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Page 4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, February 12, 1997 % he Canabtan Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and W. R. Climie 1854 -1878 M. A. James, 1878 -1935 • Norman S. B. James, 1919 -1929 G. Elena James, 1929 -1947 • Dr. George W. James, 1919 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited P.O. Box 190,62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 905-623-3303 lnternet-statesman@ocna.org Fax 905-623-6161 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. For 142 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher-John M. James Plant Manager-Rick Patterson Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Production Assoc. Publisher - Rick James Editor - Peter Parrott Supervisor-Ralph Rozema, Suzanne Bennett, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Doug Lugtenburg, Barb Patterson, Jim Snoek, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Editorial taverne Morrison Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfredo, Laura J. Richards Office Supervisor-Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Plensance-Sturmnn, Marilyn Rutherford, Sharilyn Carnegie Lotto Mania Clarington councillors voted last week to look into the idea of holding a. charitable lottery for funding community groups. The idea is that, instead of applying to local elected officials for funding each year, community groups could latch onto a high-profile lottery which would raise funds for public-spirited public-spirited organizations without removing a penny from the municipal treasury. No one knows how far this proposal will fly. It's just an idea that some elected officials want to look at, especially after hearing that a northern municipality had success with a similar lottery. You can't blame local elected officials for trying. trying. But, where will the lottery craze finally end? Now that so many games of chance are attached to charities or the funding of projects which will benefit the general public, public, there are few people who have any qualms about the concept concept at all. Participating in a lottery actually helps other people, but it could also make you independently wealthy. Sounds like a winning proposition all round. Or is it? It seems to us that lotteries might eventually hamper regular regular fund-raising efforts because folks will want to give money only to causes which can give them something back. Which charity would you rather support? The one which gives you a chance to win a few million dollars or the one which merely gives you an income tax receipt? Before long, it could become almost impossible to raise funds without giving the donors a chance to win something. And, as fund-raising lotteries proliferate, proliferate, will there be enough customers for all of them or will people back only the big ones and leave the smaller projects out in the cold? Clarington Council should look carefully before adding one more lottery to a market which may be reaching the saturation point. School Deserved Stay of Execution It looks as though the old Newcastle Public School will be demolished this month, despite the best effort of a citizens' committee which was lobbying hard to save it. Frankly, we are surprised that the building was not at least given a stay of execution. A delay would have cost almost nothing. Everyone would have had a chance to review all of the facts and figures. And finally, there would have been ample time for a potential buyer to come forward. If, six months or a year elapsed without progress being made, at least no one cçuld say the school board hadn't tried to preserve the building. It is strange that public agencies can agonize for years over the passing of an obscure by-law which affects a half dozen people, But on a major issue such as the demolition of a piece of our history, they can react with haste. In other words, government government can't move slowly when you want it to. We also find it strange that this same school board --- or any school board, for that matter -- will tell you that it encourages input from the community. However, the Board of Education has been getting nothing but input on the topic of the Newcastle School, but chooses to ignore that advice. If there is anything that can be learned from the experience, it is the fact that it's not just the sixties when historic examples of our architectural heritage were bulldozed in a philosophy of "out with the old, in with the new." Historic structures need protection now, as much as they ever did. Perhaps -- especially in the case of historic buildings owned by the public -- there should be some mandatory review process before a building is levelled. It may be that the school board was correct in its assessment that the old building couldn't survive without millions of dollars dollars worth of repair and that there was no other public or private private sector use for the structure. But a large portion of tire community thought otherwise. They deserved a better hearing.' Cigarettes in Schoolyards The idea of re-introducing smoking areas at local high schools surfaced last week at a school board meeting. ; At the moment, there are laws which forbid smoking on school property. There is talk of relaxing those rules enough to allow smoking in designated areas. Although the local public school board isn't actively promoting this idea, it did give a favorable response to correspondence from another school board which is recommending the removal of some no-smoking no-smoking restrictions. We haven't heard of any recent problems over the decision to make schools a smoke-tree environment, although the idea of allowing a designated "cattle pen" area on the school yard where students can smoke is seen as preferable to having them congregate on private property near the school. If the school board wants the option of allow smoking in problem areas where smokers are invading private property, there might be some justification to this idea. But, to automatically automatically make every school a potential smoking area is a regressive regressive step. For instance, there is no need to allowing smoking on the premises of elementary or senior public school property, since the measure would only apply to staff, parents, or outside groups using the building. And each of these groups should be glad that schools are an area where the health of students is protected by non-smoking regulations. In the very near future, the high school term will be reduced by one year. That means virtually every student on