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

4 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, May 15, 1984 editorial comments (WA oy [4 1 i 4 / . 4, . #5 GREAT WHITE NORTH: i# ET, Hii 0) oy ly Parry 0 collamse irr ke OFF Er! THE PCE 100,17 You Stay on Hosee. ee chatterbox by John B. McClelland GOOD RIDDANCE? With the announcement last week that the Soviet Union will not attend the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, there has been a lot of public comment that Is Just about time to put the games to rest, once and or all. The critics say the Olympics have become far too political in nature; are too costly to stage; are submerg- ed in commercialism; and bloated in hpocrisy in deman- ding that only "amateur" athletes compete. I must say it is hard to argue against any of the above, and it is very likely that the modern Olympic Games will die because of the endless, controversy and problems that just can't seem to get solved. Personally, I think that would be a sad day. For despite all the warts growing on the Modern Games, they still served to help bring the e of this world together, if only for a couple of every four years. Certainly in recent years, the Games have grown too large and too cumbersome with far too many events and far too many competitors. Never mind the fact that the idea of friendly competition has long been replaced with a philosophy of win at any cost. I feel sad not so much because Games per se are dying, but rather that this death knell is just one more example of how the people of this planet simply refuse to get along with each other. If the international community can't get its act together to put on an athletic competition every four ears, what chance is there for co-operation on the real- y substantive issues that face us all, like the arms race, poverty, hunger, conflict? Even more distressing is the fact that much of the dis-agreement stems from the two most powerful na- tions on earth: the United States and the Soviet Union. The gulf between the two is widening, and there is reason to fear that they are on an irreversible collision course that will eventually lead to open hostilities. The Soviets say they are pulling out because the Americans can't guarantee the safety of their athletes. The Americans say it is retaliation for their boycott of the Moscow Games in 1980. I think both these arguments are phoney and the real reason is that the Yanks and Russians hate each other to the point can't even sit down to discuss dif- ferences of opinion. Olympic fiasco is just a symp- ton of overall relations that have gone right out the window. It is really too bad. I heard one suggestion last week that the rest of the world should stage an Olympics and bar the Soviets and Americans. That might not be a bad idea. Let the Russians and Americans sit on the sidelines for awhile at the pleasure of the rest of the world. In any event, with the future of the Summer Games now in real doubt, I wonder what mis-fortune is going to fall on Canada's efforts to hold the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary? The way things are going in this world, we should be so lucky just to make it to 1988. The future of the Olympics may be the least of our worries. A NICE TRIBUTE For a lot of people living in Port Perry and im- mediate area, the name Doc Dymond is a household word. He was a physician, politician, cabinet minister and community worker here for many years. Even though he has been retired from politics for almost a decade, and as of March this year officially retired from medicine, it was very nice to hear the tribute paid to this man at a special dinner held in his honour in Toronto last week. His accomplishment in the field of public service are indeed quite amazing. I am sure the 400 or so peo- ple who attended the "Scottish Evening" in his honour last week felt that he has earned the tributes paid to him. . It was also announced that the new addition at the hospital in Port Perry will be named for him, and about $5000 in net proceeds from that evening will be turned over the hospital building fund, in his name. I attended that dinner, and I must say that seeing Doc Dymond brough back a very poignant memory for me. My first assignment ever as a reporter came in September 1971 at his nomination meeting for the pro- vincial election to be held that October. The meeting took place at Port Perry High School and I expected maybe 50 or 60 people would be there. Well, the gymnasium was jam-packed. There was no nomination and the new Premier of Ontario, William Davis was the guest speaker. He was kicking off the election campaign, and Doc Dymond of course got the nomination by acclamation. It was all pretty important stuff for a young reporter still wet behind the ears. I don't think I'd ever seen so many people jammed into one school auditorium. Anyway, after the speeches were over, | asked Mr. Davis if he would for a photo holding Doc Dymond's arms in the air. They agreed. With several hundred peo- ple looking on, I aimed the camera, pressed the shut- ter and nothing happened, no flash. I muttered something about the flash not working and asked them to hold it a minute. Pressed the shut- ter and still no flash. Mr. Davis did not look amused. I could have crawled through a crack in the floor for [ had forgotten to turn the flash unit to the 'on' position. (Turn to page 6) BE I __ Chretien aut. of it. SEPSIS ---------- Don't Give Up We are pleased to hear from the Scugog Beautifica- tion Committee that even though plans for Port Perry had to be put on the back burner, this organization will be doing some work in several areas of the Township this spring and summer. As we all know, there are lots and lots of places in Scugog Township that could stand a little beautification, but a concerted effort.is needed and long range plans can't be implemented: overnight. The idea of providing decorative planters for Port Perry's Queen Street is a good one, a noble one, even. While we won't likely see them this year, we hope the committee is encouraged enough to make plans for next ear. Y So, to the Beautification Committee, by all means, carry on this spring with the plans for work in Nestleton, Caesarea and Manchester. Show the people of this com- munity what can be done with a little effort and co- ordination. We are convinced that over the next few months and during the winter, more and more people will volunteer to actively work on this campaign to make our community more attractive. You've started the ball rolling, and while it may have slowed down a bit, we urge you not to let it come to a complete stop. This community is an attractive place to live, work and visit. But nobody is suggesting for one minute that it can't be improved. Uphill All The Way One has to admire Jean Chretien forthe battle he is waging to succeed Pierre Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. it has been an up-hill battle all the way and John Turner still holds a commanding lead among commit- ted delegates who will attend the leadership convention in Ottawa next month. When Turner entered the race, he was hailed as some kind of a knight in shining armour, just the kind of smooth-talking, no-nonsense, hard-nosed businessman needed to lead the Liberals back from the brink of electoral disaster. He was billed as the darling of the nation's board rooms, a man who moved with ease in the rarified at- mosphere of Bay Street office towers to the opulence of his private table at Winston's, one of Toronto's better eateries. Chretien, by contrast, with his fractured, almost gut- teral English, his highly animated mannerisms, his pen- chant for throwing away prepared speeches and char- ming audiences off the cuff, seemed to be a man more at home in a tavern on the cheap side of any city, hav- ing a beer or two with the regulars in front of Hockey Night in Canada. ] From the very outset of the race, Chretien has been something of a 'sentimental favourite" but all the money was being placed on Turner. Chretien was also saddled with that peculiar Liberal tradition of alternating French and English leaders, a tradition which may not hold water these days, but add- ed to the steep hill for Chretien nevertheless. But Jean Chretien didn't roll over and play dead. He didn't become just a token candidate, and according to a poll last week, he is cutting the margin between himself and Turner. Chretien has always had a reputation as combative, and he wages this battle against long odds, people are beginning to see why. He's not a quitter, and as he said with respect to federal-provincial relations recently, he's not about to compromise his beliefs in the hopes of a quick return. $ Turner's campaign is running into problems. He has been accused of being fuzzy on the issues, too much style and not enough substance. He says he'll reduce the federal deficit by $15 billion over the next few years, but won't say how. At times during the campaign, he has "ppeared very uncomfortable, even churlish when con- fronted with tough and direct questipns on what he plans to do if elected leader. Chretien, when asked about cutting the massive deficit, admitted it would be difficult to do and would cause a lot of hardship for a lot of Canadians. We would not be surprised that Chretien, with his determination, his straight shooting style and his image as a dogged battler, is going to gain even more ground over the last crucial four weeks of this campaign. And when they start to count those ballots to see who will next leader of the Liberal Party, don't count Mr. ----