Ontario Community Newspapers

Canadian Statesman (Bowmanville, ON), 24 Sep 1986, p. 18

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2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, September 24,1986 Section Two This is not another editorial about the Eldorado dump site per se. To date, we've done over a dozen stories on that subject and there's no end to the controversy in sight. This editorial is about a very important important postive development which has arisen from the Eldorado issue. We are referring, of course, to the fact that the Eldorado uproar is causing causing the public to take a real interest in all levels of government. How often do you see 100 people gather in one meeting room to write angry letters to their elected representatives? representatives? When was the last time you could recall 500 people attending a meeting of Newcastle council? And, for that matter, when was the last time you saw a government body such as Newcastle council or Durham's regional council agree wholeheartedly on one topic? The Eldorado issue is noteworthy in that it has stirred up the public's interest to new intensity and it has produced a rare display of unanimity among local elected officials. So often, it has been said that the public really doesn't care about government government actions. But the concern shown about the Eldorado dump reveals reveals that the idea of an apathetic public is nonsense. It is more likely that we, as Canadian Canadian citizens, do not choose to become become enraged over, every little action taken by our elected officials. In our heart of hearts, we have the suspicion that the country survives in spite of politicians and not because of them. We have better things to do than march on city hall every time the dog licence fees are increased or the parking fines are hiked. In fact, we give our politicians a certain vote of confidence each time we leave them to their own devices and trust that they will somehow muddle through. But we still reserve the right for mass indignation and opposition when the times require it. And the depth of concern from the citizens can be best seen in the heat of controversy. Government or crown corporations or any other large and influential organization should not Milk with a Solution Will Be Political person for a few minutes, I could tell that sooner or later, he's going to achieve his goal even though skilled trades are a difficult field to enter. He's bright, ambitious and articulate -- articulate articulate enough to be a very good spokesman on the subject of wh;at technical training is. worth. To makè a 1 long story short, this person (I'll call him John) was steered into the academic side of our school system and discovered discovered that there wasn't enough time to study both the technical subjects subjects he enjoyed and the academic ones. But the academic expectations expectations turned out to be a blind alley for this particular student. And he opted for leaving school after grade 12 to work on the assembly line. But that wasn't an easy answer either. John figures it's just a matter of time before persons with unskilled jobs find themselves laid off more and more frequently. frequently. And, eventually, eventually, he fears the work may dry up altogether for this group. He may be right. And he's definitely correct about the value of an education in the technical field. ' Yet statistics from our, own Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Education indicate a general decline in the numbers of students pursuing pursuing technical studies within the high schools in recent years. And new guidelines for secondary school credits credits don't even require a compulsory course in the technical field although although compulsory courses in other areas such as the arts are mandatory. mandatory. No high school program program can provide the time required to produce qualified trades personnel personnel in just four or five years. But the programs can be an entry ticket into more advanced studies. It seems to me that we should be encouraging students not to close too many doors behind them. Technical studies may open up an opportunity opportunity in one of the many skilled trades which are springing up in fields sutih as computers and robotics, to name just a few. And even ifthe student doesn't pursue such a goal, he or she will leave a technical course with some basic knowledge such as caring for tools safe work habits. Even that's a considerable achievement when compared compared to some of the traditional academic courses in which information information is forgotten the morning after the final examination. There was once a time when virtually any university university academic degree was a ticket to success. Today, that's changing. "John" reminds me that many of the people he works with on the assembly assembly line are themselves university graduates. And, like him, most are hoping to land a skilled trade. An academic career or a profession is an admirable admirable goal and our best students ought to pursue that objective. But there are a large number of good students who should not be funnelled funnelled into a second-rate academic career in a field where jobs are limited. limited. This sort of thing leads to ranks of the unemployed unemployed or the underemployed. underemployed. I'm not