The Times Advocate, 2008-04-02, Page 44
Times—Advocate
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
OC
Editorial Opinion
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Scott Nixon — Editor
CNA
2007
BLUE
RIBBON
EDITORIAL
Popularity
problems
The law of averages would suggest that
someday, somehow, there might be good
news for federal Liberal leader Stephane
Dion. However, if the bad news keeps piling up,
Dion may not be around much longer.
A Toronto Star poll released earlier this week
revealed that Dion's approval rating has
dropped to a dismal 11 per cent, six points
down from February. Twenty-six per cent of
Canadians in the poll said they support the
Liberals, a drop of two percentage points since
last month and four percentage points lower
than in the 2006 election.
Fifty-seven per cent of Canadians disapprove
of the job Dion has done.
While this is bad news for the Grits, the
Conservatives must be pleased with themselves.
The same poll shows Prime Minister Stephen
Harper's party has about the same support it
had in the 2006 election, about 36 per cent.
Harper's approval rating is at 33 per cent, down
a point since February, but 36 per cent prefer
Harper as prime minister over the paltry nine
per cent who would like to see Dion in the top
job.
What does this mean? Two years into a minor-
ity Tory government, Canadians still haven't
warmed up to Harper enough to want to give
his party a majority in Parliament, but they also
aren't champing at the bit to replace the
Conservatives with the Liberals. What's more,
Dion's unpopularity is hurting his party's
chances at regaining power. After more than a
year in his role as party leader, Dion still isn't
ready for an election, at least not one he can
win, and he still appears weak and indecisive as
a leader.
Can the Liberals afford to keep Dion as their
leader? How long is the rest of the party willing
to languish in the polls?
ffAIYOOCAJLTir
A BUDGET? XXI Rat
GETA JOBP
Distributed by Canadian Artists Syndicate
A chance for input
Huron County residents will have the chance in
the next few months to say what they want their
county to look like by taking part in any of sever-
al meetings scheduled around the county.
The meetings will discuss Huron County's long
term well being as well as a five year review of
the County's Official Plan which was established
in 1998 and 1999.
It is important that residents make sure their
opinions are made known because Huron County
will face even more development pres-
sure in the next few years.
As the population continues to age,
there will be more growth along the
lakeshore resulting in both a higher tax
base and more environmental pressure.
What do Huron County residents want
the county to look like? Should it contin-
ue with its traditional base of farming,
expand tourism or develop a manufactur-
ing base? Whatever the decisions are, the
only guarantees are that it is impossible
to strike a perfect balance and that the
various types of job sectors, while com-
plementing each other in some ways, more often
than not conflict with each other.
All that can be said for sure is that government
and its staff can not and should not make deci-
sions without the input of residents and it is both
the right and responsibility of residents to take
part.
Public meetings will be held April 9 at the
Seaforth Legion, May 1 at the North Huron
Community Complex in Wingham, May 21 at the
Huron County Museum in Goderich and May 22
at 7:30 p.m. at the South Huron Municipal Office
in Exeter. All meetings will be at 7 p.m. except
in Exeter which will be at 7:30 p.m.
Proud Canadian
There must have been a lot of grinding teeth in
the high offices of the CBC recently when it was
finally decided that the life and times of one of
its and Canada's most famous personali-
ties could no longer be ignored -a movie
will be made about Don Cherry.
While Cherry has said he would like to
see Brad Pitt in the title role, it's hard to
picture the actor who could capture the
nuances of the man who has been at the
eye of the storm for three decades on
Saturday nights, although William
Shatner springs to mind.
The CBC might also decide to get the
last laugh on Cherry for decades of grief
he has brought down on their heads by
putting Scott Thompson in the role,
although with some of the outfits Cherry has
worn over the years, it might not sbe such a
stretch.
Whoever lands the assignment, it is well
deserved that Cherry is getting the recognition
due to him. Now about that Order of Canada...
PAT B
BACK 40
VIEW
OLEN
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