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The Huron Expositor, 1983-06-01, Page 2IlL1 rium fxpositor Since 1860, Serving the Community first Incorporating 'Brussels Post founded 1872 12 Main St. 527-0240 Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO every Wedneaday morning _.Susan White, Managing Editor Jocelyn A. Shrler, Publisher Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation A member of the Ontario Press Council Subscription rates: Canada $17.75 a year (in advance) outside Canada $50. a year (in advance) Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1983 Second class mall registration number 0696 Let's celebrate Less than two years ago, things did not look good. And that's putting It mildly. There was a hollow feeling in the stomach, a lump in a lot of throats, as the people of Seaforth and district tried to contemplate the future with%lut an arena. The old one, built partially aS a memorial to those who served In WWII, had been condemned. The planning and most of all raising the money to build a new one seemed beyond the scope of this rural and town community of roughly 1700 households. But _the disbelief and depression of the summer of 1981 quickly turned around as the cdmmunity got to work at both those tasks. Seaforth and district showed the self-reliance and canny regard for the value of a dollar that the Scots who first settled here were known for. That was coupled with a willingness to try new things and a pragmatic decision to take advantage of as many grants as the project qualified for. And people were the key. People whose families chose to live in the area just in the last few years and people whose families have seen several Seaforth arenas come and go, worked together to make the dream of a new community centre a reality. As you walk into the new building on Saturday after the opening ceremonies, take a look at the names in the showcases in the hall lobby. The building and fundraising committees, the people who gave $1000 or more are all there. And a special book lists the names of every other contributor. We at this newspaper hope you'll spend some time too reading the souvenir opening issue that the Expositor has produced this week. Hundreds of names and faces are there: it's a bit of a history of recreation in Seaforth, partly a story of the volunteers who have contributed so much to community life here for more than 100 years. The past, the tremendous feat of raising over $600,000 and constructing the new Seaforth and District Community Centres complex, and the future, are all points of pride in this community. Yes, indeed, we made it happen. Come celebrate with us, and look forward to a solid and creative future for recreation here, on Saturday. -S.W. But don't drink, drive Opi nion Metamorphosis Photos by Wassink All over North America people are fed up with the carnage that results from drunk drivers. Groups like MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Drivers - have pushed for harsher penalties and for community sanction against those who drink, then drive and with skills and judgement thus impaired, are potential killers. In an area like this one, where drinking and driving is fairly common, it's encouraging that local people are also incensed about the problem. A whopping 70.3 per cent of those who responded to MPP Murray Elston's latest questionnaire think a driver's licence should be suspended when his or her blood-alcohol level exceeds 0.5 per cent. Even more of us, 83.9 per cent, are not in favour of extending the hours when alcoholic beverages can be sold. While Ontario contemplates getting tougher on drinking drivers, our neighbours in Michigan have already done it. As a result these peoples' habits have changed. Some bars now provide free taxis or limos to take those who have over -indulged home, since April 1 legislation made it illegal to drive with a .10 per cent blood-alcohol level. Penalties for a first offense there include up to $500 in fines and 90 days in jail; for a second, a year in jail, a $1,000 fine and revocation of licence. Since passage of the stiffer new laws, bar business is suffering somewhat, according to stories in the West -Branch newspaper, voice of Seaforth's sister city. But owners of licenced establishments are attending seminars with state police and doing their best to support the state's crackdown on drinking drivers. That's to their credirand we're sure Ontario hotel owners and organizers of licenced functions here will take a similar responsible attitude when our drinking and driving laws are tightened up. But, as we all know, impaired drivers are often people who've been drinking at a private party or at someone's home. How can we police them? A university student in Sarnia has one solution. She's organized a summer job for herself and 17 other student employees, driving impaired drivers home. The UWO student, who has applied for a $2,000 loan to operate her service, says drunk driving has become "a socially acceptable form of homicide''. Sarnia police support her service, which will have two students pick up the impaired driver. One will drive the person home while the other follows in a second car. The cost is a reasonable $10 within Sarnia and $15 to outlying areas. Charge cards will be accepted and the pickup service's phone number will be widely circulated to the public, halls and licenced establishments. We don't think Seaforth and area can qualify as one of Sarnia's outlying areas but the service is one .that could fill a need right here in Huron County. It's true that each of us is our own liquor