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Lakeshore Advance, 2013-02-20, Page 44 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesda 20, 2013 opinion www. lakeshoreadvance.com epee Ailvanco PUBLISHED WEEKLY P.O.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iakeshore.advanceesunmedia.ca SUN MEDIA A Que a oe Media company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher/Advertising Manager nelI.clittordOsunmedla.ca LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY Editor IakoshoreadvancetVsunmodia.ca MARK STEPHEN Advertising Sales mark.stophont. sunmedla.ca JULIE HARRISON Typesetting/Classlhods lakoshore.ads•cosunmodla.ca www.lakeshoreadvance.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES ADVANCE: Regular $42,00 (40 00, 2.00 UST) Online subscriptions available—same rates Publications Mall Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO LAKESHORE ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RO.Box 1195 58 Ontario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM 1 TO For any non deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519.238.5383 e • mall: Lakeshore. advancemsunmedia. ca Changes o1 address, orders for subscriptions, and undeliverable copies (rehttn postage guaranteed) are to be Bent to t Maohont Advance al the address Indicated here, Advertise$ le accepted on the condition that In the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable allowance tot signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertise- ment will be paid M the applicable rates. We acknowledge the financial support of the Cover nment of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund ((:1'1) for our puhhshlnµ ncttvltIe�. Canad!i ApCnaManta Now4P4 4 lla amt, en ComUw 0wty Nrnvsrxiper Aaixalxxr and tin pidwrq Community Newgapaa imoriation editorial Wynne must remember Ontarians didn't elect her 0 mulct's new handoff premier, Kathleen Wynne, has moved with remarkable speed to consolidate her power and get the scandal -plagued Liberal government hack to work. 111 the 20 days since she won the Grit leadership, Wynne has formed a cabinet, begun talking to teachers' unions still smarting from govern- ment -imposed wage freezes and made a nominal overture to rural areas feeling alienated by the liber- als by taking on the added Job of agriculture minister. Next 'Iltesday, Wynne will recall the legislature that Dalton McGuinty abruptly shut down last fall as he announced he Would (depart as premier. Some early optics of Wynne's hurry -up approach are troublesome. Adding five seats to her rookie cab- inet -- an astonishing 27 of 51 Liber- als are in it — is excessive for a cash- strapped, minority government needing to lead by example. Making herself agriculture minister tells that complex industry its needs can he managed on Wynne's lunch breaks. But the toughest task facing Wynne — who insists Ontarians don't Want an election — will lw to put her own stamp on government without 0 voter mandate to do so, a challenge fraught with risks of tripping. In that, she might find instructive what's happened during the past year with two other handoff pre- miers, in British Columbia and Alberta. In B.C., poster child for what not to (1o, Liberal Christy Clark has been at the helm nearly two years without calling an election. She's also kept her legislature dark, preferring to connect with voters directly. 'Ihe assembly resumed Monday for the first time in eight months. Polls show (lark going clown like flaming sam- buca in a fixed -date May election. in Alberta, on the other hand, Ali- son Redford wasted no time going to voters. She won a slightly reduced majority last March only five months after taking the handoff as premier. Now, facing a $(i -billion budget shortfall, that's only strengthened the Tory premier's hand to deal firmly with energy policies and tough medicine needed to whip Alberta's red ink. Speed can be good in politics, especially for a new premier; but unelected leaders need to remember voters ultimately run the stopwatch. Greg Van 'Morsel, QM/ Agency letters to the editor Experience and support Sunset.Cinema Dear editor: On behalf of the volunteers who organize Sunset Cinema and those who enjoy the monthly movies I would like to thank the Municipality of I.ambton Shores and The Grand Bend Community l lealth (;entre for their continued support. A recent grant of $40(1 from the Municipality will enable us to purchase the required annual Performance Licence. We are a small organization with a row- ing audience of film enthusiasts and take pride in providing first rate entertainment close to home. The accessibility of the Com- munity Room at the I lealth Centre enables everyone to enjoy an evening out no matter their age or level of mobility. Movies are shown on the first Thursday of the month, October through May, start- ing at 7.30 p.m. and admission is free. 'ihe February show is "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen", a comedy and film festival favour- ite. For future film information look on the notice board at the post office, the T.D. Bank, Grandpa Iimmie's and The Port Franks Community Centre. We also feature in "What's I lappening" in this newspaper. So come out and support Sunset Cinema, your movie experience in Grand Bend! Dinah Taylor LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Lakeshore Advance welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include the writer's full name, address, daytime phone number and signature (for verification. Anonymous letters will not be published. We reserve the right to edit all editorial submissions including letters for clarification, style and length. Letters must he signed and he in good taste 00(1 follow the laws of libel and slander. Column Susan Hundermark, QMI Agency Threatening letter sent to Ontario media Generally speaking, if a letter lands on my desk that is unsigned and lacks a return address, 1 ignore it. If the writer doesn't have the courage to stand up for his or her convic- tions with a signature and address, the letter will not be published. 1 lowever, when the letter has a tone that seems threatening to the communis t becomes another kettle of fish. 'Ihe l luron Expositor, and other local papers in the region, received an anonymous letter last week giving notice to all farmers and cus- tom farthing operators that "any field that has an industrial wind turbine will be subject to having foreign materials placed in the crops which will result in very serious damage to any harvesting equipment.it is signed, "Regards, Your neighbors." Now, at first glance, this letter could be inter- preted as a warning of possible faulty work- manship on an industrial wind turbine that could result in a malfunction with parts falling into the field. But, the lack of identification of the letter writer and the fact that "any field" is in bold print makes the sentence -long declara- tion 0 bit more menacing and an important piece of information to share with anyone who could be affected in the community. Conflict, between those who want to build industrial wind farms and those neighbours who are afraid of the possible affect IWTs will have on their families, has been ongoing for at least three years now in the region. While anti -wind groups that have sprung up wherever a wind project has been proposed have been well -organized and persistent (much to the exasperation of wind companies, some local politicians and municipal staff), they have, in my observation, followed the rules and kept the peace while exercising their democratic rights. And, from the reaction of a number of 1 representatives from those groups to the a ymous letter in a story In this week's paper, it sounds like that's not likely to change. Mem- hers asked gave a resounding condemnation of any threats to those with IW I's on their land. One of the extremely unfortunate results of the push to green energy in Ontario has been the dissolution of the cohesiveness of the rural community. Neighbours who have spent a life- time celebrating each other's family milestones and supporting each other during difficult times are now, in some cases, not speaking to each other anymore after ending up on oppo- site sides of the industrial wind turbine debate. On one side, farmers are adamant that they're being environmentally -conscious while benefiting from some extra income during tough economic times. On the other, farm fam- ilies are concerned that they will experience the negative health effects that have forced some rural neighbours front their homes and livelihoods. It's 0 difficult situation and letters like the one this pauper received last week do not help anyone's cause.