The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-03-02, Page 4•t ',HllStY
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AeltWeY; 'the final episode of the .,hit
television sitcom aired for two and a log
imiritgonday evening and if one attaches
aoy form of - credence to the Media,
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watch It wits a must in the history of .
an =Hoc
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was more mi .
sacred event
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.farewell one of the OreeteSt of television
shows Oetlihre4 thoroughly enjoyed iSleYed the
show but ;didn't watch It religous fer-
vor if
it happened to be I had the
television. e, then Watched.
•CNA.
BLUE
RIBBON
AWARD
1979
Second class
mail registration
number -0716
• r
SINCE 1$48
THE NEWS PORI FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT
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uoaevicti
,,tue
501"•1
Pa4919i. the Series, considering the
remalnlng unpalatable farad* continues
to grace OU. i. screens, but the show will be
inunortalized. and embellished In the
meinory. of all. The characters will always
be *Wes.
'fti enhance and augment the sen-
lellgthened: for *me;
reasons, The, show 104,4,
thechtillostsloievfinettht .91.4004101rcooan,ltyesia.11.4"thee._
wet Oar t'f' could do u
Within bali an hOu
off and e
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•
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FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICES please phone (519) 524-8331
Not worth the mone
R is more than ironic that a former Canadian finance
minister is earning in excess of $800 .a day to lead a royal
commission on the economy.
It sounds like the kind of dealthat a former minister
could only find in Canada. ,
It was certainly not unexpected, that 111, ,019se)01.
Donald 1Viaedonald's daily. sa1ry would ipark . con
• troversy -, heated debate and public outcry among
Canadians. If Canadians felt cheated, hurt and betrayed
by the news, they had every right to such feelings.
There is no surprise when Prime Minister Trudeau calls.
a Special inquiry into the state of the economy and its
future. And while there may not have been anything
surprising about Trudeau's choice of leadership, his price
tag, and the govenunent's willhigness to pay it, is
outrageous.
Macdonald is earning $800 a day as head of the royal
Commission that is to probe an ailing and sick ecOnomy.,
On that basis his annual salary is in excess of $200,000.
In the inflated world of professional sport, an athlete
earning $200,000 a year Would. be considered a marginal
player at best but then the public doesn't have to support
professional sport. It's a form of entertainment and
fortunately attendance is voluntary.
But the taxpayers of Canada are doling out the ludicrous
Salary of $800 a day for Macdonald without having a
choice or say ifl the matter. And it may be easy to
speculate now that. that investment will • pay little
dividends when Macdonald finally releases** expensive
reperktoftgevermnent. •
Trudeau hasstated that Macdonald is not receiving the
total amount of $800 a day; much of that daily pittance will
go to Macdonald's law firm as compensation for his
absence.
Regardless of Macdonald's earning power or 'potential
in the business world, the Canadian 'taxpayer •should not
have to pay more than a quarter of a million dollars for his
services on a royal commission. •
To add WS& to injury in the case, Macdonald told the
press and the poor unemployed souls of this country who
also contribute taxes, that he is worth more than the $800 a
day stipend offered by the government. He said the fee
Was a reasonable return on his services.
While the federal government may have every reason
and right to commission a royal inquiry in to the state and
future of the economy, there is no way that money should
be thrown away on the project. Paying Maconald $800 is a
waste of public funds. D.S.
COnnigirw tactics
As through to prove the fact that we are living through
confusing times, the at -the -pump price for gasoline has
ranged all the way from 19 to 42 cents a litre over the past
few weeks. Those who rushed to fill all available storage
containers at 28 cents a litre were disgusted to find they
had bought too soon.
It is obvious the price war is no petty vendetta between
service station operators. The big oil companies are
setting the prices, so the reasons for the wildly fluctuating
levels are more deepseated than mere rivalry. In fact
they spring from a serious over -supply of petroleum
products which is world-wide. Members of the OPEC
group are battling between themselves because they are
producing more oil than their customers can use.
The final point of confusion for most Canadians is why,
in the face of such over -supply, the government is doing
its best to keep the price of gasoline and heating oil sky
high.
There are no ready explanations, particularly from •
government. It does appear, however, that in their great
wisdom the government people accepted the advice of a
few experts and invested our funds very heavily in such
ventures as Dome Petroleum and Petro -Canada. Experts
and government alike misread the market trends a couple
of years ago, and theii,commitments cannot be revoked.
