The Goderich Signal-Star, 1982-04-14, Page 4PAGE 4 —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY,APRIL 14,1982
d
CLAVE
SYKES
- =0.z4
cre
r --
Pardon my indifferent and acrimonious
attitude but initially I found the seizure of
the Falkland Islands by the Argentinians a
rather humorous scenario.
The events, as they unfolded on the tiny
islands last week, would provide ideal
material for a Hollywood motion picture or,
at the least, a blockbuster of a novel. All the
ingredients are there and directors and
novelists hardly' need, to add a touch of
adventure, humor or fiction.
Without embellishing the story by one
paragraph, all necessary interesting and
provocative bits are contained in real life
drama.
Admittedly, the actions leading to the
seizure were not the least bit humorous for
the people involved, namely the Argen-
tinians (17 of whom were killed in the raid),
the inhabitants of the island and the British.
The aggression displayed by the Argen-
tinians has drawn the condemnation of other
nations around the world and the threat of
drastic action, from Britain.
Just imagine the scene at a British port
city as thousands of teary-eyed Britons,
hysterically waving flags, provide the
sentimental send-off to the troops as they
head off to the tiny islands to defend their
country's honor. It was like a scene out of a ,
WW Imovie.
But, according to intelligence sources, the
British government was informed of the
precisely planned invasion at least a week
before. But, alas, the troops weren't notified
or rallied at the prospect of Argentina in-
vading the Falkland Islands.
The story is different now, however, and
Britain, as if representing the last vestige of
democaracy in the world is off to do battle
with the tyranical dictators off the coast of
South America. With a stiff upper lip, the
boys, bouyed by the presence of Prince
Andrew, sailed off to preseve crown land
and British integrity.
The thousands who cheered the members
of the royal navy as it embarked on a two-
week cruise to the islands, probably had
little knowledge that their saviours, and
their hopes, were sailing in boats that would
have been in the junkyard somewhere in a
matter of days. Unoretuneatly, this nasty
business of impending war cropped up and
Britain had to abandon plans to scrap to
most of the outdated ships.
The once proud armada is now little more
thansailing scrap or junk, but the British
hopes rest heavily upon those outdated
warriors of the sea.
Both nations have had a stake in the
islands over the centuries but Britain is now
claiming squatters, rights, having legitimate
claims to peaceful habitation of the
Falklands for over 125 years, The islands
were once in the possession of the Spanish
and Argentina is simply hanging to a
threadbare claim on its behalf.
Despite the fact that Britain has sent
outdated machinery to battle including two
luxury liners, the Argentinians have little
defence to counteract the offensive. Britain
is prepared to "blow them out of the water"
if need be to bring the 1,800 people and
thousands of sheep of the Falklands back
into the safety of the commonwealth fold:
When reducedto simple terms there is a
hint of humor in the scenario but 'tt is
ironically pathetic than many of the sailgrs
headed for the Falklands, Dace unem-
ployment when the "war" is cover and they
return home. And what about the pathetic
Canadian fellow , who was so paranoid
about being a casualty of World War III,
that he moved his family to the islands a few
months ago. The .Falklands, he deduced,
was the onlY sanctuary left in the world to.
escape the ravages of a third world war.
You can't take anything for granted
anymore.
BLUE
RIBBON
AWARD
1979
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Retirement optional
Should people be forced to retire if they still have much
to contribute to the work force?
It's a contentious issue that is difficult to resolve and
may, for that matter, never be resolved. There's no
denying that senior citizens have a lot to offer' society in ,
terms of skills and a wealth of experience. 4 •
Many workers at forced , or at least urged, to retire. at a'
specific age regardless ,of their wants or needs. Those who •
'have no interests beyond their jobs often deteriorate in
retirement.
Others have worked and contributed well beyond the
age of retirement or found hobbies that have turned into.
profitable part-time jobs. For some, work has always
been'their life and the prospect of an idle, life is less, than'
appealing. ..
There will always be a certain affluent segment content
to spend their senior years enjoying travel and other in-
terests. Some can't afford that option.
The chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights
Commission wants. to abandon mandatory retirement
laws. Federal human .rights legislation permits forcible
retirement at the so-called normal' age and the Supreme
Court of Canada has ruled that ability and pge should be
the determining factor.
Gordon Fairweather believes the legislation is unfair
and contrary to the spirit of human rights legislation in
Canada. ,
The commissioner has a valid point and Canadians
should not be party to legislation that demands retirement
of any individual. If a senior can function in the work-
place, then retirement should be a personal matter bet-
ween
etween the employee and employer.
Surely that, stand. will provoke debate on the basis
mandatory retirement' would create job openings, for
younger people who are supporting families and unable to
secure employment. There is merit in that argument as
well but Canada's papulation is aging and forced
retirement would leave gaping holes in many areas.of the
employment market.
The laws permit forcible retirement but hopefully that
law is not exercised in every case. ' Many elderly gen-
tlemen have served the Canadian people in the Senate and
House of . Commons and performed their tasks most ad-
mirably.
The same practice should apply to the entire labor force
in Canada. Some laws must be flexible.'D.S.
