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6-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, November 4, 1997 SCOMMENT_ THE CNADIN CHMPIO Box 248, 191 Mats St. E., Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Fax: 876-2364 Classified: 875-3300 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Assneiuate Publisher David Bos~ Genereal Manager Rob Kelly Edmtner Karen Huisanan Circulatioan Manager Teri Casas Office Manager Tian Coles Proaduction Manager Thte Canadian Champion, pubinbed twice weekly at 191 Main St. E., MiBon, Ont.. 19T 4N49 (Bnn 248), ns nne nt The Metrntand Printing, Publinhing & Ditributiet Ltd. genup nf nuburban cnmpa- tien which includen: Aaxn/ Pickuering News Advertiner: Alitn Henaid/Corier: Barrie Advance: Brampton Guaritian: Burtirgton Pont; City Parent; Cnlingwood / Wanaga Connectitn; Eant Yonrk Mirrnr: Etebiceine Goandian; Georgeton Irdependertl Acter Free Press; Kingston This Week; Lindsay This Week, Markbam Econeiit & Sun, Midland / Penetargunhene Mirror Minninnauaa Newsn: Newmarket / Actera Ena Banner: Northumberland News; Neth Yoek Mirrer. QatuVitie Beaver; Orittia Tnday: Oshawa 1 Whilby 1 Ciaringten / Port Penny This Wenk: Peterborougth This otenu: Richrmond Hiii; Thonthiti I Vaughran Liberai: Scarbereugh Micron; Unbridgn / Stouttoitie Tribune: Tnday's Seniors. Advertisng os accepted enth1e condition tat, ie trie eveet ot a typegraphicai errer, tbat portien et the advertisintt epace eccupied by the erreeneoun item, tegetber wuth a reasneabie aiiewatcn for signature. Ai net An charged tot, but the bataece ef thn Bdvertinernent wii An paid tota tee applicable rate. The pubiieber resettes tAn right te categorite advertisemet or dentine. Clash of the mediocre In less than a week Milton residents will be asked to go to the poils and elect a mayor. Both candidates, incumbent Gord Krantz and challenger Colin Best, like to talk about leadership being the issue. To be blunt. they're both lucky it really isn't. It would be if a real leader joined the race. Thankfully for these two, that hasn't happened. Real leaders are few and far between, in municipal politics or anywhere else. Hazel McCallion of Mississauga cornes to mind in the reasonably local orbit. After that, well, there's ahhh .... bmmm ... send us a fax if you think of anyone. Now, there's no reai point in clobbering these two over the head, but they do have a certain amount of nerve in depicting themselves as leaders of the parade. Mr. Krantz doesn't really relish making decisions, as is evi- denced by his determined fence-sitting. He doesn't even like talk- ing about making decisions. He's given to uttering platitudes and avoiding controversy whenever possible. He enjoys one-to-one politics, cutting ribbons, talking to folks in his office, leading tours,and running municipal counicil meetings, which hie is good at, aithough he lets themn drag on. Mr. Best has rarely impressed area media people with his lead- ership qualities either. He's got a reputation as a hard worker who does his research, but hie has neyer really organized movements of substance or been viewcd as an ally or adversary of serious conse- quence on the debating floor. Both men have a deep afflnity for the community and a coin- mitment to it. Both carte, and seem willing to work hard for con- stituents. There are those who will vote for Mr. Best, knowing full well his limitations because they say Milton needs a change and Mr. Krantz has been at the helm a long time. There are those who will vote for Mr. Krantz understanding his faults because they feel be has toiled in earnest for Milton and shown some meule while Mr. Best remains untested as occupant ofthie big chair. Make up your own mind dear reader. Would that the choices were more clear-cut. Right now we're seeing a clash of the miediocre, and hopefully whoever wins will muster the energy to risc above that station. In other races ... Wally Hunter sbould win votes at the expense of bis oppontents, Art Melanson and Frank Wilson, in the three- way contest for two seats that remains in tbe urban core. Mr. Wilson bas no experience. Mr. Melanson is a very nice man in the wrong line of work as a politician ... In tbe public school board race, Reverend Ken Campbell is always entertaining but a fringe candidate witbout big-picture perspective. The choice is between Erica Andrew and Paul Tate ... Barry Lee has been a good region- ai counicillor, according to local media observations. Gerry Brooks may well become one too, but it looks like an uphill battle when tbe incumbent is popular, and bas made few mistakes. Lieven Geveart bas impressed in the Nassagaweya local counicil debates, witb Cindy Lunau in tbere, too ... Tbe Hydro Commission will probably get unplugged by the provincial governiment, so vote for whoever you tbink deserves a nice golden handsbake. RoKel What is Bill 160 ail about? Dear Editor: Whatever your feelings for teacher planning time, clas size or the length of the school year, ihis is not what the fight between teachers and the Ministry of Education is about. Whether or not you think teachers' pensions are too high. that isn't it either. If you just think that teachers are over paid, under worked and have too many holidays, it doesn't matter because Bill 160 is really about none of these. The issues over this controversial bill have become cloudy and there is a daily dose of new information, inter- pretations and down right fabrications we must aIl sift through. The govemment han used the issues I have men- tioned above to create a amoke screen to hide the real agenda behind putting this legislation in place. I arn making a political protest by not reporting to my place of employment. It is a fundamental right in a free and democratic society. If you disagree with this or believe that I, an a teacher, should not take part in such a protest, that isn't what this is ail about either. I knew before October 27 that Bill 160 had many arean that would be bard for educators to agoee with. The gov- emment did an well. I would have found it difficult to proteat in such a manner for any of thse reasons mentioned above. One area that is hidden within thse 262 pages of Bill 160 became my focus for alarm and hater my reason for protest- ing on a picket line. If Bill 160 becomes law, freedoms and access to the process of change will be forever altered for the public. 15 is the undemocratic nature of these sections of Bill 160 that fnightens me and should frighten the public. Under this new law, the Ministry of Education will be able to make any changes he or she wishes without consul- tation with the rest of the government, the legisiature and without public debate. Changes would occur behind clcoed doors and witbout informing the public. Any of the other issues teachers and government nego- tiators are discussing would become temporary. If, for example. the governiment wrote into Bill 160 that taxes would flot be raised, class sizes would be limited to present levels and planning time would be cut by haîf, this could be altered at the minister's discretion as soon as the bill was enacted. Is this democracy? Six months later, clans sizes could be increased dramati- cally. taxes raised or budgets to sehool boards slashed again without consultation with anyone. Bill 160 ensures that the minister can flot be held accouintable for any prob- lems that result, or have any decisions questioned or appealed. This also is written into Bill 160. Is this democ- racy? Even those members of the public who trust the Harri government should be alarnied. Once enacted, this law could be used by any successive govemment. We already know what the Conservatives under Mike Harris will do a sele OUR READERS WRITE on page 7 Pud by Steve Nease '>4) je. +OUR READERS WRITE