Loading...
Clinton News-Record, 1985-4-3, Page 4.T' Page, P.MIW i' gt 1R "REcoRD. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985 the Clinton tlowm.Record Bo published each Wodnosday a9 P.O. bus 39, Stanton. Ontario. Canada. NOM 11,91. Tole 481.3443. Subscription Rota; Canada -099.79 3t. Ctttaon - 314.78 per year Ct.S.A. foral9n - $33.00 par yoar et Bo reQtstorod as oocalnd Bass mail by Cho post ;files undue the permt9 number O89T.. Tho Nowo-Recced [Incorporated h 1924 tho Hunan flaws -Record, foundod Br, 9181. and Tho Canton News 2r;, teundad in 9863. Total prosy rens 3.YO D. Incorporating THE "MYTH STANDARD CONA 1. HOWARD AITKEN - Publisher SHELLEY McPHEE = Editor m,a GAIT IIAIST - Advertising Manager MARY ANN I IOLLENRECIC - Office Manager eA MEMBER Display advertising rates available on request. Ask for Rata Card No. 15 effective October 1, 1984. MEMBER KciIeidosCOPQ Easter message for today The Easter Message is a simple one. It emphasizes hope and faith, peace and the celebra- tion of life. Easter serves to remind us that despite mankind's mistakes and despite our faults, a lov- ing God is there to forgive us. While the events that surrounded the death of Christ, his resurrection from the grave and the religious aspects of the events may be faded by time - the basic message behind Easter is timeless. It's a time of Easter reminds us of better times to come, of promise and appreciation. awakening to awareness of our relationship with God and all of mankind. If only we can keep the dream alive. While people around the world celebrate the Easter season, United States President Ronald Reagan continues to advance his nuclear stronghold. His crusade amongst allied countries to support his Star Wars "research" plan is a direct threat to. peace. Reagan insists that the project would only investigate the possibility of space -based lasers or particle beams which would theoretically shoot down incoming Soviet missiles. Critics stress that "research" project will only act as a stepping stone towards the deploy- ment of the Star Wars plan. They further insist that the plan will only inspire the Soviets to match the technology, further fanning the flames of the arms race. Star Wars will not keep the peace. It will bring this world closer to the brink of nuclear disaster. With support from Canada and other allied countries, it will further segregate and separate the governments of the world. The Star Wars plan, research project or not, will potentially destroy the hope of any' future , negotiations between the world's superpowers. Defenders of Star Wars stress that it is nothing more than a defensive mechanism and in no way a move to escalate the arms race. It is doubtful that the Russians will see it that way. The road to peace is not through the creation of more powerful and more devastating nuclear arms. Lasting peace cannot be guaranteed through fear and intimidation. It cananot be created through bullying tactics, through the creation of more powerful and more devastating nuclear arms. Peace must continueto exist through painstaking negotiations with a mutual understanding the respect for mankind. . . At this Eastertime, let us pray for.peace and strive to ensure a lasting and meaningful ex- istance for all mankind. -Shelley McPhee Information for Ontario election To compile lists of eligible electors for On- tario's 33rd•general election, approximately 50,000 enumerators will conduct a door-to- door canvass between April 1 and April 4. Election day is May 2, 4,,..Returning Officers in, the Province's 125 electoral districts are authorized to appoint enumerators from lists that are submitted by political parties. ' Enumerators, working, in pairs and presenting formal identification, will visit each household to secure the names of ell quaffed electors residing there. Each qualified elector who is enumerated will receive form 301, an enumeration receipt listing the voter's name, electoral district' and poll number. It also indicates the loca- tion of the polling place. • The office of the Returning Officer will send cards to each household, notifying the recipients of those eligible electors who were enumerated and confirming the poll- ing place location. From the enumeration, a preliminary list Help available fo Dear Editor: On behalf of some of the concerned hockey Moms, I myself would like to reply to the write up in last weeks paper (March27). It looks like there are only three people who looked after minor hockey in Clinton. I have been in a lot of organizations, and have found out that if you don't ask, you don't get the help. I talked to several parents just off of one team, who had never been phoned to even have the chance to say yes or no. of electors is compiled for each polling clivi= sion-within the electoral district. Persons eligible to vote in this election must be 18 years of age on election day, a Canadian citizen