Times Advocate, 1989-11-08, Page 4Pace
Times -Advocate, November 8, 1989
Times Established 1871
Advocate Established 1881
Amalgamated 1924
Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S0
Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386.
Phone 519-235-1331
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P
ROSS HAUGH
Editor
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Curnposition Manager
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Publisher 8 Advertising Manager
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t 'Business Manager
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Pleasing no one
rime Minister Brian Mulron-
ey's, natural tendency for
compromise, honed during
his time as a lawyer mediating labour
disputes, has obviously influenced the
way he now acts as head of the govern-
ment of Canada. However, his govern-
ment's proposed legislation on abortion
has angered those on both sides ° of the
abortion debate.
Pro -choice advocates are upset because
abortion remains in the criminal code
and does not ensure equal access to the
procedure across the country. One
spokesperson said leaving the final au-
thority up to a doctor removes the wom-
an from the decision-making process.
The anti -abortionists are equally out-
raged. They say the legislation sanc-
tions abortion on demand, and gives the
fetus no protection.
The Law Society of Canada would like
to include a cut-off time after which
abortions could not be performed.
•
Even some federal Conservatives have
indicated that in a free vote they will re-
ject their government's legislation.
Abortion has been a controversial sub-
ject for quite some time. Until 1969, all
abortions were illegal unless a commit-
tee of three doctors decided a woman's
life was in danger. An amendment al-
lowed abortions if a woman's health
would be seriously affected by continu-
ing with a pregnancy.
In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada,
in a 5 to 2 decision, found that the abor-
tion law was in violation of the section
of the Charter of Rights guaranteeing se-
curity of person. Since then, the legality
or illegality of abortion has been in lim-
bo.
This proposed amendment does noth-
ing to -settle the issue. In trying to please
everybody, Mulroney has ended up
pleasing nobody.
Playing it tough
' speaker at the Huron County
Pork Producers s special meet-
ing in Londesboro on October
26 pointed out a problem for Canadians
trying 'to go head to head with Ameri-
cans in the search for markets.
Hog producers were discussing a new
$2 a hog levy to offset a possible new
U.S. duty which the Canadian producers
think will be disallowed but they don't
know for sure. But if the Americans lose
this case, the man said, they'll just dream
up another one to keep harassing Cana-
dian packers and producers until they
Yvonne Reynolds
decide it's too expensive to try to enter
the U.S. market.
With the various trade actions by the
Americans, Canadian producers have al-
ready spent huge amounts in recent
years to try to keep the market open.
This despite the fact American farmers
have just as many subsidies as Canadian
farmers. What Canadians are finding out
is that when dealing with aggressive
American businessmen, you can lose
even when you win.
The Citizen, Blyth
Hunters yes - "hunters" no
I'm not dead -set against hunt-
ing. If we go back far enough,
most of us arc descended from
hunting tribes. And many native
groups in Canada today certain-
ly need hunting -and trapping to
survive.
Hunting with dignity
There is something very digni-
fied about hunters who kill
game because they need the
meat for food, the hide for cloth-
ing, the bones for tools. Hunting
societies are one with nature.
They prey on other species to
survive, as wolves or hawks do.
There is also room far modem
hunters with modem weapons. I
think that properly regulated and
policed hunting does not harm
the environment or contribute to
the extinction of species. But do
we insist that our hunters re-
ceive adequat: c-' and
training? Ar ti, req. reu '
hours enough'! Arc -Ila
tiers sufficiently cnfo.c� i
ice' ti .it we need some addition-
al legislation.
I am not a hunter myself. The
idea of killing beautiful animals
is abhorrent to me. Yet I do not
favour the abolition of hunting. I
know that scientifically super-,
vised "culling" could have a
beneficial effect on wildlife pop-
; ulations.
I do, however, question the
motives of many hunters. They
may sc some of their game for
su,c
non-native hunters take to the
bush not for meat, but for the ad-
venture. For the thrill of staking
out, tracking down and killing
game. For the "sport" of it.
Roadside "hunters"
Among the worst are the peo-
ple I see near our house. They
don't even bother going into the
bush. They sit in the cab of their
pickup trucks, parked on the
side of the road, a loaded fore-
arm on the left, a canon of beer
on the right, waiting for a poor,
unsuspecting deer to cross their
path. Then ,they put stmt their
With: of beer, grab their rifle,
and fire away out of the win-
dow. This is hunting?
Shouldn't we have a law that
prohibits hunting from a public
roadway and hunting while un-
der the influence of alcohol?
Isn't it high time for our legisla-
tors to make a move?
Trophy "hunters"
I resent these "sportsmen" as
much as 1 resent the macho char-
acters who pay.$200 (for a non-
resident licence to eta hot at
a moose, o y to cut is eao`°
tie it as a trophy on the roof of
their car, and leave the carcass
to the wolves. I see too many of
these trophies strapped to the
top of cars and pickups, parked
in front of the local tavems.
There is no dignity in that kind
of hunting. These animal killers
demonstrate that they have no
respect for their prey and no re-
spect far the feelings of others
who find their behaviour sicken-
ing.
We teach our children to love
nature. How do you explain se-
vered, bloody moose heads to an
8 -year old who is taught to re-
spect all life? These trophy hunt-
ers are violating my sense of
propriety.
Time for legislation
I question the wisdom of al-
lowing such exhibitionism. The
Serving South Huron, North Middlesex
Si North Lambton Since 1873
Published by I.W. Eedy Publications limited
Lest we forget
Each November over 14 mil-
lion poppies bloom in Canada.
Dotting the lapels of half of Can-
ada's population, this symbol of
remembrance makes its annual
appearance as it has done every
year since 1926.
