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EE sine gm I {| et tae LAID PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, July 21, 1987 -- 5 iewpoint by John B. McClelland SPORTS, THE ARTS & SMOKING Smoking is a nasty, filthy habit. It's a killer, too. Some 33,000 Canadians died last year from diseases related to smoking. Still, six million Canadians remain addicted to nicotine. I use the word "addicted" in its true sense. Nictone is addictive. Ask anyone who has ever tried to quit smoking how addictive it is. Just ask me. I smoke and I know I am doing myself harm, not to mention the $20 Jer Week it costs me out of pocket to feed this stupid abit. Despite my feelings on tobacco, I can't understand how the government can pass legislation which would force tobacco companies to give up their sponsorship of major sporting events and the performing arts in this country. Tennis, golf, skiing, the ballet, the fine arts of various kinds are heavily sponsored by tobacco com- panies. And the government, through Bill C-51 is try- ing to put an end to this. Here we have a product, deadly, but entirely legal, a product which pumps millions into government cof- fers each year through taxes, and the government says the companies which make and sell this product can't use some of their profits to sponsor a golf tournament or the ballet. It is government hypocrisy at its sheerest. I don't know, and I don't think anyone knows if a tobacco com- pany's sponsorship of sports events or the performing arts actually makes people go out and start smoking. The companies claim they are trying to get smokers to switch brands, not entice non-smokers to use the stuff. But what bothers me immensely, is that the govern- ment feels it has the right to intrude into the marketplace and dictate these kinds of terms on a pro- duct that is legal to make, sell and use. Anti-smoking groups claim the government has this right. They claim that anything which removes tobacco company names and logos from the public eye is going to be of some benefit in the overall campaign against smoking. They also claim that in the case of the performing arts, the sponsorship money is not very much, about $10 million yearly, and surely there are other corporate sponsors who could move so these performances won't disappear. These arguments are irrelevant. What is pertinent is that the government has intruded on the right of legitimate corporations to sponsor certain events in the country. I can' buy that. I can support entirely direct government initiatives to convince young people never to start smoking, or in- itiatives to convince smokers like me to stop. I can sup- port even higher taxes on the product. I could even sup- port strict production quotas limiting the amount of tobacco products available, and yes, if the government really had some fortitudes and declared an outright ban on cigarettes, I would go along with that. After all, they are a hazardous product, and were they suddenly to ap- pear for the first time on the market right now. there would be a total ban. But as long as the government deems their sale and use to be legal, I can't understand how politicians think they can be dictatorial in telling companies they can't spend their profits to sponsor a concert or a tennis match. STILL MORE BANS In Toronto, a city council committee has proposed that all video arcades and stores with video games be off limits for students 18 and under during school hours.' The committee members think this will stop youngsters from hanging out in the arcades when they should be in class. So who's going to enforce this silly rule, if it gets the O.K. from the full city council? How can you tell a kid, he/she can't stop and play a video game on the way to school, or over the lunch hour. And if a kid is skipping classes are there not truan- cy laws already on the books? I'm personally no great fan of video arcades, but these kinds of silly government regulations and bans are getting all too familiar in our so-called free society. You can't pass laws to regulate and protect people from themselves or their vices. I'm opposed to regulations which take away freedom of choice in activities which are legal. Govern- ments seem to want to control what we do, when we do it, to the point where they are telling kids when they can slide a quarter into a video game. Frankly, it's another step towards complete control of thought. If you can wiggle through controls over actions and movement, and the population accepts these controls, it is not too far down the road to control over thought, speech and expression. a Nate 3 Yesterday's Memories 70 YEARS AGO Thursday, July 19, 1917 Lieut. Charlie Carnegie is in Scotland in charge of large lumber- ing operations connected with the forestry department of the army. The directors of the Port Perry Fair have added a children's department to their prize list. The barn of Mr. R.D. McTaggart, Seagrave, was struck by lightn- ing, and rendered Mr. McTaggart unconscious for a time. 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, July 16, 1942 Three more of Port Perry's boys have joined an active service unit and will leave for camp this week. They are Bill Baker, Archie Anderson and Merl Dowson. Lions Bert Hutcheson, Ernie Hayes and Will Chapman, witnessed the Grand Lions Parade in Toronto. The Annual United Church picnic was held at Birdseye Centre Park. At Port Perry Council, a motion was passed that Mr. H.G. Hut- cheson be appointed Clerk-Treasurer of the Corporation of Port Perry and Dr. Dymond was appointed Health Officer. