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The Huron Expositor, 1988-07-06, Page 2Huron 411 ""LJXP081tOI' SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST incorporating The Brussels Post Published in Seaforth, Ontario Etvery Wednesday Morning The Expositor is brought to you each week by the efforts of: Pat Armes, Neil Corbett, Terri -Lynn Dale, Dianne McGrath and Bob McMillan. ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription Rates: Canada '20.00 a year, in advance Senior Citizens • '17.00 a year In advance Outside Canada '60.00 a year, in advance Single Copies • .50 cents each Second class mail registration Number 0696 ,Wednesday, July 6,, 1988 Editorial and Business Offices - 10 Main Street, Seafoeth Telephone (519) 527-0240 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK IWO Pinning the blame These days if you choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle which ends up cas- ing severe physical impairment or even death, there's money to be made. Recently in a landmark U.S. case, a court ruled that a cigarette company contributed to the death of a smoker who died of lung cancer in 1984 at the age of 48. Her husband was awarded $400,000 in damages. The case has opened the door to at least one Canadian lawsuit, this one against a Canadian tobacco manufacturer by a former heavy equipment operator who says he lost both his legs to a smoking-related disease. This all comes in the middle of the on-going issue of a smoker's right to smoke and the non-smoker's right to breathe smoke-free air. Smokers choose to smoke. True, most are genuinely addicted to the nicotine and other cancer-causing agents in a cigarette but no one is mak- ing them smoke. There isn't any excuse for claiming one wasn't aware of the risks involved with smoking. It's in the news on a regular basis. These lawsuits are a classic case of pinning the blame on someone else. Who wants to admit they were silly enough to think they could smoke for years on end without having serious side effects? It's interesting to note, too, that there's no mention of a smoker's right to smoke when it comes to these lawsuits. It seems to get conveniently shelv- ed until the next time an employer enoucrages a smoke-free work place. Granted, tobacco companies are producing a lethal substance. There's no denying that. But as long as there are consumers of the product the companies and their product will exist. Imagine the response if suddenly tobacco companies were outlawed in Canada. Mitchell TA. Time for a change Some inadequacies in Canada's Unemployment Insurance Act may be removed as the result of a recent Federal Court of Canada hearing. A federal judge called for paid paternity leave for natural fathers in some situations. The judgement of Mr. Justice Barry Strayer recognizes the importance of both mothers and fathers in raising children. At the moment natural mothers and adoptive parents can receive up to 15 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits at 60 per cent of their wages to a maximum of $318 per week. However, a natural father can't receive benefits unless his wife dies dur- ing childbirth or is unable to care for the child. Judge Strayer said the federal government has two choices, but neither seems to make much sense. He suggested it can eliminate benefits to adoptive parents or give natural parents another 15 weeks of benefits, so fathers are not discriminated against. Recommendations from a commission on unemployment insurance, a Canadian Human Rights Commission and a pair of parliamentary commit- tees have suggested practical wasys to bring fairness, to the system. They would try a two-tier system of benefits to give natural mothers time off to recuperate from childbirth and then allow the remaining benefits of the 15 weeks to be split if desired with the fathers. This system would appear to be much fairer than increasing the current length of benefit time, which would prove to be very costly. Exeter TA. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Great things 'in store' for Seaforth customers The Moonlight Madness Sale was great for both the merchants and the customers who enjoyed the extended hours. Ken McLI- wain and a number of others certainly came away with some nice prizes and good bargains! It is just this kind of thing that makes downtown Seaforth tick...businesses and customers carrying on a good retail trade. The 77 downtown businesses really do care! In fairness to the downtown businesses who were closed it should be footnoted that the Moonlight Madness Sale was a "last minute thing". It was quickly organized on the initiative of Hart Ford, and was not an officially sponsored event of the downtown business association. All of the 77 merchants in downtown Seaforth have an association called the Business Improvement Association (BIA). Every year in late December - early January, the executive of the association develops a promotions plan for the year and outlines it budget. These are then presented to the full membership at its annual general meeting. It is this planning that brings the special promotions to all ,sr valued customers, such as Mother's Day, Wheelbarrow Day and leading up to Christmas. This coordination and planning is hard work - but it pays off. It's the only way that we can get newsletters out, assign jobs to