There isstill with us, the scary prophecy that by the end
of this decade we will again be scrambling for enough oil
to keep our motors running. Therefore, say the experts,
we must continue to pour our money into exploration and
development of new sources.
Listening to all the high-minded admonitions about
wrestling inflation to the ground and abiding by the six
and five formula of the federal government, one would
think the feds would welcome a chance to assure us of
lower gas prices.
But that would be too logieal for government mentality.
_Mount Forest Confederate
Parents forced to live in hell
Dear Editor,
• They say there is a place
where they keep giving you a
little bit of hope ... then
always snatch it away from
you again; and this place is
appropriately called 11ELL.
Mr. Frank Drea, our
"Honorable" Minister of
Community and Social
Services, his thoroughly
dishonored himself with the
announcement to close six
centres for the develop-
mentally handicapped in
Ontario. (Oirr neighboring
Bluewater Centre in
Goderich is one of them).
Mr. Drea states he "might"
still etange his mind ... he
certainly is forcing the
parents to live in this HELL.
Dr. Baker, one of the
Ministry's ,hatchetmen,
states "there is nothing
sinister about the closing of
the six centres." Unfor-
tunately, however, until
some specialized group
homes are established in the
community on a very large
scale, one must obviously
assume that the plan is in-
deed"sinister."
I can vividly remember a
heartbroken mother of a
Bluewater resident recently
pleading and beseeching Mr.
Drea's' representatives for
some answers. They could
only regurgitate the spiel
programmed into them by
their political master ...
while we forever hear new
variations 18 the old theme;
while these broken records
are played and re -played,
the older parents of these
residents are dyhig. The
ministry only mentions and
admits "a temporary
discomfort to residents and
staff", and yet these parents
are dying with peace of mind
being denied to them. Drea's
sword of Damocles is ob-
viously a contributing factor
to their demise.
We, who can still fight for
human dignity, should see it
our sacred duty to grasp
* sword of Dinocles and
Blealati §cape
,
DEAR READERS
•
. _
St—IIRLEY KEL_LER
At the risk of bringing down the wrath of every
war veteran in the country, I stand firm in my
belief that opening up 50,000 "jobs" in the
Canadian Armed Forces is a poor way to deal
with the unemployment problems in this
country.
I'm not against the military. Far from it. I
accept the truth that Canada needs a reasonable
, fighting force ' of trained personnel who stand
ready to defend her borders from any and all
warlike intruders. It's a fact of life in this clog -
...eat -dog world.
• I'm not anxious to fork over astonomical
• unemployment and' welfare benefits to out -cif -
work Canadians. Taking some of them into the
army, navy and air force appears to be the
perfect answer to a growing frustration all
across this land.
At the moment though, the unemployment
issue is highly emotional. And it's definitely
political. To provide 50,000 decent opportunities
for the unemployed who claim they are
desperate for the dignity of .a job, would cer-
tainly reduce the antagonism of thOusatids who
see , unemployment as the biggest single
headache ib the nation today. And it would
probably sky -rocket the -government to instant
popularity with the masses.
But let's be mighty careful we don't just ex-
change one misery for another.
- You see, our record isn't all that admirable
when it comes „ to developing in the Canadian
peacetime forces truly productive, motivated
worker a for the civilian work -a -day -,world.
In this part of Ontario, for instance, many of us
have had a bellyful of the Ministry of, National
Defence at Clinton and Centralia when those
peacetime Military schools were in high gear.
hang it over the heads of the
party who concocted this
sinister plan. If this plan is
not against the new Charter
of Rights, it is at least
against the "spirit" of it. The
Ministry assuring us that
they will "alleviate our
concern" just will not do. A
choice of either warehousing
residents into large in-
stitutions or dumping them
into communities unwilling
to accept them is not exactly
a wide choice of alternatives.
Ni acrobatic performances
with words can change the
facts.
Theodor Mehlfuhrer,
Owen Sound.
We've seen with our own eye'S that while
enlistment nearly always teaches discipline and -
loyalty, it only rarely fosters an appetite for hard
work and entrepreneurial endeavours.
Our observation has been that men and women
in the Canadian Armed Forces more often learn
the comforts of being a goverrunent employee.
They get used to scale wages paid regularly for a
minimum of effort; • living allowances for this
and that including housing and clothing; above
average working conditions with excellent
health and social benefits and perks; generous
time off arrangements; and for the most part,
unlimited resources for job performance.
