The Lucknow Sentinel, 1985-11-06, Page 6Page 6--Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, November 6, 1985 '
528 282
"The Sepoy Town"
a,
BLUE
RIBBON
AWARD
1985
VEARIFIECI
CIFICUI.ATION
PAID
Thomas Thompson
James Fri&
Pat Livingston
Joan Helm
Merle Elliott
-Aavertising Manager
-Editor
-General Manager
-Compositor
-Typesetter
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No participation,
democracy
Of the four muncipalities covered most extensively by
• this newspaper, Only one has an election race in all offices
and that came about after a stumbling start.
Two members of council are vying for the position of
reeve and another two councillors are competing for
deputy -reeve. The three councillors running for upper
offices created a dearth of candidates for theirformer
positions. Consequently, Rhea Hamilton -Seeger wasi the
only person who wanted to be councillor on the first
nomination day of Oct. 21. One person out of a township
whose population justifies the position of deputy -reeve!
There are various reasons for this lack of interest in the
.elections. They range from the feeling that a three year
term is too long a time to which to commit oneself, to the
fact that many possible candidates believe that incum-
bents running for re-election should be supported because
of the good job they've done.
The plain and, simple fact, though, is that nobody cares..
Even candidates are disappointed with the turnout.
For example, Cecil Cranston in West Wawanosh offered
•himself as a candidate because he was "kinda bothered b%
the lack of interest".
This was despite the fact he has "more than one iron in
the fire".
Jim Boyle, a candidate for councillor in Kinloss, noted a
few times during an interview that "there should be more
• interest, more people in the race and more women
running".
But it's not only at election time that there is a lack 'of
interest. Perhaps the second last chance Lucknow
residents had to voice opinions on the sewage system
proposed for the village went by with a whimper. The
system is going to cost every taxpayer money whether a
hook up to the system is available or not. Although the
people at the meeting were very vocal, there were only 17
residents.there. And/that was up from the mere handful
who attended an earlier sewage system meeting. ,
How many attend council meetings to assure themselves
that those they voted for (if they had the chance) are doing
a decent job? It's true that by and large those volunteering
their time (rural councillors receive a pittance for the time
they spend on council matters) are conscientious about the
work they do but most people see council in action only
when a grievance is being made.
This is a time to think not only of who to vote for, it's a
•time to -think of democracy itself and what makes it work.
No participation, no democracy. J.F. Paper Drive
• — • -•-•
•
Two JennIfers, Jennifer MacKinnon of Kolyrood and Jennifer Porter of Lucknow were the
guides who showed up to cart away the massive pile of newspaper collected in the back
room of the Sentinel office. The two were helped with the heavy job by Cliff Mann, also Of
Lucknow. •[James Friel photo]
• Colonel Sir Alexander MacDougal, In-
specting Officer of .the Peel and Dufferin
Militia, was eager to embark, upon his
military duties as soon as spring. gave way
• to early summer. Having reviewed the vol-
unteers of the Orangeville area, he rode his
spirited stallion towards Redtrees, hoping
the part-time soldiers of that community
would impress him 'more favourably than
the "pathetic platoon" he had just inspect-
• ed. Apart from some very bag language,
the only audible comment On leaving
Orangeville was: "Thank God our first line
of defence is still' the Royal Navy!"
The reputation of Sir Alexander hardly
did justice to a man who had spent most of
his life in the regular British peace -time
cavalry. He was reported to be "a
bombastic fusspot - full of his own
importance." In reality he was the only
available ex -soldier to fill the post of,
inspecting officer.. He visualized all battles
as being won by cavalry charges, the
enemy fleeing before the sabres and lances
of mounted troops. It is no wonder he
looked down on infantrymen equipped only
with muskets and bayonets.
Chippy Chisholm was the first to catch a
glimpse of MacDougal's approach, The old
carpenter was laying joists on the roof of
the new church.
"Stone the crows!" he shouted, as the
resplendent red and gold uniformed figure
emerged from the trees. "Looks like the
• Duke o' Wellington is gonna pay us a
visit!"
• Since there seemed to be more activity
around the new church than elsewhere in
the community, Colonel MacDougal made
his way there. Still seated upon his horse,
he cast his eyes over a piece of parchment
• which listed the names of all the militiamen
in the are.
"I wish to confer with the •military
commander in the area. I believe the
gentleman's name is Major Jamieson,"
the colonel called out in his best parade:
ground voice.
Ian Jamieson and Neil MacCrimmon
/were working at the back of the church,
smoothing out excavation soil and replant-
ing th'e area with fresh sod. When Jamie-
son heard his name called, he came to the
front of the church, where a curious Crowd
had gathered around the lavishly -attired
horseman. Neil MacCrimmon also left his
wok to see What all the fuss was about.
"I am the man you are seeking, sir.
What can I do for you?" Jamieson said.
Colonel MacDougal was not accustomed
to seeing officers so dishevelled and dirty
from manual work, and his face showed it.
"If you are indeed' Major Jamieson, I
command you to immediately assemble the
Redtrees militiamen for my inspection. Do
you have, a trumpeter to. call the men to
arms?" •
• "We are Highlanders, " Maccrimmon
shouted indignantly. "We dinna blaw
trumpets - we blaw pipes. An another thing
- we are no the Redtrees Militia - we call
ourselves 'the Caledonian Scottish!"
The colonel looked at MacCrimmon with
a superior smirk. •
• "Kindly keep your cheeky remarks to
yourself,' mister. I was addressing the
major. If there is ever the remote possib-
ility I may need your advice - 1 shall ask for
it!"
"I regret I cannot do- as "you say,"
Jamieson told the colonel. "If you had
given prior notice of your visit, I might
have arranged for an inspection. All the
men are assigned to work in various parts
of the community which, sir, I consider to
be more important today than piping
soldiers. Only in a real emergency would 1
call them out."
•"But if I insist - if I cbmmand you to
assemble the
• "It makes no difference," Jamieson
• interjected. "I am the only commander
• who has to be, impressed with the men's
• performance. Personally, I am quite satis-
fied with their ability to fight and when the
time comes, I have no doubt they will prove
my confidence!" •• ,
• Sir Alexander's face suddenly became
•almost as red, as his tunic. •
"The Ontario Command shall hear of
your impertinence," he spluttered as he
spurred his horse away from the scene.
The crowd which had assembled to gaze
at such a magnificently attired horseman
included the busybody; Katie Murdoch.
• "Who in the world was that fine auld
' gentleman?" she asked Chippy.
The carpenter laughed in her face. "I
though ye of all people would ken the head
o' the family ye told everybody ye daughter
• was goin' tae marry in tae. Yon man is the
one ye did all ye gas baggin' about, He is
Colonel ;Sir Alexander MacDougal. I hope
ye took a good look Katie - ye'Il never get
-sac close tae him again." '