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Times-Advocate, 1983-09-07, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, September 7, 1983 Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 APVtip dvocate Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited IORNE ESDY Pu blisher JIM BECKFTT Advertising Manager BIII BATTEN Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager ROSS HAUGH Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 235-1331 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $21.00 Per year; U.S.A. $56.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'ABC' There is a If businesses treated employees the way many union leaders treat their members, governments • across the country would be up in arms, and with good reason. Consider what's happening: In Quebec, 3,000 of 9,000 textile workers rejected a leadership -approved deal to end a strike. The method used to decide this crucial issue? A show of hands. There's little wonder, then, that union president Gilles Gauthier was quoted as saying "democracy did not play a great role (in the vote.) " It boggles the mind to think that anyone could reasonably count hands among an unruly crowd of 3,000. What's worse, there is every indication that some of those in attendance were not members of the tex- tile union at all, yet apparently participated in the vote. As a result, Gauthier reverted to using a little com- mon sense, calling another vote, but this time using a secret ballot where every worker has the right to make a private and thoughtful decision. Across Canada, settlements between labor and management are either approved or rejected by a small minority of the union members affected. Union leaders claim apathetic members are at fault. But others argue that devices such as "show of hands" votes and one-sided leadership explantation of important issues have turned off so many individuals that a lot of members have given up hope that crucial meetings will, be run fairly and democratically. . Union leaders can be heavy-handed, sometimes more so than their big business counterparts. Follow - problem +CNA BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1980 BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1981 ing Roman Gralewicz's election as the president of the Seafarers International Union of Canada, for example, union trail committees sought and won membership suspensions from ten years to life against four members charged with various offences such as "refusing to obey a union officer" and "refusing to co- operate with a union representative." The four had supported Gralewicz's onnonent. The union members, whose sentences were later reduced, have been barred from working at their trade for periods of up to nine months, a heavy penalty indeed. Clearly, there is a problem when ordinary members do not feel comfortable when they par- ticipate in union affairs. But there is also a simple solution. Governments, who have never been shy about in- ' tervening in the private sector when they perceive pro- blems, should force all unions to hold secret member- ship ballots on basic issues such as wage settlements, strikes, election of leaders, increases in union dues and the like. What's more, these secret ballots should be held at the place of work. That way, every member would have a real oppor- tunity to become involved, and the silliness attached to accepted policies such as "show of hands" votes would end. Who knows, a heavy dos I of democracy in unions might even result in fewer strikes. It's worth considering. What is reasonable? A few months ago there was a great public outcry when it was announced that Liberal stalwart Donald McDonald was to be paid some handsome sum for con- ducting an investigation into the nation's economic woes. For some strange reason, a number of Canadians thought the $850 -per -day price tag for the work was a little on the steep side. Most of those same people will probably raise their eyebrows over news this week that lawyers involved in the royal commission investigation into the infant deaths at the Hospital for Sick Children are being limited to a fee of $130 per hour and further, can only claim a maximum of 56 hours a week. While that $7,280 per week would satisfy a great number of people, the list does not include the lawyers involved. They're attempting to get a more "reasonable" fee for services rendered. Those footing the bill will undoubtedly hope that they do, but it wouldn't represent the 'upward change the lawyers want. Pursant to the aforementioned rates, those heretofore named who wish to get more therefrom ap- pear to be unjustly ravenous at the puLlic trough whereas the rates herein provided should be deemed reasonable for whatsoever they do hereafter. Interesting, but nothing is proven Political pundits have been quick to point out that the victories by the Pro- gressive Conseratives in two federal byelections could seriously erode the leadership of both Prime Minister Trudeau and New Democratic head Ed Broadbent. However, those who use the outcome of byelections to predict the future of the winners of losers, fail to take igto account the historical nature of such mid-term votes or to consider some of the obvious facts associated with them. The win by Progressive Conservative leader Brain Mulroney in New Glasgow is little cause