We've noticed it's a far cry from the real world
where security and fairness are as fleeting as
yesterday's light,
We've all known "career soldiers" who have a
rough time adjusting to-CiVi Street when they
retire from the military. some,have found their
skills learned in the forces have little application
in the nation's industry and commerce. Some
discover they haven't the same passion as their
street -wise buddies for lawing their way up
over the odds; many turn to their old govern-
ment associations for jobs and working con-
ditions they understand.
Question is then: Would we be training 50,000.,
potential "government job types"? Would that
really help anything in the future?
And think for a moment about the logistics of
retraining 50,000 more potential soldiers in the
Canadian Armed Forces.
Imagine the cost of hiring 50,000 new recruits -
outfitting them in uniforms, caring for their
immediate health aiid sob' rided§-11 it- the -
custom, testing and. evaluating each of them,
providing the physical living and classroom
space for them,„finding and financing the variety -
of -teaching periOnnel nec,essaiy to complete the
task.• • • •
If you think the federal deficit is high rid*:
watch it climb if the Canadian Armed Forces ate
Plumped up and Strengthened by an additio*, •
50,000 men and women.," •
It's true that Canada needs to retrain workers
in many fields; but is it economical4possible?)*
usefully employ them at government salaries;
the armed forces while they are retraining?
Would it not seem wiser and more inf,
mediately beneficial to the repair �f the battered
industrial and business community of Canada,
for government to assist industry andeorntnenee
to train workers for specific jobs .in the exact
atmosphere where they will be required in the',
future? ,
Wouldn't Job creation incentives to _busineSS
and industry be a more lasting investment in the
Canadian economy? . • •
Some people I've talked to.,think the armed
forces will take the down anct. out jobless
Canada, make them grateful for a chance
work and put them happily and -productively at
the mundane things,that need delng,aromiti the
country. Did someone mention cleaning up the
roadsides? '
_ If that were possible, why is it not now ac-
complished even More cheaply through the UIC
and the welfare agencies of our nation?
Since normal recovery is too slow for some,
and since government intervention is seen as the
• only way to solve the unemployment woes in
be sure We fulfill - dreams, not
•create nightmares more friglitening,than those
We're presently having.
Resident has concerns about group homes
Dear Editor,
My thoughts and concerns
about the proposed closing of
the Bluewater Centre were
that - well - that's too bad.
People will lose their jobs
and the residents will be
uprooted and sent who knows
where. Recently the matter
has hit close to home for us.
Very close in fact- next door.
About two weeks ago we
learned that a group home
was proposed for 79
Wellington Street, one of two
apparently to be located in
this area of town.
What would your reactions
be? Firstly the choke of
streets was a stroke of
genius by someone. Elgin
Avenue is a truck route with
traffic twenty four hours a
day. A representative of the
Association for the Mentally
Retarded %greed that,turie
safety measures Weald have
to be taken." Secondly what
support services will these,
fa'.111111.11011eMIMEMM;Iggall.
TITER
group homes- have."
Presently any resident who
presented a problem was
taken to BWC - where will
they go now' What will
occupy these people's hours?
The Kinsmen Centre
currently used ;by Keays St.
Group Home is already
overcrowded as printed in
last Week's paper.
It was my impression that
the idea behind the closing of
BWC was to dein-
stitutionalize these residents
and place them in their
coMMunity. Sounds
reasonable -, so why does
Goderich end up with more
than its share? I have been
told that there are very few
• actual Goderich natives now
residing at BWC. The
number "ten" has been
drifting around town as the,
actual number of group
homes we will end up with,
although this has not been
confirmed.
This is an emotional issue
and opposing these proposed
group hoMes has been very
difficult but still I feel we
have a right to. What about
our property value? My
guess is that it will be.
devalued., Simply by talking
to people., around town, I'm
convinced; that we would
have a big problem oiling
our house if it is located
beside a group hoine,
Apparently I'm allowed to
buy arfaiuse andlive in it.
allowed to pay taxeS, every
year but some other force is
allowed to make decisions
for me thatdiasticallY affect
my lite. These are only a few
of our concerns and I urge all
those who are interested and
all those who have their Oiim
concerns about the propesed
group homes in Goderich to
attend the meeting March 8
in the Council Chambers at `•-•
7:30 pin.
Joanne Ducharrtie