suggesting we steer people away from academics. Certainly that option should be open for all who qualify. But we shouldn't be shy about encouraging students students to explore all the alternatives. I think schools sometimes sometimes err in channeling every qualified person make the mistake of assuming that a quiet and patient population is an apathetic one. Because we hold off our anger and energy for the really important fights, when we do decide to oppose something, something, then we can do so with consid-' erable force. Neighbours get together. Funds are raised. Spokespersons emerge. Signs mushroom on fence posts and telephone telephone poles. Petitions are distributed distributed and an effective opposition is mustered. Politicians see the depth of support for the cause and quickly fall in step with the general consensus if they were not in agreement already. And so they should if politics has anything to do with faithfully interpreting the wishes of constituents. All of the above conditions describe describe the battle against the Eldorado Eldorado dump site at the present moment. moment. Eldorado Resources has stated that the final decision will be based not on political input but on geological data which will tell the company the best location for disposing of low- level nuclear wastes. That statement may be true from Eldorado's viewpoint because although although the company is a crown corporation, corporation, it need not directly respond to the opinions of the public. But ultimately, it will be the federal cabinet which decides on. the location location of the waste disposal area. And although there may be certain technical technical matters surrounding the ; approval, approval, the final decision will be a political one. Because, when all the hearings and environmental studies are over, the government will have to decide to put the dump in somebody's back yard. That is why letters and phone calls and publicity are useful to the cause of all those who believe that the countryside countryside around Tyrone is a particularly particularly inappropriate place to deposit over a million tons of low-level nuclear nuclear waste. Like it or not, the final decision will be a political one. And the political opposition -- particularly against the Tyrone site -- may be too much to ignore. ignore. Fizz Is Next Sack Races Provided Plenty of Thrills at Recent Goodyear Picnic "There will soon be no such thing as unskilled labor." That was a comment made to me last week in an interesting conversation conversation concerning the importance importance of a technical education. My source knew what he was talking about because because he was looking at the world not from an ivory tower but from the perspective of the assembly assembly line. And he was trying just as hard as he could to get into one of General Motors' very popular apprenticeship apprenticeship training programs. At the moment, he's spending upwards of 20 hours per week in upgrading upgrading his education -- hours over and above his regular 40 hour work week. And he's investing considerable amounts of money from his own pocket pocket on education-related expenses like books and travel. After talking to this towards an academic kind of learning even though the real world just doesn't have jobs for all people with a basic BA degree. A person who is capable capable of attending university university may be just as happy and even more successful successful as an electrician, plumber, mechanic, cabinet-maker or some other tradesperson. That individual may also make more money than his counterpart, the university university grad. It is this kind of alternative alternative which should also be encouraged. It will often lead to jobs which are in demand and offer both financial and personal personal rewards. "John" has realized, through hindsight, that he missed an opportunity opportunity and has some catching catching up to do. We'll let him have the last word on the subject. He said: "If I had continued on in the technical technical field, I'd have a good job right now." By 1 me • •. by Peter Parrott Wbt Canadian Statesman 623-3303 Durham County's Greet Family Journal Established 132 years ago in 1854. Also Incorporating The Bowmanville News The Newcastle Independent The Orono News Second class mall registration number 1561 Produced every Wednesday by THE JAMES PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 62-66 King SL W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 JOHN M. JAMES Editor--Publisher GEO. P. MORRIS Business Mgr. RICHARD A. JAMES Assistant Publisher BRIAN PURDY Advertising Mgr. PETER PARROTT Associate Editor DONALD BISHOP Plant Mgr. All layouts and composition of advertisements produced by the employees of The Canadian Statesman, The Newcastle Independent and The James Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers. $15.00 a year--6 months $8.00 strictly in advance foreign--$50.00 a year Although every precaution will Be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman accepts advertising in its columns on the understanding that it will not be liable for any error in the advertisement published hereunder unless a proof of such advertisement is requested in writing by the advertiser and returned to The Canadian Statesman business office duly signed by the advertiser and with such error or