or British subject at the time of voting, and a resident of Ontario for at least the 12 mdnths prior to election day. Enumerators will ask only questions relating to qualification requirements. No information is requested concerning an electors marital status or employment. Eligible electors . may choose • to register their initials in place of given names. They are not required to indicate Mr., Mrs., or Miss prefixes. The Election Act stipulates that enumerators must have free access to apartments and other multi -household buildings. Special enumeration notices (Form 302) will be issuedfor apartment buildings, specifying the dates and times of door-to-door visits, and also the times when the enumerators will be available at some location within the building to accept the . names of qualified electors. I'm not much of a hockey fan. That's not an easy admission to make. Afterail, we live-in a country that thrives on hockey. It's our national sport. It helps keep our local communities active in the winter. It provides sport, entertainment, friendly competition and irevenue. Canada and hockey go hand in hand. Still, I can take it or leave it. It's not always been this way with me, At one time I was a great NHL Saturday Night Hockey fan. There I'd be, glued to the televi- sion whenever the great Boston Buins played. Orr, Esposito, Cheevers, Sanderson, Cashman, Green I knew them all and followed their hockey careers with gusto. In public school I remember what great fun it was to spend an afternoon playing hockey on the outdoor ice rink. The pond, turned ice rink for winter, provided lots of entertainment. Too long hockey sticks and too short legs didn't deter me from digging for the puck and aiming for the net. The highlight of my hockey years came when Young Canada Week was held in Goderich. We girls would study all the teams, discuss the games and most impor- tantly, the boys. Simply put, we weren't too interested in hockey, we were just boy crazy. Somewhere along the line my hockey in- terest waned. It really had nothing to do with the game itself. The problem was all in my feet. I'm cursed with cold feet. No matter the temperature, my feet are always freezing. I'm usually able to remedy the problem with thick, fuzzy socks and a variety of foot ap- parel (depending on the season), but I can- not find any warmth when it comes to visiting the arena. If it wasn't for arenas, I'd really like r the asking I give these people credit for the work they have done, but don't criticise the people who might help if they were asked. A lot of parents figured these people en- joyed being at the arena and some figured it was a free ticket in. Doing it the way they did it this year, they might have trouble getting help for next year. Lots of Mothers have never refused and I am one of them. "Concerned Hockey Mom" Behind The Scenes The story was in the paper, awhile back that Bill Cosby's new television show has been renewed for another year, Darn, another year of feeling inadequate. I mean how can a guy stack up against a father like that? The character Cosby plays on the family comedy is the perfect father. Here is a man who has five kids, who has a busy career as a doctor yet never has to raise his voice to the kids. He always wins therm over to his point by eloquent conversa- tion or stand-up comedy routines that make them laugh so hard they just can't resist be- ing good. It's obvious he's done a perfect job raising his kids because they never get into long, screaming fights. All their fights are cute and, above all, quiet. Now I hate to even say this but compare this to our house. It is quiet about three hours a night between when the last child goes to sleep and the first one wakes up. The rest of the time it is filled with skirmishes and shifting alliances that would make a student of European political history shake his head in wonder. Except he wouldn't be able to hear himself think long enough to contemplate the complexity of family politics. Above all, it's noisy. Even when our four are getting along it's noisy. It's noisy when they wake up. It's noisy when they fight over the bathroom, when they fight over who gets the toaster first, when they go back to the bathroom again to brush their teeth, about who gets to go out the door first to catch the bus, about who gets to come in the door first when they arrive home from school, about lwho gets to watch what is on bout who does the dishes, about television, a By Keith Roulston By Shelley McPhee hockey. How enjoyable it would be to watch a playoff math in the comfort of a warm gymnasium, or see the hockey action at an outdoor . stadium on a warm summer's night So much for dreams, reality is about my cold feet. It doesn't matter how many pairs of socks, or what kind of boots I wear, my tender tootsies just don't take kindly to the cold. At hockey matches, by the end of the first period my feet