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EC SAAR, RRR or 2 2% ge % 2 5 i A ST ---------------------------- ChatterBox "by John Gast | Perhaps the strongest thing that our democratic system has going for it is the fact that our elected representatives are just that: elected and represent-' atives. Paradoxically, it has the potential of being its major weakness. Government by the people, for the people it's commonly called, and it supposedly works in curbing the success of the politician's natural instinct to "© arrogate power. The system pre-supposes two things: That there is an open, effective and accurate transfer of informat- ion to the people from their elected government... And that people give a damn, There are some who would question if our system meets the first pre-requisite. There is talk for the "need of a freedom of information act in Canada, yet measured against the information available to the citizens of many other gountries, we are among the best informed. It is the second point that should concern us the most. The growing indifference that is reflected in the polls at election time, and the lack of outcry when the interests of the people have clearly not been met. Perhaps the most glaring example of public apathy is the flash-in-the-pan syndrome that will produce a momentary focus of public attention but no lasting public concern. Not lost on our elected officials is the fact that public thirsts for such tidbits as what Margaret Trudeau does in her spare time, yet lifts hardly a collective eyebrow at government's failure to follow through with stiff anti-pollution measures. Pollution, after all, was last year's cause. Today it's blase. The ecology is out. Margaret is in. Simply put, a public that is short on memory fosters that well-documented political system that. says one thing and does the opposite. - But perhaps more imminent a danger is the Hollywood Politics we've seen growing by leaps and bounds in the -United States, cluminating in the November election of Jimmy Charisma Cahduh. Impossible, you say? The Canadian public is too level-headed and sophisticated to import the Ameri- can's Grandstand Politik? Not according to what's being said these days. I recall one (heaven forbid) media commentator note Cahduh's popular style and showmanship, then sug- gest that our own Pierre Elliott Trudeau should learn something from it in view of his own growing ty at home. That's all we need. Fireside chats in casual sweaters. Advice to Canadians that they should get married, open line shows from Capital Hill so that "ordinary folk" can talk right to The Man. Perhaps Pierre could follow Cahduh's brilliant plan of moving t the country, staying 'in homes of ordinary a feeling of their problems, needs, pt Duri recent snowfall that brought Buffalo to a grinding Halt, Jimmy sent a team of experts down to investigate if indeed the area needs and deserves federal assistance. One of these people on the team was Jimmy's son, Chip, who probably reported to father Jimmy that peanuts wouldn't grow in Buffalo. Hardly an expert. And then there was the suggestion that Jimmy's wife and family would be sitting in on some cabinet " sessions. I'm no.snob, mind you, and we'd probably all look like Gorillas if it wasn't for the dedicated work of the Hairdressers of America. But it boggles the imagination what an ex-hairdresser could contribute in the making of international policies and decisions of peace and war. No thanks. We haven't gone Hollywood yet, and I. don't relish the thought of it coming. Speaking of yesterday's causes, the provincial track record on ecological concerns is nothing short of appalling. After what had been a hard and long fight by environmentalist groups, there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel with a promise of more action by the government on a five-year program to phase . out non-returnable bottles. The government's proposed "action" is hardly what environmentalists call encouraging. Instead of strengthening what can only be called rather anemic first steps by the province to usher in the program, the proposed new moves would water down and delay the phase-out program. - Regulations in effect now require retailers to stock the same brands, flavour and sizes in refillables as in non-refillables which they carry. But instead of strengthening these regulations, the province is reportedly moving to drop the 'matching brands" requirements from the provision, making it possible for a retailer to stock a shelf full of different brands of cola in non-refillables as long as he carried one brand in refillables of the same size as the Naturalists are quick to point out that any retailer not wanting to be bothered with the ex involved in handling returnables can do so b; non-refillables which they stock. i refillables to meet the regulations. As