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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1988-01-20, Page 2fHuron. Ax ositor h SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST Incorporating ED BYRSK1, General Manager The Brussels Post HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor Published In Seaforth, Ontario Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Every - Wednesday Moral g Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ctntario Press Council 14 L Commonwealth Press Union ' International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada *20.00 a year, in advance The Expositor is brought to you Senior Citizens - '17.00 a year In advance each week by the efforts of: Pat Outside Canada '60.00 a year, in advance Armes, Neil Corbett, Terri -Lynn Single Copies - .50 cents each ®ale, Dianne McGrath and Bob . ' McMillan. Second class mall registration Number 0696 Wednesday, January 20 1988 Editorial and Business Offices - D 0 Main Street, Seaforth Telephone (519)527-0290 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 11WD Dividing issue A month after release of the text of ; e free trade deal signed by Canada and the United States, Cana' Tans remain deeply divided on the issue. The latest Toronto Star poll in. cates a majority of Cana- dians believe the nation will surrender some of its independence in the deal which most believe will benefit the U.S. more than Canada. The poll suggests only 11 per cent strongly support the pact, while 18 per cent strongly oppose it. In any event, according to the figures in the poll, 62 per cent of Canadians want Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to call an election before the deal takes effect. Although the pact has been signed by the two nations, it faces a rocky road through the House of Commons and the U.S. Congress in 1988, and is not likely to be implemented too quickly. Americans, who until now have been relatively unaware or un- concerned about the issue, should soon sit up and take notice as the debate begins in Congress. For Canadians, the concern has existed right from the very start of free trade negotiations, but although news reports carried stories daily on the trade talks, we were left completely in the dark as to what was being negotiated. Canadians never knew what was on the table until December 11— and then only what has been included in the deal signed by Mr. Mulroney and U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The fact the agreement is being opposed by only three provincial governments has led to the suggestion Canadians are not as bitterly divided as earlier might have been feared. However, the Toronto Star poll would indicate the opposite is true. At the very least, Cana- dians are uncomfortable enough to want an election called before the deal is implemented. It is reasonable to assume many of us are still uncertain as to what lies in store with the free trade agreement. We were left in the dark for too long from the outset, wondering if rumors about under-the-table trade-offs were the truth. It is not too late. The Government must now do its utmost to not on- ly keep the free trade debate on a rational level, but do so while be- ing constantly frank with Canadians. It will not be enough to merely point out which sectors will gain through the agreement and which will lose. Instead, it must be clear- ly evident the Canadian Government is seeking alternatives for those who will lose and being spe4,ific about what is being done. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR New arrival thanks town People of Seaforth The respect and friendship I have ac- cumulated over the past year have made me want to write to say how I have felt welcom- ed, warm and feeling good, and able to say I'm from Seaforth. It was at Bob and Betty Beutenmiller's 25th Anniversary party, January 8, 1988 that really impressed me. It was here where I felt so enthused, a part of and welcomed. I didn't feel left out which was so tremendous. From where I came from, Mitchell, you would have had to have a good name or belonged to something in order to fit in. Here in Seaforth you don't. So my sincere congratulations to Bob and Betty on 25 years of marriage. Many more to come — a day at a time. Another thing that impressed me was your Santa Claus Parade. I've never seen the town so involved and supportive. My congratulations goes to Ross Ribey who I thought played a big part in organizing this event. Its people like Ross and many others in town that make things work. Keep the work up Ross. It's people like you who put that little effort in, I know there are lots in Seaforth. From coming from Mitchell for their parade, all they had was Santa In a truck waving to everybody. Seaforth you make Mitchell look sick. So keep this tremendous effort and enthusiasm going. Another example: When I walk downtown, everybody is so friendly and will- ing to say hi or ask how things are going or just wave. Again, a pat on the back to Trip brings out the romantic There is indeed something magical - something euphoric about life on a tropical island. As breathtaking and magnificent as Canada can be in the winter - with its frosted 'trees, snow-capped m6untaina and blanket - wrapped towns, I found this year its chilling beauty could not compare with the warmth of the south - a warmth I not only felt on the surface, but that permeated my sldn and touched my soul: As corny and/or foolish as that sounds, I have to admit that it is true. During this last week I have been answer- ing a lot of questions about my trip, and most often, "How was it?". Well, it was GREAT, but somehow that word, while it does convey the fact I had a good time, just doesn't adequately express the way I felt. By all appearances the trip was GREAT. I met a lot of people, enjoyed their company and even got carried away" enough to: con- fuse the natives and my friends with my limited knowledge of Spanish; meet a female impersonator; help throw most of the hotel staff into the swimming pool; judge a Mr. Muscle contest; play what