control board. But when that control breaks down it's back ups such as this that will save lives. S.W. Community press readers all over the world This week, another attempt to catch up on my cottespondence, and a jaundiced look at that great Canadian farce of the early 1980s, the six -and -five "restraint" program. It's amazing how far the tentacles of Canada's community newspapers carry this modest column. I've had letters from all over Canada and the States. .from England, South America, Australia and New Zealand. Her old friends will be glad to know that Mrs. Jean Rankin (nee Crosby), now of Gisborne, New Zealand, "just about reads the print off the hometown paper, The Chronicle." (Dunnville?) Her letter, sent end of March, says there has been no rain there since October, and they're pumping water from the river. And women's lib thrives in N.Z." Mind you, the town planners should have been doing something (about the water) years ago. Pity more females were not on the town council." You have been busy, Jean. since you left for New Zealand 36 years ago. Six daughters, one son, and nine grandchildren. Thanks for the note, and hope you got a good look at The Royals when they were there. Mrs. Rankin says, "i still jump up to attention when my own National Anthem plays. Usually, only time 1 hear it is at World Games, etc." Closer to home, Mervyn Dickey of Prescott, Ont., chides me for a recent slam 1 took at the business of bribing Canadians to 0 5usca caaw a gpoc�c� by ©000 gl oby read Canadian books, by offering used lottery tickets as part payment. It was the principle, not the practice, that made me squirm, Mervyn. As you point out, the Half -Back program was a real boon to small-town libraries with minuscule budgets, enabling them to buy new Canadian books they couldn't otherwise afford, by hoarding used Wintario tickets. i may scorn the crassness of the idea, but I'm a pragmatist. 1 practically flog my students to collect the lottery tickets, so that we can buy a couple of hundredbooks my starving English budget can't m nage. Typically, the plan, which benefits Ciadian authors, publishers, booksellers, libraries and schools, as well as individuals/ is being cut off at the end of May because so many are taking advantage of it. And what's the matter in Faulkner, Man.? Don't they have wire clothes hangers there? A letter from Mrs. Ilse Hofbaurer chides me for a column in which 1 mentioned the proliferation of those pests, hangers until you throw them out in a rage. "I read your article every week in the Interlake Spectator. I'm an old woman now and to move my fingers I cover empty hangers. Would i like to have those hangers you throw outl But how could you send them to my post office. If I had your address 1 send you some covered ones your clothes won't fall down. I pay you the postage back. Excuse my english, I'm german. I learned myself. I'm 53 years in Canada, 50 years here in Faulkner. Have to celebrate soon my 50th wedding day alone, my husband sleeps for over 16 years. Moved by this letter, as i was, my wife went out and bought some hangers in fancy colors, and they're on their way to Mrs. Hofbauer. And an old ghost turned up, again from the west. Dated innisfail, Alta. "Have often wondered if you were the same Bill Smiley 1 met in Holland, in a railway station, time, Oct., 1944. "There was about forty Canadians, mixed regiments, Canada Scots, Regina Rifles, which 1 was one, Winnipeg Rifle Regiment, Black Watch, etc. 3rd division. "Jerry had marched us into this railway station. When the,. were ready to move us out, yoU were missing. They finally found you hiding in one of the cupboards. All 1 can remember is that you called yourself Bill Smiley and that you had been a fighter pilot. We would us in Stalag 11B, Falingbosteal. Several of us escaped and were back in England April 1945. 1 have farmed since and in 1973...retired. 1 have a saying for my forgetfulness—I have a western brain, wide open spaces. Yours, Bill Shewkenek." Well, Bill, my memory of that day and later is crystal clear. You and the other "grunts" were put in one box -car. After being thoroughly beaten up, i was put in another, with the German guards, as 1 was a dangerous criminal. Don't you remember the two Canadian Army officers, Capt. Bob Brownrigg of Calgary and Capt. Roger something -or - other? They treated you guys like dirt. There was a big German guy from the west, a conscientious objector, who dressed wounds with whatever he had. Remember how they marched us through Holland after we left the train? Sleeping in barns? Eating hot spuds Dutch farmers boiled for us? The night the Mosquito night -fighter attacked the train? The officers and some of the guys in your box -car escaped. They were recaptured and some of the guys in your box -car escaped. They were recaptured and 1 met them later. How's that for memory after almost 40 years? Crombie should win, but he won't It is sadly typical of our cynical times that while leading contenders for the Conserv- ative party leadership pack meetings and manipulate delegates, no one is surprised at the poor showing of David Crombie. Many people in the party may shake their heads and say too bad because David is a nice guy but the saying that nice guys finish last has come to be accepted as truth. Crombie, who once collected 95% of the vote in Toronto when he was mayor, isn't even Something good about you Wouldn't this old world be better If the folks we meet would say, "1 know something good about you!" And then treat us just that way? Wouldn't it be fine and dandy If each handclasp warm and true Carried with it assurance. "I know something good about you!" Wouldn't life be lots more happy. If the good that's in us all. Were the only thing about us That folks bothered to recall? Wouldn't life be lots more happy, If we praised the good we see?