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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-01-01, Page 2OPINION Huron E expositor SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 pIncorporating UrtileeeIi Post 10 Main Street 527-0240 Published In SEAFORTH, ONTARIO Every Wednesday morning ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor The Expositor Is brought to you each week by the efforts of: Pat Armes, Bessie Broome, Marlene Charters, 1 -an Quichelaar, Anne Hull, Joanne Jewitt, Stephanie Levesque, Dianne Mcarath, Lois McLiwaln, Bob McMillan, Cathy Melody and Patrick Raffia, Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper As o i0'trn Ontario Press Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada $20.00 a year (In advance) ' Outside Canada $60.00 a year (in advance) Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1988 Second 'class mall registration Number 0698 Raises out of line Will your salary be increased by approximately 25 per cent In the next three years? If the answer is in the negative you'd be advised to consider applying for one of the department head positions with Huron County. That's the type of increase the executive committee brought in for consideration of the old council in November, and In their cautious wisdom, the matter was set over for deliberation by the new council. The increases recommended would range from $13,182 for the medical officer of health, bringing thatesalary to $70,694, to a mere $4,238 for the museum director who would remain at the low end of the scale at only $38,298. The other seven heads are somewhere in between In both increase and total salary, the latter being $51,832 on average for the nine. If approved, the salary increases could in effect become justified because the department heads would have their workloads increased considerably as the ratepayers of the county finally buckle under the widening gap between what they are expected to pay and what they can realistically afford. The medical officer of health would have a sizeable problem with the vast amount of undernourishment and starvation rampant In the taxpaying population; the social services administrator would be deluged with welfare cases; the clerk -treasurer and his assistant would be swamped with property tax default cases; the county engineer would ha e to design walking paths instead of roads; the planning director will have to come up with ideas on how to use empty stores and industries; the county librarian would need special security to prevent people from using the books for fuel; the museum director would be able to use the entire county as a showcase for future generations to•clearly depict what happens when public sector wages spiral beyond those in the private sector from which tax dollars are generated; and the Huronview administrator would once again see his establishment become known as the "poor house" with Huron residents lining up to get admission. That scenario wouldn't become reality in Just three years, of course. How long will It take? Ask your county councillor) —Exeter Times Advocate Report child abuse Vicki Schellenberger in concert It is disheartening to learn that In the past 10 months 19 people from Perth County have been listed as child abusers with the Ontario government's child abuse registry. And It is distressing to learn that as many as 128 referais concerning child abuse have been made to the Perth Children's Aid Society over the same period. Stephen Chandler, executive director of CAS, attributes the increase In verifiable cases of child abuse to a greater public awareness of the problem. But while it's a positive step that family members, neighbors, teachers and health care workers are keeping their eyes open for the welfare of Perth's children, It Is none the less appalling that there are so many cases of suspected and verified child abuse In this county. It is probable that there are situations in which the only person to know about a particular case of a child being physically or sexually abused Is a family member or a close friki d of the abuser. Situations flke this must be extremely difficult to deal wtt'h'and soliciting advice from the Children's Aid Society may be the answer. We owe it to the children of Perth to muster the courage it takes to report suspected cases of abuse. It may help to remember that an abused child can carry the emotional scars for a lifetime and that some of the worst child abusers have themselves bean sorely mistreated as children. —St. Marys Journal -Argus SWEAT SOCKS by Heather Mdlwrait Can resolutions be kept? It's that time of year again when everyone considers the resolutions they'll make for the new year. Myself I've considered a few but have as yet to put one or another in practice since rill almost certain, ell never follow through on the Original intent of the resolution. Every year, whether f want to or not, 1 make a resolution of some kind (unfortunate- ly