our volunteers, arrange advertising with the media (papers, radio, posters etc.), organize the 77 downtown businesses, coor- dinate window - displays, put up street decorations, arrange for street entertain- ment (i.e. Jack Hayter's jazzband) and so on. It's great to have impromptu events dur- ing the year like the Moonlight Madness Sale - but these are special events! All of the downtown businesses do care about you - and there are at least 5,500 of you trr our primary trade area. We need you and want to serve you in the best way we can! If a few of your favorite stores were not open during the last minute Moonlight Madness Sale - hang on, we've got some great things "in store" for you. Stay tuned. Sincerely, Tom Lemon Mainstreet Co-ordinator A Canada Day to remember It was a Canada Day to remember! Not only were the planned events in town a lot of fun and well worth attending, but so were the unplanned ones. Although I guess that depends on what side of the door you were on. Myself - there was at least one occasion Friday when I, and almost everyone else, was glad I was on the right side of the door. It was then that I had my biggest laugh of the day. As is the case with most of my columns, this one is inspired by a member of my family. This week Sweatsocks again features my MOM. I never imagined when I ihvited my parents to spend Canada Day in Seaforth that it would result in such an eventful outing for them. I mean, who would think...mom and dad traipsing through jungles during the leisure walk - mom and dad doing a lot of things they probably don't do it the city. It was shortly after the pancake breakfast concluded that the main event happened. We, my parents and I, were in the parking lot of a unnamed gas station awaiting the arrival of my sister, when my SWEATSOCKS by Heather Mclwraith mother decided she had need of certain facilities available on the premises. After assuring herself that said facilities were indeed clean, she entered and closed the door. We waited. Minutes later we found it necessary to shoo a couple of kids away from the door. Then we sat down and waited some more. The kids returned and again we shooed them from the door, but this time they in-\ listed my mother was stuck. We assured them she wasn't. So we waited. Finally dad got tired of waiting and he turned the corner just in time to hear mom yelling. She was, it turned out, really stuck. Well as much as it was probably not fun- ny, I had to laugh. Imagine coming all the way to Seaforth then getting locked in a public washroom. I mean, it could only happen to my mom - and the funny thing is - it did. Well, the story doesn't end here. Turns out they couldn't get her out using the con- ventional means. So, out came the blow torch. Now that was quite a sight to see - an added bit of fireworks for the Canada Day Celebration. Once the door handle was removed, mom's rescuer was able to use a hammer to punch the stubborn lock out of the door (Mom said later it shot across the washroom). Twenty minutes and a scorch- ed door later mom emerged from her cap- tor - apparently none -the -worse for wear. Certainly mom will have a hard time forgetting her Canada Day cn Seaforth - although maybe that's just what she'll try and do. BURN OUT PUSH OUT GET OUT Ducks aren't the only decoys If you-carThttead'lltUe plastic surgery and looking like'" chael. Jackson you could stand to make $2,000 per day. On his current tour Jackson is using the duck decoy theory for security. He has had a number of people surgically altered to look like him and they are used to draw fans to them, thus distracting the scream- ing groupies away from where the popular rock star is going. For their efforts in confusing mobs of Jacksonites the decoys get $2,000 per day, and the additional chance to woo a few of those screaming groupies. With all this bother over a "rock star's security it makes a person wonder why politicians don't do the same thing. They're around huge crowds all the time themselves, and a lot of these crowds aren't friendlies. My guess is that politi- cians have tried the same thing and haven't met with success. You could try plastic surgery to make a person look like Brian Mulroney, but if you're going to make an accurate MY TWO BITS by Neil Corbett reconstruction of that monster chin you're going to need a lot of plastic in the surgery. Joe Clark, who bad mouths a lot of dif- ferent nations, could use a little decoy security too. But I doubt they could find so- meone who would be willing to look like him. The plastic surgery would start with having your chin and eyelids cut off and your jowls enlarged. I also doubt there are many groupies to woo around.cMr. Clark. So he would probably have to spend a cou- ple million a year to have evenone decoy. Maybe some politicians really do use decoys. That's probably how an actor managed to break into politics in the U.S. We can be pretty sure they haven't used them in the past in Canada. Trudeau's beak couldn't possibly be reproduced, and a you could've spotted a stand-in for Levesque because no one could have smok- ed enough to make a convincing decoy. They don't really need decoys in Canada anyway. No Canadian leader has ever been assassinated, and I don't think anyone has even tried. We civilized Canucks are content to wait until a politi- cian's term is over and