turn- ed into tackle baseball on the beach; ride a torpedo into the surf; merengue the night away then nearly cause a national incident while trying to arrange private merengue lessons for a friend; and wake our hotel lob- by security guard with a piano serenade at 4 a.m. But more than being superficially "great" the trip was emotionally uplifting as well. For the first time since I can remember I really and truly felt at peace. Despite the large tourist population, I could have been alone on that island, I felt so isolated from my North American lifestyle. It was as though I was suspended in time. Suddenly I wasn't working against the clock or measuring my days by hours and minutes. It + dn't matter that I rose each morning only an hour or two after going to bed. My body didn't seem to crave sleep, merely a healthy dose of the sun, the stars and the beach. My days started andk ended with a long walk on the beach, and it gave me a wonder- fully exhilarating feeling to kick off my shoes in the early morning hours, wade out knee high in the ocean and let the waves crash against my legs. It was as though the surf rolled in only for me and the stars shin- ed their approval. Perhaps I am a romantic but I found it dif- ficult at those times to comprehend life in any other environment. It all seemed so right, so desirable, that life before this island, didn't exist. I had no past, only the moment. And the moments were' wonderful. Yes, my trip was GREAT, but it was more than that. It was PERFECT. So, even if I never have another trip like it, at least I know that I will always have memories to draw on. You see, I think I found my paradise on earth at least in my awn mind. BE,TU/EEN A ROCi< AND A //ARP PLACE Seaforth. I would like to mention a few people who have meant alot to me — Harry Denham small one to one talks eg. be yourself and forget what others think, Hal Claus' jokes and words on how and when he asked, how things are going or willing to listen if you have a problem, or the guys coming around to visit such as Bo, Troy or Tim. There are so many guys and girls that I could say thank -you to for their time and friendship in which the rest should know who you are, generally the rest of Seaforth. Finally I would like to thank Judy Scar - row for her cooperation, time and patience. I owe Judy so much more especially hiring me a year ago to be a part of her staff at Mac's. Thanks Judy. I hope I can keep my work that I do each day. So to conclude there aren't enough words and thanks for the people of Seaforth and friends I have met throughout the year and hope to keep meeting. Also to the ones who dislike me, I'm sorry I can't change that. All I can change is my attitude toward you and hope things will work out. Some of you know who you are, and I apologize for some of the problems I have caused. I didn't mean it the way it was or how it happened. Again to ones I have made friends with, I hope I can be your friend each day possible so as the say- ing goes; Don't walk behind me I may not follow. Don't walk in front of me I may not lead, just walk beside me and be a friend to me. Sincerely and thank you Mark J. Smith Monkey living inhumane life Hundreds of monkeys kept for breeding by Health and Welfare Canada (H&W) to supply Ottawa testing laboratories are forc- ed to live an inhumane life of inactivity and boredom. If these highly intelligent creatures were confined in similar conditions in a zoo, the public would be outraged. But the public, unfortunately, does not see how the more than 1,100 government monkeys exist. They are deprived of their right to 'activities to meet behavioral and environmental needs. In room after windowless room pairs of adult females, and their Infants, are confin- ed in stacked, small steel -barred cages in spaces intended for one animal. Some animals are singly -housed and thus depriv- ed of vital social interaction. The once free adult animals were trapped in the Philippines, then brought to Canada where they will remain caged the rest of their lives - 10 years or more. They will never again see the sun or breathe fresh air. H and W adult monkeys have little or no opportunity to exercise and are showing signs of muscle atrophy. Many are pulling out their hair, a behavioral abnormality. The converted government building holding the monkeys was not properly 'designed, nor is it large enough to house all offspring. Some young were transferred to another facility where many died from stress. Reporters who have requested tours of the facility have been told new stringent medical tests are required which take three months. So the "public", which funds the centre, has been denied access to pictures or reports. Please express your opinions about the H and W monkeys to the Hon. Jake Epp, Minister, Health and Welfare Canada, Ot- tawa, Ontario K1A OK9, (no stamp re- quired), with a copy to your local MP and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. Sincerely yours, Stephanie Brown Chair, Experimental Animals Committee Canadian Federation of Humane Societies 102 - 30 Concourse Gate Nepean, Ontario K2E 7V7 Non' smoking week finally over It's almost over. For the past week, I've been slinking around corners, hiding in alleyways, in darkened bars - trying to find anywhere it is still safe for a guy to light up. I hate Non -Smoking Week. Oh, I know all about the dangers of smoking and don't get me wrong, I wouldn't advocate taking up the practice to anyone except maybe Khadafy or the Ayatollah. It's just that I smoke and, until I can drum up the resolve to quit, I hate be- ing reminded of the detrimental effects it is supposedly having on everything from my respiratory system to my love life. Weedless Wednesday's are my worst nightmare. I feel as if I've just yelled "Fire" in a crowded theatre everytime I fire up another "coffin nail". Non-smokers, during this annual government -sanctioned "Witch Hunt" on puffers, turn from pleasant individuals in- to obsessive dispensers of guilt. All this new information on the dangers of so- called "second-hand smoke" makes it hard to find a