for jubilation. it was a safe bet from the outset, given the fact the Nova Scotia riding has been a Tory stronghold for numerous years and the electorate were not about to miss out on the opportunity associated with having a national party leader represent them. regardless of how short his stay with them may be. Historically, byelections have been us- ed by the voters in the few ridings involv- ed to slap the lingers of the government, whether that he at the federal or provin- cial level. Given the present popularity of the Liberals, there was every reason to assume that they would not win either contest. The showing of the NDP in the B.C. byelection, however, is a far different story. It was a riding they held going into the fray, and were given a fair chance to retain. Their loss is far more ominous than that of the Liberals, and by the same token, gives the PCs more reason for celebration than does the win in Nova Scotia. * • * * While both the Liberals and NDP will be reeling from the losses, the options available to the former are much greater than those which can be used by the NDP to turn things around prior to the next general election. Both parties, or course, haw_ the option of choosing new leaders to present a new facade and interest, but only to the point BATT'N AROUND with the editor of that being•approved by the two men presently at the helm. Failing that, the Liberals have the greater opportunity to determine their own fate. They control the purse strings and more than one election in this coun- try has been won by a government which has fostered its sagging popularity through some lavish vote -getting pro- grams prior to an election. Joe Clark and John Crosbie can attest to the fact that voters can be swayed by one policy decision. They also have first- hand knowledge as to the benefits enjoyed by the party which holds the trump cards and can pick and choose the timing of an election and to an extent the major issues in that election. A cursory look at winning political regimes would tend to show that they spend the first three-quarters of their term in governing to meet the needs of the country (or province) and the final quarter in governing to meet the party's needs in the upcorr, ing election. If Conser- vatives need some reinforcement as to how successful governments can milk that system, they need look no further than their own party's success in Ontario. • * * * * So, while the Liberals and NDP may be looking at their leadership situation over the next few weeks and months as they at- tempt to regain some popularity, the PCs must recognize that their own leadership will be under some scrutiny as well. Brian Mulroney has now proven that he can win a seat in parliament, but he has yet to show his colors in the cut and thrust mania in which MPs operate on a daily basis. There's little doubt that the other two parties will be out to wipe the Cheshire cat grin off his face at every possible opportunity. Ilowever, the real test of Mulroney's chance to win the next election is un- doubtedly based on how he fares in mustering support for the PCs in Quebec, The Quebec ridings have traditionally carried the Liberals to power and Mulroney must undermine that bloc if he has any hope of becoming the next prime minister. One of the interesting sidelights to the situation is the question of residency. Mulroney was obviously able to overcome the problem of being parachuted into a safe Conservative riding in Nova Scotia, but there may be some legitimate ques- tion as to how well the Nova Scotia MP will now do in attempting to win support in the less friendly (to PCs) territory of Quebec. if he needs some evidence of how tough that task may be, all he has to do is survey the size of the federal government che- ques heading into that province. There are still areas in this country where the man who pays that piper still has some reasonable expectation of call- ing the tune. The great camping Canada has almost as many square miles of parks as it has of parking lots. I am r.3t against this. I love parks and I hate parking lots (somebody got me in one the other day to the tune of a busted fender, anonymous, of course.) We have huge national parks, full of mountains and stuff that nobody ever goes near, except a few hardy outdoors weirdos. They're too rough for us ordinary human beans. Then we come down the manageable parks, like Algonquin, where you can canoe and make bonfires, and your chances of death are much less from wolves and bears than they are from stepping on a broken beer bottle. Then we have parkettes, where you can go and bake in the sun and watch your kids trying to break a leg on one of the Star Trek clir.bing machines or the unbalanced teeter- totters. All of this is, of course, leading somewhere. it is leadingdirectly to The Great amping Trip in the Park. We had our grandboys for two weeks this sum- mer. It was great. They are a little smarter, and they scarcely break anything any more that is carefully hidden away. They don't even fight any more. Well, only when there is an issue at stake and one of them wants to kill the other with a large stick. But it was very restful, compared with other sum- mers. Last year. the total damage was about $400. This year it was only about $130, This was somewhat offset financial- ly, by the fact that the food bill