there's always something about myself I can improve), and .every year after a couple weeks of strict adherence I find myseti faltering, then back on track, then faltering once more, and before I know it, my good intentions are waylaid for another year. Every year there seems to be one resolution in particular that I seem to continue to forget afteroniy a short time - and that is the promise soar and such a year will be a more physically fat one than the year previous. Why I even bother to make the resolution is beyond me because no matter' how enthusiastic lam in the beginning that enthusiasm soon wears to exhaustion, and I continue on the same route as T did the previous year. Another resolution I almost inevitably make and break, is one telling myself eve got to Make more constructive use of fay time. There are so many things Imams to get done or new things Twant to trywhieh always seemto get shoved aside. But I rued that to be an impossible resolution to keep because even Biter 1 Clear my timetable to a000rn'rmlo'date some of thein I still can't -manage it. Inevitably I find something else to occupy or waste.my Arid since I know my reesolutions aren't going to be kept (What a defeatist attitude) I'M always alittleskeptical abont>ng any at all, or at least Of labelling any of fhy ".good" intentions as such. But this year t think t might ju.st give the oid tradition one more go • and if for sine reason it doesn't workout, at least rube able to say I gave it a try. Mynew year's resolution this year tat least the one rm publicizing) is to be a better friend. to my family and friends, but more particularly to those hem my past that I've neglected in recent years. In a sense I guess this resolution should result in a culmination of a number of resolutions I have been unable in the past to keep. This year I truly intend to write miste often, phone when rill in town instead of playing the hermit, and Make an effort to visit ocatainnally throughout the year instead of trying to cram it all in at Christrnas time. And to ensure that something constructive gets done with this resolution I've made a ntrrnber of Made for get-togetl, rets in the near Mate. (ere that's all reflected in my telephone bill)SO if this resolution „dies out before the year 1986 le Past ifs diaper stages, Neill have at least made tette headway. lily only problem once the planning is done is in following through with n y Praha,y Beeaause, id if fighting against one's appa'rent aveision to resolut cites- is not enough, m this particular tide rm fighting the lake Huron White weath'el', which is unpredictable at beet. I can make all the plans T want to, but Whether or not rid be able to follow them through befbre the spring is another thing. Then again maybeAlberts-debslyI knew that when !Cheek this resolution living. in Seaforth- could be My built-in trate for breaking yet adother resolution, Iguess only time Will tetl. Beware of jogging suit falsehoods This is a winning to all those people out there who got a jogging suit for Christmas. Beware of jogging, suits becat se they lie! Now I know there is a fine I ne between demotion and outright lying but I'm convinced that while jogging suits are fooling us, we are fooling ourselves. let's look at the jogging suit situation today and as it was in the past. I remember when jogging suits were called "sweats" and they cane in grey or navy. 'rico pants had duiw•slring waists, were always too long in the crotch and too short in the legs, and the tops had hoods and kangaroo style pouches. These jogging suits only fit until the first washing, After one trip through wash, rinse, spin and dry'the old style sweats looked like they helonged to your kid brother, The only people who ever wore these fashionable outfits were the die-hard ultra -jocks, guys and girls hying out for topnotch teams, No one else would be caught dead in a sweat suit, and it sure wasn't stylish to be in shape anyway The thing about Jogging suits back then was they were hopest•to•goodness fitnes yelothes and the people who wore them were honest • to -goodness athletes. It was sort of like being country when country wasn't cool The same cannot be said of the current flood of sweatsuits and the bodies within. Anyone who is not aware of the craze in fitness fashion has been living on Mars ordp a coma In the city every second'stor!e•'fa a1 jogging suit store. Inside these little shops, springing up like a good crop of mushrooms, athletes cmn find the latest In fitness wear the shirts. shorts, shoes, tights, leotards. and accessories essential for total heed% fitness By tar the hottest selling item is • HERE'S THEE BEEF by Carolanne Doig the track suit (formerly called sweat ant I. These track suits are sold in such num rs and in such a myriad of colors one woo d expect to see a vhtuni rainbow of runners blocking traffic every morning. This is not the case and although a good percentage of these track suits may occasionally make it around a track, many will never have to soak up even a drop of sweat. 