place where you can relieve your craving for nicotine without feeling like an Angel of Death. When my co-workers first brought up this second-hand air -pollution business, I thought "Great. If you're all going to be smoking my cigarettes too, I'll put a little can on my desk and you can chip in for a pack now and then." This idea was not well-received, to say the very least. But, none of this really gets to the point I want to get across here. No, my current gripe is with Bill C-51, which would ban tobacco advertising in all Canadian FROM THIS ANGLE by Patrick Raftis publications. While I can't for the life of me imagine why purveyors of an addictive substance like tobacco need to advertise, I still believe that to prevent them from doing so is unconstitutional, as long as tobacco pro- ducts are legal for sale in this country. To place a ban on promotion of a legal substance hinders rights to freedom of ex- pression and choice. The ban is also selec- tive as beer, which contains alcohol, a substance proven physically Harmful to consumers, is allowed to launch glitzy advertising campaigns on national televi- sion. This situation is obviously ine- quitable, and is allowed to exist only as a concession to the powerful brewing in- dustry in this country. I think that if the government was serious about stopping smoking , (The public, not the government. I don't even know if the government smokes.) it would ban not tobacco advertising, but tobacco itself. This, it will not do in the near future, because while it is not allowing the adver- tising media to make money off the sale of tobacco products, the government itself rakes in big bucks by taxing cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco. While the tobacco industry would not agree, banning tobacco itself (thereby making an advertising ban redundant) is not such a far-fetched idea and not without precedents. For example, when Red Dye No. 2 was found, a few years back, to be a cancer-causing product - it's use was ban- ned without question. Since tobacco is also considered a car- cinogenic, a ban could be considered justifiable by comparision. Marijuana is considered a harmful substance and as such, it is illegal to smoke it. The bottom line is that the government is wasting its time and needlessly ag- gravating tobacco growers by keeping them in a limbo state - their product is legal, just don't try too hard to sell it, they are told. What makes it even more ridiculous is the fact that American magazines allowed into Canada will be carrying advertisments promoting Yankee cigarettes, which are just as bad for you - and taste much worse. Well, that's the sermon for this week. If I appear a bit more outraged, than outrageous this week, I am. Maybe I'm just acting like a true Canadian. Since I can't quit smoking myself - I want the government to do it for me. Anyway, I still beleive they should either ban tobacco completely, or "butt out," of the matter altogether. Happy National Non-smoking Week to you all. Area doctors show triumphs in 1888 JANUARY 20,1888 On Thursday, January 12, Dr. Neil McNaughton, of this tows, waisted by Drs. Gunn of Clinton: Evans of Seaforth, and Hutchinson of Brussels, removed a large double abdominal tumour from a lady of this place. The tumour weighed over twenty pounds, and contained a large lump of hair, some bone, and several well formed teeth. The lady at latest accounts is rapidly recovering. Dr. McNaughton and his assistants are to be thus congradulated in thus grasping from death what must have proved easy victim but for the triumphs and pluc of modern surgery. JANUARY 17, 1913 Mr. W am Proudfoot, M.P.P. for Centre Huron, d the misfortune to slip and fall on the pa ent in Goderich and suffered a badly sprained wrist. Mr. John Breckenridge sustained a broken leg in the same manner, while several ladies have sustained minor injuries. The trustees of the school in Section No. 5 Hallett are advertising for tender for the construction of a new up-to-date school building. For over 20 years Mr. Thos. Murdoch, the veteran and always genial liveryman of Hensall, has been deliverying express in Hensall, and the other day he made the discovery that he has been taking parcels to IN THE YEARS AGONE from the Archives the station and shipping them during all that. period without a cent of compensation. At the rate of 25 cents a clay he would be out $2,000. JANUARY 21, 1938 A recommendation that immediate steps be taken to inquire into the advisability of establishing a seed cleaning plant at Hen- sall, was adopted at the annual meeting of the South Huron Agricultural Society, held in Hensall Saturday. The meeting appointed a committee in- cluding W. R. Dougall, Alex Buchanan and Owen Geiger and instructed it to inspect similar plants in other centres, to inquire fully into the cost and operation of such a plant and to report back to the directors. Wilmot Haacke, is the new Warden of Huron County. He is not a native of the coun- ty, but came here from Markham with his parents as a child in 1883. He has been a member of the township council for 13 years, eight as Reeve. For 10 years he. as a school trustee. ; JANUARY 17, 1963 Members of the Seaforth council were sworn in Monday morning. The clerk is Lyle Hammond, Mayor Earl Dinsmore, Reeve W.N. Ball and councillors are John Flan- nery, William Wilbee, Carl Dalton, Angus MacLean, Neil Bell and Nelson Cardno. Owing to the retirement or defeat in township elections of some seven members of last year's County Council a general overhauling of committees was early on the agenda when Huron County Council met Tuesday afternoon. Member of all will be Reeve Walter J. Forbes, of Goderich Township elected Warden in a contest with Reeve Cliff Dunbar, of Grey. Including the two extra votes of Goderich town members the result of the vote was 27 to 10. Officers for 1963 were elected at the Satur- day night meeting of Seaforth Teen -Twenty. Tom Dick, Seaforth, was elected president, and Faye Little vice-president. Secretary elected wag Marilyn Tremeer and treasurer Arlene Williamson. ARIN S