The Times Advocate, 2004-06-23, Page 44
Exeter Times—Advocate
Wednesday,June 23, 2004
=CNA
Editorial Opinion
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EDITORIALS
The wait
is over
This is it. After a month of campaigning,
debating, meeting voters, making promis-
es and travelling across the country, fed-
eral politicians will learn their fate Monday
night.
Will Canadians see a non -Liberal party in
power for the first time since the early 1990s?
Or will Paul Martin overcome voter anger
towards his Liberals and squeak out a minority
win? If the polls are accurate, this country is
headed for a minority government.
It's clear many Canadians want to send a
message to the Liberals. It's a message of
anger, disappointment, betrayal and cynicism.
What will be interesting, regardless of who
wins this Monday's election, is how the parties
co-operate with each other in light of a minori-
ty government? What role will the Bloc and the
NDP play? Will fears of Stephen Harper's so-
called social conservative agenda prove true?
Local Liberal MPs Paul Steckle (Huron -Bruce)
and Rose -Marie Ur (Middlesex-Kent-Lambton)
are in the fight of their lives. Both are popular
in their respective ridings, but both are also
facing fierce competition from Conservative
candidates Barb Fisher and Bev Shipley. It's
unlikely, if Steckle wins in Huron -Bruce, that
he'll win by the nearly 11,000 vote margin he
did in the 2000 federal election, when he more
than doubled the number of votes his closest
competitor, Mark Beaven of the Canadian
Affiance, received.
The New Democratic Party has also run a
strong campaign under Jack Layton, although
some Canadians were put off last week by his
forced enthusiasm and constant talking during
the televised English debate.
Let's be honest, though: this is a two -horse
race: Martin versus Harper. The NDP may
claim they're running a good campaign, but
they'll settle into their customary third-place
spot.
But what remains to be seen is who will win
— and that's up to you.
About the Times -Advocate
SOMETIMES
FRED'S CYNICISM
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of HtMui
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2004 Dletrlbuted by Comelier! Artiste Syndicate ine.
A note to graduating students
How time flies.
It seems like it was only a few years ago that I
anxiously awaited the birth of my first niece,
Amanda, but that was more than 14 years ago and
she is now graduating from Grade 8 and will be
heading off to high school in the fall. I can hardly
believe it.
It was with this thought in mind that I sat
down at my computer and started to write
this column
I began thinking of my own Grade 8
graduation and of all the other students
who will graduate this year along with my
niece.
Now, I have to admit my grad night does
not particularly stand out in my mind.
What I do remember is heading out with
my sister to shop for my dress and acces-
sories. Let's admit it, girls, it's all about PENNYF
the dress. THOUGH
I was reminded of this when I received
an e-mail from Amanda excitedly relaying
the fact that she had bought her dress.
Amanda isn't the type of girl who usually raves
about clothes or fashion and I've rarely seen her
in a dress or skirt, so it was with amusement that
I read the e-mail where she tried to describe the
dress, which apparently has "sparkly thingies" on
it and is "kind of weird," but she likes it.
An earlier conversation reminded me of the woes
of the graduation photo. According to the gradu-
ate, it "looks horrible," but, dutiful aunt that I am,
I still requested a copy to proudly display in my
home. I haven't seen it yet, so I can't honestly say
whether it is horrible or not. If it's up to the sub-
ject of the picture, it's doubtful that I'll ever lay
eyes on it, but I'm sure her proud mother will be
passing copies along.
My own Grade 8 graduation photo is actu-
ally one of the better pictures I have of
myself — as you can see by the photo
accompanying this column, I am not the
most photogenic of women — and it still
has a place of honour in my mother's
home.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend
the actual ceremony for my niece's
momentous end to elementary school. She
lives in Smith's Falls and I won't be able to
take the time to make the eight-hour trip.
I recently reminded her she attended my
Grade 8 graduation, but being two years
old at the time, she doesn't remember the occa-
sion, or the fact that she yelled out and tried to
come over to me when I went on the stage to
accept my diploma.
So, I will take this opportunity to congratulate all
of the graduates of 2004 and wish them luck in
the future, with a special emphasis on the one
special graduate in my life.
MARY
SIMM
ONS
OR MY
TS
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