soaredastronomically. Each of them eats more than my wife and I put together. , Fortunately, they were enrolled in an excellent day camp (guess who paid the fees) and all that was required was to rout them out of bed, make them put on some semblance of de - Sugar and Spice Dispensed By Smiley cent clothes from the warehouse they im- mediately turned their room into, get their breakfast. make their lunch, have a good dinner ready when they go' home from camp, and try to maneuvre them into bed by midnight. Nothing to it. Except washing all their clothes every Iwo days, finding their blasted shoes, which could be in the attic, a closet or the basement, and vacuuming the sand out of their sheets every day. We were rather blithely looking forward 10 taking them back to their mother after the two weeks, when we learned, with a slight shudder of horror. that their mother had manipulated their Uncle Hugh into taking them on a camping trip for a week. from our place. Hugh came up from the city the week before to have a "conference" with the grandboys about their wilderness experience. He was going to take them to an island. on an Indian Reserve. and they were going to live off the land, practically, right in the middle of the bush. He spent all Saturday morning making a list of essentials. The kids wat- ched cartoons on TV. Hugh had a dandy list. Raisins, peanuts sunflower seeds, and about 140 pounds of cann- ed stew, apples, bread, cutlery, pots, pans, plates, the whole business. It would have taken a coureur de bois canoe to carry the stuff. We held our mum. *Next Saturday he ap- peared all ready for the camping trip. There were only one or two things out of ,joint. It didn't bother the boys, who were all ex- cited about the camping trip. But it bothered me. It seems that I was to drive them to the ferry across to the island, about 15 mils. They had one sleeping bag among the three of them. The food hadn't been bought, nor the insect repellent.There were no cooking utensils or cutlery. There was one pup tent, suitable for one. Frenetically phoning friends, i located another tent that would sleep three, plus more sleeping bags. ft was still feasible. I haven't mentioned that Hugh had arrived for the camping trip with one arm in a sling. He'd fallen off his bike in the city and had to hit the emergency ward when he arrived here. Wrist broken or badly sprained. But spirits un - trip daunted. He was going to carry through. I went out in the car to pick up some food or something, and suddenly I had one of those brilliant ideas that hit a guy twice in a lifetime. No ideolgue. with one arm, wandering around in the bush. look- ing for a place to sleep. with two tuckered little guys, each carrying 80 pounds, losing the •faith rapidly. I went home and laid it on the line. "You're going to camp in Little Lake Park." I'd checked it out by this time. There were tent sites, running water, toilets, a barbecue, a great view of the lake, and swimming. Hugh, bless him, was going to go through with the original plans. But he put it to a vote, and the boys. bless them. said,. "Little Lake Park" whict. is almost in the middle of town. So they had a great camping trip. Set up their tents. got a fire going, and had three great days of summer. Gran, who had almost gone catatonic at the first proposal, dragg- ed up some pots and stuff. and we visited them i six blocks away only three times a day, bringing them only ice, food. char- coal. candles and a few other treats. Fourth day it rained. Wet tents, wet sleeping bags. Wet children. Mud. However, after we brought Gran down froth the roof, it sorted out. The sun came out, the sleeping bags went over the clothesline. the tents were spread out to dry, the kids clothes were packed. and undaunted llugh took them off of the bus to sleep at his place in the ci- ty, which is just one jump ahead of a leaking tent. A blight upon the whole During the Labour Day weekend we visited some friends in Detroit. Michigan. i niust say it is an education for a rural - small town family like ours to walk about the stores and streets of an American city. Come on now, you might say. It can't be too far dif- ferent from Toronto. They have their murders and violent crimes also. True, I suppose, but believe me, there's a con- siderable difference in the way of life in this city just south of the border. Along the freeways (of which there is absolutely no end) you see deserted gun conspicuously displayed in an open Perspectives By Syd Fletcher cars, all four wheels miss- ing. They've broken down and been stripped while their owner is gone. In the department store parking lot there was a security guard standing, a holster, very carefully scrutinizing every person who came into the area. I drove along one main street. Ml along both sides were buildings with bars decorating all the win- dows, and sliding bars for the doors at night. Many of the other buildings fiad broken windows and were painted with swear words and violent comments. Everywhere there seemed to be a process of decay going on. Later i learned from our host that that particular street was far from the worst in the city. To be fair, there are many parts of the c ity ' of Detroit which are being renewed, others which have beautiful homes and parks. 1t is unfortunate that the rotten parts are still there to cast a blight upon the whole city.