the property property will be below the age of 19, which is the age when cigarettes may be legally purchased. So, in theory, the only people who can possibly benefit from reinstating the smoking privileges on school property would be adults who use the buildings. We know that in the real world there are some teens who are smoking. If they are posing a problem by congregating on private private property or standing on the shoulders of roads, then the problem must be solved, Providing an outdoor smoking area at a high school might be an option, But it isn't the only one. We also would hope that the concession to smokers would only extend to an outdoor area and not to some designated smoking areas within the school. Bringing tobacco back inside public schools would be a step back to the dark ages when people people didn't understand the health risks associated with tobacco, jy) / mV LieezAt- CAMPAt&M MU- ÆU- ABOUT J&3S. OZ-O'97 Bigger, Not Necessarily Better Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: I am taking issue on amalgamation of municipalities and school boards. It originally made a lot of sense to vote for the Common Sense Revolution and government downsizing but I don't believe fewer and bigger governing bodies will necessarily bring more efficiency and saving. Having been in business for many years manufacturing furniture I can appreciate the savings in mass production, but down loading loading can have many unforeseen costs. On the other hand, having people do more for themselves themselves and not rely on the government to use taxpayer funds to meet their own aspirations could save a considerable amount. It seems to me that this amalgamation exercise exercise will remove 50% or more people from the grassroots decisionmaking process. This will concentrate 'power in fewer hands with an increased workload and stress. It would be more responsible to leave present present municipalities and school boards as they are. Have trustees and councillors stand to be elected as volunteers and only reimburse out- of-pocket expenses. This would bring forward only dedicated community members to the tasks. Respectfully Oskar Sclinaithmann Sidney Township EDITOR'S NOTE - It might be difficult to fill elected posts in this fashion. But you can bet the meetings wouldn't last as long. Time to Pay for Broken Promises Dear Editor: Now that we know that our Prime Minister breaks promises with less compunction compunction than a piece of pie crust - his broken GST promises are proof of that - it is time to pay attention to some of his unbroken promises. According to a column by Douglas Fisher (Tor. Sun, Oct. 15, '95), Jean Chretien's impulsive election promise to break a contract to buy the EH. 101 navy helicopters will cost the Canadian taxpayer around $800-million in damages to state-owned British and Italian aerospacE- companies by the time all the bills have been paid. - " Another spontaneous election election promise, to break the contract with a consortium which was to develop the Pearson Airport, is also going to cost Canadians a lot of money. The cost of this Pearson Airport Deal is now being decided in court. Student Pleads with Premier Dear Mr. Harris: My name is Mara Berzins and I'm in grade 5. My brother brother is in grade 8 and we just went to an open house at his next school (high school). We went to see every class but my favourite subjects were art and music. I couldn't wait till I got to high school, I was so excited!!! Then my parents told me there might not be art and music when I got there. I was very disappointed! I know it's just one letter, and I know I'm only 10, but I know that lots of people think the same as me. - So please Mr. Harris, please do something to keep art and music in. It's our future, it's our life. Yours sincerely, . Mara Berzins EDITOR'S NOTE: As a student, your letter deserves consideration. According to a report by Jeffrey Simpson (Globe & Mail, Jan. 30, '96), the consortium's consortium's claim for damages includes between $523-mil- lion and $662-million in lost profits. These two unbroken election election promises - to break contracts contracts - are going to cost the taxpayer far beyond $1,090^00,000. If we assume that an average family pays $20,000 in federal taxes a year, then a minimum of 50,000 families should be happy to know that their hard earned taxes helped an impulsive impulsive Prime Minister and the Liberal Party win the election. It truly makes Jean Chrétien a billion-dollar-man. The best way to protect ourselves ourselves from Jean Chretien's expensive promises is to use some common sense the next time we go to the polling booth. Sincerely, Evert Vroei'h EDITOR'S NOTE - It looks like we'll be going to the polling booth soon. Letter to the Editor Using the System Dear Editor: Recently, when having a coffee in a local coffee shop, I met an old friend I used to work with. He just had a cancer operation, operation, and while paying for his own cancer drugs, was now doing well healthwise. This 60-year-old man had just come back to apply for a pension. pension. This man worked 40 years, paid taxes, and was never involved with the law. He hopes to get a pension of around $800 dollars a month but he will have to pay for his own drags, dental care, and eyeglasses. A rapist who attacked and • battered a 79-year-old senior in 1992, in Toronto is out on parole. He uses our tax supported supported legal aid to fight his deportation order, and even denounced his citizenship of his country of origin, so he can stay in Canada. Knowing how to use the system, he and his wife (also on welfare), have a drag benefit card, hav ing full coverage including O.H.I.P. This criminal receives more on welfare, than my friend hopes to get for a pension, after working and paying into it all his life. This man has become the unfortunate recipient of their mockery. Criminals should be deported immediately without without any excuses what-so-ever. The immigration authorities should be ashamed of themselves. themselves. Canada being such a forgiving country, has, again become the laughing stock of the world. The insanity will end when we get to the root of the problem and replace the immigration authorities with people who will do the job right. Or am I not politically correct correct by saying this? Herman van der Veen EDITOR'S NOTE Perhaps not. But, your letter letter expresses the feelings of many. Outlook by Laura J. Richards Playing Cupid Friday is St. Valentine's Day. Have you bought your sweetie sweetie something romantic yet? ' As it dawns on you that all the advertising you've been