The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Ministry of Natural Resources holds meeting one hundred and ten Lake Ontario Anglers attended a Ministry of Naturai Resources meeting held at the Bowmanvilie Marina. The Lake Ontario, Fisheries Discussion Papers were pre- sented for consideratian and review. The papers provlded three common themes - a sta- ble fish population,> sustain- able benefits for society's needs as well as healthy ecosystems and natural pro- cesses. One discussion paper notes that the water quaiity of Lake Ontario has improved over the past few years ta the point that It has met the Great Lakes Water Quality~ Agreement objectives. The phospheraus concentration in the offshore has dropped ta such a level that plankton has at least decreased by 50 percent. The introduction of the Zebra Muscles in the lake in the late80s and 90s has also been a cause of plankton reduction. In fact one study found that one quarter of algae production in Lake Erie was consumed by Zebra Muscles. Here again it is a matter of natural balance where too mucli nutrients lead ta oxy- gen depletion while tao littie leads ta the reduction of planktan the begnnlng of the food chain for laRe life. 1The discussion papers taken in total- do point out that the changlng of the nat- ural balance does have an effect on typeand quantity of fish stock in the lake. Changes came thraugh change in water quality, through spawnlng opportun- at Ma rina by Roy Forrester ties. a cantinumng food cbain from plankton ta prey fish as Alewife, smeit and athers. The Ministry has been stocklng the lake with Chinook, Rainbow, Atlantic Salmon, Brown Trout and Lake Trout. The species num- ber have been decreased of late due ta the loss of prey fish. New York State is a part- ner with Ontario ti the regu- lations and caretaklng of the lake. New York state have been stocking Co II nto the lake. The contrai of Lamprey Eeis In the lake bas been a positive undertaking. Lake-wide recreational -boat angling peaked ti 1990 - at 4.4 million angling hours, but decined ta 2.2 million by the year 1995. Shore-based flshlng are roughiey the saine in numbers. Catch levels peaked in 1986 at 700,000 but declined ta, 210,000 flsh by 1995. ,The Discussion Paper points out that the stocklng reductions in 1993 and 1994 were intended ta reduce the risk of an alewife collapse and pratect the salmon and trout flshery they (alewife) support. The Ministry warns that overstocklng at this time cauid be a rlsk for the fishery an Lake Ontario. It was noted at the meeting that some $45,000 from the sale of licence fees in Ontario, is used in support of the flsh- ery in the province including habitat improvement. As far as anglers are con- cemned happy days may well be ahead. The Toronto Star and the Toronto Sportsmen's show are ta, revive the Great Salmon Hunt. lum is most important. But sa is celebratlng the symbols of a nation that at this point ti hlstory bas been somewhat brulsed and battered. The lack of schooi partici- pation in the essay contest speaks volumes about the work that has ta, be done ta, strengthen the bonds which unite us. This past week 1 also made a trip ta Chicoutimi, Que. My wife gathered funds for the victlms of the flood there. We presented the money ta the Archbish.op which he gra- clously accepted. From there we went over ta ane of the schools ta address students on behaif af one af the local sehools. The schois have an exchange prograrn together. Even the local papers saw fit ta report the fact we were in the town, which gives some indication that isolated areas ti Quebec can be weicoming ta federal politicians who want ta talk about unlty. I met many Quebecers who believe in the strength of a united Canada. They told me they lived ti fear of the sepa- ratists because believing in Canada was not fashionable- ti that part of Quebec. I was struck by how littie contact they bave with people who want ta keep this coun- try unlfled. -Many people feit Just like you and I that their country was not just Quebec but a nation from sea ta sea. Se paratlsts spew lies about the nature of aur country.- They blame everything from unemployment, poor educa- tion standards - even though this is provincial - and threats ta their culture and language - although most of this is due ta their proxity ta the Unted States - on the fact that they are part of Canada. It Is not unlike Hîtler's Germany. If you are fed enough propaganda day-in- and-day-out yau start ta belleve it. The students could see I dtdn't have homs comlng out of my head. And whenail was said and done it was obviaus we had the same problems and needed ta find common solutions ta them. We a1so recognized the need ta work problems out together rather SPECIAL ME w C- CD w SPECIAL than teartng each other apart. Schools shouid be the lirok for teaching us about aur- selves and appreciation for aur nation. 1 hope in the future schools in Durham will take time ta teach this impor- tant lesson. Recycle SPECIAL S $20.00 + TAX55 EAL FOR FOUR )eep Fried Mushrooms Two Dozen Wings SmaI one item Pizza 4 Pop Drifters 5304 Main Street .O ron o 983-9788 SPECIAL m SPECIAL From Parliam ent Hili Alex Shepherd, M.P. Durham I know we don't want more endless and seemingiy mean- ingless debate about consti- tutional change. Actually I don't believe the average Quebecer, or the peo- pie in Durhamn could give a damn about changlng the ý consttution. This is the preserve of con- stitutionail lawyers and some politiclans who like ta think changing the pages of a doc- ument in Ottawa wili some- how change peoples' atti- tudes. Sadly there Is a iack of national pride not anly In Quebec but across the coun- try and here in Durham. Recently I asked aur grades 6, 7 and 8 schools ta involve students in -a essay wrlting contest and ta describe in about 500 words what the flag meant ta them. The contest was an idea of mine ta celebrate the second annual national Fiag Day of, Canada February 15 and the flag's 3 2nd birthday. The prize was personal recogni- tion fram the Prime Minister along wlth sweatshirts and flags. One school partlcipated and we have four school boards i the rldlng of Durham. In some cases I was told this was extra-curricular work and that teachers couldn't fit it into their sched- ules. I didn't think I had ta sel national unlty here in Durham but I guess 'm mais- taken. 0f course the curricu- FORTUNEý F INANCIAL Brought to you by: Ken Richards Sr. Finonciol Advisor Fortune Finonciol Co 13 John Street West, Oshawa, ON 888P STRATEGIES WITH GARTH TURNER [ICeptbnnal Alvice For Unsettimi limes! Garth Turner is a besi seiing author, national magazine. columnist, financial editor ai 885 television, and as Minister ai National Revenue, ran the country's tax system. AT TH1S FREE SEMINAR, YOU WILL LEURN: E The top 15 RRSP strotegies for Cnadiens. " How this yeors RRSP contri bution con put more tox dollars bock in your pocket! 1E Whot hoppens if they tox RRS Ps? 0 The best conservotive alternatives to GICs, Term Deposits & CSBs. E How to turn your reol estote into a retirement fund. E ow to find a finonciol odvisor you con trust. Monday, February 3rd 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Holiday Inn - Oshawa rp. SEAIINC G I MITED - fliSi DVEYDUR SEAIS TeAu! Cali 19051 128-4488 [24 hrsJ Fortune Financial Corporation is a member of CIPF & Montreal Exhage DPECIAL .997. 7