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Editorial Comments ~ Open For Business? For those in Ontario who have long maintained that the Retail Business Holiday Act is slightly discriminatory, the recommendations handed down last week by an all party committee of the legislature won't do much to ease their concerns. » The committee is suggesting that it's Q.K. for certain stores in Ontario to stay open Sundays and holidays if they are in the business of selling things like garden supplies, books, records or videos, and works of art. But if you want to go grocery shopping, if you want to look for a suit of clothes, a fur coat or a new TV set, forget it. Unless of course you can find any of these items at a flea market. If you own a store less than 2400 square feet in size, you can stay open. But if the store is 2500 square feet, you're in trouble if you open on Sundays or holidays. And the committee also suggests that store owners who simply "rope off' the areas in excess of 2400 square feet should feel the brunt of the law more firmly. And no matter what day of the week Boxing Day happens to fall on, if a store does not meet the exemption requirements, it can't open for business. - The committee has been studying this issue for more than a year and it came to the conclusion that Sundays should be a "pause day' for most retail businesses. That may be fine, but how can Sundays be termed a 'pause day' for some kind of businesses, but not for others. Why should a flea market, a movie theatre or a book store be exempt, but not a furniture or grocery store? The rules should be the same for all, no matter what kind of store it is or how big that store is. | And why is it still going to be O.K. for all stores to be open Sun- days if the local municipal council designates the community as a "tourist area?' If tourists can shop on Sundays for whatever they want or need, why can't the people who live in Ontario do the same thing? . < The committee failed to recognize the 'act that for an ever in- creasing number of people in Ontario, Sunday is the one day of the Week they have to do their shopping for everything, not just books or videos. It also failed to recognize that for a lot of people in On- _tario, Sunday has no religious significance. And what about the more important issue of whether government has any right to legislate the hours of any legitimate commercial enterprise in a supposedly free and democratic society. The Retail Business Holidays Act in Ontario is out-of-date and discriminatory. The committee's recommendations. do nothing to bring itinto the 20th century. It is an example of uneven application of the ~ law, and the committee's suggestions for penalties are draconian: fines of $1,000 per day plus 100 per cent of the gross receipts for the day the store broke the law. What right does the government have to meddle in the market- place? And what right does the government have to legislate the open- ing of a flea market or a book store while putting the clamps on other types of retail stores? There are currently in Ontario hundreds of cases pending before the courts. It will take years for these cases to jake their way through an already over-burdened system. If the Ontario government accepts the committee recommendations, the situation will simply go from bad to worse. Port Perry STAR ¢ 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY. ONTARIO Phone 9857383 PO. Box90 LOB INO J PETER HVIDSTEN | a Publisher 33 4 2 Sow v New 03¢ e d Ass a Advertising Manager prea Cov v Newspaper Ass JB McCLELLAND Editor CATHY OLLIFFE News & Features Subscripton Rate in Canada $20 00 per year Elsewhere $60 00 per year Single Copy S50 WiTH A DISABILITY YOU DO HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS!" A rh Chatterbox by Cathy Olliffe DON'T HESITATE PARTICIPATE Boy, oh boy, I'm getting excited now. With Crownlife's Participaction Challenge Day coming up tomorrow, Wednesday May 27, I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. And judging from the mounting enthusiasm of other people I've talked to in the community, most other people in Scugog are catching the ex- citerment as well. Which is great! Everyone NEEDS to be ex- cited about this special event, in order to beat out Ajax and Newcastle, Although our two southern neighbours have taken part in Challenge Day for ,at least two years, they've Challenged the " Township of Scugog (as well'as Ux bridge) for the