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6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 1, 1988 Editorial Comments #%$@&* POLLS Just what is the average Canadian supposed to think? One day Brian Mulroney is happily cruising along, his federal campaign on automatic pilot heading for a ma- jority government on November 21. Liberal leader John Turner is wobbling, unable to find a focus for his campaign, Slipping into third place in na- tional popularity to the point where Ed Broadbent is even musing aloud about the chance of a two party system in Canada: the right and the left, with the Liberals disap- pearing into the sea. John Turner's fortunes sunk a notch or deeper when the CBC dug up a story aired on the national news that a cabal of Grit big wigs had some kind of secret get togeth- er in Ottawa and discussed among other things a leader- ship change in mid-campaign.. Turner's back problems were not from an old track injury, but rather from the long knives between his shoulder blades. Lo and behold, not a week later and Turner is back on top (or near the top, anyway) his campaign revved and roaring, flush from his performance in the two (fran- cais et anglais) TV chin wags in which he scored points against the Prime Minister and Ed Broadbent. How do we know all this? Why, the polis tell us, that's how. On Saturday morning, the latest poll hit the streets (guaranteed scientifically accurate 19 of 20 times with a margin for error of four points either way) and the nation- learns that it is Mulroney and Turner in a dead heat with 35 per cent popular support and Ed Broadbent with 28 per cent.. This whole campaign is spinning off the polls, while the average John Q. Canuck, looking for some substan- tive answers on issues before making an informed choice November 21'is confused, frustrated and getting more than a tad angry at the way federal election cam- paigns are run thiese days. The national press, by and large, devotes as much ink to an analysis of the latest poll as it does to explain- ing the issues to Canadians. The electronic media are 'just as bad, if not worse. An endless stream of "political thinkers" of all stripes is beating a path to the studio doors to give the viewer an in-depth account of what the latest poll means, and how it will affect the remainder of the campaign. Last Saturday morning with the dead heat poll results staring him in the face, Brian Mulroney whistle. stops in Durham riding. The schedule is tight. He's late arriving and barely has time to deliver a good speech to party supporrters in a crowded P.C. committee room on Bow- manville's main drag. It's a good speech in this way: designed to pump up the spirits of local faithful and address the television cam- eras to proclaim that "we have only just started to fight." Mulroney had to come on strong in the face of the troublesome polls that morning and in the very few min- utes allotted him for this whistle stop. (Turn to page 10) AR Hoot 1 ARMY \ w ) IAL) AA RR 19 SLO AT INY PA Pa . . 3 / / , { AA 1 \ IA 4 CHECKED YOUR oli, AND 17'S Mie! Port Perry STAR 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO Phone 985-7383 P.0.Box90 LOB 1NO J. PETER HVIDSTEN Publisher Advertising Manager (ll - ch fo | Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and Ontario Community Newspaper Association. Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario. J.B. McCLELLAND Editor Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, and for cash CATHY OLLIFFE payment of postage in cash. News & Features Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 : Goa 8" Subscription Rate: In Canada $20.00 per year. » Sg] I'S . Elsewhere $60.00 per year. Single Copy 50° © COPYRIGHT -- All layout and composition of advertisements produced by the adver- tising department of the Port Perry Star Company Limited are protected under copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Last week the Port Perry Downtown Mer- chants enthusiastically supported the idea of proceeding with initial steps to form a BIA (Business Improvement Area). A second meeting to discuss the BIA con- cept will be held in a few weeks, and if the downtown business people still feel strongly about forming a BIA, council will quite likely be asked to circulate a letter of intent to all busi- nesses in the effected area. Just what is a BIA, and why are the down- town business people interested in establish- ing an area? A Business Improvement Area is essen- tially an association of business people who [on together to promote their mutual interest y various means. At present, a group of about 40 Port Perry downtown business people are working in a co-operative effort to promote the downtown through a series of community events (e.g. Big Apple Festival), and extensive advertising promotions both locally and in national maga- zines. The whole idea is to maintain a healthy downtown core, while competing with the many malls and shopping, centres within easy commuting distance of Port Perry, by using the same methods of shared and unified pro- motion that are so successful for these com- petitors | The Aivantads of the Business Improve- ment Area over the present structure is, all the businesses (retail, professional and service), within the geographic area automatically are included in the membership. In the case of Port Perry, this means that instead of about 40 people contributing to romote and enhance the quality of life in the usiness community, about 75-80 business- es would pay an equal share based on their business assessment. Funding for the BIA is generated through a special levy collected by the municipality, but administered by the Business Improve- ment Area Board of Management. The money can be used for various pro- jects including street beautification; improving parking facilities, promoting special events and maintenance of BIA property. Once the BIA is established it is an ongo- ing thing that can't be stopped at the whim of a few people who decide they no longer want to participate. It establishes a mechanism for long-term and assured funding for the organi- zation by all those included within its geo- graphic boundary. iRandom Jottings | by }. Peter Hvidsten Port Perry is indeed fortunate to have a healthy, attractive business community, but if we hope to keep our share of the market, we must continue to promote and improve. With a BIA, everyone who contributes benefits from the co-operative promotion and beautification of the downtown area. Whether they benefit today from sales in a special promotion or tomorrow through in- creased value in property, or by more people moving into this attractive community who eventually become clients, patients or cus- tomers, everyone benefits. | was strongly in favour of the formation of a BIA ten years ago when it was first introduced, and | still believe in its formation today. Hopefully this time, there will be enough progressive minded business people in the community to establish this much need self- help association. BIA or Bust! In 1978 it was "BUST", lets hope it's not this time! A GOOD IDEA Last week's decision by the Ontario gov- ernment to consider taking some of the huge profits generated from our lotteries and share them with our under-funded hospitals is in- deed good news. While it may not be a good idea for the hospitals to get too accustomed to receiving funding through lotteries on an annual basis, when there is an excess of cash in the lottery account, it is a good idea to "share the wealth." Government lotteries were first introduced to the Ontario consumer a few years back on the understanding the the profits would be shared by the recreation and cultural commu- nities of our province. Since that time there have been many community facilities built and expanded through this funding. But profits from lotteries have amassed to the point where close to a half billion dollars per year is generated through the sale of lot- tery tickets. There is no doubt that recreational and cul- tural groups across the province will be crying "foul" if and when Ontario's treasurer gets per- mission to start handing out some of these huges profits to the hospitals, but our hospi- tals are every bit as important as arenas, swim- ming pools and cultural events. There is no need to sell these groups short on their requirments, but if there is a little (or a lot) left in the pot, then nobody should take exception to helping the under-funded hospitals throughout this province. well