'hese gorgeous suits are made of the best materials. They wash like a rag,. don't shrink, fade, stretch or wear out. They are by far the best thing to wear for a work out and most of them are worn by people who have no intention of working out 'rhe masses have discovered what jocks have known for years . track suits are combinable! Now everyone, even the most unathletic person in the world, has two or three jogging suits. They are great to put en first thing in the morning to hop in the car and go and get n paper, or to watch the 20 minute workout. They are perfect for doing house- work, perfect for relaxing on the couch, perfect for travelling and perfect for dashing up to the supermarket for grtceries Jogging sults are being seen inlinoups in the banks. m restaurants, and. In ail,kinds of places. and worn by all kinds of people who wouldn't have owned such an outfit n few years ago Jogging suits are giving blue jeans a run for the money in the fashion rnnrket. 1 love my jogging suits I have several and vet whenever I go shopping 1 find myself In tial hs sl arcs gaumg a1 wells of lops and paints in zillions of roroni and styles. I could spend n fortune on swoalsuts and. I'm sure I'd gel every pennies worth out of then(. I would live in my logging suit 'I'Ite only problem with living in my jogging suit is that oven though, I might run, ski, golf, or bowl in it, I would also eat in it. That is where the Lying comes In. 'track soils rorne in smell, medium, and large 'There Is nothing abnormal or sinister about that The only problem is thal tracksuits have a way of expanding as the body inside expands Soon the medium is n•,Ilhv a barite incl the body inside Is no longe4 a 12 but a 16 Now (lull Is u k if one could face Iacts. but since the tracksuit lies, we in all Our innncem•e go along with this little white he quietly going through hie helloing that we are still medium Fluidly the day notes when it's lime to wear something a little more structured. It timid be tune to pull on those slinky designer leans 1 hal were purchased Iasi summer when wr werex11111 That Mini jogging suit has done it agnlnl Allot n sudden for so jt seems/ there Is nothing in the•vvi drobe That fits except the logging suits and maybe the wardrobe itself The logging suit fooled me and of course I was happy 10 go along with the he I swear snmertay I' 11 he the first person ever to weer a pem•h legging sail and pearls In a wedding' But which shot's" Contaminated wine ordered removed Consumer and Commercial Relations Minister Monte Kwinter has ordered a judicial inquiry to look into the handling of wine contaminated with a suspected cancers causing agent. Recently, the Ontario govern- ment pulled o total of 13 brands of porta. sherries and fruit brandies -- eight Ontario products and five imported brands -- from LC8O shelves. These products were found to contain unacceptably high levels of the chemical ethyl carbamate. Mr. Kwinter stated the LCBO was first warned of this situation in 1970. The high levels were produced through the used yeast booster called urea, which educes ethyl carbairrate as a by product of fermentation. At this time. the LCBO derided to prohibit the use of urea., but no public statement was made. In 1912, the matter rose again at the LOBO identifying the concern about continuing.legh levels of ethyl carhamate. Again there was no public statement and no product was removed. At the direction of Mr, [(winter, the WBO is now testing samples of all 2,500 brands of alcoholic beverages sold until they are satisfied they have identified all products containing excessive levels of ethyl carba- mate. Two of the products now removed from i CBO shelves were identified by this toting, after Mr. Kwinter made his announcement, DEALING Mill DRINKING AND DRIVING In 1984, more than 580 people were tilled and 27,000 people were majored in Ontario acd den where alcohol was a factor. The st to taxpayers has been estimated at mom than Zoo million dollars. These statistics. how• JACK' S JOTTINGS by Jack Riddell, MPP ever, do not begin to lake into account the suffering they represent for thousands of families. Taro recent announcements have demonstrated the liberal government's intention to emelt down on those,who drink and drive. Attorney General tan Scott has stated the government will estabifsh o one-year automa• tie driving suspension for a first dtinkimg- driving conviction and a two year suspension for a second conviction- These suspeasions are four times longer than those currently provided for by late, One of the key alms of the photo driver Ut nCing program announced recently by Tr'anspeitatioriand c fmnunications Minister Ed ;"niton was to make it easier to apprehend suspended drivers who continue to drive with someone else's licence. Now, Mr. Fulton has stated the liberal government will create a one-year suspension for a first cenvietton of driving while prohibited or suspended. A second orsubsequent conviction on the saute charge would catty a two yeah suspension. In his announcement, Mr. Flrt1en also stated his ministty is prepared to deal seriously with a hronie drinking driver. Drivers who history suggests a problem with alcohol, or any other patterns of behaviour which poseasexfous risk to others on the road will be subject to suspettsien for an indefinite period. As well, information on the hazards o drinking and driving will be increased. substantially in the Ontario Driver's Hand- book and the written drivers examination. The goal, as Mr FLlton expinified is to reinforce the message that alcohol and nuttor vehicles are a deadly, comhtnatton. 