Levesque appeal .denied
Quebec Premier Rene Levesque may at some in the
future try to pull the province out of Confederation but a
recent ruling by the appeals court of Quebec dictatesthe
premier would not be acting within the law.
Last week the Quebec appeals court ruled unanimously
that Quebec does not have a veto over any constitutional
changes. So, while the province of Quebec may not grant
consent to constitutional changes, it does not make it
invalid.
Levesque would like the constitution declared illegal
because it does not recognize Quebec's right to veto. The
province asked the five judges if consent was required for
the passing of amendments relating to provincial power.
The judges . delivered a unanimous `no' response_ Three
weeks after arguments had been presented by the
province and federal government. •
There is no doubt Levesque will want to appeal the
decision to the supreme court of Canada. But whether or
not the decision will get Quebec back to the bargaining
table is another matter.
The federal government and nine provinces signed an
agreement on the new constitution last November, but
Quebec held out and launched its appeal in December.
Levesque made a last ditch effort to stall to postpone the
new constitution claiming that all provinces had to give
consent to the change in the British North America Act.
The supreme court of Canada has already ruled on the
legality of the constitution and even though Quebec may
appeal the decision rendered by the appeals court ,of
-Quebec, the province is not likely te get a -sympathetic ear
elsewhere.
The constitution will be delivered by the Queen later this
month and that issue will be put aside for a while anyway.
Just where does that leave Quebecers and their quest
for separation from Canada. Considering that the Parti
Quebecois ,lost two more by-elections last week, it is
doubtful the party could pursuade the electorate that the
province can go it alone.
Hydro bashing unfair
The following . is a comment by anchorman Peter
Trueman on a recent edition -of Global Television News
and published in Hydroscope, March 12, 1982:
"Since 1906 when Ontario Hydro was founded by Sir
Adam Beck, it has broken new ground -for public utilities
throughout the civilized world.
It continues to provide Ontario residents. with some of
the cheapest electricity in North America. Power costs
$37 per 1,000 kW in Ontario compared with $122 in New
'York or $88 in Charlottetown.
Yet, as far as the Ontario media is concerned; Hydro, as
it's known, can do nothing right.
Ralph Nader, the American consumer advocate, blew
into the province this week and immediately went on a
rampage. ' • •
He said that Hydro's proposal for exporting power from
coal-fired generators to the United States would Un-
dermine Canadian credibility in the acid rain campaign"
He chose to ignore Hydro's solemn promise that, with or
without the U.S., it would reduce the 1980 level, of
emissions by half by 1990.
I can't think of another utility or corporate polluter on
either side of the border who has made such a promise and
I have no reason to suppose Hydro won't honour it.
While Nader was waltzing around unchallenged, an
American technical magazine, Nucleonics Week, rated
the performance of 130, of the world's 'major nuclear
reactors and gave Ontario Hydro's plants top billing for
reliability and safety.
If Hydro was expecting pats oh the back it overlooked
'the Canadian penchant for savaging the home grown
product.
The most banal reaction came from a Toronto-based
environmental group, Pollution Probe.
A Probe spokesman suggested that Hydro's clean
record was not reassuring, but alarming! "The most
accident prone plants", he told Global News, "Plants that
have had the most spectacular accidents, in general, are
the ones that were perfectly reliable. Three Mile Island
was a leader in the States for reliability".
.Well I won't attempt to analyze the tw.lsted reasoning
that leads to that conclusion. Suffice it to say that as a
piece of logic it is preposterous.
The pressure groups have mounted horror campaigns
against both coal-fired generators and the nuclear
variety. For obvious reasons, they don't support oil ether.
So the effect of what they are asking is Ontario Hydro
produce less power or create new rivers. There aren't any
other choices.
It's not Ontario Hydro's credibility that should have
suffered here this week - it's everyone else's."
Theold court house 1908
DEAR READERS
SHIRLEY KELLER
When I was a child, there was a fun song
making. the rounds entitled "I'm My Own
.Grandpa". Remember it?
I enjoyed that ditty because it was so totally
ridiculous.
But things are getting muchmore muddled up
now. Anything could happen - and I'm certain
will happen in years to come.
With sexual unions between men and women
becoming so, relaxed and having the blessing of
society in general, the usual family blood lines
are bound to get out of whack.
Those prized purebred strains will be seriously
lacking in years to come. Only a few will be able
to claim the full clan rights that used to make
people proud and secure. "
Aside from the moral issues entirely, the new
family relationships of themodern day are
confusing to say the least. A friend of Mine told
me of her refrigerator -door which bears the
school- drawing of her young son - mommy
ith one surname; daddy with another sur -
n e; and he and his sister with yet another
surname.
This morning, I received word -from 1{ean
and Welfare of Canada that a new problem is
looming for families and children as a result of
our ever-changing life style. What is the true
identity of AID babies?
• For those of you like me who don't know what
an AID baby is, it is a child born by artificial
insemination of donor sperm.
The question being raised is this: Is an AID
child to be recognized as a legitimate child of the
mother and her consenting husband?
