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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-11-29, Page 44 trio tnebam bba= -ttime Published each Wednesday at: Box 390, 5 Diagonal Road, Wingham, Ontario Phone (519) 357-2320 Fax (519) 357-2900 J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 We are: Jim Beckett - Publisher Audrey Currie - Manager Cameron J. Wood - Editor Cathy Hendriks - Ad. Sales Stephen Pritchard - Production Jim Brown - Reporter Margaret Stapleton -Reporter Eve Buchanan - Office Louise Welwood - Office s.. • Z O Dose of reality Quebec federalists were heartened on the eve of the referen- dum by the promises of change and the expressions of love for a Canada that includes Quebec They. know first and the how close we came to a breakup of Canada and how fragile country still is. Separation would be devastating to all Canadians but few w be as torn or suffer as much as federalist Quebecers. That is it's so distressing to see politicians from outside Quebec positi ing themselves to make it difficult, if not impossible, to find a to accommodate Quebecers. At least three premiers - Ontario's Mike Harris, Alberta's Ra Klein and British Columbia's Mike Harcourt - have said they w no part of constitutional reform before 1997. For now, they w Ottawa to focus on job creation and economic growth and se blissfully unaware that the political uncertainty surrounding the tune of Quebec and Canada is one of the fundamental obstacles economic growth. As discouraging is Preston Manning's Reform Party positi Manning rejects any suggestion that Quebec and its seven milli citizens should be recognized as a distinct society, as Prime Min ter Chretien has promised. It's a province like all the others, R formers say. Manning claims loyalty to federalism, but his vision one that excludes the Quebec reality. What Manning and others fail to understand is that while Qu becers understand, it is the refusal of the rest of Canada, they fe an intense loyalty to their province and its government's autonom This loyalty is related far more to feelings of identity than to sp cific questions of bureaucratic turf. The identity question is vital. And if there is one thing that Que becers understand, it is the refusal of the rest of Canada to have th country's basic law recognize the plain common fact that Quebec i a different case within Confederation. All provinces are distinct, a common sense and the constitution make clear. Quebec is distinc because it is the heartland of the french language and culture in North America. Is that so difficult to recognize? The realities and problems of Quebec and of francophones are very different from those in other provinces. No other province needs to pass a law to ensure that immigrant children are educated in a language of the majority of its citizens. Or so that people can work in their own language, the language of the majority. Or so that movies are shown in the language of the majority? These dif- ferences are huge. To refuse to recognize Quebec's special charac- ter is not only a recipe for another referendum and majority yes vote, it's absurd. The constitution already recognizes certain as- pects of Quebec's distinctive character including the majority French language and culture and the civil code. For Reformers and others to talk dboui how all provinces should be equal when the reality is so clearly something else, is also ab- surd. Already at the heart of the constitution, there is inequality among provinces. It is history and fairness, not blind equality, that determines existing assymetry. Prince Edward Island gets four MPs • even though its population wouldn't warrant that many. Quebecers are guaranteed religious schooling. Senate seats are distributed ac- cording to region, not province. Senate seats for Quebecers are de- termined according to 24 districts, unlike anywhere„else in Canada. Many Canadians, if not their politicians, recognize the need for change and to recognize Quebec's special nature within confedera- tion. Saying "My Canada includes Quebec” was the easy part. The hard part now will be to find the political leadership to include Quebecers, on their terms. - The Montreal Gazette ould why on - way 1ph ant ant em fu - to on. on is- e - is e- el y. e - e s s The Wingham Optimist Club for another successful Santa Claus parade. Judging by the number of people in town Saturday, our merchants have something to smile about Member of: OCNA CCNA The Wingham Advance -Times is a member of a family of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership. Letters Policy All letters to the editor must bear the writer's name, telephone num- ber and address. 