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The Huron Expositor, 1997-10-29, Page 4Election ethics can be a `kettle of fish' A couple of McLeans might be rolling in their graves and, were they still alive, I imag- ine would take issue with the idea that a good newspaper- man can't also be a worthy politician. This opinion was expressed in a letter to the editor we ran last week by Coun. Heather Robinet, a rookie on Seaforth Council who was acclaimed to a second term earlier this month and is also a former editor of this newspaper. She termed current Expositor editor Dave Scott's candidacy for mayor in next month's municipal election "a lapse in judgement." The McLean clan owned this newspaper for more than a century. They were a civic institu- tion. I can't speak for M.Y. , who was an editor and publisher of what soon became known as The Huron Expositor long before my time (from 1870 until his death in 1916), but in the early 1980s I had the pleasure of working for A.Y. McLean, who was certainly a crackerjack newspaperman right up until his end. I had great professional respect for him. He became the power that was at this newspaper for about four decades, starting in 1948. Both McLeans were also politicians of wide renown in these parts, and far further. Keith McLean was publisher of this newspaper between their tenures. M.Y. stood for Murdo Young. A.Y. stood for 4—TNR DIMON EXPOSITOR, OstAM SS, IMP? Your Community Newspaper Srnke 1860 PAYE SCOTT • Editor GREGOR CAMPBELL Reporter BARB STOREY • distribution TERRI-LYNN PALL • General Manager & Advertising Monger LARRY DALRYMPLE - Soles PAT ARMES - Office Manager DIANNE'McGRATH • Subscriptions 8 Classifieds A Bowes Publishers Community Newspaper SUBSCRIPTION RATE4: LOCAL - 32.50 a year, in odvonce, plus 2.28 G.S.T SENIORS• - 30.00 o year, in advance, plus 2.10 G.S.T. USA 8 faro ipa: 28.41 a year in advance plus $78.00 posbge, G.S.T. exempt SUBSCRIPTION RATE: Published weekly by Signal -Scor Publishing of 100 Main St., Seatorih. Publication moil registration No. 0696 held at Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of o typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable dbwance for signohxr, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be pond for of the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, odvertisirg goods or services at o wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely on offer b sell and may be withdrawn at orny time. The Huron Expositor is not responsble for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes Changes of address, orders for subscriptions and undeliv- erable copes are b be sent to The Huron Expositor. Wedn•sdry, October 29, 1997 Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Main Sk.et.,s.dorth Telephone (5191 527-0240 fax (519) 527.28511 Ma7ng Address • P.O. lox 69, Seaford+, Ontario, NOK 1trY9 Member of the Conodian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Ontorio Press Council Publication Mail Registration No. 07605 Views expressed on our opinion page(s) don't necessarily represent those of The Huron Expositor or Bowes Publishers. The Huron Expositor reserves the right to edit letters to the editor or to refuse publication. Editorial Local teen will be missed It seems almost trivial to write an editorial on the teachers' strike or any other 'big news' happening here or across the province in light of the tragic car accident Saturday night which claimed the life of Seaforth teenager Rachael Anne Broome and has shaken the lives of everyone who knew her. The sympathy and support of the community goes out to the Broome family in this very difficult time. • Thankfully a counselling session was organized by a high school teacher at Northside United Church on Monday to help students to cope with the loss of their classmate - a bright, energetic teen who will he greatly missed by family and friends. The community can help keep Rachael's spirit alive by mak- ing a memorial donation to the Rachael Broome Memorial Award. - DWS Letters to the Editor Problem with `conflict' Dear Editor: Last week's paper con tained a Ictter to the edito which suggested that shout an editor he elected Mayor o Seaforth he/she would be in "conflict of interest". The stated "conflict" arises from the fact that an editor might, inadvertently or on purpose, share with the voting puhlic "knowledge" of events or information hest kept from "the great unwashed". Why anyone would feel the public better served when things arc dont in secret is beyond me.It is obvious that a council, in withholding "confidential information" from the puhlic, creates a hierarchy in which the interests of a select few, might we say "special inter- ests" are deemed to be more important than those of thc rest of us. The other side of this "con- flict" as stated in the letter has to do with "suppression" by the editor/mayor of the same "confidential informa- tion" in order to keep it secret within council, and the resul- tant "cry from the public" r d Thanks for c Dear Editor: On Wednesday, Sept. 17 the Alzheimer Society of Huron Comity held the second annu- al Alzheimer coffee break day. Thank you for stopping and taking a coffee break at one of the participating loca- tions. Thank you to those who served coffee at the 84 locations and made "a cup today, a cure tomorrow" their slogan for the day. This event is a Canada - wide awareness and fundrais- ing campaign. The total raised for AI'rheimer disease last year for across Canada was $375,000. This year through the special efforts of • should such an act occur. This scenario premises two things: 1. Only a mayor employed as editor is capable of divulging information. 