The Times Advocate, 2004-01-07, Page 66
Exeter Times–Advocate
Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Opinion Forum News
Go ahead smile, no
one's watching...
maybe?
Dear Editor:
Recently I renewed my Canadian passport as it
automatically expires in five years. When getting
my passport picture, I was told government regu-
lation does not allow you to smile, show any teeth
or frown, just have a solemn look.
INTERESTING... Canada is known as the best
country in the world to live, but when officials
from other countries look at our passports,
Canadian citizens will look like a sad sorry bunch
of individuals.
Sixty some years ago, many European countries
were at war with each other true enemies. Now,
they welcome each other with open arms into
their country, no questions asked.
INTERESTING... Canada and USA have always
been considered as best friends, but at both our
borders we get asked for identification, where
have you been, why, how long, how come, etc. Oh,
and you may go to the duty-free and get booze
and smokes, but heaven forbid if you have an
apple, banana, or meat sandwich, you will have
your lunch taken away.
As of Jan. 1, 2004, the American government,
and Canadian government soon to follow are reg-
ulating the trucking industry, what time of day
we can drive the trucks, and what time of day we
cannot.
INTERESTING... All these rules so we can be
free!
So, go ahead smile, no one's watching... maybe?
MARTEN DYKSTRA
Exeter
Are we ready
to move on?
EXETER — Recently receiving my graduation
photo proofs back was a rude awakening for me
that eventually my comfort zone known as "high
school" would soon be disturbed.
Mind you, I'm just about as happy as the next
person to get out of there, it's natural, but how
ready are a lot of us Grade 12 students, really?
There's no denying it, I see it almost everyday,
the maturity and responsibility level of teens is on
the decline each year, so what's going to happen
when they all begin to enter college and universi-
ty?
I feel alarmed by how many people I know are
just applying to post -secondary schools to see if
they get in, and if they do, well they're going.
That's good and fine for a student
who feels confident and prepared
about the choices they're making,
but to do it solely for the sake of
leaving is rather irresponsible.
After the Progressive
Conservative government cut the
old Grade 13 or OAC grade, stu-
dents were given the option to
stay in high school for a fifth year
without penalty in order to take
extra classes, improve marks, and
basically give a student one more year to think.
I would hate to see at our Ten Year Graduation
Reunion (assuming there is one) a lot of unhappy
people stuck in jobs that they never really wanted
in the first place.
Contrary to the belief of many of my peers, an
extra year of high school wouldn't be the end of
the world, especially if it gives you one more year
to make a decision that will best benefit you in
your future. What's the point in heading off to
school to take a program that you're not really
sure you want to be in to start with because
you're still "looking around?" You can look
around still in high school, it's possible, not to
mention a lot easier on your bank account.
Maybe several years from now students will be
able to make their way through high school with-
out having to give the fifth year option a thought,
but I don't think that's possible in the meantime
for the rest of us who were used to the idea of the
existence of OAC, though now gone.
So to all my fellow classmates, I would just like
to say one thing: if you're not ready to leave just
yet, than do yourself a favour in the long run, and
don't.
DEBRA
TOONK
Westley wins chairperson vote
By Stew Slater
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
SEAFORTH — When Meg Westley
looked around the new version of
the Avon Maitland District School
Board at its inaugural meeting Dec.
2, she must have been reminded of
her first board meeting almost
exactly three years earlier.
Westley hinted at her relatively
recent introduction to school board
politics, in expressing why she
should be chosen to return for her
second term as Avon Maitland
chairperson.
With the Nov. 10 municipal elec-
tion results sending five new
trustees to the nine -member board,
Westley suggested her own experi-
ence of being a newcomer is fresh
enough in her mind that she would
be effective at assisting those five
people to learn about the job.
That commitment, as well as
comments about her accomplish-
ments over the past year, formed
the basis of Westley's speech after
being nominated for chairperson.
The Stratford trustee, who asked
fellow trustees to remember her
work organizing two information -
gathering sessions with wide stake-
holder involvement, was promptly
re-elected.
The other nominee was 2002
chairperson Colleen Schenk, the
long -serving North Huron trustee
who served as Westley's vice chair-
person for the past year.
Losing the chairperson vote was-
n't Schenk's only disappointment of
the evening; she also was nominat-
ed to return as vice -chairperson,
but lost to second -term South
Huron trustee Randy Wagler.
The board's representative at the
Ontario Public School Board's
Association (OPSBA) was also
decided at the Dec. 2 meeting.
