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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-11-14, Page 44 Times—Advocate Wednesday, November 14, 2007 OC =CNA T. TIMES ADVOCATE Editorial Opinion PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We acknowledge the Financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs. Canada Jim Beckett — Publisher Deb Lord — Production Manager Scott Nixon — Editor €NA 2007 BLUE RIBBON it The Times -Advocate is owned by Metroland Media Group Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Media Group Ltd. Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • 519-235-1331 Doug Rowe -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division EDITORIAL Can Dion recover? recould be ticking on federal Liberal der Stephane Dion's job. A poll released earlier this week showed Dion has fallen to third place as Canadians' choice to lead the country. That Dion is behind Harper is no surprise — since Dion became the leader of the Grits nearly a year ago, he's been unable to gain any momentum against his Conservative rival. What is shocking about the new poll is that Dion has fallen in popularity below New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, a further indication that Dion just may not be the man who can lead his party back to power. The good news is for Harper and his Conservatives. Harper is the top choice for 37 per cent of Canadians, ahead of Layton at 17 per cent, Dion at 13 per cent, Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Quebecois at five per cent and the Green Party's Elizabeth May at three per cent. Fourteen per cent of Canadians were undecid- ed. Not only is Harper's rise in popularity impres- sive, his performance in Quebec is downright shocking — in that province, 41 per cent of Quebecers made Harper their number one choice, while Dion is mired at 11 per cent. All of this means more momentum and confi- dence for Harper, while the Liberals continue to spin their wheels. Dion, a thoughtful, professor- ial individual, was given a free pass by many for the first few months of his leadership. Give him time to find his footing, they said, he'll grow into the job. But it's been nearly a year and his popularity is moving in the wrong direction. He's come across as indecisive and weak and unable or unwilling to stand up to Harper and the Conservatives. Two questions remain: how long will Dion's party be willing to put up with this? And when will Harper feel confident that he can win a majority government? About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales 519-235-1331 24-hour automated attendant 519-235-1336 Fax number for all departments 519-235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $42+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $75+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada:$160+GST Call 519-235-1331 to order a subscription. Another literary master lost The death of American literary giant Norman Mailer on the weekend, one day before his country held Veterans Day and Canada marked Remembrance Day, served as a grim reminder — not only are we losing our Second World War veterans, but we're losing war veterans who became brilliant writers. Mailer served in the Second World War wrote one of war's greatest novels, 1948's "The Naked and the Dead." What fol- lowed was an uneven, often controversial career in journalism and fiction that con- tinued until earlier this year with the publication of his last novel, "The Castle in the Forest," about Hitler's youth. Mailer, who loved the attention, was often in the public spotlight for a variety of reasons, many of which had nothing to do with his writing — stabbing and near- ly killing his second wife in 1960, running for mayor of New York City, feuding with rival author Gore Vidal or scrapping with feminists. Mailer, while a great writer, could be a boorish macho man in the same vein as his hero, Ernest Hemingway, but he was rarely boring. And he was somehow embraced by the '60s and generation, even though he was as old as that generation's parents. While he never quite matched "The Naked and the Dead," he came close in 1978 with "The Executioner's Song," the "true -life" novel about the execution of Gary Gilmore. Mailer's death reminds us that few of the great Second World War writers are left. The brilliant Kurt Vonnegut died earlier this year. Two of the giants still alive are Farley Mowat and J.D. Salinger, both of whom are now well into their 80s. Mowat remains his same wonderful, curmudgeonly self and still writes, last year publishing "Bay of Spirits." Salinger, the world's most famous shut- in, hasn't been heard from since the 1960s, hiding from his fame in the woods of New Hampshire. He appar- ently continues to write and has a vault of material that, according to rumour, could be released upon his death. Mailer's death at 84 of acute renal failure is a huge blow to American literature and culture. Let's treasure his peers while they are still alive. r411111!):J=4 SCOTT NIXON AND ANOTHER THING Classified Rates Word ads: $12 for 20 words, 20t for each additional word+ GST. Notices (births, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $15 + GST for up to 50 words, All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, 519-235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. or evenings 519-235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 2 p.m. E-mail Us Web site: www.southhuron.com TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @southhuron.com. 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 Jennifer Skonieczny ext. 102 PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext. 103/114 Nikki Cyr ext. 103 Kelly Gackstetter ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Marg Pertschy ext. 108 Heather Clarke ext. 111