usual, the government quotes ind cerns as the reason for the amendme protect the small bottlers, according to the environ- ment ministry, yet the obvious solution is to Hobe Packaging soft drinks in unnecessary garbage ge Yet industrial lobbies continue to engage in what NDP environment critic Marion Bryden calls *cor- porate blackmail" by claiming they will go out of business, lay off workers or raise prices. Crying wolf has always been a favourite tactic of the corporation. But even if there is an economic cost to stricter conservation measures, is there not an even greater penalty we must pay? It is the taxpayer, after all, who must pay to have the bottle picked up or the stream cleaned. It is the public that suffers when a fishing industry folds or a potential recreation area is unusable due to pollution. Thése are all costs as well - expensive ones. So if you are enraged by the government's action in regards to the non-refillable bottles, let your elected representative know it. : Aum the vest tome yon 20 2 the tos, ake 3t 2 point to buy returnables. Drama Tonight If-this is Wednesday night-and you've got nothing speclal planned, television is lousy and it's kind of slow around the house, why not pack up the kids and head for Port Perry High School and take In their special Drama Night presentation. It works two ways. Not only will you be doing yourself and your family a favour by seeing HA WOE something. pleasantly. different for a change, but you and others like you will encourage young actors in the budding endeavor. Sounds like a great way to spend an' evening. Poor Attitude Making room for young people with new ideas and new approaches to our problems has always been the battle cry of the enlightened, especially in the past few years when city streets burned with the force of a radical, moralistic and often beligerently outraged youth. For too many who see the young and their stubborn noncomformity as a new hope for the world, it often becomes a bitter disappointment when they realize that conservative parochialism Is alive and doing quite well amongst the ranks of the young. Take note that one of two councillors to vote against a Queen Street home for six emotionally disturbed youths in Port Perry was Scugog youthful councillor, 21-year-old Neil McLaughlin. His reasoning? That one rotten apple in the barrel spoils the rest. Hardly youthful moralism. Hardly enlightened. No new blood. Just the same old blue stuff recycled through new veins. Speaking of Chimo, according to Coun. Jerry Taylor, the many calls he's had indicated to him that most people were opposed to the home for emotional- ly disturbed youths here, a statement backed up by Coun. Richard Drew who told council that some people he's talked to were ready to take up a petition opposing the treatment home. Good grief. Not again. Priorities Wrong Bull's Eye Gary Gilmore T-shirts inscribed with the words ""Let's do it"' are selling like hotcakes, youngsters are exposed to hundreds of acts of violence on the boob tube each week, and race hatred is rearing its ugly head in Canadian cities like never before. 'And, like Nero playing a tune while Rome burns, concerned citizens continue to focus the full force of their collective outrage... ..In the wrong direction. We' re. talking about the Purity. vs Porno move- ment sweeping the country. Almost every day we read or hear that another citizen or citizen's group or institution has added It's voice in indignation at the flood or porno, standing up to be counted in this self-righteous holy was against porno, decadence, and degeneracy. Who, after all, Is going to speak up for the pornographer? .or the poor slob who keeps the pornographer in business? Like motherhood, it's a safe cause. It is rather ironic, however, that in the United States where studies have shown that city dwellers are afraid to walk the streets for fear of being . mugged, stabbed, shot or molested, these Virginal Vigllantees are doing their stuff. Recenty, the publisher of Hustler magazine was |ailed after being convicted on obsenity charges. There is talk of more prosecutions and more police action as the citizen fever pitch escalates. : At a time when police are overworked just keeping up with the galloping ""hard" crime rate, it seem ludicrous to ask them to spend their time wrestling girile magazines from dirty old men. 7 2 7 SRE RR 7 Flood Waters : When Scugog Township employees suffered a flooding problem in their Perry Street basement municipal offices on Monday, Mayor Lawrence Malcolm couldnt resist a chance to inject a little dry wit into a wet situation. "The first decision this council might -have fo make," commented Malcolm, noting the four inches of water that had flooded the offices underneath the council chambers, "should be to close down and reconvene on nm higher. ground.» " Z