Schenk declined a nomination
because her position on the OPSBA
executive makes her ineligible. The
other nominees were all new
trustees: Stratford's Doug Pratley,
North Perth's Jenny Versteeg and
Perth East's Tina Traschel.
Traschel and Versteeg declined, so
Pratley was acclaimed.
Interviewed after the meeting,
Westley welcomed the new mix of
experience and new ideas on the
Avon Maitland board.
"Of the new trustees, a number of
them have a fair amount of experi-
ence at different levels in the edu-
cation system," commented the
chairperson, adding she was
"delighted, honoured, pleased and
excited" to be re-elected as chair-
person.
Her acceptance speech again
mentioned the recent stakeholder
meetings, and included a strong
hint there are more to come.
"I would like ... to build on what
we have achieved together,"
Westley said. "For a long time the
board has lamented the fact that
we do not have a clear strategic
plan. I think the next step would be
to hold an in-depth session with
stakeholders to create one."
Westley, who teaches communi-
cations at the post -secondary level,
is 011 leave from her job and is
working on a contract basis with a
Waterloo -based organization called
"Tamarack." She's helping estab-
lish a learning centre for the group,
which she describes as an "Institute
for Community Engagement."
Over the past couple of years, she
has been an invited guest at confer-
ences hosted by People for
Education, a non-partisan organi-
zation which analyzes Ontario's
education policy.
Earlier this year, she also
arranged to have the organization
release its 2003 study of rural edu-
cation funding at a media event at
Mornington Central Public School,
north of Milverton.
She stressed, however, that she's
not a participating member of the
group.
As for Ontario's new Liberal gov-
ernment, Westley was encouraged
during a recent trustee orientation
session in London, hosted by the
Ministry of Education. Gerard
Kennedy, who moved from
Education Critic to Education
Minister when the Liberals took
power, told those in attendance
he'd like to develop a more "col-
laborative" relationship with school
boards.
Westley believes it's the perfect
time for this new relationship to
take place, particularly in the case
of the Avon Maitland board.
"With so many new faces (among
trustees) and among senior staff —
and the recent election of a new
government — there is all sorts of
potential for positive change," she
said in her acceptance speech.
Watch your identity
MIDDLESEX COUNTY — Middlesex OPP have received
complaints in the past year about the fast -rising crime
trend of identity theft.
Personal information is obtained about an individual in
order to impersonate them. Thieves open bank
accounts, obtain credit cards and use other services.
In Middlesex County a male in the Lucan area discov-
ered a credit card had been issued to him and was being
used in businesses in London. A credit card employee
contacted what she thought was an old phone number,
only to discover the male's real address and spoke to his
wife, while his "false identity" was on another telephone
line at the same time. The credit card company covered
the loss of hundreds of dollars. The male party was
stuck with investigating how much damage had been
done in his name
Identity theft is currently the fastest growing crime in
North America. Complaints from Canadians resulted in
a total loss in excess of $8.5 million in 2002. The project-
ed loss for 2003 is $20 million.
Identity theft is the new crime of the millennium,
allowing a suspect to be unknown to their victims and
making it challenging for police to investigate and lay
charges. Criminals are quickly able to obtain vast
amounts of goods and services before their victims catch
on.
Identity theft has a tremendous impact on victims.
After their identity has been used, victims have a diffi-
cult time clearing their name and restoring their credit
history. Some victims end up spending up to $800 to
clear their names.
In order to protect your identity:
• Check receipts after purchases are made to make
sure your transactions have gone through the method
you posted. Watch bank and credit card statements.
• Pay attention to billing cycles and ensure your mail is
not being intercepted.
• Check with credit bureaus such as Equifax and
Trans Union. Both companies will provide a free yearly
credit report. Review the report and change any dis-
crepancies.
Tri-Star TaeKwondo in Exeter held two gradings in December. Grading are L -R: Lisa Le, Alan Bugyra, Nora
Hodder, Katey Potter and Warren Elder.The list of those who tested and their instructors is: Chris Webber
(black belt assistant instructor), Amanda Ducharme(black belt assistant instructor), Lisa Smith (green belt),
Derek Forman (green stripe), Alan Bugyra (red belt), Shelley Ryan (yellow belt), Scott Murray (I st dan black
belt instructor) Master Sai Visouvath (4th dan black belt), Kim Le (green belt), Katey Potter (black stripe),
Warren Elder (black stripe), Lisa Le (red belt), Nora Hodder (red belt), KJ Shipp (2nd dan black belt head
instructor/owner). (photo/PatBolen)