feel like big blocks of solid ice. By the end of the second period I can no longer feel my feet. I look down to be sure they're still there, carefully wiggle my stiff toes and vigorously stamp my feet, hoping that I can keep the circulation going and amputation won't be necessary. By the third period, I'm in misery. The pain has set in and by this time I'm certain that my feet are truly frozen. Finally at the end of the game, I hobble for home. I'm not a happy person when my feet are frozen. I'm downright mean and miserable. I don't care about the game I'm watching. I curse the day I ever chose journalism for my career. I curse Canada for its cold weather and its national sport. And I -swear that my kids will never be allowed to play hockey. Frozen feet make me irrational. When my feet are warmed again and I'm thinking a little more sensibly, I have a greater tolerance for hockey. In fact, I rather like the sport and I certainly admire the parents, volunteers, coaches and arena workers who are able to forget about their cold feet for the sake of the kids.. What endurance, what devotion, what en- thusiam. Those volunteers and workers are at the arena night after night, game after game, to support the kids and their teams. Hockey is a vital service and the prime source of winter recreational entertainment in this area. From the Junior C Mustangs to the girls' and boys' mixed team .in Bayfield, from the enthusiastic minor hockey league in Clinton to the industrial action in Blyth - hockey is supported by people of all ages and interests. Like any volunteer service, hockey has its triumphs and its trials. In recent weeks Anne Narejko has been reporting on the 411 shaky future of the Mustangs. ,This week, she reports, that volunteers have been recruited to carry on the executive duties and efforts are being made to keep the club alive. For the Clinton Atoms, this week's sports report is filled with jubilation and success. The young hockey players won the WOAA ti- tle in Clinton on March 28 and now advancek to the Ontario finals this wee And at Blyth recently, the arena was filled with excitement and noisy enthusiasm as the Blyth Pee Wees took a huge win against Lucan to capture the Huron -Perth Area Hockey League trophy. The crowd roared their approval and the young boys trium- phantly showed off their awards. The enthusiasm and support shown for hockey throughout this area is truly im- pressive. As for cold feet, well, what's a lit- tle inconvenience + + + Another volunteer effort is the monthly newspaper collection, conducted by the Londesboro and Bayfield Lions Clubs. ink The Londesboro Lions will be in Clinton on Saturday morning to make the collection. Be sure to have your old newspapers bundl- ed and set out by the curb first thing in the morning. The Bayfield Lions will be out on their village routes the same day. who has to go to bed when, about the bathroom again and by then it's time for a couple of quick winks so they' get their energy back to fight all day tomorrow. And me? Do I respond by out -thinking my kids? Do I respond with delightful comedy routines? You bet I don't. Do 1 raise my voice? You bet I do. It isn't bad enough this father can make you feel inadequate in terms of family in- come. Imean how can my kids look up to me as a provider when there's the example of a family where a doctor is married to a lawyer. For that matter, how can a mar- riage stand up to that perfect union where they each share the housework without ever a conflict; where they are both supportive of each other's careers at all times. No, he's not only showing me up right left and centre on that but here's a father that can actually entertain eight friends of his five-year-old daughter at the same time. Now if my five-year-old daughter brings one friend over, my reaction is to put them in one room, lock myself in a room as far from them as possible and worry about putting the pieces back together once they'd finally tired each other out. But this man tells stories and bounces the kids on his knee, every single one of them, even the one shaped like a beachball. My father-in-law used to tell his kids when they were being bad, "Someday I hope you have a child just like you." I guess Bill Cosby is the revenge of the older generation. It must have been hard to be compared to the perfect family of Father Knows Best in the 1950's too. Now I know just how they felt. Lazy afternoon by James Friel gar and Spice Municipal politics IF YOU have never been involved in municipal politics, you should have a go. Run for anything from dogcatcher to mayor. If you lose, it will be good for your ego. If you win, it will be good for your humility. , I speak, as always, from personal experience•. For two years I served on a town council. It was illurhinating, if not very enlightening. I was elected, of course, by acclamation. As was everybody else on the council. So