very first time. ] P= Not a community to take a challenge lying down, Scugog has risen to the dropping of a gauntlet like a true champion. Organizers from Community Memorial Hospital have worked like dogs to get our people going, to arrange special events, and to make sure Scugog beats Ajax and Newcastle at their own game on May 27. To win, all we have to do is have a higher percentage of participants than our challengers. Last year, both Ajax and Newcastle came up with percentages in the TWENTY. PER CENT range. Twenty per cent! Surely, we can beat that! For purposes of Challenge Day, organizers have staked our population at 14,808. To achieve 50 per cent participation, 7,404 people in Scugog must register 15 minutes of activity, any kind of exercise that makes the heart beat faster (walk- ing, running, swimming, use your imagination! ). Strenuous exercise isn't necessary, so you can participate no matter how young, old or out of shape you happen to be. Just do any type of exer- cise, any time of the day, and phone it in (at 985-9761 -- a Challenge Day number ONLY), anytime after 7:30 a.m. and before 11 p.m. Don't be a stick in the mud. Tell your neighbours, tell your friends, encourage everyone, - you know to take part. No community in Canada has ever reached 100 per cent participation. The nation-wide winner last year was St. John, New Brunswick with 88 per cent. Can you imagine if we beat that number" Naturally, we'd be the fittest community in Canada, a title to boast about for years to come. 'Two hundred and fifty-nine communities across the nation are taking part, with local challenges (like ours with Ajax and Newcastle) adding some spirited competition. Toronto, for ex- ample, has challenged Montreal, and Peter- borough has challenged last year's winner. St. John I've always told people. "Scugog has more community spirit than.any other town I've ever known." I believe this, and I also believe the peo- ple of Scugog will show that spirit tomorrow when they take on The Challenge. To make the whole day even more fun, peo- ple from all parts of this spirited community have arranged a multitude of special events for tomorrow. : Here's a quick rundown (see the ad in this week's paper for details): J The phones open at 7 a.m.; the tennis courts fill up from 8:30 (until 11 p.m.) with a tennis challenige; the Phantom Fitness Parade starts at 10 a.m. leading up to the opening ceremonies at 10:45; a spirited car tug takes place on 11: 15 (bet- ween Emiel's and Conway Place); a barbecue starts at noon, together with a bake sale (after all this exercise, you'll be starved!). There's also a children's hour, a walking workout with Ed and Barbie Allen, an obstacle course race, fitness ¥esting, a canoe Face, aerobics, a Phantom Rock-a-tha-lon (between Chamber of Commerce President Elgin Knopp and Mayor Jerry Taylor), senior's fitness, square dancing, lawn darts, frisbee tosses, YMCA gym- nastics, a hula hoop challenge. judo demonstra- tions, a three legged race, a Pine Ridge Cloggers demo, a water balloon toss (messy, but fun!), potato sack and wheel barrow races, Tug o War challenges (with police and médi from the Port Perry High School concert band, a Charged Hose Challenge from the Port Perry Fire Department; karate, a Phantom Rock Awards (8 p.m.), an air band concert, baseball, lob ball and a Phantom Rock Dance! Most, if not all, the above excitement is go- ing on throughout the day at the Port Perry lakefront, but there are other off-site events throughout the Township. A particular favourite of mine is the CAESAREA CHALLENGE WALK (I live in Caesarea, so I'm prejudiced!). The local firefighters are leading the walk - (with Chief Len Scott at the front, driving the lights-on, siren wailing truck), which starts ly at 6 p.m. in the Sunnyside Market parking lot. It'sa , 15 minute walk the streets of Caesarea, for young and old alike. Bring your whole family, bring your neighbours, LET'S GET THE WHOLE VILLAGE OUT FOR THIS WALK TO SHOW JUST HOW COMMUNITY SPIRITED CAESAREA REALLY IS! Before or after the walk, make sure you register with either Doug Olliffe or Wayne Scott. When everyone's signed up, the results will be rushed over to the registration booth in Port Perry. The walk won't take much of your time, and if you get tired, feel free to hop on the truck for a rest. Like other Challenge Day events, it doesn't require any money, and not even much effort. (Turn to page 6) cal folks), music | f