2. The "cry from the pub- lic" occurs even though all of those privy to such informa- tion have maintained the "integrity" of their secret. Neither one nor two above arc factual. The letter goes on to say that as a newcomer to local politics the editor should aspire only to sit on council, to "gain his/her wings" so to speak. The need for experi- ence is cited as a requirement for the highest office. Relevant experience comes in many dimensions and is not limited to that gained in political office. A fresh, open, honest approach to the job is more important than any amount of experience at guarding secrets, or knowl- edge of how "the game" is to be played. Thank you. Yours truly, W. George Ring offee break many volunteers in Huron - County, we raised $3,000. The money raised is used in various ways. Ten per cent of our fundraising goes to research, while the remaining 90 per ccnt is used to help support families in Huron County who are coping with Alzheimer disease. Thank you for making your coffee break count this year and please plan to take a cof- fee break for Alzheimer dis- ease again next September. Frances Hook President, t Alzheimer Society of Huron County a Andrew Y. TWO MASTERS M.Y. was A.Y.'s grandfa- ther. Both were liberals with a capital "L." M.Y. represented Huron riding in the Provincial Legislature and federal House of Commons. A.Y. also represented Huron -Perth in Ottawa and his political ambitions took him as far as the United Nations, where he was a Canadian delegate to the 7th General Assembly. Both were public-spirited, extremely Seaforth-minded and also big movers and shakers in municipal politics during their lifetimes, while at the same time enjoying the c "freedom of the press," par- ticularly enjoyed by those who own one. a M.Y. McLean was the fifth m mayor of Seaforth, from 1883-84. A.Y. McLean was on the Seaforth Public Utility Commission for 11 years, as a commissioner from 1936 t 42, and its chairman from 1947 to 1950, not to mention his involvement with the hos pital board and Lion's Park, et al. For a spell he was also president of the Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association and the Canadian Community Newspapers Association. As to the merits and accom- plishments of the two McLeans over their respec- tive political careers we will let those who were here then and knew them better judge. But let the record book show that the notion a man can't serve two masters, poli- tics and the press, and serve both well, doesn't necessarily hold water. It very much depends on the individual. Scott is not setting any precedent by running for civic office here. Another area where Coun. Robinet's argument most def- initely errs is in assuming that because Gregor Campbell is a reporter of a certain stripe, his editor, Scott, is necessarily cut from the same cloth. This is not true. I would never run for public office. It would be hypocriti- al of me, given the way I feel about all politicians. I wouldn't be able to look t myself in the mirror in the omi ng. But he is he, and me is me And we both have other bosses. HUMAN RIGHTS Furthermore, The Huron o Expositor takes the stance that any right not specifically proscribed by law is certainl - not ours to lightly limit or arbitrarily take away. Editor Dave Scott has the right to run for puhlic office. That is the law of this land. Whether my editor's candi- dacy amounts to a "conflict of interest" and this will nec- essarily be harmful as the councillor has declared, we leave for voters to decide. But the McLeans were not an anomaly. Politics and papers can and have been powerful and effective bed- fellows. LONG LIST Let's start, for example, with Joseph Addison (1672- 1719) back when newspapers began. Then there was Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809) who wrote The Rights of Man, through, say, to Jean Paul Marat during the French Revolution, along with Edmund Burke, and on to Sir Winston Churchill, who was a superb working journalist his entire life. The list is long, and goes on. Closer to today, we have no -less interesting writer/ reporter/editor-politician combinations rolled into the likes of Jimmy Breslin and Norman Mailer, who ran for public office in New York City, R6ne Levesque, or the CONTINUED on page 5. d„4, 1,41 v./ vli/ P1 n en eacKer.