seeing seeing has been in anticipation of this day for lovers, perhaps you are in need of some thoughts on what to purchase for your . lovey-dovey. Might we suggest something on the sublime -- a package of fondue chocolate, pound cake, strawberries, bananas, and pineapple, a bottle of wine, a romantic movie, and ...well, let your imagination take over. For those of you who have all but left the spark behind in your relationship, this could perhaps rekindle it. Another way is to go to a wedding. Everyone gets romantic; romantic; gushyVand' all those good things tit weddings. If none of these'fuhi'you'r drank, 1 how about a romantic night starting with-flowers? (There are many local florists and even a local rose grower on Lamb's Rd.) The evening might include dinner out at a nice local restaurant, going to a nice movie (Star Wars isn't considered to be romantic) or to the Bowmanville Drama Workshop's 'All in the Timing.' If you are without a partner, this is a good time to ask someone someone out. St. Valentine's Day is an interesting time to start what could become a long-term relationship with someone you have long admired or watched from afar. Just imagine the kind of fun you can have getting nervous for that particular outing! St. Valentine's Day is special, even for single people without without dates. I had a friend who would give herself something special special on the day, instead of grumbling of being without someone special in her life. Sometimes she would go on trips abroad, and sometimes she would treat herself to flowers, chocolates and a weekend ski trip. Most people who have someone in their lives tend to forget about their single friends on February 14, but not all do. I remember the year that I was to get married, my fiance and I took a couple of friends to Moncton for a weekend get-a-way. We went to a rock concert, drove to Halifax and stayed up to watch the sun rise over the campus of King's College. Then, it was breakfast at a local café, and an eight-hour drive back to Fredericton. It was crazy and fun. The two friends are now married to each other, and well.,.the rest of that story was another series of therapy sessions. But, you get the point. Have fun on St. Valentine's Day this Friday, Feb. 14! TALES FROM THE TAX TROUGH As you busily gather your tax receipts to complete yourTl return for the April 30th deadline, deadline, here are some horror stories about government government spending that will put you in the right frame of mind when you send in a cheque for any balance owning. We can start our series of tax tales by looking at the perq of a subsidized day care centre for the children of cabinet ministers, MPs, Parliament Hill staff and reporters. From October 4th to 25th last year, construction workers outside the daycare centre were ordered to shut down operations from 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The reason...it was nap time for the children. children. The construction workers were paid $21 an hour even though they weren't working during during nap time. At more than two hours a day, that's more than 25% of the work day. There was no estimate as to the final cost to taxpayers for the nap time break time. For our next talc, we turn south of the border to a specialty mail-order pet supply business. Wes Howard, the owner of the Colorado based business, received an order from the U.S. government to purchase six dog combs. Since Howard's business was the only American supplier supplier of this particular comb, the order was given directly to his company without putting it out to tender. However, as a sole supplier, he would be required to fill out a contract nearly an inch thick. Since it simply wasn't worth his time for a $3,97 comb, Howard told the government to forget it. The agency replied that this simply wasn't possible and needed his company to supply the dog combs. So, Howard told the agency he would provide the dog combs for $197 each plus a $15 red tape charge for all the paperwork. Or he suggested, they could buy the combs from his mail order catalogue for $3.97 each. You guessed it. Instead of paying $24, they paid $1200. Just because governments have been known to waste a few bucks here and there doesn't mean they're not intent on collecting any money owed to them, The sound of a $1,000 winner of a Victoria, B.C. rock and roll radio station was music to a taxman's cars. The radio station held a promotion where a listener was the lucky winner winner of a $1,000 grand prize. Unfortunately, the tax collector was tuned in and did a computer check on the winner. It turned out the winner owed back taxes, so the collector was on the doorstep of the radio station within half an hour demanding a $1,000 cheque, made payable to the Receiver General of Canada. So, how does a government try to strike a delicate balance between adequate taxation and fairness? It's no easy task as history as shown many times that "as tax rates become more oppressive, the more it seems industrious people are forced into servitude for an increasingly voracious government appetite." Or as Louis XIV of France said, "the art of taxation consists of plucking the goose to obtain the largest amount of leathers with the least amount of hissing." tod U.S. HOSPITAL COVERAGE If taxation isn't enough to scare you, a visit to an American hospital certainly will make you appreciate the Canadian way of handling medical medical coverage. Recently, a minor hockey team from Bowmanville traveled to Michigan to compete in the annual Silver Stick tournament. Unfortunately, one of the players was seriously injured and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Due to the nature of the injuries, he required a number of different examinations and treatments. treatments. After a 15 hour stay in hospital, the player player was stable enough to be transported home. But, the bill for his hospital visit was bigger than most team buses. The total cost was $79,000 U.S. Fortunately, the parents had purchased out- of-country coverage before leaving Canada. It was, no doubt, the best $40 they ever spent and should act as a reminder for anyone travelling south for March Break. THAT REALLY SOCKS! While playing hockey on Monday night with my group of has-beens (or in my case, never- beens) a friend was telling me that a player on his kid's house league team received a minor penalty for not wearing matching socks, You've got to be kidding. Whatever happened happened to the spirit of the game and having fun, My goodiices, I wouldn't want to think what would have happened if there were any holes in those socks,