corrections plainly noted in writing thereon, and in that case if any error so noted is not corrected by the Canadian Statesman its liability shall not exceed such a portion of the entire cost of such advertisement as the space occupied by the noted error bears to the whole space occupied by such advertisement. There's a new development on the dairy front-- a discovery that may be the biggest thing since chocolate milk, milk shakes, and ice cream combined. combined. We've already had the pleasure of seeing milk placed in plastic bags which give way while pouring and flood the table. And, of course, powdered powdered milk is old hat. Poet's Corner Why Do I Mourn? Why do I mourn -- Here by this tiny stream? It sparkles still -- It laughs along green banks -- A host to those who choose To share its pleasure. You know the scene It rises in mind's eye. For who has not shared An hour in this dream? Delightful, flitting things Descend in number. Some pause to rest, The water chuckles low. A blackbird "créés"; Soft footfalls warn approach Of more and larger friends, Wild creatures drinking. All this is doomed When Graham Creek is lost. A nuclear dump To bury Man's mistakes -- Then poisons lurking deep Will steal this scene. Oh, foolish Man, Who thinks he better builds, You stole my lake; You may have "stole" my life! Consider will this step, And leave our land -- That settles deep In richness seldom known -- To produce well Fine harvests clean and'sweet As it is meant to do. E, Dorcenc Powell But the newest development is carbonated carbonated milk. And, according to reports reports we've heard just recently, it will be only a matter of years before milk with a fizz is available at the corner store. It may be just the thing for those consumers who want the kick of a soft drink with the nutrition of milk. It'll be ideal for kids because (until they catch on to the idea that it's good for them) they'll guzzle it eagerly. Of course, as we understand it, this carbonated milk won't just look like a glass of moo juice with a head on it and tiny bubbles rising to the top. Not at all. The manufacturers are likely to add certain flavors to the beverage so that it will be possible to have root beer milk or orange milk or milka- cola and who knows what else. One could even imagine a time when milk may be combined with other exotic flavors to produce champagne champagne milk or wine milk for example. Mind you, nobody knows for sure if the beverage will take off the way you might expect it to. There may be some who prefer the older style of milk which comes in bottles left by delivery delivery men at the doorstep. This sort of milk conjures up images of shamrock green meadows and sleek cows lazily chewing their cuds under oak trees. It's the wholesome beverage your grandmother used for making home- baked cookies. But, because of the never-failing attraction attraction towards new products, there will be those who will be quick to try the new carbonated variety -- presumably presumably produced by bovines who inhabit inhabit high-tech milking parlours and listen to disco music on their walkmans. If there's a clash between I he old and the new, then marketing experts will simply follow the lead of Coca Cola and produce both the classic milk and the new, improved kind. One thing is certain: If manufacturers manufacturers ever manage to get this now breed of carbonated milk in the grocery stores, Elsie the Cow will give Coke and Pepsi a run for their money. Mr. Editor: The news has been ghastly mute for some time now about Afghanistan. The lack of information in the media is not because Russian soldiers have packed up and gone home. The truth of the matter is that this coming December marks the end of the 7th year invasion by Russia into the little nation of Afghanistan. No doubt when Soviet troops marched across the border Russian leadership thought the war would be over before the rest of the world realized what had happened. They were never prepared for the fight a few mountaineers could put up. In 1979 Afghanistan had a population of 17 million, today, after the murder, torture and fleeing of thousands of refugees there arc still some 10 to 13 million left to fight the ' invaders. Russian tactics in Afghanistan makes Hitler's look almost humane, Senator Steven D. Symms of Idaho said recently that, 'In' Afghanistan, the Soviets have captured entire villages of women, children, and old people and methodically cxcuctcd them.' Reporters also say that In the Eastern part of the country the Soviets have slaughtered hundreds of people. These included pregnant women, newborn babies and the elderly. They were shot, burned alive, hanged, bayoneted or beaten to death and mutilated. Villagers tell of people having their hands tied behind their backs and their live bodies piled like firewood before being sprinkled with gasoline and set ablaze. The brave people of Afghanistan fight on in spite of the fact that the rest of the free world don't seem to care. They fight on alone, while the West sits back, if not asleep, then in a deep trance, waiting! Waiting, for God knows what - unless it is to see who will be the next victim on the communist draftboard for attack. 'It is amazing how our leaders think it possible to deal at the negotiating table with the Soviets...We arc not dealing with normal beings,' writes a reporter for Human Events magazine. 