$ 4:yens NA/ail. NA/04 iff.`1;.i' 4C vYiq,� (ALLOT si torp a An*at e, neg gQQd tar i by.Tania 0.14 ...,_pre .11 no Ie o e w/u y t f wets re coq Ioi sty no Ai. N l % S :•t STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE - Tanya Costello of RR 1 Brucefield wrote this letter 'to the reporter' and to education minister Dave Johnson to give a kids' perspective on the strike. e $lOfor every burglar shot - not correct FROM THE PAGES OF THE HURON EXPOSITOR NOVEMBER 5, 1897 THE SPORTS - On Thursday evening of last week, a meeting for the pur- pose of reorganizing thc hockey club for the coming winter season was held in the Commercial hotel. There was a good attendance and all were enthusiastic. All the old players and some new blood will he out on the ice this winter, and the prospects are that we will have a strong team, and they will aim at the intermediate championship, with a good show of winning. The following officers were elected: Honorary president, W.O. Reid; honorary vice- president, A. Davidson; pres- ident, R.E. Jackson; 1st vice- president, W.H. Baker; 2nd Vice-president, W.E.A. Beat; secretary, J.A. Jackson; trea- surer, H. Ransford; captain, H.M. Jackson; committee, W. Hawkshaw, H.W. Cresswell, G.M. Baldwin. R.E. Jackson was appointed delegate to the OHA meeting. - The Collegiate Institute football team went to Berlin on Saturday last, to play with the school team of that town in the Hough cup series, and were successful by a score of two goals to none. It looks as though the Hough cup would grace the town for another season. Our Hough team is a ood one. - The Hurons and he Stars, of Dublin, played a friendly game on the recre- tion grounds on Monday afternoon. The game was a hot one, but the Hurons won by the narrow margin of one goal to none. OCTOBER 27, 1922 The Golfers - On Saturday, the 21st, the fine weather attracted large numhcrs of enthusiasts to the Golf Course when the semi-final and final of the Ladies' Handicap Competition for the Savauge Trophy were played. In the semi-final game Miss Peggy McTaggart, of Clinton, elimi- nated Miss Mary Habkirk, and in the finals Miss McTaggart defeated Miss Anna Bell after a well con- tested game. The winner who entered the competition at scratch, turned in the very fine score of 49 in the finals. The result of the day's play makes Miss McTaggart the holder of the Savauge Cup until next season, when it will be competed for again, Miss McTaggart defending her position as holder of the Cup. There are a number of players developing splendid form, which promises some highly entertaining contests for next season between lady contestants. NOVEMBER 7,1947 60 -YEAR-OLD RUMOUR HEARD AGAIN - A short story in a recent issue of the Toronto Star, and which had been taken from the Sixty Years Ago column of the Hamilton Spectator, recalled an episode in Seaforth's his- tory which at the time caused much indignation in Seaforth and apparently much amuse- ment throughout the Province. The Star story said: "Owing to the prevalence of burglars in Seaforth, the town council has passed a resolution to the following effect: 'That the constable receive $10 per head for each burglar he shoots.' " It all arose from a meeting of the council of that time, especially called to deal with a series of robberies which had been committed in the town. That the story carried by various provincial papers was without fact was stressed by The Expositor of October 28, 1887, which in that issue said: "Not Correct: Several of the papers have recently been having lots of fun at the expense of the Seaforth town council on account of a reso- lution, which was said to have been passed by the council offering a bonus of $10 for each burglar the con- stable could shoot. We always had the idea that the Seaforth town council is composed of sensible busi- ness men, and we had our doubts if any such foolish resolution had been passed, even in jest, and a scrutiny of the minutes confirmed our doubts, as no such resolution or one that could he twisted into meaning anything of the kind was ever even proposed. The rumour may have origi- nated from a resolution authorizing the purchase of it revolver for thc use of the policeman, which is a quite proper proceeding, and so far as we can sec affords no grounds for ridicule." NOVEMBER 9, 1972 Seaforth Police Chief Gordon Hulley has tendered his resignation effective December 31, of this year. Chief Hulley who has headed the Seaforth force for nearly 10 years, since early 1963, said Wednesday he had no firm plans for the future. While several possibilities existed, he said he would be in no hurry to make a deci- sion. He gave no indication as to what prompted his deci- sion to resign. +«« Reeve Elgin Thompson will seek re-election he told Tuckersmith council at the close of the November meet- ing in Huron Centennial School at Brucefield early Wednesday morning. A veteran of 16 years on council he has been reeve for II years.