces that cut are suddenly by Liberals and 'Tories, which much 'more popular. knocks a few decibels off them as a Rae will miss the boat if he fails battle -cry. to identify himself in some way with But the NDP did set up the corn- this mood for cost-cutting, although. mission which recommended the re- whatever script he writes he is still forms and has adopted them, while very much a long shot. keeps rewriting his script for the election he is expected to call almost any time. The New Democrat premier with only 17 per cent in the polls is look- ing desperately for an issue that will attract voters and juggling so many in the air at the same time they may have lost track. A month or so ago, Rae was put- ting most stress on the claim he has a higher intellect than either Liberal leader Lyn McLeod of Progressive Conservative leader mike Harris, which many would agree with, and electors should hold on to their bar- gain. This reasoning has been shot down a bit by recognition that hav- ing the highest LQ. is not everything and policies should count. Rae also has been eager to portray himself as the architect of jobs' par- ticularly in construction and taken this to extraordinary lengths. The premier wants to build two more subway extensions in Metro- politan Toronto, costing $1 billion and paid for mostly by the province "on top of $2 billion -worth already agreed to. The municipality, which ought to be best judge, argues there will not be enough passengers .to justify the extensions and money would be bet- ter spent improving the existing sys- tem, but Rae has threatened to dig away even without its blessing. Rae hoped to win support from stC