The Citizen, 1991-08-07, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7,1991.
Dutch visitor impressed by Canada9s size
Right at home
Maarten VanEembergan of Amsterdam, Holland, has
settled in quite nicely to life in Canada as one of three
Lions International Youth Exchange delegates visiting in
the area. Maarten, who left on Saturday, was a guest of
Gerrit and Maria Van Keulen of RR2, Bluevale.
This past weekend, a group of
young people have returned to their
native homes after a month-long
visit in our country through the
Lions International exchange pro
gram. For a Holland youth the
experience has been both an educa
tional and enlightening one.
Maarten VanEembergan, was
the guest of Gerrit and Maria Van
Keulen and family of RR2, Brus
sels, after arriving at Toronto air
port on July 6. An intelligent,
observant young man of 17,
Maarten was first impressed with
the vastness of our country. "I have
said it to many people now. It is so
big here and peaceful. In Holland
people do not live so far apart.
There are more hills here as well.
Holland is very flat," he said.
"Even the farming communities are
not so big."
During his visit, Maarten had the
opportunity of exploring what fills
all this space. A special treat was
seeing the vastness of the country
from the air as the Van Keulens are
avid aviators and took him for aeri
al tours in their plane.
A self-described history buff,
Maarten experienced for the first
time, some of Canada's past during
a museum visit, the one thing he
thought was smaller than his home
land's. "It seemed to me that Cana
da is a big country with a small
history," he observed. "It is quite
different from Holland and
Europe's history, which seems so
large."
For one week, Maarten spent ,
time meeting and sharing his
thoughts with other students
involved in the exchange at a sum
mer camp, which gave him ample
opportunity to use the English,
French and German he has studied
at school.
He has visited Niagara Falls and
gone to the horse races, as well as
having time to follow personal
interests. "I have been very busy. I
love to play golf and there have
been many little things we've done
as well. I tried to keep a journal,
but the week I was at camp it was
so busy that I gave up the idea of
trying to keep up with it daily and
wrote per week."
A true urbanite, Maarten, who
lives in Amsterdam, loves to shop
and spent an enjoyable amount of
his time at shopping malls, includ
ing the massive Square One in
SUSTAINABLE
FORESTRY
The Policy Advisory Committee will consist of individuals who have:
1. expressed Interest In Integrated resource management;
2. expertise In biological, economic, social or cultural areas;
3. demonstrated an ability to participate In a group setting and to work toward a
common goal; and
4. approximately fifty days over a period of up to two years to devote to this policy
developmentinitiative.
CALL FOR EXPRESSED INTEREST TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSERVATION POLICY FOR OLD GROWTH
ECOSYSTEMS IN ONTARIO
The Ministry of Natural Resources will establish a Policy Advisory Committee to assist in the
development of a conservation policy for old growth forest ecosystems in Ontario. The
conservation policy will be guided by the Comprehensive Forest Policy Framework. It will be
developed:
• based on a review of existing Information relative to old growth forest ecosystems
and their conservation;
• with input and recommendations from groups and individuals expressing Interest
In the conservation of old growth forest ecosystems;
• recommending the collection of new Information on biological, social, cultural and
economic values related to old growth forest ecosystems In the long term; and
• through public consultation, using consensus-building techniques, to develop
options which will be presented to the Minister of Natural Resources.
Toronto. "I loved it. When you
look around and realize you are just
a small piece of all this, it makes
you feel like an ant," he said.
While he hasn't found the prices
in Canada too high, having found
he says many good bargains, he
admitted to some annoyance with
all the taxes. "You think you are
paying $45 for something and then
it is $55. That is real annoying and
I have difficulty with things not
being the price you think they are,"
he noted. "But, I have spent a lot
of money," he said, adding with a
laugh, "My family told me if I don't
bring home gifts I can stay here."
Maarten has two older sisters
who have been involved with the
exchange program. The oldest went
to Japan last year and his other sis
ter is in Asia this summer. As well,
his family has hosted a Japanese
youth during those exchanges.
Maarten says he has spent a lot of
time watching television since his
arrival. "The movie channels are
great. We don't have any in Hol
land so it takes longer to see the
current shows."
His only regret was that there
was not enough time to see the
SkyDome. "I really wanted to go. I
love baseball and I am a Jays fan,
but there was no room and no time.
So I watch it on television and that
is good enough for me."
Maarten was very enthusiastic
about his visit and would like to be
part of the program another year,
but admitted he would like to go to
the States or Japan next time. Also,
he would like to go to a larger cen
tre if possible. An allergy sufferer,
he found the rural setting trying at
times and wished he could have
been a little more help to his host
family on the farm. "I would try to
help, but my allergies got so bad I
couldn't give them a hand at all. I
was totally useless."
Though he spent the last week
mentally preparing for his return to
Holland he said he was not in the
least bit homesick and would have
welcomed the chance to see more
of Canada. "It would have been
nice if after leaving here I could
have spent time travelling across
the country, but that was not possi
ble," he said.
The trip was one that he feels
has benefitted him a great deal. He
has learned about the differences in
the countries, their people, and
their interests. "Il has been an expe
rience," he said. "I hope my
English has improved. I like tc
meet the other people, to talk tc
them and learn what they think
about things. And I hope I have
gained in maturity from this."
Walton
Compiled by Mrs. Betty McCall. Phone 887-6677
Family enjoys picnic Expressions of interest In participating In the Old Growth Ecosystem Policy
Advisory Committee will be accepted until September 13.1991.
Sunday was just one of those
days when the weather changed for
the worse. It had rained heavily in
the morning and turned much cool
er to have a family picnic at Family
Paradise where Doug, Betty and
James Currie were camping this
past week. By noon it was decided
to come to the home of Allan and
Betty McCall. An afternoon of vis
iting and a smorgasbord supper was
enjoyed.
Family members present were
John and Gail Currie, Orangeville;
Rhonda Eppenberger, Jeremy and
Amber, Grand Valley; Doug, Betty
and James, Brampton; Barry Currie
and Dawn, Brussels; Bev Steven
son and Chris, Walton.
Ministry of Natural Resources
Forest Policy Branch
258 Queen Street East
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
P6A 5N5
Attention: Old Growth Ecosystems
FAX: (705) 675-8145
Please direct telephone inquires:
In English to: (705)675-4120
En Frangais k (705) 945-6625
For Cree or Ojibway to: (807) 622-9847
WI marks anniversary
August will mark 35 years of
Walton Women's Institute work in
the community. A special meeting
will be held on August 21 at 8 p.m.
at Walton Community Hall. There
will be a report on the Federated
Women's Institute of Canada Con
ference and Leona McDonald, one
of our members attended in July in
Vancouver.
Anyone is welcome to attend and
new members are welcomed. New
members are needed and women
are invited to join for meetings of
interest and fun and for thought
provoking programs.
The Province of Ontario is dedicated to employment equity and encourages
expressions of interest in participating on the old Growth Policy Advisory Committee by
3ualified individuals including: aboriginal peoples, francophones, persons with
isabilities, racial minorities and women.
Ontario
Ministry of
Natural
Resources