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6 stouffville suntribune thursday may 1 2003 it opinion publisher ian pr0udf00t telephone 9056402612 fax 9056408778 email jmasonyrhgcom website wwwyorkregioncom editorial paying business casualties dangerous its typical for politicians to come out of the woodwork when their communi tys economy is under siege where were our politicians when severe acute respiratory syndrome first hit the greater toronto area where were our distinguished politi cal leaders while doctors nurses para medics and health care officials grappled with the severity of a looming crisis where wereyorkregions elected rep- resentatives when this mysterious dis ease claimed its third local victim closed down hospital emergency departments and threw workplaces into turmoil who knows but when stores started complaining about silent cash registers and tourist businesses feared losing the upcoming season politicians came out in droves screaming and plotting levelling accusations against the world health organization and calling for action all of a sudden politicians were quiet no more someone should remind our leaders sars is about health not money its admirable markham mayor don cousens whose community has the largest asian population in york region and is hardest hit due to unfounded fear of the disease is playing a leadership role in responding to economic impact from sars according to a media release issued monday but all that means right now is form ing a task force to determine what if anything the town should do demands are flying particularly from the city of toronto that govern ments compensate businesses for losses due to- the sars scare while govern ment should compensate workers who have had to quarantine themselves for 10 days without pay prime minister jean chretien is wise to reject the idea of giving money to affected businesses owning a business is a risk and fac tors such as health scares poor weather conditions and other unforeseen cir cumstances that may affect their viabili ty are part of the free enterprise system to give money to hotels restaurants and stores because customers stayed home would set a dangerous precedent politicians should make better use of their leadership roles and taxpayers money to ensure the healthcare sys tem is better equipped to handle disease outbreaks in the future not a maypole dance gran a preteen may dance at latcham haultdmorrow nighti letters to the editor congratulations deserved by many over town hall vote having sat through the last whitchurch- stouffville council meeting i feel congratu lations are in order v after all it is easy to complain but few take the time to send congratulations when they are due first i would like to congratulate council for finally dealing with the old town hall issue while council ignored the more than 2000 people who asked that the entire build ing be kept as a community facility run by the town for the people at least they they didnt sell it while the leisure services and downtown parking studies have yet to be submitted this council has the clairvoyance to see that a seniors facility with limited parking and more office space is the best use of this building second i would like to congratulate mayor wayne emmerson for his eloquence in a passionately worded motion he not only convinced council to give the bottom floor to one small portion of the seniors population he also managed to get council to bypass the tender process and award a 41000 contract to an extown employee i would also like to congratulate the five town councillors who voted for the mayors motion in the name of getting on with the issue they wisely chose not to bring up the merits of the tender process the stouffville suntribune welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number name and addressthe stouffville suntribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space write letters to the editor 34 gvic ave po box 154stouffville j4a7z5 email jmasonymgcom and congratulation to sue sherban the only councillor to vote against the motion at least she tried to get council to recognize other options are available that the sky is not falling and time and information are what are needed to make decisions congratulations are also in order for the silver jubilee club for seniors which not only gets a new facility but is now the official voice for all seniors in town you asked for the facility you got it you get to run it and the town will pay for it v congratulations should also be given to arrowsmith and associates for receiving its new contract its initial drawings of a reno vated old town hall are beautiful hopefully there will be a renovation com tract for the company in the future that will allow it to bring this vision to life finally i would like to congratulate the many people who told me i was wasting my time with my petition because this is a coun cil that does not listen to the people and just does what it wants i hate to admit it but you were right pammandich stouffvjlle suntnbune ametroland community newspaper 34 civic ave 3rd floor stouffville ontario l4a 7z5 phone 9056402612 fax9056408778 classified 18007433353 distribution 9052948244 website wwwyorfcregioncom email jmasonyrngcom member ontario community newspapers association canadian community newspapers association ontario press council editor in chief debora kelly editor jim mason reporters joan ransberry hannelore volpe retail sales manager steve kane sales representative susan berry production manager pam nichols office manager vivian weil business manager robert lazurko director of marketing new product development brenda larson advertising director retail sales flyers nicole fletcher advertising director classified real estate events management gord paolucd managing director real estate mikerogerson sales manager new business development distribution dawna andrews director of production john futhey classified manager ann campbell distribution manager barry black general manager york region printing bob dean managing director york region events management debraweller shows manager stacey allen off the top with jim mason boy named sars played amidst the ignorance kids can be badtbthebone cruel just ask ethan werek the stouffvffle- area lad was christened with the ulti mate in tasteless and timely nicknames last weekend they called him sars werek at a hockey tournament in montreal truth is thellyearrold has had no contact with the i syndrome arid to think he nearly missed playing in the tourneydue to sars i ethan who will suit lip next season for the toronto marlies in the greater toronto hockey league was invited with andrew agozzino from woodbridge to play for the boston ice in quebec event l in the world of aaa rep hockey ros ters for spring and summer tourna ments arent set two kids from winnipeg playedfor the ice at another tourney we got there and found out the par ents voted whether to let the two boys from toronto play said zeev werek ethansxlad the perception of toronto thats but there in the states is unreal they think that toronto is closed up and that sars can be transmitted between hockey players sharing a bench or a dressing room apparently the parents were intelligent people but pretty ignorant of whats really going on said zeev and after being five hours away fromtoronto and watching it on cnn i can see how it happens all you see on tv are people in toronto wearing masks that and the world health organization health advisory didnt help things the story had a happier ending than its start the boston team with two pickups lost in the final to the defending champs from montreal andrew agozzino was the tournaments leading scorer the son of future halloffamer ray bourque was one of the boston players and dad was there for every game what a great guy ray is said zeev one of the owners of me stouffville spirit junior a hockey club youd never know he had been an nhl superstar hes just a laidback hockey dad it was a weekend a boy named sars- isnt likely to forget jim mason is editor of the stouffville suntyibune i i i n i i ti m f i 1 1 i i i i m 11 hi m