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 maFax .519-357-2900 or mail to: P.O. Box°390, Wingham, Ontario NOG 2W0 NOVEMBER 1948 The Fordwich Record, 52 -year- old weekly newspaper published in one of the oldest communities t in Western Ontario, has been sold to Listowel publishers. The s Record, owned and published c since 1925 by T. A. Roberts, will become part of the amalgamated d papers published by The Listowel t Banner. M Mr. and Mrs. George H. Coul- S ter announce the engagement of a their daughter, Grace McGee, to M John Warren Pym, son of Mr. and fo Mrs. H. V. Pym of Wingham. The marriage will take place in De- cember. Th The wardenship of Huron w County for 1949 will go to a Lib- vi eal, in accordance with the long- ca established custom of alternating the office between Liberals and me Conservatives. It is understood mo that three members of county op council will make a bid for the sea honor and are Reeve J. D. Bee- a c croft of East Wawanosh, Reeve nal John Armstrong of Hullett and Arm Reeve A. Nicholson of Tucker- C smith. esta The committee for minor sport for in Wingham includes Jim Hamil- piec ton, Lloyd Mundy, Vic Loughle- Ho an, Ron Rae and •Bob Ferguson. Jose NOVEMBER 1961 Wingham lawyer Robert S. He- R therington is the new mayor of and Wingham, taking over from the pers retiring R. E. McKinney. Len trict Crawford and Alan Williams are wa the town's two new councillors. ing t Lila Black of RR 1, Belgrave, term won the Queen's Guineas compe- tition at the Royal Winter Fair last Brad week with the champion 4-H Wald Hereford steer. Bela Reeve Arthur Gibson is retiring been after 12 years on Howick Town- Scou ship Council, the past three spent Th as reeve. Ivan Haskins and Har- Wing vey McMichael both are running be af the reeve's chair in next down with Margaret Stapleton month's municipal elections. Stewart Procter, Clarence Han- na and A. D. Smith have been re- urned as reeves in Morris, East Wawanosh and Turnberry town - hips respectively. All were ac - 'aimed. Wingham's photographic stu- io, which has been operated for he past three years by Horst syk, has been sold to Sigfrid eifert, who comes to Wingham fter a short time in Ottawa. Mr. syk and his family left Saturday r Stratford. NOVEMBER 1971 Brenda Jane Ellacott and omas Percy Deyell exchanged edding vows in a candelight scr- ee Nov. 27 at St. Paul's Angli- n Church in Wingham. Wingham's Goodwill Season rchants are spreading the prize ney further afield this year. To en the pre -Christmas shopping son, Vern Redman turned over heque for $100 to Capt. Fear - 1 of the Wingham Salvation y. anadian National Express has blished an expressing depot shipping and receiving express es. The Servocentre is in the wson & Howson building on phine Street. NOVEMBER 1981 egistered nurses, supervisors paramedical and management onnel at Wingham and Dis- Hospital have been awarded wag and salary increaes amount - o 30 per cent over a two-year avid Currie, Rob Chadwick, Hayden, Terry Daer, Jeff en, Kevin Beecroft, Mark nger and Paul Edwards have invested in the 1st Wingham t Troop. e almost 200 employees at ham's Western Foundry will ffected by a two-week shut - this holiday season. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER Z9,1995 I recently appeared on a national TV news program. At that time, a 15 year old Toronto runaway was missing for three weeks. I was asked if there were any sugges- tions i could relay to her in the hope that she might reach out for some form of help. My message to her was as follows: I am concerned for you because alt is an extremely dangerous venture to remain on the street. There are many negative experiences "out there", such as: intense violence, sexually transmitted diseases, life-threatening drug use, exploitation and /or physical force to make you do things against your will. I must warn you, the longer you remain on the street, the greater the chance that you may encounter one, or more, of those damaging experiences. Please take immediate steps to make contact with an agency or someone you know such as: the Children's Aid Society, The National Hotline for Kids (1=800-668- 6868), a counselling centre for youth, a church, a youth hostel, friend or a relative. Once such communication has been established you will have a safety device and a support system in case•any of the following situations develop: - If a crisis arises, you won't have to feel totally helpless. You can pick up a telephone and call your contact per- son. - Street friends will not always be able to provide you with the support you'll require during difficult times. But, your contact person will be able to supply you with assistance should the need arise. - It's so easy to lose hope and to feel worthless. The longer you are on the street the easier it is to convince yourself that's where you belong. Eventually, you will begin to accept street culture as a way of life. Then it will be difficult to break away. Your contact person can help you change that pattern. - Your contact person will be available during emotion- ally challenging periods. By talking to him/her about your problems, you may eventually accept counselling. The chance of you reaching that point depends on regu- lar communication between you and your contact per- son. - And always remember, your chance of getting off the street, re -shaping