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Times Advocate, 1992-03-04, Page 17A • By Adrian Horn. TORONTO - With the House of Cdnmons agreement to accept a package for Constiw - nonal reform -only hours old, the man who en- gineered the deal came to speak to community newspaper editors, reporters, and publishers at their annual convention. Constitutional Affairs minister -Joe Clark, fooner:primc minister, and MP for Yellow- hendaeld the Ontario Community Newspaper Atirociation gathering at a Saturday morning Uuvlitfast that the agreement ratified at 10:3( p.m. the night before in Ottawa was "a very important step forward for us all". Clark spoke lightly of Itis task of finding a way to renew Canada's Constitution. He -said in the months since leaving his foreign affairs post -he has travelled the country and "sufferer' a range of indignities unusual even tor me". On a more serious note, Clark .said the next few weeks will be "absolutely crucial" for -the plan to unite the country under its Constitu- tion, but he said that this may also be the last chance the nation will get to put its house in -larder. = 4e so.said-the-solwio n may nee be asaidy - as:all tonight want. "This country was not made for tidy minds. It is not a .tidy country," said -Clark,-adding _that perfection was not possible ftxtthe Oonsti- :tution reform rmrrtmiuee, only a plan'hede- unity its last chance scribed as "balanced, broad, it's fair". He staid many government proposal were "rudely" put aside, and many others put in, but the plan is to include Quebec, the West, abo- riginal rights under one "social covenant". Natives will receive the right to self govern- ment, the senate will be elected, effective, and equally representative of Canadians. Interpro- vincial trade will also have to be more free of barriers. ` ilie propose that gibe a tiitry say j►es' a Quebec -.so Quebec can say yes' to ()aorta, said Clark. "This country was not made for. tidy minds. It is not a lidy country." Under the plan, Quebec would be granted distinct society status, but that distinction will be defined. English speaking communities within Quebec, however, -would be assured --tney:eoutd "grow with confidence", explained -=-= alit, as-wouid-Frertch speaking communities elsewhere in Canada. "I've had some moments of pessimism and doubt about this project, but we're a long way lielm'reaching home," he said, adding that suc- cess of reaching agreement on Constitutional reform was not guaranteed. Clark then apeke passionately about Canada as a nation, which now stands as the largest in the world "throg$h no fauld'of our own" and even said he was surprised how little most Ca- nadians know of their own local areas' histo- nes, let alone that of other regions. "Too few people know our own histones in our own parts, m our own towns...that has to change," 'find_ Clark, who stud community newspaperylhave a tele to-pby'in making the public more aware of the nation's past. Hut Clark again repeated•. that this round of Constitutional debate may be the last opportu- nity to prevent the breakup of the nation. "Our children can thank us for what we have �ttaept - or blame us for what we have broken," said Clark. All too often, he 'said, Canadians criticize themselves and express doubt in 'the country, even though "we are what the-worldwwns to become". Clark said the rest of the world sees Canadians as tolerant, educated, peaceful 'and -i prosperous. "t-tryeot•to-be an-atarnnst, "-said rk,'but "this is-ourdasechance" . • Clark received a standing ovation from the audience, something which one observer said was:tsreftom the normally jaded and cynical community press. Young offenders charged for break-in EXETER - The Exeter Police have laid charges in connection with a February 21 break and enter at the Exeter Curling Club reported last week. Stolen in the incident •wasa:quantity of alcohol. Charged are four youths from the Hensall and Dashwood area, say police, but their .names cannot be released under .the Young Oftend- ers'Act. This Sunday, police investigated a break-in at a house on Huron Street East. •An exterior door was damaged and entry was gained to the dwelling, but noticing has been found to be missing. Hub cap thefts are also beginning to concern policc..Two cars parked on Carling Street and Victoria Street West 'had their wheel covers stolen over the weekend. ownsiut sesouicenrennia lisbotne take o skates at Saturday AinflillacLean, a skater with the Exeter Figure Skating Club re- -turned from the recent H.O. M. E. competition in Ingersoll with on overall fourth place finish in the Ladies Preliminary Freesk- ate. She finished second in freeskate and eigth in '(figures. MacLean also won a gold medal in preliminary freeskate com- petition in Mooretown and a silver medal in isolated moves. This Sunday, MacLean will be part of her club's annual skat- ing carnival which starts at the South Huron Recreation Cen- tre at 2 p.m. Nintendo challengers excel in Hanover HANOVER - Four Exeter children have done well in the next round of video game cham- pionships sponsored by the province's Optimist Clubs. Optimist president Gerald Meurer reported Monday the Exeter contestants fared vest' well in the zone finals of the Op- timist Nintendo Challenge in Hanover on .the weekend in -which 32 children competed. Dustin Clarke placed first in the grade 3-4 class; Matthew Knox placed first in the grade 5- 6 class; and Stacey Davies and Zak Homuth both turned in per- formances better than they had done before in the grade K-2 class. "They had a good day too," said Meurer. "They scored bet- ter than they did in,the last com- petition." om- P ." The next round of the Ninten- do Challenge will take the com- petitors to Shakespeare in April. All competitors in the Ninten- do Challenge test their video game -skills using the . original version of the Super Mario Brothers game. Thelaraallies of .Don and Lenore Parsons at the left and Tom and Bev Prout at the right were winners in the largest families on skates at Saturday's Usborne Sesquicentennial skating party at the South Huron Rec Centre. More than 450 were in attendance. %Strolling on Ice was enjoyed by Jeremy ,Jertling at Satur- day's Usborne township Ses- quicentennial skating party. tWith him are his grandpar- 4 ants Bill and Fern Dougall. Prises for wearing the oldest skates at Saturday's Usborne Sesquicentennial old fash- ioned skating party were won ,by Andy DeBoer and Howard 1,�ohns. L3eBoer'S blades made in 1917 were strapped 10 his running shoes. Whew Selma centenntel coo4ofnnen Bob Down checks the results of Satur- -day s -old -fashioned skating party , with judges Laurie Shapton and Irene Haugh. ,/-4111011- A A MARCH BAKERY BUYS 1-S,OF'fli SPECIAL�ipp,�4 — ',COUNTRY BUNS... ■�iSPi`1dSu Tasty CMari A o aewo rit+tl a,p. OAtftlas PAS Oeu lere Try our deliaOus Veggie Bread Pizza • . r ureail, arxl Sretren re{der Bmaad & rioNs Bakery & CIMRN House trastatisi Gost+ouSt•ZA cH 'tangy Old White Coloured ..4.491b. Low Fat ': . AIOZZANE L LA.349 lb. 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