keen were the citizens to serve that some years, on nomination eve, we had to go down to the pub, drag a couple of characters out, and guide their hands while they signed up. When I was elected, I was present as a reporter. There were only five other people in the council chambers, so it was decided that I would be elected as the necessary sixth. Since I had already served on the executives of various moribund organizations which had died forthwith, I agreed. It didn't die, as I'd hoped. The next year we were all re-elected. By acclamation. It was pretty heady stuff, at first. As a partner in a printing plant, and a newspaperman, I was immediately appointed Chairman of the Printing, Advertising, and Public. Relatiohs Committee of council. This meant that our firm automatically received the contract for the town's printing and advertising, which we already had. The public relations part meant that I had to stop suggesting in the paper that the town council was made up of nitwits, nincompoops and nerds. Another chap, with a pretty good heating and plumbing business, was named Chairman of the Interior Municipal, Modification Committee. Heating and plumbing. A third, who had a tractor, a back -hoe and a snowplow, was appointed Chairman of the Public Works Department. He immediately By Bill Smiley introduced a bylaw raising the rates per hour of such equipment. It passed, four to two. The opposition was from another councillor, a retired farmer, who also had a tractor and a threshing -machine, which he thought could be converted to plowing snow. His brother-in-law voted with him. But these moments of power and glory soon faded. The conflict of interest became apparent, and there was no way ,out for a man of honor except to resign. It took me only two years to reach that conclusion. You may think that a fair time, but it's not easy to walk away from a $75.00 a year stipend: The mayor made $150.00. As a reporter, I had been more interested in the conflicts than the interests. I had delightedly heard, and printed, one councillor call another councillor a "gibbering old baboon." And watched the victim of the pejorative, a stripling of 78, invite the name -caller outside, stripping off his jacket luring the exchange. Cooler heads prevailed. It was 34 below outside. Well, as you can see, as a member of that august body, the Town Council, 1 couldn't print that sort of thing. I had to report that the two councillors "had a difference of opi- nion." When I wrote that phrase and had to omit that one of the councillors was obvious- ly in his cups, I knew I had to quit. All of this is a preamble to a thickish document I got in the Mail the other day. It is a bylaw printed and dispersed tat what enormous cost I shudder) by our local town council. There are 39 numbered pages of legal inanities, and about an equal number of pages of maps of the town, equally unintelligible. As I said, the mailman delivered It, regardless of expense. A doien kids could have covered the town in two hours, or stuffed them in the sewer. Despite my wide experience as a municipal councillor, or perhaps because of it, this bylaw completely baffles me. 1'ne tirst 13 pages are definitions. They tell us what is e lot, a yard (front) and a yard (rear), a garage, a building. They also inform the ignorant citizenry what a school is, a person, a restaurant, a motel, a boardinghouse. All alphabetically. There was no mention of "brothel" under the B's. The bylaw tells us how high our fences or hedges can be. It tells us how high metreso our houses can be. How many square f floor space we must have if we decide to ask Auntie Mabel, crippled with arthritis, to share our dwelling. How many parking places we need for each establishment. Again no mention of either brothels or bootleggers. For most of the document, the bylaw dwells in metres, squared and decimaled. I know very few people over 30 who would • know a metre from a maskinonge. Somebody ort council must have cornered the market on metre sticks. Then this baffling bylaw moves into "hectares". What the heck is a hectare? To me, it's an ancient French (Canadian) piece of land about as accurate as an acre, which nobody understands either. Here's an example: "RM2 uses are permitted as specified to a maximum of 550 persons per hectare." Is It a square mile? Is It a "Hi acre" wit' an accent? This is crazy. When I was a councillor, we could knock off three or four bylaws in a meeting, and everybody understood them. "Moved and seconded that there shall be no loitering in the cemetery, except by those who are among the dead, not the quick." That sort of thing. This big fat bylaw is for the birds. Or the lawyers. Not for us old municipal politicians. Remember what I suggested at the beginning of this column? Forget it. Otherwise you might end up in a "Detached dwelling unit", which allows "3.2 persons per unit standard," Not two. Not four. 3.2.