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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-11-21, Page 1EXETER HAWKS LAMBETH FRI., NOV. 23 8:30 P.M. SH REC CENTRE TRUCK LOAD OF TEDDY BEARS! 4 TIMES ADVOCATE Exeter, Ontario, Canada Wednesday, November 21, 2007 $ x.25 (includes GST) HURON TRACTOR EXETER 519-235-1115 www.hurontractor.com JaHN DEERE WHAT'S INSIDE National team Exeter golfer Karly Pinder ranked fifth PAGE 22 Drug forum High school forum discusses local drug problem PAGE 35 INDEX Editorial 4 Sports 18 Announcements 22 Classifieds 25 TIMES ADVOCATE 424 MAIN ST. Box 850 EXETER, ONTARIO NOM 1S6 TEL: 519-235-1331 FAX: 519-235-0766 WWW.SOUTHHURON.COM Taking a bite — Lucan Public students had a 'Big Crunch' with an apple snack on Friday as this year's Health Wizards were introduced who will lead initiatives towards the school's goal of achieving the Healthy Living award from the Middlesex -London Health Unit. From left are student reps Megan Greg, Celia Shipley, Erica Noyes,Tyson Steeper, Sam Haefling and Amanda Jones. In back are public health nurses Fatima Salgodo and Sheila Hattie -Miller. (photo/Pat Bolen) Dunline shutting down By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF HURON PARK — Thirty local manu- facturing jobs will disappear in a few months as the victim of the rising Canadian dollar, as Huron Park's Dunline Rubber Products will shut down after 40 years in operation. Dunline president Carl Harrigan said the closing is the sign of a trend that will see Canada revert back to what it was decades ago as produc- ers of natural resources that will be processed in other countries. Although the company said sales of its specialized broad rubber belt used in textile machines were fine, Harrigan said with companies in India and China able to undercut Dunline's prices by 80 per cent, the situation was hopeless. "We don't sell anything in Canada to speak of," said Harrigan. "We manufacture and export 99.9 per cent of what we make. As the dollar went up, the net effect was either revenue went down or costs that you were covering because of the exchange increased...The change is just going to gut the manufacturing sector. We're not going to be the only people by any means." It was felt, said Harrigan, that it was better to shut down and pre- serve pensions and severances instead of going bankrupt. "It's business as usual until we know what is going to happen," said Harrigan who added that reports of the company shutting down in three months were incorrect and that the shutdown date isn't known yet. "I gave them three months notice which is required by contract." Harrigan said there are various options being looked at by the owner of the company, who has facilities in the United States. As well, Dunline has been approached by Chinese and Indian companies in the past who were interested in buying it. "You can buy 4.3 Chinese or Indian made rubber belts, which are not the quality of ours...for one Dunline," said Harrigan. South Huron Mayor Ken Oke said he can't see any good future with the dollar high. "We have to take a look at the situ- ation and we're going to have to become smarter about how we deal with financial situations." Go the co-operator A Better Place For You - 350 Main Street Exeter On NOM 1S7 Bus: 519-235-1109 • Toll Free 1-866-458-1109 E-mail: joe_vanden_elzen@cooperators.ca JOE VANDEN ELZEN Home Auto Life RIFs Group Business Farm Travel Agent Oke: "Pm still the mayor" By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SOUTH HURON — South Huron Mayor Ken Oke gave council a reminder Monday night that he is the head of council. In a statement near the end of the council meeting, Oke said there is animosity among some councillors and he expressed disappointment that another coun- cillor scheduled a meeting of the economic develop- ment committee without Oke's knowledge. Oke, who chairs that committee said it was up to him to call the meeting and since he didn't call it, "the meeting does- n't exist." Oke was referring to a motion from council's Nov. 5 meeting, which saw council ask the mayor to resume meetings of the economic development committee to keep up the momentum in the Exeter Business Improvement Area after a well attended Oct. 30 meet- ing. At the Nov. 5 council meeting, Oke said he wanted to wait until a new chief administrative officer was hired before resuming the meetings, but council voted to go ahead with the meetings. Oke, who said he's been out of the province for much of the last two weeks, said he returned to discover another councillor scheduled the meeting without his knowledge. Deputy Mayor George Robertson later said he believed the original motion from the Nov. 5 meeting was that the mayor would call the meeting and, if that was the case, policy wasn't followed when the meeting was scheduled without Oke's knowledge. Coun. Cathy Seip, who sits on the economic develop - See OKE page 2 Fill the Christmas bag EXETER — The Huron County Christmas Bureau will get a boost this week as community newspapers across the county take part in the Christmas bag pro- gram for the 10th year. In this week's Times -Advocate, subscribers will find a brown paper bag sponsored by the newspaper and several businesses and industries. Printed on the bag, along with sponsor information, are details of where each of the county bureaus are located and times that gifts and food can be dropped off. It also provides information for people who may need help this Christmas on how to reach the bureau and register. Each year the bureau collects food and gifts that assist more than 1,000 children and their families across the county. Newspapers across the county join forces to promote See DONATE page 2 CANADIAN DOLLAR UP ARr t ' rRC6t up to $7.00/yard Now's the time to buy! 6 MONTHS INNOVATIVE NO payments FLOORING FloorsFirst Beautiful flaoriug begins with us NO interest 457 Main St., Exeter NOM 1S1 519-235-4401 www.floorsfirst.com/innovativeflooring