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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-10-03, Page 22 Times–Advocate Wednesday, October 3, 2007 REGIONAL WRAP UP ABCA to continue Zurich testing Student set on fire GLENCOE — A 14 -year-old male sustained first, sec- ond and third degree burns to his torso Sept. 26, and was taken to hospital and later released. The incident occurred at the Glencoe District High School at approximately 2 p.m. The injured male had been sprayed with an aerosol deodorant and set on fire by another youth. The injured male was able to extinguish the fire but sustained serious burns. Meet and greet CLINTON — The Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Drinking Water Source Protection Region is inviting the community to a meet and greet of the new Source Protection Committee (SPC) chairman today at 2 p.m. at the OMAFRA building in Clinton. The province of Ontario named Larry Brown as com- mittee chairman in August and since that time Brown has been preparing himself for his role in guiding the local SPC. The SPC is charged with preparing a science -based plan for protecting municipal drinking water through the provisions of the Ontario Clean Water Act, 2006. The Drinking Water Source Protection program has particular focus on four vulnerable areas including wellhead area and intake zone protection. For more information on Drinking Water Source Protection visit sourcewaterinfo.on.ca By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF VARNA — The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority will continue its Zurich Drain water testing after a report to council Sept. 24 from ABCA Healthy Watershed co-ordinator Mari Veliz. Veliz said the aim of the project is to engage local citizens to improve water quality, with three approaches that included outreach, stew- ardship and assessment. A letter was sent out in March of 2006 to watershed residents, said Veliz, which informed them of the project and asked them if they were interested in taking part with a stewardship visit to their property as well as technical assistance with projects. Veliz said of the 60 landowners in the water- shed area, 39 were contacted and 20 said they wished to have a stewardship visit, of which 15 have been completed. There have also been nine projects completed, such as cementing yards, eavestroughs and well upgrades with 10 others initiated, said Veliz. She added that water testing shows there are sites with relatively high levels of nutrients and E. coli and that the ABCA has been working with landowners to address these issues. Veliz told council the ABCA wants to continue to work with interested landowners as well as monitoring water quality. The ABCA also wants to work with the Green committee of Bluewater, which a motion was passed to approve. In other business, Bluewater will get a replace- ment ice resurfacer in December after a report from facilities manager Tom Dickens about buy- ing a 2004 Olympia Millennium machine from Seneca College. Dickens said the machine, which was bought new by the college for $100,500, is available for $68,200 plus taxes and is "rock solid. "We'll be problem free for 10 years," said Dickens of the machine which is equipped with a Lazer Ice Levelling system for $13,500. Coun. Bill MacDougall asked if the machine and the laser could be separated to save the $13,000. Dickens said it could be although the laser sys- tem, which ensures a constant thickness of ice, is a "risk management tool" since there is a rule that ice has to be a constant one inch thickness for safety. A motion was passed authorizing the purchase of the machine. Upcoming referendum will decide election reform issue Continued from front page appointed by the respective party. Proponents of an MMP system say it will more accu- rately reflect the wishes of the voters because it focus- es more on the popular vote and rewards seats to par- ties who receive at least three per cent of the popular vote instead of just those parties who win ridings. It's an answer to those who criticize the FPTP system for giving majority governments to parties which receive less than 50 per cent of the popular vote. How did the referendum come about? The province selected at random one person each from Ontario's 103 ridings to study Ontario's electoral system and recommend whether or not the current system should stay or if a new system should be adopted. Dubbed the Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, the group studied voting systems for eight months, com- paring Ontario's system to others around the world. The group eventually recommended the MMP system. One Huron -Bruce resident in favour of the MMP sys- tem is Tony McQuail of Lucknow, who spoke recently to the Probus Club of Exeter and District at the Exeter United Church. McQuail said the FPTP system doesn't work well when there are several parties because the minority voices don't get representation in government. For example, McQuail said the Green Party receives a good percentage of the popular vote, but gets no seats because it doesn't win any of the ridings. "This is the situation Ontario fmds itself in today," he said, adding our current system "wastes" a lot of votes. For example, McQuail explained, in the 1993 election, over two million Canadians voted for the Progressive Conservatives, but only two MPs were elected. In Ontario, he said a party that receives 40 per cent of the votes often gets 60 per cent of the seats and 100 per cent of the power, something he called a "phony majority." All majorities since 1937 in Ontario have been "phony," McQuail said. Of MMP, McQuail said, "We're not tearing the house down and replacing it, we're building on the original foundation." Under an MMP system, local representatives will still be elected FPTP, but the second vote on the ballot (for the party) will determine the proportion of seats each party gets. If a party gets 40 per cent of the popular vote, it will get 40 per cent of the seats. In an MMP system, the McDonald's supports campaign A $5,000 donation from the Exeter McDonald's has helped push South Huron Hospital's fundraising thermometer to $1,1 17,000.AIso, 10 cents from every coffee sold at McDonald's between Sept.! and April 30, 2008 will go towards the hospital. From left are campaign team members Pat O'Rourke and George Godbolt, Exeter McDonald's owners Michelle and Rob Reid and campaign team members Lori Baker and John Wuerth. We moved to Exeter in 2002, from Stephenville, Newfoundland. We have two children, Meghan and Justin. Meghan has just graduated from Nursing and is working at Victoria Hospital in London. We have spent alot of time in the past dealing with seri- what it is like not to have a ous health issues and realize Hospital, such as the one we the importance of having a have here in Exeter, in your top quality health facility in home town. your community. We feel that it is our obliga- Coming from the east coast tion and privilege to help of Canada I can tell you the support and give back to the health care is nowhere near community in which we do what we have here in business. Ontario. You don't realize — Rob and Michelle Reid number of seats at Queen's Park would increase to 129 seats from the current 107. Ninety of the seats would be represented by local members representing ridings. The additional 39 would be filled by the "list members." The popular vote would determine how many "list members" a party will have in government. The "list members" will be publicized in advance of the election and has to be represented by region and gen- der. McQuail said ridings will likely increase in size, but there will be more members per voter. A party needs three per cent of the popular vote to receive a seat. McQuail said countries with an MMP system tend to have stable coalition governments. He said parties have to learn to work together. Of the increase in politicians in an MMP system, McQuail said Ontario will still have one fewer politician under that system than the province had before for- mer Premier Mike Harris reduced ridings. McQuail also said there tends to be higher voter turnout in countries with an MMP system. In the last four elections, New Zealand, with an MMP system, has had a voter turnout of 77.8 per cent. Canada and the U.S., which have FPTP systems, had voter turnouts of 58.5 per cent and 42.3 per cent, respectively. "Will it be fairer?" McQuail said of MMP. "Yes, I believe it will." Donors list The South Huron Campaign Capital Campaign thanks the fol- lowing for their generosity: • Benefactor Frank and Doreen Regier and Family -Exeter • Leader Goderich Aircraft - Huron Park • Builder Ray Perkins -Exeter McCann Redi Mix - South Huron • Friend T. Harry Hoffman & Sons - Dashwood • Supporter Peter and Esther Warner- Grand Bend South Huron Free Masons- South Huron Your Hospital is there for you! Are you there for your Hospital? Contact SHH South Huron Hospital Foundation 24 Huron St.W. Exeter, Ont., NOM 1 S2 Sandra Faber 235-2700, ext. 5133 shha.foundation@shha.on.ca McQuail said the MMP system scares some politicians because it holds parties more accountable to the popular vote. For more information, check out www.yourbigdecision.ca or www. studen tsassembly. ca GOAL: 1.6 MILLION TO DATE: $1,117,000. 1 I