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4 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, July 10, 1984 © aditorial comments OL' WORKHORSE, BuopyBoy WHELAN ! WELL, IF 1T 1SN'T chatterbox by John B. McClelland NOT AGAIN New Democrat MPP Elie Martel is quite right when he said last week in a report on amateur hockey in On- tario that rule changes are needed to help prevent serious injury to youngsters who play this game. But his suggestion that all amateur hockey come under some kind of government umbrella organization just doesn't seem to make much sense. Running amateur sport should not be a function of any government body. Governments are having enough trouble doing what they are su to do: provide cer- tain services to the people of this province. Amateur sport is not one of those services. Mr. Martel's study has found that the number of serious neck injuries suffered by young players is on the increase. And he says that players are being hurt from blind-side checks, checks from behind and checks into the boards. Probably true. But a lot of ple close to the game of hockey suspect that the advent of the full-cage face mask which prevents injuries to the eyes, teeth and facial area, may be leading to neck and back injuries. Players wearing the full cage mask seem to feel they are invincible on the ice, immune to injury and as a result use their heads as a battering ram much like an offensive guard in football. I've seen young players literally throw themselves head first in front of a puck or an opponent. Years ago, when players wore just a helmet, this kind of thing was a rarity. They played instinctively to protect their heads and face. Not so these days. It is little wonder the number of neck and back injuries has increased. Players should be taught at a very early age not to throw themselves helter skelter around the ice. They should be taught that body checks are thrown with the hip and or/shoulder, not the head. As for violence in amateur and minor hockey, this is an age-old debate in Canada that's been going on for years. Everybody associated with the game in one way or another has an opinion on the matter. So do a lot of ple who have never set foot in an arena and don't now a slap shot from a cheap shot. I don't think the violence in the game should be shrugged off, but I'd sure hate to see the game turned into basketball on skates where every little bump is call- ed a foul. Reducing the high sticking etc. is the responsibili- ty of the coaches, managers, league officials and referees. The rules should be tougher, the penalties more severe. But putting the whole thing under govern- ment control is not the answer. This debate over hockey violence and injuries will continue until young boys stop lacing on skates in this country each winter. One thing that seems to be over-looked in this "great debate' is the change in the game itself which has oc- curred during the past ten or 15 years. Players on average are bigger, stronger and faster than they were a decade ago. Equipment is much lighter which means more speed. There is an emphasis on skating and overall condi- tioning. Check the roster of any NHL team and you won't find too many under six feet and 200 pounds. Many young players in the 12 to 18 year ago group work on their strength and conditioning all year long. Because the game is played at a faster pace and because players are bigger and stronger, does this not increase the potential for injury? 0 CANADA Just a coupl€ of months ago, Canada was sailing along the road to economic recovery. People were spen- ding like mad on everything from vacations in the sun- ny south to new cars and homes. Business was recor- ding fancy profits, interest rates were respectable and there was a mood of optimism in the land. All of a sudden, the wheels began to fall off. The most frightening aspect is the drop in the value of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. greenback. At a touch over 75 cents, it is at an all-time low in value and that has a lot of people worried. Interest rates are moving upwards as the Bank of Canada hikes its rates to protect the falling dollar. There have been some predictions that the slide of the dollar is far from over and in fact it may bottom out at 70 cents U.S. By mid-winter, we may be looking at 18 or 19 per cent interest rates and we all know what that does to the nation's economy. Economics has never been my strong suit and for the life of me, I have not been able to figure out why the Canadian dollar is so vulnerable in relation to the United States currency. It looks to me as if Canada is starting the same ex- ercise it went through three years ago when interest rates hit the roof. Have we learned since then? Is the Bank of Canada going to drag us through that quagmire once again? The "cure" for protecting our dollar is worse than the disease itself, and the impact on the average Canadian can be devastating. I'm sure I speak for a lot of average Canadian who find the whole issue of a falling dollar and rising interest rates beyond comprehension. Is there no way this coun- try can better control its economic destiny? I know one thing for sure. I'm darn glad I don't have a mortgage up for renewal in February or March of 1985. The way things are going we are likely to see peo ple walking away from their homes again, unable - to cope with the monthly payments. (Turn to page 6) / The - Royal Visit Prime Minister John Turner paid a visit to the Queen over the weekend, and while Mr. Turner did not hold a news conference until late Monday as this issue of the Port Perry Star was going to press, the speculation was that the Royal Visit this month would be cancelled as the Liberals plan to call a federal election for "Sept- ember 4. : Assuming that this indeed was the announcement made by Turner, he has taken a bold gamble in putting the election campaign ahead of a planned Royal Tour of Canada which was slated to start this Saturday. There are many Canadians who hold the Royal Family in the very highest of esteem, and their plans and travels abroad should not be altered. By forcing the Queen to cancel this trip so an election campaign can get underway, Mr. Turner and the Liberals are bound to upset many Canadians. On the other hand, there are many Canadians who will believe that the electoral process of a sovereign na- tion like this one is of paramount importance, and if the Queen feels she should not travel in a country during a national campaign, that's just too bad. Royal visits can always be rescheduled. | One can understand just why Mr. Turner and the Liberal Party has opted for the September 4 voting day. He wants to strike while the fire is hot, while he is still riding the crest of the convention victory, and while Tory leader Brian Mulroney is slipping or treading water in popularity polls. A delay of the election call would put voting day close to the planned visit of the Pope this September, and if the campaign did not start until after the Pope's visit, it would mean Canadians would go to the polls in late fall, a time when the weather can be brutal in this country. We suspect also that Mr. Turner wants to be seen by Canadians as a man capable of making tough deci- sions that will not be popular with all people in this coun- try. Calling an election that upsets the Royal Visit is just that: a tough decision. And let's face it, Canada needs an election. There are disturbing reports that the so-called recovery has ground to a halt, and in fact the economy may be head- ed back to the disastrous recession period of three years. Unemployment continues to be a major problem, the dollar is falling, interest rates are increasing. . An election campaign must focus on these press- ing national issues and show Canadians just how each of the federal parties will respond to these problems. If ever there was a time for an issues-oriented elec- tion in Canada, it is now. It may be regrettable that the Queen's visit has to be cancelled or postponed to a later date because Royal tradition dictates that these visits should not take place during a national election campaign. However, it is not the Queen who has the respon- sibility to deal with the issues that confront Canada right now. It is the politicians, and Canadians are waiting for some answers and solutions. Western Days Probably the biggest community bash of the year is set to get underway this weekend as Port Perry celebrates the annual Western Days. From Thursday to Sunday, there is a line-up of events that should have an appeal for just about everyone. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, one of the purposes of Western Days is to bring visitors into the community for this weekend. But we also think it's « great time for residents of Port Perry and Scugog to get out and enjoy the fun, meet new people, and by their presence help to ensure the success of this summer event. Check the special supplement and advertising in this week's Port Perry Star for the list of events going on during the weekend. And then come on out and enjoy yourself. You might be surprised at how much fun you can really have, if you try. sor