your life, and possibly returning home depends on you reaching out for help. I'm counting on you to make life-saving contact. Dear Mr. Spowart: I read your column about motivation and how it leads to school success, ,hut i don't agree with your ideas. I got a fifty per cent average in Grade 9, so last year I decided to change my thinking about school because I didn't want low marks again. Guess what? My good thinking didn't improve my motivation. I'm still a "fifty per - center". R.K. Dear R.K.: I gather from your letter that you equate thinking with becoming motivated. But action, not just thinking about completing a personal goal produces motivation. For ex- ample, if you study (action), you get better marks, and that in turn produces motivation. If you don't study (no action), you get low marks, and you remain unmotivat- ed. Action always comes before motivation. A ndrew Spowart is a social worker and author who provides a private counselling service to parents and ad- olescents. Please forward your correspondence to Box 20183, Grantham P.O., St. Catharines, Ontario, L2M 7W7. (Real names will not be used in the column). The church and the Harrjg state TORONTO -- Having made a relig- ion of cutting government spending, Premier Mike Harris is not going to P �. be deterred from it by any churches. The Progressive Conservative pre- mier has reduced welfare benefits by 21 per cent and funding for many services such as hostels and counsel- ling that serve mostly the poor. He says the cuts are needed if the gov- ernment is to stop piling up debt, but also has promised to reduce pro- WI Eric [how vincial income tax by 30 per cent, which will help most but particularly bail but have no one to put up the those with high incomes. money. Some churches have been quick to The most outspoken cleric has raise their voices. The Ontario Con- been Anglican Bishop Walter Asbil ference of Catholic Bishops wrote to of Niagara who wrote to Hams say - Harris urging him not to "allow an ing that "silence is no longer possi- undue burden to fall on the poor, un- ble." A government tackling a diffr- employed, marginalized and young." cult problem should be fair and not The Catholic bishops said they rec- treat any segment of society more ognize the province needs to live harshly than another, he said, but within its means, "but the task of Harris was "singling out the poorest, achieving that goal belongs to alt of those with no champion in your cahi- us," and urged Harris to "give as net, and asking them to bear the much weight to love and compassion brunt of your efforts to reduce the as to fiscal and economic considera- debt." tons' The bishop, who no doubt gives Some leaders in the Anglican them hell weekly in his pulpit, said (Harris's own church) and United Harris is giving more to the better - Churches, the president of the To- off by, as another example, improv- ronto Board of Rabbis, Catholic m ing health insurance for those who nuns and _representatives of Bud- go to Florida for the winter while dhists, Muslims, Quakers and Men- showing "heartlessness, no compas- nonites marched to the legislature sion and callous disregard" for the asking Harris to show "compassion poor. for the poor." The Anglican bishop Harris has admitted he is con - of Toronto protested specifically cerned at the church comments. Har - against a decision to close a resi- ris said not long ago, discussing the dence in a former church manse for death of a friend, that he believes in - men awaiting trial who qualify for ner strength "comes from God." It is a long time since a premier talked of being helped by God. But Harris claims that what he is doing is "morally right" and even compassionate because correcting massive over -spending will elimi= nate debt and eventually help the poor, although he did not spell out in detail how. The real cruelty, Harris said, would be to continue increasing debt as Liberal and New Democrat governments did in the past decade. Harris knows that churches are not as powerful as •they were as membership and influence on mem- hers have declined. Churches have failed to stop stores opening on Sun- days and the spread of gambling. Harris's party since its cuts has shot up in popularity to 58 per cent in the most recent poll. Many church members do not like their churches to take political stands, which they see as meddling. Some churches have remained fairly quiet, notably fundamentalist Protestants whose leaders tend to be conservative like those of the "moral majority" movement in the United States. Some churches are divided, like Catholics whose bishops lec- tured Harris, but whose better -off booed when a young churchworker at the cardinal's $150 -a -plate charity dinner seized a microphone and re- buked the premier before he was hustled off so they could return to their jumbo shrimps. A military strategist once scoffed "the Pope -- how many divisions has he got?" Harris must have wondered how many votes will be swayed by the churches and calculated not many.