The Times Advocate, 2008-09-03, Page 44
Times–Advocate
Wednesday, September 4, 2008
OC
Editorial Opinion
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EDITORIAL
Milestone
for Lucan
As seen on this week's front page, a
dream for the Lucan Area Heritage
group and history lovers is coming clos-
er to reality with the near completion of the
Lucan Area Heritage and Donnelly Museum on
Main Street.
Years in the planning and fundraising process, con-
struction on the building is scheduled to finish this
week, with interior work to follow. A spring grand
opening is planned.
Congratulations need to go out to all of those who
worked on making the museum a reality, from those
on Lucan Area Heritage who donated countless hours
of their time, to those who gave money to the project.
The new museum is great news for Lucan and for
those who like to see history preserved. That Lucan
has such an interesting and rich history makes a
museum all the more necessary and welcome.
With well-known historical events such as the
Wilberforce settlement and the Donnelly tragedy,
there are thousands of artifacts Lucan Area Heritage
is unable to display because of space constraints in
the existing log cabin and museum. With the new,
much larger museum, there will be more space to dis-
play these artifacts. Also, the Main Street location at
the former site of the historic Central Hotel provides
for better visibility to those driving through town.
With a spring opening planned, Lucan Area Heritage
and Lucan Biddulph now have the responsibility of
promoting the new museum outside the area and
bringing in tourists to the municipality. Promotion will
be the key to making the new museum a success.
The museum offers Lucan a huge opportunity, not
only to preserve and celebrate its history, but to
improve its economic development by becoming a
tourist attraction. Bringing in out-of-towners should
also mean those tourists will shop in Lucan after they
visit the museum.
Perhaps this is how small towns can stay vibrant
and economically strong — find a niche and focus on
it.
While there is still much work to be done, Lucan
Area Heritage members can give themselves a pat on
the back for their progress so far. The opening of the
museum in the spring will be exciting for the commu-
nity.
I FEEL
NAUSEOUSI,S
Distributed by Canadian Artists Syndicate
Where is our Sarah?
With Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's
finger tightening on the election trigger this week,
Canadians might be excused for feeling a little
behind the times when it comes to the makeup of
our political leaders.
With the Liberals under leader Stephane
Dion, remaining glued to their tradition of a
French leader from Quebec or a French
speaking leader from Ontario and Stephen
Harper holding an iron grip on the leader-
ship of the Conservative party, the faces at
the helms of Canada's political parties
remain almost exclusively male and white.
The lone exception is Green Party leader
Elizabeth May, whose real goal going into
an election will be to gain the party's first
elected seat.
It has been a different story south of the
border for almost a year and a half, where
it has been a wild ride south as the Republicans
and Democrats move and counter move in the
2008 presidential campaign. Going into the cam-
paigns, it seemed a sure thing that Hillary Clinton
would cruise to the Democratic nomination while
Rudy Giuliani looked to have a solid grip for the
Republicans.
But the emergence of Barack Obama turned the
Democratic campaign into a slugging contest wor-
thy of the Flintstones, with Obama and Clinton
clubbing each other with lefts and rights.
Just when Obama seemed set to start a sprint to
the finish line by lighting up Denver Stadium and a
crowd of 85,000 people Aug. 28, the Republicans,
after a series of head fakes, knocked the historic
Obama campaign off the front page with a historic
nomination of their own.
With the selection of Sarah Palin as his vice-pres-
idential pick, Republican presidential nominee
John McCain turned the momentum around with
the first Republican female vice-presiden-
tial choice and only the second in
American history.
Canadians were already envious over
the historic pick of Obama and the first
African American to run for the office of
the most powerful man in the world, but
the pick of Palin means that the term
'most powerful man' in the world may
have to be updated.
While Canadians did see the election of
Kim Campbell as the country's first female
prime minster, her term can hardly be
what would be considered a success.
With McCain already 72 years of age, he may,
even if elected, limit himself to one term, raising
the possibility of Palin as a presidential nominee in
2012.
With Hillary Clinton having come up just short
this time, the chances of another run in 2012 can't
be discounted, leaving open the possibility of an
all -women presidential election.
The slugging matches in and between the two
American parties and the ability of their candi-
dates to reach far outside the mainstream to bring
in fresh talent should give Canadians pause and
make us ask ourselves whether our political sys-
tem is truly as inclusive as it needs to be in 2008.
PAT B
BACK 40
VIEW
OLEN
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