The Times-Advocate, 2002-10-23, Page 5Think before sharing
Dear Editor:
In response to a letter by Mr Keller in last
week’s paper....
I am sorry but I have a very hard time taking Mr
Kellers opinion seriously. When someone bases
his whole argument against something because
"it's my money" and "they're stupid", it's hardly
even a valid point of discussion.
Firstly, I don't think that a women can become
pregnant by herself, no matter how "stupid" she
is. I do think that a man is usually present and
equally responsible for what occurs.
Secondly, if people who have control over their
bodies should take responsibility for actions and
pay for their own mistakes, just think of the tax
payers money that could be saved!!! Obese people
who eat at fast food outlets 4 times a week and
lead a sedentary lifestyle and end up with heart
conditions, diabetes, etc would have to pay their
own way. Alcoholics with liver troubles, smokers
with lung and heart conditions, the list would go
on....There would be no end to "taking responsi-
bility".
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the world
would be a better place if everyone just thought
before sharing them.
Sincerely,
H DICKEY,
Parkhill
Build self-esteem
not squash it!
Dear Editor:
Hockey, Canada’s winter past time, or is it, it
would appear that it is only if the executive of the
local minor hockey lets you.
The executive of Hensall Minor Hockey has
denied my 16-year-old grandson the chance to
play hockey this year. His parents did not register
him by Oct. 1, which they realize now was a mis-
take. The reason that they didn’t register him was
that they were told there was no team. There
were 10 players signed up to play but no coach
and no goalie. On Oct. 7 president Mr. John
Coleman faxed a list of seven names to the WOAA
in Wingham of players that had been released to
play. A day or two later he faxed another list of
three names. However my grandson’s name was
not on the list. His father took him to the Hensall
Minor Hockey meeting on Oct. 14 to ask for a
release. During the discussion at the meeting a
motion was made and to quote the minutes of that
meeting “a motion was made that we were not
going to have a team regardless, due to the fact
there was no coach or goalie, so let the kids be
kids and let them play hockey” motion was sec-
onded.
The vote was four for release and four, Terry
Caldwell, Heather Caldwell, Darlene Renning and
Randy Parker voting not to give the release (again
there is no team in town for the child to play on).
The deciding vote was cast by president John
Coleman. When the child’s father returned a few
moments later to ask for a letter stating why they
would not release his son he was told by the presi-
dent, and again to quote the minutes, “John said
go to the WOAA, still demanding a letter, John
told him he would not write a letter right then and
there, then told to call the WOAA.”
These five people have taken a 16-year-old boy
and deprived him of a year of hockey. They have
prevented him from participating in regular activi-
ties which is in direct conflict of the training that
each one of them has taken in order to be involved
in minor hockey. In the Child Abuse prevention
training course, abuse is described as: “Child
abuse is any form of physical, emotional and/or
sexual mistreatment or lack of care, which causes
physical or emotional damage to a child. A com-
mon characteristic of all forms of abuse against
children and youth is an abuse of power or
authority and/or breach of trust.” Then under the
heading of Emotional Abuse: “a chronic attack on
a child’s self esteem, it is psychologically destruc-
tive behaviour by a person in a position of power,
authority or trust. One form of emotional abuse is
isolating - unreasonable separation from others,
to cut a child/youth off from normal social experi-
ences, which results in extreme aloneness.
Examples prohibiting interaction with others,
withdrawing or preventing athletes from partici-
pating in regular activities preventing contact with
friends.”
Wednesday, October 23, 2002 5Exeter Times–Advocate
Editorial&Opinion
10 YEARS AGO
October 21, 1992 - Church anniversaries were the
order of the day on Sunday. Kippen United Church
celebrated 125 years, it was the 117th anniversary
at Greenway United Church and it was 113 years at
Thames Road United Church.
20 YEARS AGO
Dashwood Industries has
announced an agreement to
merge its British Columbia wood
window operation with Kayline
Industries of Vancouver.
25 YEARS AGO
October 20, 1977 - Winners in
the final tournament of the season
at the Ironwood golf course were
Dave Holtzmann, Paul Van
Gerwen and Ron Broderick.
Rene Boogemans of Hensall has won the Ontario
Canoe Racing Association trophy for the second con-
secutive year. He participated in 26 races this year
and outpointed 120 other members throughout the
province.
A 1,000 pound moose was one of the animals
taken by eight area hunters during a week-long trip
to Elk Lake in northern Ontario. They are Ken
Smale, Mike Walker, Jeff Oesch, Joe Vanstone,
Richard Walker, J.D. Regier, George Haggitt and
Neil Walker.
40 YEARS AGO
October 22, 1962 - Close to 75 men in the
Dashwood area have been donating their spare time
for the past few weeks in aiding with the erection of
the $20,000 community hall.
Carolyne Simmons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Simmons of Exeter and Dave Buchanan of
Hensall were elected heads of the girls and boys ath-
letic societies at SHDHS this week.
Luther Jackson of London succeeds Mrs. Alex
(Donna) Sangster as music teacher at Lucan Public
School.
