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The Times Advocate, 2005-11-23, Page 44 Exeter Times—Advocate Wednesday, November 23, 2005 A ocna. CCNA TIMES ADVOCATE PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We aclmowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs. Jim Beckett — Publisher Deb Lord — Production Manager Scott Nixon — Editor tirt Published by MetrolandiPrinting, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Metroland Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIAL A defining moment 0 ne of the pleasures of being in the news- paper business is the opportunity to meet so many individuals who are successful in their own right. Interviewing them provides insights into who they are. They often tell us of pivotal moments in their lives that have helped define who they are. We believe the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards provide those pivotal or defining moments. The awards help us recognize outstanding youths in our community for their contributions in a number of areas. This pat on the back for a job well done helps these young people realize that what they are doing really is making a difference — and this recognition can help reinforce a lifetime commitment to community service. Co-ordinated by the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA), of which this newspaper is a mem- ber, and sponsored by the Tembec Paper Group, the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards are seeking nominations of six to 17 year olds who: • are involved in community service; • are contributing to the community while living with a disability; • have performed an act of heroism in the past year; • and those who are good kids' who show a commit- ment to making life better or do things not normally expected of someone their age. Our newspaper will proudly present a certificate of recognition and give mention in the paper to each young person nominated in our community by the Nov. 30 deadline. One group and up to 12 individuals from across the province will be chosen as fmal recipients of the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Awards and presented with a plaque by Ontario's Lieutenant Governor in Toronto in the Spring. Nomination forms are available at our office, online at www.ocna.org, or by calling the OCNA at 905-639-8720. Help us create a defining moment in someone's life. They are our leaders of tomorrow and we want to show them how proud we are of them. Editorial ` Opinion Who do we want to be? Here's a quick quiz. Try naming the last five songs from Shania Twain, the newest recipient of the Order of Canada. Having trouble? It might it be easier to do it by her videos. There's the one on the table, the one on the horse, the one on the beach, the one beside the pyra- mids... Don't get me wrong. Turn the sound down and Shania is a fine entertainer, although there are many fine entertainers with the same moves at a lot of quality establishments around the airport in Toronto (or so I've heard, honey). While Shania has her attributes, as an Officer of the Order of Canada has she "demonstrated an outstanding level of talent and service to Canadians"? And does living on a $14 million, 61,000 acre ranch in New Zealand, which is literally as far as you can get from Canada, qualify as "desiring a better country?" Shouldn't there be an additional criteria for those considered for the award? Shouldn't they actually have to, oh I don't know, actually like the country enough to want to live here? It is called the Order of Canada, not the order of "I was born here but left and made a lot of money and I live somewhere else but I still consider myself Canadian," award. The Order of Canada was instituted in 1967 by Prime Minister Lester Pearson to recognize exemplary achievement and service to Canadians and to humani- ty at large and to recognize the lifetime contributions made by Canadians who made a major difference to Canada. But should people like Twain, Celine Dion and Martin Short rank in the same class as Gordon Lightfoot, Stompin' Tom Connors and Ernie Coombs who made careers living and breathing the country, instead of fly- ing in to promote their latest album and whose Canadian identity goes no deeper than wearing a ball - cap with a maple leaf on it for interviews? Admitting people like Twain and Dion to the Order makes as much sense as if Harold Ballard was admitted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders category...which unfortunately he was. And what exactly was Joe Clark's `major difference' to Canadians, other than letting Pierre Trudeau scuttle back in through the door for another four years? While "it is accepted that influential lead- ers such as former prime ministers will be appointed after they leave office," is it enough to merely have been elected to qual- ify for the award or should it be for leaders who have been truly inspirational? The Order of Canada and who it is awarded to goes to the heart of what we want in our leaders, heroes and citizens. Is it for a lifetime of service to the country, however mediocre, such as Clark? Is it leaving to make bucketloads of money and achieve international recognition so we can be proud a Canadian has achieved worldwide success and still claim some Canadian ties, no matter how thin? Or is it people like Father David Bauer? When we know that, we'll know who we really want to be. PAT BACK VIEW BOLEN 40 About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 156. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays. 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For example, Jim Beckett's e-mail address is <jbeck- ett@southhuron.com> Our general e-mail address is ads@southhuron.com. The Times -Advocate Team Publisher Jim Beckett ext. 109 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 EDITOR Scott Nixon ext. 105 REPORTERS Pat Bolen ext. 113 Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Kim Hern ext. 102 COMPOSITION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext. 103/114 Heather Bilcke ext. 103 Kelly Gackstetter ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Christina Scott ext. 108 Marg Pertschy ext. 111 Heather Clarke