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Wednesday, April 14, 1999 IH h O A K V lL L b BbAVfcK « / C O M M E N T C o u n c i l & S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e M e e t i n g s WILLIAM THOMAS All The World's A Circus "Canadian, you say?" he said. "Let's see -- we got our Micks; we got our Spicks; we got Jocks, Frogs, Yanks, Yits, Crouts, Paddles, and Sweaty Socks...you know, I don't believe we have a nasty name for Canadians. Albert? Do we have a slam­ mer for Canadians? No, I didn't think so." Then, turning back to me he said: "I suppose that means we quite like you people." So, I bought him a pint. Then I told him a couple of stories about Canadians and I heard him turn to Albert and say: "He's a real nutter, this one." So there it is. Henceforth, all Canadians with valid passports travel­ ling to England will be known as "Nutters." Sorry, I make a lousy first impres­ sion. Did I mention I spent five days in a B & B in London, England, where my room was marginal­ ly larger than my luggage and even at $56 Cdn. per night, I was fortunate to find it although there was no bed and no breakfast? (In case you're wonder­ ing, I was in England attending a "Write Then Run Like Hell" seminar presented by Salmon Rushdie.) London? Expensive? A pint of good ale in any London pub is £2.45 hnd a bag Of crisps is 70p. That's $8.17 Cdn. But where else can you get "turkey stuffing" flavoured chips? Throw in a steak and kidney pie and there goes your budget for London On $20 A Day. A coffee and croissant is $5.20 and a traditional fish and chips take-out wrapped in newspaper with a pint is $16 Cdn., plus, you still have to do your helpless Canadian tourist routine to get the guy in the pub to let you bring it in and eat it. I don't even know what a "Ploughman On Bloomer Bread" sand­ wich costs, because I'm still trying to figure out what it is! Expensive! You want to know how expensive London is? In Victoria Station -- I'm not making this up -- it costs 20p to take a pee!!! That's 52 cents Canadian even if a really weird guy in a rubber jump suit stands too close to you at the trough and consequently you can't go. No pay now, leak later policy here. Upon arrival, it's absolutely essen­ tial that you acquaint yourself with the English currency. And it goes like this: £1 is $2.26. One pence is 2.26 cents and there's 100 pence in a pound. The pound notes start at five and go up: 10, 20, 50, 100. The pound is a small thick coin, the size of our penny. Their penny is the size of our quarter but thinner. There's a 5p, a lOp, a 20p coin which is octagon and small and 50p coin which is octagon and larger. There's also a £2 coin like our Twonie. And here's how it works. Me: "How much is this guide book?" Shopkeeper: "Wot? The guide book? Thatta be 10 quid gov'ner." Me (confused): "Okay, then how about this map?" Shopkeeper: "Thatta be a fiver." Me: "Okay, how about this post­ card?" Shopkeeper: "Wot? This here post­ card? Why that's a half a crown mate." Me (Finally mastering the mystery of English money): "Do you take Visa?" You gotta love the English, and I do. Only a BBC "presenter" (anchor­ man) could end a story on Hong Kong, the war that won it, the diplomacy that lost it, the history, the lives changed, and people displaced by its recent takeover by mainland China by refer­ ring to the whole episode as "the great Chinese take-out." Wot? And in casual conversation with my landlady, the death of Lady Di came up. "Well," she began, "everybody in England knows Diana didn't die in the car crash; she only hurt her hip. It was at the hospital and not the nearest hos­ pital mind you, that they killed her and the baby." "Really," I said, surprised and sud­ denly aware that there was no lock on the door of my room. On Marylebone Road on a sunny, cold Sunday morning, I passed 600 to 800 people lined up to get into the Madame Tussaud's Waxworks where lately way too many people have been pulling President Clinton's zipper down. Honest. It's now been clasped so it can't go down, something Hillary wished she thought of a long time ago. Just before I boarded the Gatwick Express in Victoria Station for my flight home, I gave whatever change I had and three tube tickets to an elderly woman who looked like she was the cleaning lady but actually lived there. A businessman interrupted this transaction by asking her where he could board the train to Dorking. "Sometimes," she said, dismissing him. And then turning to me, she winked and said: "Sometimes...but not always." Words, I think, to live by. And I think the English like us as well. I was in the Queen's Pub at Primrose