The Citizen, 1987-07-08, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987.
Opinion
Wasn't that a party!
The party’s over, and it’s time to get back to the everyday
world, but wasn’t that a party?
Brussels’ 115th Birthday and Homecoming will be
remembered for a long, long time as one of the best weekends of
our lives, second only to the Village’s Centennial in 1972.
People will remember the colour and excitement of the
four-day event with nostalgia, but what they will always
remember best is the hospitality of the Brussels people, and the
warm friendliness that was the hallmark of every event.
It was like a giant family picnic, with nearly everyone feeling
a part of Brussels, no matter what their ties to the village may
have been. And it was this atmosphere of comradeship which
made the weekend truly special - a sense of belonging, and of
caring about people as much as they care about us.
John Ainlay’s presence certainly acted as a catalyst to the
warmth of the celebration. A direct descendant of the founder
of Brussels, and a very special person in his own right, he made
everyone feel that they are part of the ongoing history of not
only “Ontario's Prettiest Village,” but of one ofits friendliest.
At press time, no figure was available as to the number of
visitors who signed the Guest Book in the Hospitality Centre at
the Old Mill, but the crowd far surpassed even the most
generous prediction at all the major events, which were
skillfully planned and organized so that no one was in conflict
withan other, and so only a short walk made it possible for
visitors and home-towners alike to see or take part in everything
that was happening.
It is impossible to thank everyone who had a hand in
presenting the celebration, but most of us know who they are,
and we’ll always be thankful that there are such warm and
generous people in our midst.
Bottom line thinking
Oliver North appeared this week before the United States
congressional committee looking into the Iran-Contra affair
showing again the problems that can arise when bottom-line
thinking is applied to government policy making.
Col. North, in his illegal shipping of arms to Iran and his
diversion of money from payment for the arms to support the
Contra rebells against the Nicaraguan government, really
carried out the wishes of his boss, President Ronald Reagan.
Mr. Reagan represents a kind of thinking that says the end
justifies the means: all that matters in these things is the
“bottom line”. The U.S. congress may have passed laws that
make it illegal to give money to the Contras but Mr. Reagan and
his friends know best. They must protect Americans from their
own weakness even if it means breaking the law. The end
justifies the means.
All governments, especially those comprised of politicians
filled with moral certainty that their way is right (whether
left-wing or right-wing in nature), hold such dangers. If the
public seems “weak-kneed” and doesn’t want to take the
action the leaders see necessary to secretly go about doing what
they feel necessary.
Although by no means as bad as the U.S. situation, we do
have some of the same kind of “bottom-line” thinking in the
present government of Brian Mulroney. If it appears that
people may not approve of a course of action this government
plans then Mr. Mulroney seems to feel, you keep all
information of those plans quiet until the completed act can be
sprung on the public.
Such was the case of the Meech Lake Accord. All indications
from the government in advance of the meeting of first
ministers at Meech Lake was that little could be expected. Thus
the nation was shocked when the agreement was reached, then
euphoric that agreement had been reached so quickly instead of
through days of haggling in years past. It was too late before
people began to question the agreement.
Such has been the case of information about the post office.
What is the future of post offices in smaller communities? W ord
leaks out saying they’re in danger, then a denial comes. Then
word leaks out again and so on in a kind of political fan-dance
that leaves people wondering if they really heard what they
thought they heard.
The same strategy seems to be in play in free trade talks. A
leak comes out that the autopact is on the bargaining table then
is denied. Then the leak comes out again saying it is. Cultural
industries are declared inviolate, then a leak comes that the
Americans want reduction of protection on our books,
magazines or television industries. The same with investment
controls.
We have a government that feels misunderstood by the press
and public, that feels it will set the country on the right path
after 20 years of mismanagement if only the people would
understand. The obvious solution to such minds is to tell the
public as little as possible, to do what’s best for the people even
if they don’t know it. That’s not the way democracy works.
Mabel’s Grill
There are people who will tell
you that the important decisions in
town are made down at the town
hall. People in the know, however
know that the real debates, the
real wisdom reside down at
Mabel's Grid where the greatest
minds in the town [if not in the
country] gatherfor morning coffee
break, otherwise known as the
Round Table Debating and Fili
bustering Society. Since not just
everyone can partake of these
deliberations we will report the
activities from time to time.
MONDAY: Ward Black was saying
this morning that the Ontario
Liberals are really showing their
true colours these days with all the
accusations of fraud over some of
the nominations in some of the
ridings. “If they can’t even run a
nomination meeting properly, how
in heck can they run a province
properly’’ he said.
Hank Stokes said it sure was a
different problem for the Liberals.
It used to be they had to beg people
to run in a lot of ridings, now
they’ve got so many people
running they’re fighting all the
time.
Tim O’Grady said that the
Liberals may have a problem all
right but it wasn’t as bad as the
Tories. Iftheyhadanomination
fight it would be to see who could
keep from getting nominated these
days, Tim said.
TUESDAY: When Billie Bean first
came into Mabel’s for this morn
ing’s session he got down on his
hands and knees and checked
under the table to see if there were
any hidden microphones. Asked
what the heck he was doing, Billie
said he’d read in the paper where
the Canadian Security Intelligence
Service had files on 30,000 Cana
dians and he didn’t want to be one
of them. The spooks might think
these sessions at Mabel’s were a
dangerous parallel government or
something, he said.
Hank Stokes saidthatif it was
intelligence the spies were after,
they’d certainly be better trying
Mabel’s than Ottawa.
Tim said he was pretty disap
pointed to hear that they’d collect
ed so many files already in only
three years of operation. He always
figured that sooner or later he’d
end up with a file on himself with
the spies, he said, but he always
thought it would make him exclu
sive . Now it seemed he wouldn’t be
exclusive at all. Anybody, it seems,
can be a security threat these day s.
WEDNESDAY: An unofficial poll
around the table showed that
nobody was planning much for
Canada Day except getting a sun
tan. Julia Flint said she always felt
a little ashamed she didn’t get
more involved in celebrating the
country but somehow never did.
“Don’t worry,” Tim said, “the
way things are going by this time
next year we’ll have free trade and
we can all just celebrate on the 4th
of July with the Americans. They
can make up for what celebrating
the rest of us don’t do.”
THURSDAY: Hank said it was nice
Continued on page 10
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