The Citizen, 2003-02-26, Page 1-J*-;g36£T
»The Citizen as
Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Volume 19 No. 8 Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003 75 Cents (70c + 5c gst)
NH
NORTH HURON PUBUSHING COMPANY INC. |
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Optimists
seek items
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
A cause and community will
benefit as the Brussels Optimists put
on their fourth annual dinner and
auction April 5.
Co-chair Doug McArter said that
the profits from this year’s event, to
which only 350 tickets will be sold,
w'ill be divided between Jesse’s
Journey - Foundation for Gene and
Cell Therapy, and community
betterment. “To help keep funds
local as well.”
Over the years the auction has
raised $17,000 for the Make A Wish
Foundation, $22,000 (with a
contribution from the club bringing
the donation to $30,000) for the
Children’s Hospital of Western
Ontario and $24,000 divided evenly
between the Brussels and Grey fire
departments.
“We have set a goal this year for
$16,000,” said McArter.
The Foundation for Gene and Cell
Therapy was created by John
Davidson, whose middle son Jesse
has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
He was diagnosed in 1985 and there
is no cure.
DMD usually hits in early
childhood between the ages of two
and six. Females are carriers for the
disease which generally strikes male
children.
The symptoms include a general
weakness of muscle wasting
affecting limb and trunk muscles
first. The progression is slow but
will affect all voluntary muscles.
The survival rate is beyond the late
20s.
Davidson and Jesse set out in 1995
across Ontario to raise money for
genetic research. That effort brought
in $1.5 million. In 1998 he set out
across Canada.
The Optimist auction will be at the
Brussels, Morris and Grey
Community Centre. There will be a
live and silent auction as well as
dinner. To buy tickets or donate
items for the auction contact
McArter, Gerry Wheeler, Kevin
Deitner or George Langlois.
Jassie Popp is intent on the game as she entertained herself with Zoofari at the recent Blyth
Public School family fun night. There was a variety of indoor activities to delight children of all
ages as well as test them mentally and physically. (Vicky Bremnerphoto)
Exemptions big issue in smoking bylaw
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
The council chamber of Huron
County council was overflowing
with delegations, combatants and
spectators, Feb. 18, when the public
had another opportunity to voice
opinions on the smoking bylaw.
Armed with statistics, experience,
pleas and emotions, everyone from
elementary school children to a war
veterans’ representative, business
and medical professionals asked for
full support or a compromise with
exemptions.
It was the numerous requests for
exemptions, some which could be
understandably difficult to deny, that
sent the bylaw back to committee for
further consideration.
Among those requests was a letter
from Dr. Patrick Conlon, chief of
psychiatry at Alexandra Marine and
General Hospital in reference to the
psychiatric floor.
In asking for the exemption, Dr.
Conlon said the well-being of the
staff and patients must be
considered. Though there is a
smoking cessation program, not all
patients can be managed.
As a Schedule 1 facility, there are
patients on the third floor who are
not allowed to leave the unit so
smoking outside is not an
alternative.
Dr. Conlon also noted that, in the
past, employees and patients have
been injured by those not allowed to
smoke.
“These are acute patients with
acute conditions. It is not practical
for psychiatric patients,” the letter
stated.
Archie MacGowan of Braemar
Retirement Home asked for an
exemption for retirement and long
term care facilities because these are
the residents’ homes.
MacGowan said the home
complies with the tobacco control
act as there is a designated room
with ventilation and the employees
do not sit in there. The residents are
monitored through windows.
“It is inappropriate and demeaning
for the county to ask residents to go
outside in sub-zero temperatures,
risking their safety and health.”
Zone C-I Commander of the
Royal Canadian Legion Robert Gray
spoke on behalf of all veterans who
had fought for freedom.
“We are not for or against the
bylaw,” he said. “We want freedom
of choice.”
Aside from the social aspect of the
Legion and Gray’s contention that it
should not be compared to other
bars, he said these places of healing
and camaraderie for the veterans are
already in danger and additional
financial stress could be their
demise.
He also noted the thousands of
dollars donated by Legions to local
seniors and youth organizations.
In his emotional plea. Gray asked
who on council would “go to a vet
who risked his life for us and tell him
to butt out?”
Other exemptions sought were
expressed from a financial basis, as
bar and restaurant owners such as
Chris Bowen of Joe Friday’s, Ken
Bowen of the Bedford Hotel and
Teachers’
job action
could see
swift end
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Potentially, it could take as little as
a single day of hard negotiating to
end the just-commenced job action
by Huron and Perth Counties’ public
secondary school teachers. It seems,
however, that it has been almost as
hard negotiating when to hold that
single day of negotiating, as it will
be to negotiate a contract.
“It could very well be settled in
one day,” stated Bill Huzar,
president of the Huron-Perth local of
the Ontario Secondary School
Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), a
few minutes after teachers began
their “work to rule” on Monday. But,
having had no recent meetings with
the Avon Maitland District School
Board, and facing just one firm date
in the next two weeks — Thursday,
March 6 — he noted that, “one of the
difficulties is trying to find time to
meet.”
Following a strike vote on Feb. 20,
with 94 per cent approval from
approximately 500 union members,
the OSSTF local announced teachers
would begin fulfilling only the
requirements of Ontario’s Education
Act, but nothing more. That means
they arrive just 15 minutes before
classes begin, leave 15 minutes after
classes conclude, and participate in
board-scheduled meetings only
when they occur within that same
time frame.
Supervision of extra-curricuiar
activities will continue, since it is
voluntary.
Students will not be able to consult
with teachers outside those hours,
and will only be evaluated in terms
Continued on page o
Suzanne Bursey of the North Lights
Bar and Grill in Wingham worried
that a restriction against smokers
would seriously damage business.
While the Bowens said they could
accept no smoking in a family
restaurant, the impact on bars could
result in closures.
Ken Bowen said further
renovations to the hotel would be
stopped if the bylaw passed as he
would wait to see how business was
affected.
Bursey added that is “hard enough
to keep a small business going
without adding another wrinkle. I
rely on all my customers.”
Mary Lou Albanese of the
London-Middlesex Health Unit
urged council not to consider
exemptions.
“It is not a good path to follow.
When there is an exemption,
someone says discrimination. There
is an area for challenge in the
courts.”
An owner of a bed and breakfast, a
bowling alley proprietor and
Continued on page 6