cuss him in the meantime. That or our leaders aren't im- portant enough to bother assassinating. The closest we've come to a political assassination up here is a sign hitting Mile Mulroney in the gut. Or was that really Mila? Van Egmond JULY 6, 1888 The twenty-first anniversary of the birth of the Dominion was celebrated in Seaforth in a very pleasing and enjoyable manner. The weather, although somewhat warm was favorable, and there was a good attendance of visitors. The first performance of the day was a lacrosse match, between the Beavers of Seaforth, champions of the Western League, and the Hurons of Goderich, for the championship of the Western district. The home club retained their laurels 4-1. The afternoon was devoted to the children's drill and athletic sports. All were good and the precision and accuracy with which they marched and executed the other military manoeuvres could scarcely have been excelled by veteran soldiers. The drill completed, each school gave a musical selection and the singing was excellent. Next on the list came athletic sports. These were all closely contested and created the greatest interest, particularly the running races of the children. Mr. W. Lochead, of, Molesworth, the wide- ly known carrier of Her Majesty's mail bet- ween Molesworth and Listowel, met with an accident a few days ago while ori duty. In dismounting his equally famous gray mare, which has probably been longer in the civil service than many a superannuated pen- sioner, Mr. Lochead had the misfortune to fall and fracture his shoulder blade. Though the accident was a painful one, he is on duty as usual, with, however, the temporary in- convenience of having to carry one of his arms in a sling. Mr. Dickson, governor of the Huron Coun- ty gaol, received the following note from Mayor Seager a few days ago. It explains itself and should be carefully read and pondered over by every member of that august body, the County Council. It reads as follows: "The bearer, James Fitzgerald, has been a farm labourer in Goderich Township for the past ten years. He is guilty of the crime of being sick and destitute, homeless and friendless. The wealthy coun- tt honored for first time IN THE YEARS AGONE from the Archives ty of Huron practically says that under those circumstances he must be hustled off to jail and locked up with thieves. I have, therefore, committed him to gaol for three months. Please take him in, and I will have the formal commitment sent to you at once. JULY 4, 1913 The fall wheat in this vicinity is looking fine and promises a big yield. Mr. H. Edge is fitting up a bathroom in the Presbyterian Manse. It will be replete with all the latest appliances, including a septic tank. At the recent communion services in Duff's Church, Walton, twenty new members were received. This looks like a growing and prosperous congregation. Mr. James Smillie of Walton celebrated his 80th birthday on Monday of last week and is hale and hearty for such an advanced age. Mr. Smillie is one of the pioneer residents of the Township of Grey and is the kind of man of whom it may be said 'tis pity he should ever grow old. His friends will wish he may be spared in health to reach the century mark. JULY 8,1938 Perfect weather favored the fourth annual invitation tournament of the Seaforth Golf and Country Club here Wednesday when golfers from clubs throughout the district gathered to take advantage of the splendid course. Workmen commenced tearing up Main Street sidewalks on the east side on Tuesday in readiness for the new walks which the council authorized some time ago. Mr. H. Edge has the contract for the work. The monster garden party on Wednesday evening celebrating the diamond jubilee of the inauguration of Dublin, was a splendid success, while perfect weather assisted in increasing the record crowd. Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Boswell were shown as they left Emmanuel College Chapel, Toron- to, following their wedding on Saturday. The bride was formerly Mary Louise Chidley, daughter of Mrs. Thomas Jackson and the late Joseph Chidley, formerly of Clinton. The groom is the manager of the Dominion Bank at Seaforth. JULY 4, 1963 The first farmer of Huron County, Colonel Anthony J.W.G. Van Egmond will be of- ficially honored for the first time by the Ar- chaeological and Historic Sites Board of On- tario with the unveiling of a plaque 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Egmondville cemetery. Plans for the proposed water system to serve residents in the south section of Egmondville have hit a snag at the Ontario Municipal Board, Tuckermith councillors learned Tuesday at their monthly meeting. Council was awaiting approval for $9,000 debenture issue to finance the system. The OMB said it would not deal with the bylaw because the well had been dug and the pump installed. Seaforth District High School cadets left for Camp Ipperwash this week. They are: Jim Stephenson, Paul Beattie, Rick For- tune, David Britton, Michael Newnham and Barry Nolan. Although council won't consider the mat- ter until Monday night when it is expected formal approval will be given his appoint- ment, Sgt. Gordon Hulley of Mitchell will commence duties as Chief of Police in Seaforth on Monday morning, W. Wilbee, chairman of the Protection to Persons com- mittee of council said Wednesday.