The Times-Advocate, 2002-10-16, Page 4It’s that time of year again — time for hockey nuts to
disappear into their puck-obsessed worlds for the next
eight or nine months.
The National Hockey League started its regular sea-
son last week and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.
Nothing is more refreshing than a hockey game after a
summer of the same old garbage from professional
baseball players (will they strike? are they all on
steroids? will the Expos fold?). Then there’s the
never-ending fun of watching pro golfers take
two hours to line up a two-foot putt. No, what
Canadians need now is the return of their
favourite pastime, hockey, which promises to be
more exciting this year if the NHL keeps its
promise to cut down on the clutching and grab-
bing and actually enforce its rules for the first
time in years. And the new quick faceoffs should
make the games 15 to 20 minutes shorter and
scale them back from the marathon lengths
games have reached the last few years.
My obsession for hockey runs deep, although,
interestingly enough, I couldn’t care less about most
other sports. I can’t tell you who is in the baseball play-
offs right now, who won the Super Bowl last year or
how the Toronto Raptors will do this year. My attitude
towards those sports is, who cares?
But my mind is overflowing with trivial hockey infor-
mation.
Anyone who knows me is aware of my love for the
Montreal Canadiens and my deep hatred for the Toronto
Maple Laffs (er, Leafs). There’s no need for me to defend
that attitude, it’s just common sense. My wife and I
recently bought a new computer for the supposed rea-
son that she needed it for school work. As far as I was
concerned, we bought it so I could listen to all the
Canadiens games on the Internet (and burn CDs, but
that’s another story). You see, Habs fans have it rough in
southwestern Ontario, being force-fed every Leafs game
on TV and having to settle for watching
Saturday night Habs games on French CBC or
putting up with the odd game on TSN, covered
by English Canadians with no clue how to pro-
nounce most of the names on the Habs’ roster.
But it’s worth it, right?
The start of the NHL season is when many
teams are still optimistic they can win the
Stanley Cup. Some teams, like the New York
Rangers and their $70 million payroll, will be
happy just to get their overpaid bums into the
playoffs. Only a handful of teams have a real-
istic shot at hockey’s Holy Grail.
Unfortunately, odds are once again it won’t be
a Canadian team. Most pundits are suggesting the
Colorado Avalanche will win the Cup for the third time
since moving from Quebec City.
And, on a local Jr. D note, Exeter Hawks fans are
wondering if their team can repeat last year’s champi-
onship performance. If the Hawks’ great start to the sea-
son is any indication, all signs point to ‘yes.’
But whatever the results, many of us are just happy
hockey season is back. And for the rest of you, don’t
worry, July is right around the corner.
4 Wednesday, October 16, 2002Exeter Times–Advocate
Editorial&Opinion
Jim Beckett
Publisher and Editor
Don Smith Deb Lord
General Manager Production Manager
Published by Metroland Printing,
Publishing & Distributing Ltd.
424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850
Exeter, Ontario N0M 1S6 • (519) 235-1331
EDITORIALS
PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications
Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs.
About the Times-Advocate
Address & Office Hours
Times-Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850,
Exeter, Ontario N0M 1S6. Our office is open Monday
to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays.
Contact Us By Phone or Fax
Classified ad & subscription sales . . . .(519) 235-1331
24-hour automated attendant . . . . . . .(519) 235-1336
Fax number for all departments . . . . .(519) 235-0766
Subscription Rates
One year rate for addresses in Canada: $36+GST
Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $65+GST
One year rate for addresses outside Canada:
$104 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription.
Classified Rates
Word ads: $10.00 for 20 words, 20¢ for each addi-
tional word+ GST. Notices (births, deaths, announce-
ments, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks):
$13.00 + GST for up to 50 words, All ads must be pre-
paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m.
Display Advertising
To place a display ad, (519) 235-1331 weekdays 8:30
to 4:30 p.m. or evenings (519) 235-1336 (leave mes-
sage) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 4
p.m.
E-mail Us
Website:www.southhuron.com
TA e-mail addresses consist of the person’s first initial
and last name followed by @southhuron.com.
For example, Jim Beckett’s e-mail address is <jbeck-
ett@southhuron.com> Our general e-mail address is
ads@southhuron.com.
Let the hockey games begin
SCOTT
NIXON
AND ANOTHER
THING
People in this country may be anti-monar-
chy, preferring a political system which
has no remnants of Canada’s colonial
past. We may be critical of the air of scandal
which has surrounded the British monarchy
from time to time for several years. But we
love the queen.
Queen Elizabeth has been greeted with warm wel-
comes, bouquets of flowers, and cheers from fans
everywhere she has gone during her visit to Canada.
The queen, in turn, has enchanted crowds by getting
out among the people on unscheduled “walk-abouts”.
The many people who have met with her speak of her
gracious smile and kind words.
However, this does not necessarily mean we are
monarchists, throwbacks to an era when the sun
never set on the British Empire. Only in Canada, you
say?
Our relationship with the monarchy is no doubt
confusing to our neighbours to the south. They threw
off the yoke of British rule centuries ago when they
tossed crates of good English tea into the sea - a tax
protest which turned into a revolution. It must also
mystify people throughout the world who are strug-
gling to create or maintain democracies, and who
look upon Canada as a fine example of how a democ-
racy should be.
Yes, Canada is a democracy. No, the Queen does
not “rule” us. But she visits here from time to time,
handing out medals, speaking with her loyal
Canadian subjects, and meeting with the Canadian
prime minister. Oh, yes, and this time she dropped a
puck at a hockey game.
Only Canadians would appreciate a system like
this. In many ways we have the best of both worlds -
a government which is truly for and by the people,
and at the same time we have the queen. In essence,
we have separated the ceremonial duties of our head
of state from the actual task of governing the country.
We like things that way. It seems to work quite well.
We also have a sneaking suspicion Americans are
jealous of “our” royalty, which obviously adds to the
attraction.
One can analyse our form of government, and
debate at length the need for our royal connections.
The thing which must be remembered is the discus-
sion is taking place through letters to the editor, for-
mal debate in parliament, and street-corner conver-
sations. It does not involve explosives or firearms.
We are free to admire the queen while disapprov-
ing of royal ties with Canada. There are those among
us who would prefer to see those ties strengthened
rather than eliminated, and we are free to express
that opinion, too. Some of us would prefer an
American system of government for Canada. We can
speak our minds about this matter without fear of
imprisonment or reprisal.
People in this country do not suddenly disappear
into secret prisons, never to be seen again, for speak-
ing out against government policy.
Newspaper editors in Canada are not shot for writ-
ing an opinion piece or story which shows our politi-
cal leaders - or the queen, for that matter - in a bad
light.
It is unlikely we would write a negative story about
the queen, however. Like our fellow Canadians, most
media people like, even admire the queen. What is
there not to like? She is gracious and remarkably
photogenic. Besides, she cannot increase our taxes,
privatize a business we prefer kept in the public sec-
tor, enact legislation we dislike, or restructure
municipal government.
Everyone loves
the queen