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The Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-08-12, Page 44 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, August 12, 2015 iv. The Lucknow Sentinel PUBLISHED WEEKLY P.O. Box 400, 619 Campbell Street Lucknow Ontario NOG 2110 phone: 519-528-2822 fax: 519-528-3529 www.lucknowsentinel.com POSTMEDIA JOHN BAUMAN Advertising Director john. bauman@sun media.ca VALERIE GILLIES Editor valerie.gi ll ies@sun media.ca lucknow.editorial@sunmedia.ca JILLIAN UNDERW00D Sales representative j illian. underwood@sunmedia.ca JOY JURJENS Office Administrator lucknow.sentinel@sunmedia.ca MARIE DAVID Group Advertising Director 519 376-2250 ext. 514301 or 510 364-2001 ext. 531024 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO SENTINEL CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT P.O. Box 400 Lucknow ON NOG 2H0 For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: 519-528-2822 • lucknow.sentinel@sunmedia.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS Regular one year Senior one year Two year regular Senior two year $40.00 + $2.00 =$42.00 $35.00 +$1.75 = $36.75 $70.00 + 3.50 = $73.50 $60.00 + $3.00 = $63.00 Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At advertising and editorial deadlines: Friday 2 p.m. Changes of address, orders for subscriptions, and undeliverable copies (return postage guaranteed) are to be sent to The Lucknow Sentinel at the address indicated here. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement wit be paid at the applicable rates. The Sentinel is available on microfilm at: GODERICH LIBRARY, (from 1875) 52 Montreal Street Goderich ON N7A 1 M3 Goderich library@huroncounty.ca KINCARDINE LIBRARY, (from 1875 to 1900 & 1935 to 1959) 727 Queen Street Kincardine ON N2Z 1Z9 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canaa'a Alocna Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and the Ontario Community Newspapers Association Opinion: Canada should scrap fixed election dates WayknZ I spent a week in Zambia with former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, monitoring that country's first multi-party elections. Carter told me he thought American presidents should serve for one, six-year term. He explained that everything a president says after his second year in office can only be heard in the context of a bid for reelection. Certainly a longer presidential term would take some air out of the endless cycle of campaigning in American politics. American politicians never quit campaigning and campaigning costs big money. By some estimates, the total cost of the 2016 presidential race could top $5 billion, more than double the 2012 expenditure. Sadly, while some in America are beginning to question the cost and duration of elections, Canada seems to be heading in the oppo- site direction. The Canadian version of West- minster government has usually featured quick, relatively cheap election cycles. Under our system, the governor general calls elections at least every five years, or when the gov- ernment loses the confidence of the house or believes it needs to renew its mandate. Until recently, the uncertainty about the actual election date kept campaigns relatively short and cheap - two very good things. Traditionally, the prime minis- ter, assuming a majority govern- ment, has sought an election about four years into a mandate. While occasionally election calls come early to take advantage of the political climate (see David Peterson) going to the polls early is a riskyprop- osition (again, see David Peterson). The point is random election dates tend to keep all political par- ties on their toes and prevent long lead ups to a fixed election date. The writ period actually means something. But for the last decade, all politi- cal parties seem enamored with the notion of fixed election dates. The federal government's fixed election law came into effect in Columnist John Snobelen 2006, requiring an election every four years on the third Monday in October. Nothing in the law precludes the governor general from issuing a writ of election at any time. Our current crop of politicians seem pleased with the illusion of a more U.S. like system of fixed elections. We voters shouldn't be. While there was much frothing in the media over Prime Minister Ste- phen Harper's request for a writ of election last weekend (only Harper would be working on the Sunday of a long weekend) the real issue isn't the length of the writ period. The problem is the fixed elec- tion date. Harper has maintained that the third Monday in October will remain election day. Because the date of the election has long been known, all parties have spent a lot of time and money preparing for it. Campaign offices have been open for months. Candidates have gone through protracted nomina- tions. The public sector unions and other third parties have basted away with campaign -style ads. Heck, you'd think we were liv- ing in Ohio. All of this was going on long before Harper asked for a writ of election. Harper put an official stamp on a campaign that was already under- way to achieve one simple goal; to put the public sector union ads under the scrutiny of Elections Canada. There is a better way. All parties should agree to legisla- tion that would end political ads paid for by any organization that directly contracts with the government. And get rid of fixed election dates. When it comes to elections, faster and cheaper is better. www.lucknowsentinel.com Lucknow Fall Fair Facts Pat Livingston Special categories for youngsters and teens Class 40 in the 2015 Luc - know Fall Fair book out- lines categories for children 6 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years, and 14 to 18 years. Summer would be a great time to keep the younger children entertained by putting their creative juices to work on a fair project(s). One that caught my attention was "Elf Your- self"- make a body of an elf out of construction paper, including a hat, using a photo of someone for the face. Now couldn't we have fun with that one! Or, how about, decorating a pumpkin for fall or Hallow- een, but no carving allowed! What comes to mind when the category is to cre- ate a piece of art using only circles, of any size, any media, and any subject? All these ideas and more can be found on pages 72 to 75 in the fair book. This year's theme is Country Bumpkins, Harvest Pumpkins with fall fair days on Sept. 18, 19, 20. www.lucknowags o ciety. ca Oh, those pretty gar- bage cans! Garbage cans are ugly, right? Well... you haven't seen the beauties deco- rated especially for the fair! A relatively new category at the Lucknow Fair (Sept. 18, 19, 20) is the best deco- rated garbage can. Put your creativity to work and get busy. Prize money is $50, $40 and $25 for first, second and third place respectively, with all other worthy entries receiving $10. The best part - the Ag Society will provide the garbage can! Check out the rules of this category on page 18 of the fall fair book or lucknowagsociety.ca Contact Murray Irvin at 591-812-1053 to get your large, steel garbage can. Don't pro- crastinate .... It's a big can and not something you will do the night before the parade. This category is open to all ages. www.lucknowag society.ca Ripley Reunion brings friends to Purple Grove Mary Anne Kukoly Purple Grove News Congratulations to the Rip- ley Reunion Committee for a wonderful five-day weekend and to everyone who gave of their time and talents to make it a marvellous time. The fireworks were a great way to end the weekend. Sorry so many folks had to be without hydro when nasty storm went through. Shirley and Doug Mac- Donald enjoyed having the whole family home from the East and the West for the Reunion weekend. It is the first time they have all been together for a long time. Some are still home visiting. Sorry to hear that the Day Away program is plan- ning to close in September. Folks from our area will miss it greatly. Rodney Sutton was home for part of the Reunion. Must say Cecil sure looks different without his beard. Congratu- lations to all the participants in the beard growing contest and to everyone who donated to the chanties at the auction. Marilyn and Don Reid were happy to have friends and family over the Reun- ion weekend. Some of the folks who were in and about at Mary Anne Kukoly's on the Reun- ion weekend were Beth and Fred Morgan of Mallory - town, Eli Morgan and Michelle of Barrie, Janet and Bryan Boyle and family of Forest and Toronto, Irene Boyle of Walkerton, Frances Scott Kingston of Chesley, Louise MacLennan Millar of Palmerston, Marion MacLennan Morton of Point Clark, Rosalyn Swan Suther- land of Elora, Donald Hark- ness formerly of Fort Nelson BC, Donald Forster of Marr, Shirley Colwell Gilders of Clinton, Nancy(Elliott) and Paul Greenwood of Goder- ich, Sandra Forster of Goder- ich and her brother Brian Keith of Goderich, Again, thank you to eve- ryone for all their hard work to make the Reunion such a success. And didn't Ripley look great all spruced up.