Hill on a Friday night, talking to an old and chatty Englishman. Tender advertising may be view ed on the O.P.B.A. website, http./A'axxine. com / opba 1 2 2 5 TRAFALGAR ROAD • OAKVILLE, ONTARIO • L6H 2L1 For the following work: THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF OAKVILLE Persons wishing to appeal this decision may do so by applying to the Ontario Municipal Board within 15 days from the 14th day of April, 1999, being the date upon which this Notice was published in the Oakville Beaver newspaper. For further information, contact Carol Provost, Committee Co-ordinator, Clerk's Department, Town of Oakville, (905) 338-4179. THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF OAKVILLE TENDER FOR: Centennial Pool Tile Replacement TENDER NUMBER: T-6-99 SEALED TENDERS on forms provided will be received by the Town Clerk, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A6 until 2:00 p.m., local time, on TUESDAY, APRIL 27,1999 In addition to General Contractor administration, demolition, and other services, the project consists of the supply and installation of approximately 8,000 square feet of 2" mosaic floor tile on the pool deck, men's and women's showers, changerooms, washrooms, stairs, program office and inner office areas. The tiling includes the pool rim and coping face. Wall tiles in the showers are also included. Epoxy grout will be used throughout. Specifications and tender forms are now available from the Town of Oakville Purchasing Department, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario; Telephone 905-338-4197. NOTE 1: A non-refundable document charge of $25.00 via cash or certified cheque, payable to the Town of Oakville, will be required. Interne direct payment is also available. The Contractor whose tender is accepted shall be required to post a Performance Bond satisfactory to Town Council, equal to 100% of the contract price, and a Labour and Material Bond equal to 50% of the contract price. Alternately, the contractor may provide an irrevocable unconditional letter of credit for 100% of the contract price. An Agreement to Bond or Letter of Intent will be required with the tender submission. A certified cheque, Bank/Trust Co. draft, or bid bond for the amount specified in the tender document MUST accompany each tender. By-law 1999-050 Closure of Part of North Service Road West for all Purposes TAKE NOTICE THAT: 1. The Council of the Corporation of the Town of Oakville proposes to pass a by-law pursuant to Section 297 of the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter M.45 in order to close and stop up for all purposes, part of North Service Road West, legally described as; Part of Lot 25, Concession 2, South of Dundas Street, Town of Oakville, Regional Municipality of Halton, being all of Part 2 on Plan EX-112, save and except therefrom Parts 1 and 2 on Plan 20R-12100. Tenders will be opened publicly at a meeting of the Tender Opening Committee at the Oakville Municipal Building, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario on Tuesday, April 27,1999, at 2:30 p.m. local time. The Town of Oakville reserves the right to reject any or all tenders and the highest or lowest as the case may be will not necessarily be accepted. R.J. Coumoyer, C.I.M., P.Mgr. Director, Purchasing and Office Services N O T I C E Pursuant to Section 5(3)(b) of the Cemeteries Act: TAKE NOTICE THAT Oakville Town Council on March 22,1999 did resolve that it has no objection to the construction of a mausoleum extension located at Glen Oaks Memorial Gardens, 3164 Ninth Line, Oakville. Tuesday, April 27,1999 Community Services Committee 7:30 p.m. - Oakville Room Administrative Services Comm. 7:30 p.m. - Bronte Room Monday, May 3,1999 Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Council & Committee Touchtone P hone Line 8 1 5 -5 9 5 9 NOTE 2: There will be a MANDATORY site visit, within the tender document. Details are contained D R I V E D R Y ! A message from the M ayor's Special Committee Against Impaired Driving Monday, April 26,1999 Planning & Development Council Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 19,1999 Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. 2. Pursuant to Section 300 of the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter M.45, before passing this by-law, Council or a Committee thereof, will hear in person or by his counsel, solicitor or agent, any person who claims that his lands will be prejudicially affected by this by-law, provided that such person makes application in writing to the undersigned on or before May 7,1999, at 4:30 p.m. This matter will be heard at the Council Meeting of May 17,1999, commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville. 