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, July 24, 1952 Mrs. Dennis McKinzey, Manchester, sails this week to Scotland where she will visit until late October. Atkinson Foundation donated $4,200 to-Memorial Hospital. The Kenosha Hotel, Caesarea, was burned to the ground recently. Mr. Les Smith was the speaker for the July meeting of Port Perry Calf Club at Port Bolster picnic grounds. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, July 18, 1957 Mr. and Mrs. Art James and son, who have been stationed in France for nearly two years are visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mel James. Mrs. Jack Crosier, Utica is holidaying in Washington, D.C, with her daughter Donna and family. One hundred & forty 4-H Club Boys and Girls took a trip to Toron- to where they visited the Parliament Buildings, Art Galleries and different places of interest. 20 YEARS AGO Thursday, July 20, 1967 Norma Jibb, Blackwater, was crowned as Ontario County Dairy Princess and received the crimson sash from last year's princess, Marilyn Beatty. Construction began Monday on the grounds east of Manchester to continue the planned Goodwood-Manchester road. Mel-Ron Construction Ltd. of Whitby, was awarded the contract to build the new grandstand at the Fair Grounds in Port Perry. When completed the new grandstand will hold 600 people. Co Hospital Campaign Chairman Joel Aldred has complete faith in the residents of Port Perry and area to raise the $62,000 needed to bring the hospital fund up to $250,000. Letters Nothing to do for the teenagers To The Editor: Bahamas Festival Days are over, but never forgotten. I believe there should have been more to do on . Queen St. for our teens (D.J.) Many years ago I would come up to Port Perry for their street dance from Toronto. Also, signs should be posted on all the road barricades - No Skate Boards -- Bicycle Riding Past This Point. : A Tip Of The Hat to Miss Chrystal Menzies for her win as Sexy Person as most money raised and as Sexy Single Person. In many events it seems con- testants went out and begged, bor- rowed or stole votes. As for me I do not beg or steal. Many people gave me money for votes, I wish to thank my many friends, neighbours, fami- ly, inlaws, outlaws and those people who helped me raise the money for our Scugog Chamber of Commerce Sexy Contest. What 1 did was . deposit the money into the Bank of Montreal and Standard Trust Co Then wrote a cheque from the Royal Bank. That way no person knew how many votes I was receiving. Many questions were asked but no com ment. Theré was not at any time Enjoyed Festival To The Editor Thought we'd drop a line to the editor to show our appreciation for the wonderful effort made by Larry Emmerson, the Chamber of Com- merce and all volunteers involved with Festival Days. We participated as much as possi- ble and enjoyed the fun in the sun. Keep up the good work people -- it's another fun weekend that makes the town such a great place to live. Sincerely, The Willmans, R.R.1, Port Perry. donation boxes or jars asking for votes by me. Many people still believe me to be The Phamtom, as there were no pic- tures of me. I may be a 'No Mad" but I can assure you I am not and never was "The Phamtom." Also something people of Scugog Township should know, one very, very '"'Hot" day I was selling raffle tickets on Queen St. and a lady said at my age I should not be sitting out in the sun and heat. Would you believe the "Lady" came back to me with one of her husbands sum- mer shirts. You see, people really do care in. Scugog Township. They will give you the shirt from their backs for a good cause. Thank you Dawn Ireland. As Always, Roy Walker Smith, Port Perry. Leave displays up To The Editor: Festival Days again this year seemed to be very successful. All the merchants decorated their business - made the streets very southern and the weather was on your side But what 1 would really like to say 1s why do merchants who enter the Merchant Participation Contest not leave displays up all day Friday and Saturday" People working evenings like myself, did not arrive downtown Port Perry till after twelve noon on Friday. The dental building (awarded se- cond prize) had a very nice street display (I heard) but they did it on- ly for the judges not for the public, for they took it down as soQn as the judges left. My suggestion being, maybe next year the judging should be done on Thursday and Friday - the winners announced on Friday night. Then on Saturday the public can check out the winners and see why the judges made their decision. Festival Days on Thursday, I'ri- day and Saturday - not just when the judges are around. Yours truly, Katherine Hoar, Port Perry. ter to the editor. Letters to the Editor ... our policy It has always been the policy of this newpspaper to encourage our readers to make use of the letters to the editor column. Our readers have a right to freely express their opinions and view- points on just about any subject, and we feel that a lively letters col- umn helps make a better community newspaper. We insist, however, that a letter writer sign his or her name. On rare occasions, we will agree to with-hold publication of a letter writer's name, if we feel there are very good reasons to do so. Under no circumstances will this paper print an arionymous let- While we enjoy receiving letters from our readers, we must con- tinue to insist on knowing the identity of the writer.