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The Wingham Advance Times, 1995-11-22, Page 6INE WORM ADVANCETIMES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2& 1n5 Peacekeeper returns hone (Editor's Note: Bombardier Ed Sweeney, son of Lee and Joyce Grove of Wingham returned to Canada Oct. 30, Quebec Referen- dum night, from a United Nations - peacekeeping mission in the former Yugoslavia. By the way, Sweeney arrived in Valcartier, Quebec, two hours before the polls closed and yes, he did vote "no". Before he left Bosnia, he wrote one last letter, dated Oct. 22. We share it with you here.) Dear Friends., There is one week left on my six-month United Nations tour. Since receiving the news that our government has decided to with- draw all Canadians in Bosnia, we have dismantled three check -points. Tomorrow, we will take down our two observation posts. I look back over the past six months with mixed emotions. When we arrived there was a "can- cer" spreading across this land. As we prepare to leave, all I can say is that this cancer is in remission, for now! But, like the disease, I wonder if there ever will be a cure. During my vacation in August, I was asked by a reporter if I felt we were making a difference in Bos- nia. It was an honest question, but not one easily answered. One day we would hear of progress made in one region and the next day a re- port of civilian casualties would knock the wind out of the sails of peace. I do know one thing, when we arrived there was no ceasefire agreement. As we prepare to leave, there is a ceasefire. Yes, it is a fragile one (as I write I hear an AK -47 assault rifle in the distance), but it is a start. Throughout my tour I have seen many sights of war and also heard the sounds that accompany those sights. I've watched as the NATO airstrikes came down on their tar- gets with such precision. None of the events affected me more than what I witnessed this past week at the Drin Mental Institution in a town called Fornija. For the past three years the Cana- dian contingent has adopted this hospital. Each weekend volunteers would load up a truck and head out to spend a few hours on a Saturday with the patients. Repairs were done to the hospital by Canadian combat engineers. Food and cloth- ing were brought almost every weekend. As the Canadian UN soldiers are being pulled out of Bosnia, our weekly visits were scheduled to end Oct. 21, 1995. So, a big cele- bration was planned to say our final farewell. Unknown to us, the kids had pre- pared a concert in our honor. Chil- dren, some of whom are mentally - challenged and others physically, performed skits, sang songs and re - Politicians should focus attention now on poverty Dear Editor: I think politicians of all parties received a severe jolt in the week before the referendum. Their scare tactics regarding the dollar and money markets resulted in the re- verse of what they expected. The sudden surge of the "yes" side polls finally convinced them that love and concern for Canada superseded any concern for the dollar. The panic was evident as hurried efforts were made at the very last minute to involve the "people" of this nation. The people salvaged what may have been a catastrophe. Wild and doubtful promises were made: it will be interesting to see if money is where the mouth is. One obvious concern for all provinces is poverty. I think those promises should begin at home first. Let those families existing in poverty keep the meager income they earn or receive. The last thing we should be do- ing is taxing poverty (the infamous GST). Families in poverty ask noth- ing more than to be able to spend the few dollars without a debilitat- ing tax applied that is not applied to affluent millionaires who have ha- vens and breaks to avoid taxation. Pre -Tory Canada never taxed poverty. Post Tory Liberals prom - Cannot abandon founding principles Dear Editor: Canada is a great nation, founded on the principles of freedom and equality. Now, more than ever, we Cana- dians must re -affirm our commit- ment to these principles. Now, more than ever, Prime Minister Jean Chretien must re -affirm his belief in these principles. Instead, he plans to give Quebec the special status of a "distinct soci- ety". Chretien is tragically wrong. Ca- nadians cannot be equal if some Canadians are more equal than oth- ers. Distinct society status for Que- bec undermines the equality of all other Canadians. Canadians must not and will not abandon their commitment to free- dom and equality to appease any- one. Distinct society status for Que- bec will neither leave Canada whole nor leave us with our cher- ished principles. David Sommerville, President, National Citizens' Coalition ised to rid us of this disaster. Hid- ing the diabolical tax in the PST is deceitful and means degradation to 3rd class for all the children exist- ing in poverty. Taxing children is witless, dolt- ish, besotted and feebleminded. Seven per cent of one dollar equals seven cents: the nation's debt is in the trillions of dollars. One hundred million years from now the chil- dren may have halved that debt. Get with politicians — you know who has the dollars (pensions). Harold Ealden, Nanoose Bay, B.C. cited poems. 1 sat for most of the program with watery eyes, not dar- ing to blink, for I knew it would start an endless flow of tears. The smiles our applause brought to their faces was indescribable. The program ended with a poem written by one of the people at the hospital. It was translated into Eng- lish and is called "Friend". It goes like this: FRIEND You, soldier! Don't look away Come in and freely look I am only a child Don't ask me why there is war in Bosnia Because I don't know the answer Come down slowly and say "hello" We will talk with our eyes Offer your hand to me, Canadian soldier Don't be alarmed that my hands are like fins Do not wonder I know how to walk and smile like the others Come closer, you dear Canadian I will whisper a secret to you A secret not to be heard by the nurse You are like fairies in our favorite fairy tale You are leaving already? I am looking at you through the bars of my bed Following you with sad eyes Waving to you with my eye lashes Hey, promise us you will come again And cheer us up. As I rewrite this poem in the pri- vacy of my room, I allow those tears to come out. I wish I could hold each one of those patients and let them know we will return be- cause we will! Yes, maybe only in their dreams, but that might be enough to keep them going. So, if I'm ever asked again if I felt we made a difference in Bos- nia, I will hand them the poem and say, "Why don't you ask my friend?" Bdr. Ed Sweeney P.S. One last word of thanks to all those who sent letters to me during my tour. A special thanks to all those at "Friends Caring and Shar- ing." Corporation of the Town of Wingham IN THE MATTER OF THE ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT, RSO 1990, CHAPTER 0.18 AND IN THE MATTER OF THE LANDS AND PREMISES AT THE FOLLOWING MUNICIPAL ADDRESS IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO NOTICE OF INTENTION TO REPEAL DESIGNATING BY-LAW NO. 2117 (1990) OLD CNR RAILWAY STATION TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Wingham in- tends to repeal the by-law designating the property including the building at the fol- lowing municipal address as a property of architectural and/or historical value or in- terest under Part IV of The Ontario Heritage Act, RSO 1980, Chapter 337. (a) Municipal Address - The old CNR Railway Station, Josephine Street located on the property identified in the Municipal Assessment Roll as File Railway lands in Wingham. (b) Reasons for the Proposed Repeal of Designating By -Law Town Council wishes to sell the property. Any person may, within thirty days of the first publication of this notice, send by registered mail or deliver to the Clerk of the Town of Wingham notice of his or her objection to the proposed designation together with a statement of the reasons for the objection and all relevant facts. If such a Notice of Objection is received, the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Wingham shall refer the matter to the Conservation Review Board of a hearing. DATED at Wingham this 22nd day of November, 1995. J. Byron Adams, Clerk National Trust offers the highest rates on GICs. Guaranteed. Guarantee applies to National Trust GICs, 1-5 year terms. 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