3. Copies of Plan EX-112 and Reference Plan 20R-12100 showing the subject lands are available for inspection at the Office of the Town Clerk, at the address shown below, during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Judith Muncaster, Town Clerk 1225 Trafalgar Rd, P.O.Box 310, Oakville, Ontario L6J5A6 A BT LAM TO STOP UP M O DISPOSE OF PORT OF A PUBUC HK3MWAY. (NORTH SERVICE ROAD BY LAW 1999-000 2 PLAN DC-112 /SMC * EXCEPT PARTS 1 * 2 FLAM 20R-1210Q. "0» R O A D C L O S U R E B Y - L A W You gotta love the English, even if they think we're Nutters T H E C O R P O R A T IO N O F T H E T O W N O F O A K V I L L E Parrott jury should know all the facts DIANE HART There are probably good reasons why some facts of former con­victions are suppressed in crim­ inal trials. But not in this one. Not in the Alison Parrott trial. For several days, the jury sifted through the mountains of evidence on the murder of 11 year old Alison Parrott in July 1986. Alison was lured out of her home by a man claiming to be a sports photographer who wanted to take pictures of her and other mem­ bers of her track club. She was to meet the man at Varsity Stadium, getting there at around 11:30 a.m. on a Friday, and then vanishing. Two days later, her body was found. And I have to say if I was on that jury deliberating for days behind closed doors shut off from newspapers and television and family only to emerge to be told (surprise) there was one tiny little fact we didn't tell you -- the man in the docket had been con­ victed of two rapes of teenagers by luring them, according to the prosecu­ tion, to the woods in much the same way they believe Alison was lured 13 years ago...well, then, I'd be livid. It's not as if it is a conviction for a crime altogether unrelated. And even if they were convictions that had little to do with the current case, it is the responsibility of the court to ensure all the information is given to the jury. How else can they make a responsible decision? I would be outraged that I wasn't given the whole story; all the facts. What good is it to sift through the mountains of evidence when some of it has been omitted? What does that say about justice? These are not irrelevant facts; nor are they prejudicial. These are very relevant to the case at hand - Francis Carl Roy stands accused in the brutal raping and murder of an 11 year old girl lured into the woods by a man posing a photographer. A camera and fake photo I.D. of a cameraman were also found in Roy's apartment but guess what? The jury didn't know this little fact either. The judge again ruled that it would prejudice the jury in an unfair manner. The question to be asked is this: in any criminal trial, what evidence exists that wouldn't somehow manage to persuade a jury one way or another? Isn't everything potentially prejudi­ cial? In this case, the judge ruled that the probative value of the evidence was outweighed by the unfair "prejudice" it would arouse against the accused. So what we have is a man convict­ ed of raping two teenagers - one 14 and the other 19 - and has a camera and film and fake I.D. in his room. But no one on the jury knows this. If this was a trial in which the judge ruled his entire history of convictions was to be stashed away untold to the jury, it would be bad enough. But instead, the jury listens attentively to a detailing of all his misdemeanors and convictions of fraud and assault. The impression that is left is that's all folks: the whole story of his criminal history has been told. But they haven't been given the whole story. Many pages have been left unturned. These two powerful pieces of evi­ dence have been excluded from the jury's consideration, all to ensure the accused has a fair hearing. But what, pray tell, about Alison herself and her family? Don't these people, having endured the murder of their daughter, a trial more than a decade later and an agonizing wait for a verdict, don't these courageous peo­ ple deserve something too? Don't they deserve at least the satisfaction in knowing the trial was a fair one? To all parties? Maybe I'm biased. With an 11 year old daughter, a sports-mad nut who can't wait every day to get on her in­ line skates and play road hockey even in the chill of this spring air, I find it difficult to imagine the parents agony after enduring such a tragedy. It's hard to think about such a vital life ending in such tragedy. All I know is that if I were ever there I'd like to know it all. It's the very least the justice system can do. Must do, in fact.