45 YEARS AGO
October 22, 1957 - Debris from the fire which
destroyed their farm home near Staffa has been
removed and construction has begun already for a
new home for Mr. and Mrs. John Templeman and
their seven children
Pauline Becker as a scarecrow and Kristine
Gulens as a little girl were prize winners at the
Hallowe’en party staged by the Walther League of
Zion Lutheran Church in Dashwood, Tuesday
evening. Attendance at several similar parties
throughout the district has been cut by flu casualties
55 YEARS AGO
October 21, 1947 - W.H. Pollen was elected presi-
dent of the Exeter Bowling Club, Thursday evening.
Janet Kestle has been named president of the
Student Council at Exeter High School for 1947-48.
Exeter District War Time Committee has ceased
activities. Pounds of salvage collected were 209,210
which sold for $1,200. Parcels sent overseas were
1,018 including 366 sweaters and 366 pairs of
socks.
60 YEARS AGO
October 22, 1942 - In keeping with the interest of
national economy, druggists of Exeter will remain
open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and 9 a.m. to mid-
night on Saturdays.
Usborne township council has passed a bylaw
allowing any residents to shoot any dog without a
tag that is bothering livestock or poultry. The bounty
is $7.
It has been brought to our attention that some
persons have been responsible for spreading of false
rumours concerning His Majesty’s forces at R.C.A.F.
Centralia. Anyone hearing of such a rumour is
asked to call Group Captain Fullerton or Exeter
reeve Benson Tuckey.
80 YEARS AGO
October 22, 1922 -Auctioneer C.W. Robinson left
on Tuesday for Fergus where he has taken a posi-
tion as an implement agent.
Harry Strang, while helping to load apples, had
the misfortune to fall off the wagon and break two
bones in his left arm.
110 YEARS AGO
October 21, 1892 - The masons have completed
the cellar for William Dearing’s new house in
Stephen township.
When the cool days and nights come you will be
in a big hurry to get one of the Knobby Tweed suits
at J.H. Grieve’s for $10.
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
The Turner Report
HOW NOT TO BORROW FOR A
MORTGAGE
Officially, it was a great week
for the stock markets. In fact,
since October the 10th there’s
been a growing feeling that life
just, just might return to some-
thing near normal which in this
case, is the absence of panic.
However, if you have been shop-
ping for a mortgage, you know
boom times on Bay Street have a
definite downside.
That, of course, is higher inter-
est rates, as the major lenders boost the cost of
a home loan by up to a third of a point. Now,
why would the banks jump mortgages in the
very same week that the Bank of Canada
declared interest rates should be put on hold,
due to worries about the global economy?
More bank greed? A way to have your neigh-
bourhood make up for bad loans to Enron?
Actually, not. For a while last week the
banks were actually losing money on most
long-term loans they were making. That’s
because what happens in the stock market is
usually reflected ‘in reverse’ in the bond mar-
ket. And it is in this second market where the
big banks actually find the cash to fund their
mortgage loans.
Over the past couple of years, torrents of
money have been flowing into bonds, as inter-
est rates sank to generational lows and as the
equity markets went plumb to hell. As a result,
bond prices (which move in the opposite direc-
tion to interest rates) were pushed up to record
high levels, at the same time overwhelming
demand for bonds was also pouring pressure
on. As bond prices go up, meanwhile, the
yields on those same bonds go down. That is
precisely why mortgages have been so cheap of
late.
Then along came this stock market rally to
mess everything up. All of a sudden billions
flowed out of bonds and into equities. The sky-
high price of bonds came crashing down
(which was utterly inevitable), and that started
forcing the bond yields up. As a result ‘boom’
mortgage rates took a jump, and there could
very well be more to come in the next week or
two.
This now means a five-year traditional home
loan is back at the 7% mark, which is kind of
pricey considering that inflation is sitting at
2%. But, of course, there is no good reason
why anyone would want to lock into a half-
decade-long mortgage right now.
That’s because while bond yields are rising,
interest rates in general are not. The next
move by the US central bank, on November
6th, will certainly be neutral, keeping rates
steady, or even cut them a little to help stimu-
late the slagging American economy. And, as
noted, the Bank of Canada has already decided
it would not be a wise move to hike the cost of
money here, either. In fact, I think there’s a
good argument to be made that rates will stay
relatively low for months, if not years, to come.
So, why lock into a five-year mortgage and pay
that interest rate premium? And what the pre-
mium it is!
These days, thanks to cutthroat competition
among the banks, you can get a variable rate,
below-prime mortgage that is indeed cheap.
The prime right now is 4.5%, remember a heck
of a difference from 7%. What’s even better is
the fact that lenders like TD Canada Trust or
CIBC will give you a discount for doing busi-
ness with them. At the Commerce, for example,
you get the below-prime mortgage for 3.4% for
the better part of the first year, then a quarter
point less than prime thereafter.
This is spectacularly affordable money, and
it has made thousands of renters into buyers,
while being the fuel that has kept the real
estate fires burning bright for the last year and
a half. Odds are that this is going to continue
for some time, but housing sales, and prices,
will eventually moderate.
The bottom line, however: Stick with that
variable-rate mortgage and save a bundle.
Then take that bundle and go to Bay Street!
GARTH
TURNER
THE TURNER
REPORT
See SELF-ESTEEM page 6