— For there's such a lot of goodness In the worst of you and me. Wouldn't it be nice to practise That fine way of thinking. too?— You know something good about mel I know something good about you! Anon 1 DohOnd it® OC@EGO ' by Ece•dt G°30O NJlli31rpn getting support from Toronto delegates. Some polls have shown his support in the same league as John Gamble, the man known only as the guy who fronted the Protest and petition but obey the law r©t n�C cidoi ©O An article in May 18 edition of The Huron Expositor recording the comments of two local United Church clergy regarding the decision of the United Church of Canada London Conference that "Christians should be given the option of engaging in acts of non-violence and civil disobedience" in protesting the nuclear arms build up is a very dangerous precedent for any organized religion to adopt. In our present democratic society. however imperfect, the claim on one group to have the right to protest by civil disobedience must then be recognized to extend to all other groups. organizations and parties which may have a disagreement with or objection to any laws of the federal. provincial or municipal governments. I note Mr. McKnight left the United States to make his home in Canada because "Canadians are still much more moral than Americans." if all minority or majority groups in Canada were afforded the "right" to participate in civil disobedience how long would it be before disobedience became violent confrontation; anarchy and insurrect- ion as the United States recently witnessed in Detroit and Watts and Canada itself strug- gled with in the Province of Quebec not so many years ago? Webster defines disobedience as "a refusal or neglect to obey". In some forms of dictatorship or aristocratic governments this may be the only way to protect with the resulting inhuman suppression and violence added on violence. In our democratic society where we still enjoy the right of protest through open meetings, discussions, approach to our members of local council and governments, it is the delight of folly to advocate or even condone civil disobedience. Peaceful protest, yes! Petition, parades, placards and ballots but not disobedience, flaunting of law and order, vigilantes and violence instead of our traditional Canadian integrity and respect for society and our social and political institu- tions. Paul L. Brady M.D. movement to dump Joe Clark. Despite his credentials, his long years of proven ability, the press igives him less credibility than Peter Pocklington who hasn't proved he can do anything in the political world except grab headlines. The fault lies partly with Crombie and his lack of a strong organization. As one of the first candidates into the campaign, he should have been able to get a head start. but he didn't. REACTION The largest part of the failure of the Crombie campaign to the present, however. comes from the nature of the Conservative party at the moment. The party has become a reactionary one, reacting against 15 years of Pierre Trudeau rather than setting out a positive vision of what the future for Canada could be. The right wing politicians like Brian Mulroney, John Crosby and Peter Pocklington are getting the most fanatical support from people who not only want to stop current trends of government but follow Ronald Reagan and lead us back to the 1950s. If the party continues to move in that direction, there is no place for David Crombie in it. "ff Canadians find out that we mean to fix the country by doing great things for big business while we starve the widows and pensioners, they would run us out of Parliament," he said. "And so they should." i admit to being prejudiced toward David Crombie. i've known him for 17 years and never found many faults in him. He was in charge of student affairs at Ryerson Institute when I was a student there in the '60s, a time when students showed disrespect for nearly all leaders, yet he was admired and liked by students. i sat in a student parliament for which he was speaker. WORLD CLASS Later, he changed the face of Toronto as mayor of the -city. He refused to agree with big business that any development was good development and wanted what was best for the people of the city. He made it a city of neighbourhoods and made it a world-class dty attracting attention from abroad. Through the years in opposition in Ottawa, he refused to play the game of opposing for opposing's sake. He always supported the party but he didn't rant about the horrors of the government and the danger to democracy of every move by the Liberals. He saved his breath for when there was something he really believed in to fight for. in a party led by the snake -like presence cf an Enc Neilson, that may not have won him friends. if Crombie does not win the party leadership it will be a sad day for the party and the country. Unlike the reactionaries, Crombie is a positive force. He has the vision that Pierre Trudeau once gave the country without the personality faults that accompanied that vision. He wants to do for Canada what he did for Toronto, make it a world leader. He might do it. Certainly he's got a better chance of doing that than any of the other candidates. And, he's probably got a better chance to convince Canadians that they can do it. First, though, he's got to convince Conservatives to think ahead, not back.