'We are dealing with individuals who will go to any length and perform any evil task to further their efforts at world domination.' He is right. It is a fact that the West trembles at the thought of aiding the Afghanistan people while they quarrel among themselves over who will discount wheat to the free world's biggest enemy. Capitalism is cutting its own throat in its lust for the almighty dollar. The West blindly refuses to see the agonizing struggles of Afghanistan while debating boycotts for South Africa. Our peace groups and some church lenders scream at President Reagan for backing the pro-west forces of Nicaragua while saying absolutely nothing about Soviet massacres in Afghanistan. They overlook the rape, the murder, and torture which are common fare for communists everywhere. It is time the West gets its act together. Time to nail the thesis of freedom to the U.N. Assembly door. Time to tell the Russians to get out of Afghanistan now. No one wants war but neither does anyone want to live under a cloak of government which believes that murder, rape and torture ought to be the means of ruling or controlling any nation. We are fools to supply the bread that fills the stomachs of soldiers that are out to destroy us. Napoleon once said, 'an army travels on its stomach', and if that is the case, we can help Afghanistan and ourselves by keeping our wheat at home. Yours truly Lcn Colp Dear Sir: Another protest from a still, anti-nuclear person, I have just finished re-reading Mr. Fred Knclman's book, 'Nuclear, The Unforgiving Technology'. What he says Is still applicable today, although although It was written ten years ago. There Is a chapter on the findings at Port Hope. In 1951 they found the bench and other areas of the town radioactive, but It wasn't acknowledged by A.E.C.L, or the powers that bo until 1975. It was around that time that a clean up was started. When they have been so lax in the past about the safety of the people and the environment, how much faith can we put in Eldorado's latest endeavour, to have the radio-active material buried safely in this area? We received a copy of their plans this week in the mail. It seems pretty cynical to move the material to a site a few miles down the road, especially after the studies by environmentalists said no more dumping at Port Granby. Do they know or do they care what happens to the environment? Is this part of the country to be a proving ground for nuclear technology? technology? and perhaps expendable? expendable? When there is so much controversy about what to do with the 'residue', why do they keep on producing it? The A.E.C.L. and the federal government have been dicappointed with the sales of the Candu reactor, so with all the money being spent and no returns, some of the glow has been taken from the nuclear option, especially since Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and problems at Pickering and Douglas Point, accidents can happen. Are the geologists rind lawyers who have worked tills thing out, hired by Eldorado, or are they neutral? What' resources do wo have If they get the Go Ahead from the government, maybe the only thing wo can do is move far away, or pray that no one Involved, never, over makes a single mistake in this unforgivable unforgivable technology. Thanking you for taking time to read this, I am. Mrs. Pearl Craig Dear Sir: Upon reading reports about Waste Management supplied by Eldorado Resources Limited, I am shocked to realize how many realities that have not been resolved and this is to be a PERMANENT SITE. As stated in the report and I quote, 'In open trench burial methods, rain, snow, can enter this trench, while being filled, filtering through this waste to a drainage system, where it Is pumped to a collection collection pond. It is then pumped through a treatment plant where Ferric Chloride is added to precipitate arsenic and radium. The treated water flows to a second pond where sludge containing arsenic arsenic and radium settles. The clarified water then is pumped by pipe line to the lake.' In the second report, and the part that really concerns me, and I quote, 'Since 1980, however, however, arsenic removal has been unsatisfactory and slightly elevated levels of arsenic arsenic have been discharged Into the lake. This arsenic Is very unrcnctivc and cannot be removed by Ferric Chloride precipitation. As alternative treatment process, Investigated Investigated In a joint Eldorado/ • Environment Canada research research program, also proved Incapable of removing It, 1 Wlmt disturbs me the most, will they pipe this water to Lake Ontario where it will empty next to Bowmanville water supply intake, or will they release it into the streams on either side of proposed proposed dump site. Regardless of which method used, Bowmanville Bowmanville water supply gets it as the- streams empty into Lake Ontario beside the intake also. Again quoting from the report, an estimated 10 percent percent of the ground water and 25 percent of the surface water runoff are not collected in the reservoirs for treatment.' This will run down to the streams. Are the citizens of the Town of Newcastle to act as Guinea Pigs for the rest of Canda? Aldin J, Hoar Canada's trees are no match for _ WILDFIRE MtVENr F0W1TFWE1

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