A report to Health and Welfare Minister
Monique Begin was prepared by the Advisory
Committee . on the Storage and Utilization of
Human Sperm. Now there's.something to make
your grandmother turn over in her grave.
The report points out that provincial laws
which govern such family matters, are unclear
as to the legitimacy of an AID child, even when
the husband has consented to the whole
procedure.
In some jurisdictions, a doctor who knowingly
delivers an AID baby could possibly be charged •
with giving false information on a birth cer-
tificate if he or 'she entered the name of the
mother's husband as the father.
The British Columbia Royal Commission on
Family and Children's Law Reform and the Law
Reform Commission of Saskatchewan have
already suggested changes in the laws affecting
AID children.
Those specific suggestions were not detailed in
the release from Ottawa.
One suggestion may have been that records be
kept of the identification of the donors so that
children seeking their refill identity would have.
some clearcut, accurate' information to draw
from when they become of age.
What do you think? Do you think children
should have the right to know exactly who. they
are? What their roots are?
As one who was adopted as an infant and who
on each birthday wonders whether my teal
mother and father are still alive and thinking of
ine on at'date;"I can teti-you that children do- .
wonder about who they really are.
And somehow I think it is barbaric and un-
constitutional to keep that information •from
those who burn with the desire to know. •
Speaking personally again, I wonder once a
year or so - but it isn't a passion with me. If I
could discover my true identity, I might be
reluctant to dig deeper:
• But others I know who have been adopted are
obsessed with the search. They need to know
exactly who are their natural parents or they
think they will go mad.
The Ottawarelease says AID donors do not
wish' to be identified to children seeking
knowledge of their biological roots - or to
mothers who might ,press a paternity suit for
support. And I can understand their viewpoint.
From their p Rion, I suppose, they feel they
do enough tppovide the opportunity for a
childless couple to have a baby. That's a service
of sorts for which they don't wish to have any
future responsibility.
And yet, it isn't quite as, simple as selling a •
stamp or fixing a toilet. There's a whole lotmore
to it when God's.. natural order of things gets
`twisted up = when you're dealing in human lives
and emotions. . •
The Anglican Church and the Catholic Church
are on record as opposing AID because they feel
it violates the exclusive unionbetween husband
and wife. They say it is a breach of the marriage
contract.
But the report asks this; penetrating question:
Do these -positions truly, reflect what happens to
the structure of a marriage relationship when a
couple turns to AID to bring a child into their
marriage and transform their marriage into a
family?
And there' are other questions such as who
should be eligible for AID? Who should be
recruited as donors? Should the child born of
AID be told of his origins?
. yousial._t_tlain tthils.kind of_th'ing_is.anything
to,,,,get excited about, consider the fact that, by
1979; at least 1500 births had followed treament of
women in Canada by artificial insemination
from donors.
Demand for the services is growing and there
are now some 18 university -based clinics
providing counselling and treatment.
With such progress (if indeed you call it
progress) come all kinds of new headaches.
Many decisions must be reached that confound
those of us who are less adventuresome.
I might opt to discontinue the AID services
entirely. But I am only one voice in a world that
has different values and idealsthan mine.
It's a problem that must be faced by each of us,
because we will need to live with the results of
those decisions. So will future generations.
' I fear we will need more wisdom than we can
draw on today to avoid chaos tomorrow.
Goderich will participate in program in 1982
Dear Editor:
Katimavik, the national
volunteer youth' program,
has received applications
from the area for projects
starting July 14, 1982.
For the following nine
months, three successive
groups of twenty-two young
Canadians from 17 to 21 will
spend three months each
offering their enthusiasm
and work to local non-profit
groups and organizations in
your community.
In the Goderich area the
Town of Goderich has ap-
plied for a group of par-
ticipants to help in a wide
variety of work projects
associated with the proposed
LETTERS
waterfront development.
Through the town's ap-
plications the Robertson
School and ARC Industries
have also applied for
Katimavik participants.
The Huron Historic Jail
and the Huron County
Museum have also a both
applied for a group of par-
ticipa is to help in tire
restoration of the Jail's walls
and various other tasks in
the County Museum.
Katimavik and Goderich
are already involved in a
very successful project that
will end in June of 1982.
Katimavik's objectives
are: To serve Canadian
Communities through
projects such as those
described above. These
projects, are composed' -of
work that normally wouldn't
be undertaken for • lack of
funds and is of benefit to the
Community and will not be
replacing any salaried
personnel.
-To aid in the personal
development of the par-
ticipants by providing good
work projects and having
them live a simple lifestyle
with other young Canadians.
To encourage en-
vironmental awareness by
practicing a conserver
lifestyle and learning fir-
sthand 'aboutthe en-
vironment and appropriate
technologies.
To provide the par-
ticipants the opportunities
for a greater understanding
of the country through
travel, learning the second
language, billeting with local
residents and participating
in community activities.
The non-profit
organizations that wish to
sponsor a project in your
community, have agreed to
provide all the necessary
materials, tools and
supervision to accomplish
the work projects:
'Katimavik will provide the
volunteer participants with
food, ' lodging, household
costs and personal expenses
as well as a full-time adult
group leader who will live
with the group and ensure
smooth operation to the
program.
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