1^AH...Mi is LN TRANi+rft(1Na f'i't" molt, families to Ontario are facing problems of low commodity prices and high input costs. with the result that several hundred fanners are expected to lase their farms this year For this reason, Agriculture and F'bod Minister Jack Riddell has intro- duced the Partners in Transition or PIT program. PIT is a six million dollar pmgrarn designed to help farm families with severe financial problems Through F'1T, the Liberal government hopes to curb the loss of family farms Were this can't be done, the program will assist farm families to re-establish. One of the first steps will be to temporarily defer action against farmers in trouble under three provtndaaalt- nsslst eio plan Other PIT measures include the hiring of successful farmers to act as independent advisors wonting in (he interest of the farriers, financial assistance during the period of job eearrh for farm families who are forced off Uleirfarms by linendal difficulties and advice on how best to use provincial and federal social assistance programs. Hugh MacKenzie a is quite a guy Hugh MacKenzie is quite agcy. Hugh, you see, levelled a rather nasty attedt at the provincial iibeerals a couple of weeks ago. He was Chief of start to former Ontarie mender Frank Miller arid his rambling ie the Toronto Star gives clear evidence he is somewhat bitter about Flank's deserved pounding at the polls. if not bitter. then somewhat h ' -tical. tie ranted the liberals have managed to throw away the tradition of parliarnentary process; _ incieease taxes by 10 per Cent; devaiue the book value of Ontario assets and undermine public Confidence in the wine industry. All this is very strange coining from a than who supported a Conservative government that gouged .its citizens every year th'rcug budget 'tax inereases oil everything from to'veYti t that sunt boots gas.as.Tlhesarfreg rihe'd 50 Million into posh Minakt lodge, a ori most people have no idea where it is ever located. The OMB geetenftrent of comedians that throw away $650 million en Suitor possibly the most atrocious waste tit taxpay ars money ever, anywherie. Madfenzieran the staff of ultra Consetvie five Rank Miller- the same person who tried to clos'ehospitals, tarred peppydogs and said during his furnbling campaign, that., any ridirf who did not support Mie' party probably Wouldn't get the same Tory°treattrment as the CORNUCOPIA by David Broome ethers that din: Errs is lie same man who refused a television debate with counterparts Peternon and Rae. This list goes on and on. Let u� �rrat forget BittyI;aviw. Oh yes, Bill. tie wasWe fella that purr hased Suncor and his potides alone have resulted in the lowerin'g of Ontario's Triple A reedit rating. Conservatives have moaned the towering of the rate will cost taxpayers nine million More doliois this year. f fail to understand Ay a paltry eine million tin ruffle their feathers now when (tie carne ladder Went Merrily along With Davis when he blew a whopping $650 million on the Suncor poi ase. . As for the wine industry, ihaven' tdetected a volcanic outpouring of public non-confi- dente. The Christmas sales tan attest to that. I don't steed the former errand boy of the provi'tiee s worst politician telling the about infiuence peddling and patronage. e. W e just had 4b. years of itinthe formol a Conservative gov'ern'ment the veterJ finally got sick of. t'eterson has made some minor el ars but he had already proven to be far .superior to Frank Miller!shudder at the thought Miller was just a hair away from governing. The Tory club has not taken defeat with grace. The old guard is now gone, Davis, Miller and Ray NMeMurtry, anal for one am not the least bit sad. - Twatched people work for paltry pay raises year in and year out only to have the conservatives take it all away in sucessive tax grabs. Peterson took on the provineiai Tories and wen. He donned the gloves and thumped Mulroney at the Premier's tonferenee wh �r the )mitre Minister threatened to sell us 6ui via free trade. Give the man a chance. He has had to spend the first six month's in office cleaning up the Conservative offal - 40 years of IL He hes been a breath of fresh air unlike Che stale miasma that lingered at Queen's Park for so meity years -