The Legion Poppy Campaign
raises money which is kept in
trust and used to assist needy
Canadian ex -service members
and their families. Veterans of
Commonwealth and allied coun-
tries may also qualify for assis-
tance through the poppy funds.
The poppy is a visible reminder
of the sacrifice made by some
114,000 men and women who
died while serving in Canada's
armed forces during the two
World Wars and the Korean con-
flict.
For each donation given during
the campaign, a visible symbol
of remembrance is provided, ei-
ther in the form of a single pop-
py, a wreath or a spray, or, in
the case of group donations, a
certificate.
During 1988 some $5 million
were distributed in accordance
with the general bylaws of the
Royal Canadian Legion.
Although everybody knows
what the poppy means, no one is
certain of how it all began; how
the poppy became so closely as-
sociated with remembrance of
the war dead.
The association was certainly
not new when the poppy was
adopted in Canada in 1921. At
least 110 years before that time,
a correspondent wrote of how
thickly poppies grew over the
graves of the dead. He was
speaking of the Napoleonic War
and its campaigns in Flanders.
A Canadian medical officer
was chiefly responsible for the
From the
editor's disk
by
oss Haugh
association of the poppy with
war dead during the First World
War.
He was John McCrae, a na-
tive of Guelph who was an artil-
lery veteran of the Boer War
and had the eye of a gunner, the
hand of a surgeon and the soul,
of a poet when he went into the
line at Ypres in 1915.
We are fortunate in this. area to
have very active and successful
branches of the Royal Canadian
Legion in Exeter, Lucan, Hen-
sall and Grand Bend.
The Royal Canadian Legion
maintains professional service
officers who are trained to in-
vestigate claims as well as to
prepare and present submis-
sions to the appropriate pension
board or commission. The Le-
gion also deals directly with the
federal government to ensure
that the •pensioners are fairly
treated, particularly in this time
of inflation. .
The Legion with}soome 1,800
branches across Canada and in
West Gennany and the United
States, is involved in each com-
munity in which it is located.
The Legionnaires support over
400 cadet corps in Canada and a
similar number of scout groups.
In amateur sports 8-17 hockey,
870 baseball and 713 softball
teams, as well as 500 track and
field clubs receive Legion assis-
tance. Almost 1,000 bursaries
are provided to further education
of those who need financial
help.
The elderly are provided for in
more than 100 communities
through senior citizens' housing
programs, meals on wheels, rec-
reational programs and help for
the sick and handicapped.
The Legion is a non-profit,
dues supported organization. It
receives no financial support
from outside agencies.
Getting back to the poppy
fund, when Legion members
like Murray Greene make their
rounds of Exeter streets this
week, be generous. Lest we for-
get.
Thought" of the Week: Closed
minds are curious things. While
nothing gets into them, the
strangest things come out.
Are you the photographer?
Reporters are nocturnal crea-
tures. While we might venture
out in daylight hours to gather
information, our best writing is
done in the dead of night.
In our office, we even have a
sign that reads "Sleep is for sis-
sies". After late-night council
meetings, we sit before our
glowing computer screens, curs-
ing our drooping eyelids - but
one glance at that sign brings us
back to reality and makes sure
those stories still make sense in
the morning before they go into
the paper.
The management of weekly
newspapers have long been.
aware of the habits of their re -
provincial authorities, who regu- " porters and thus, in the late
late hunting and who licence ,,9
`-IumttiV,'Mated -w iii P c- fill those otherwise idle daytime
hours: photography.
tice. It gives responsible bunters
a bad name. These Rambos
should be discouraged from
driving around trying to prove
their masculinity. How much
strength or skill does it take. to
flatten a moose with a powerful,
long-range firearm? The only
thing these people prove is that
they like killing, that they don't
give a hoot about the environ=
ment, and that they have no con-
cern for the feelings of others. It
is ti e e to this re-
vo ting • anc custom.
a sto
I'm sure they mean well, but
unless they have actually tried to
furiously gather all pertinent in-
formation at an event while si-
multaneously snapping a few
stunning photographs, few can
appreciate how difficult it really
is.
Newspaper photographers
look enviously at those all -in -
one snapshot cameras people
use to rhotograph their children,
ags
stuffed with equipment. Alas,
those little cameras don't have
lenses wide enough, or long
enough, for every photo. Their
built-in flashes won't light up an
entire hall, and they certainly
Hold that
thought...
By
Adrian Harte
can't capture a speeding hockey
player halfway across a dimly-lit
arena.
Of course, we don't need all
leave just one thing behind and
Murphy's law prevails - you
need it in the worst kind of way.
Weekly newspaper reporters
are fearless animals. We take
photographs no one else dares.
A grim example is getting a
group photo of a bunch of nur-
sery school children who are up
way past their bedtime.
One colleague described such
situations as "horror shows".
Out of 10 such toddlers, two
will wander away before the pic-
have a glazed, maniacal look in-
stead of a smile. Two will start
singing.
To parents, of course, this is
all very cute. To the photogra-
pher who goes through this sev-
eral times a week, it's a night-
mare come true.
I also love it when people ask
me "Are you the photographer?"
as I stand there juggling came-
ras, lens caps, flash cords and
rolls of film.
The trouble is, I really enjoy
photography. I've been serious
about it .for a decade now, but
after shooting five or -six rolls a
week at work, I don't want to
look at a camera in my spare
time. That's why, last summer. I
went on vacation without my
35 -millimetre equipment. In-
stead, I brought the bigger stuff
to bring back some "real" imag-
es of England.
What I forgot was that "real"
cameras weigh more than others
- a lot more. By the time I had
walked across half of London,
both my shoulders were numb
from the weight of the bag. I
began to hate photography. The
saddest part is that while I did
get some good pictures, 1 didn't
ture is taken. Three will neveLt gsllag„ltntP-.. :x-,
a 1 camera terve ill - Please turn to page 5