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The Citizen, 1994-11-30, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1994. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M1H0 Phone 523-47! FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Julie Mitchell The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $23.00/year ($21.50 plus $1.50 G.S.T.) for local; $33.00/year ($30.85 plus $2.15 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels); $62.00/year for U.S.A, and Foreign. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscrlpts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 E ditorial i ............... i Where do we go from here The disturbing thing about the case of Robert Latimer, the Saskatchewan father who used carbon monoxide gas to kill his 12-year- old disabled daughter is no so much what Mr. Latimer did, but the public reaction. Mr. Latimer killed his daughter because he felt she was in pain and she shouldn't continue to suffer. Most people can sympathize with the impossible situation Mr. Latimer and his wife found themselves in. The girl was helpless on her own and couldn't even talk, let alone walk or feed herself. But in taking her life, Mr. Latimer began to play God, to say who had the right to live and die. Our society is not ready to let individuals decide who should and shouldn't live. Or is it? Listening to the people calling in to television and radio shows and reading the letters to the editor on the subject one gets the impression a large part of the populaiion thinks that the judge in the case was wrong in applying the law to sentence Mr. Latimer to life in prison with no parole for 10 years. Many go farther, saying the law must be changed to allow "euthanasia". Many people seem to link this issue to the plea of Sue Rodriguez to be allowed to die with dignity when her terminal illness became unbearable. There is a large difference, as Svend Robinson, who supported Ms Rodriguez pointed out. She wanted the right to have someone, help her take her own life. Mr. Latimer made the decision for his daughter. The troubling part of the public reaction is this continuing escalation of the right to take a life. In many ways we started on this slippery slope when we bought that the argument that in the name of women's rights, we should allow people to decide which unborn children should and shouldn't be allowed to be bom. Originally the argument was that a woman's health had to be endangered but that rule was broadened to her mental health, which allowed anguish over how a pregnancy was going to affect her earning power. Eventually we just threw out the rules and let the woman decide. But if someone is allowed to decide if having a child will be too inconvenient, how far is it to allowing people to decide that having a severely disabled child is also too inconvenient. We talked about the quality of life a child could expect if bom to a poor, single mother as a reason to allow abortion, so how far is that to deciding children like the Latimer daughter should be saved from her poor quality of life. Some people have talked about the terrible financial burden parents like the Labmers must shoulder. If financial matters become the right to end a life, however, think of how much could be saved by terminating all those with Alzheimcrs, those with AIDS or terminal cancer patients. Already some people are saying that all mothers should have their babies tested before birth to see if they carry the genes for any inherited diseases and be told they must abort the child if there is likely to be a problem. This would eliminate huge costs for society and eventually lead to the eradication from the gene pool of such diseases. A sobering thought for all those who support allowing other people to decide the life or death of a relative — today you may be the strong one who would be making the decision for others; tomorrow it may be you who is the inconvenient one who someone else is deciding should be saved. Before responding to emotional situations with quick calls for changes in society's rules, step back and ask what would happen if the rules were changed. We might like that picture even less than terrible tragedies like the Latimer case. — KR Reform no Good Samaritan Listen to the Reform Party and you'd think the Good Samaritan was a fool for taking time out of his journey to help the injured man by the side of the road. Last week the Reform Party called for Canada to pull its peacekeeping troops out of Bosnia before they came home in body bags. Canadians shouldn't be in danger just to protect the lives of other helpless civilians. And while they're content to let the forces of savagery prevail because wc don't want to risk the lives of our young soldiers, Reform also doesn’t want to offer safe haven to refugees from such war torn countries because they think wc have loo many refugees and immigrants of all kinds. Like those travellers in the Bible parable who walked by on the other side of the road instead of stopping to help the wounded man Reform doesn't want us to make an effort to help. Surely privileged Canadians know we owe victims of violence a helping hand. — KR Dining alone Photo by Janice Becker Letters THE EDITOR, Outrage over the drowning of two little boys by their mother vibrates all over the world. This high profile case is just one of the increasing cases we get to know. The common cry is, "How could she do this to her own?" As horrible as it is, why are we surprised? Over 1,000 of our own are killed in Canada ever year in a most cruel way. We are conditioned to it, promote it, accept it or close our eyes to it. Nature has so wonderfully provided for the protection of the unborn, shock absorbers and all. Yet we burst into their hiding place in a most brutal way and end their lives in a very painful procedure. When will we ever wake up and realize the atrocities we allow to go on? If we cannot respect life within the mother, the dignity and sanctity of human life and respect for all other things become irrelevant. This is why we are in such a mess when selfishness is king and ethics and morals in the gutter. Let us rise, show compassion and respect for all human life and honor the mothers who carry their and our babies to term. Only then can we look to a better tomorrow. A. Keet. THE EDITOR, I just want to say a few words, but Charlie and Veme Dakin said it all in last week's Citizen. Very well done. My two brothers Tony and Mike, their wives Betty and Margaret, my sister-in-law, Beth and friend Wilma from Welland Ont. attended my grandson's wedding, Jason and ‘Why are we surprised?’ Mandy Lee. They commented about the "new look" of Blyth especially the street lights. I told them I was glad they didn't come when the main street was under construction. Hats off to the clerk, former reeve, councillors and staff members, as well as Blyth Business Association. Good luck to the new members. I will end with an old Indian prayer. Great Spirit Grant that I may not criticize my neighbour until I have walked a mile in his moccasins. Betty Kelly. THE EDITOR, Many constituents have called me recently about powers of attorney. They have been alarmed at stories that if they do not assign a power of attorney right away that if something happens to them then the government will take their assets. This is incorrect. The Substitute Decisions Act is a new law that allows you to choose someone in advance to make decisions for you when you are no longer mentally capable. The new law covers two areas of decision­ making: decisions about property and finances, and decisions about personal care (thing such as housing, health care and nutrition). The law was supported by all three parties and will come into effect in the next year. The existing laws were made years ago and are out of date. For example, the existing law does not permit a person to appoint, in advance, someone to make personal care decisions for them if they become mentally incapable. The new law allows this. The new law confirms that a person’s wishes will be respected if they become incapable of expressing them. The existing law gives few options to family members if they need to get legal authority to make decisions. The new law provides more choices. The new law protects the rights of those who are mentally incapable. The new Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee will apply for guardianship only as a last resort when it is clear that a person needs it and there is no one else willing or able to assume this responsibility. It is very unfortunate when a program such as the Garth Turner report on CFPL-TV on Nov. 9 gave out so much misleading information about the Substitute Decisions Act. I am writing this letter to correct this and to let the residents of Huron County know that the correct information is available. Feel free to contact my office - forms and information are available. Yours truly Paul Klopp MPP No smoking law in effect On Nov. 30, all Huron County schools and school properties will become smoke-free for students, staff and visitors. This change is a result of a new provincial law called the Tobacco Control Act. Schools are only one of many premises required by the legislation to become smoke-free. Smoking ’ will not be allowed in the public areas of hairdressing salons, barber shops, laundromats, retail establish­ ments, financial institutions and video/amusement arcades. The Tobacco Control Act also bans the sale of tobacco in pharmacies and from vending machines. It prohibits the sale of Continued on page 7