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6 economist sunsuntribune saturday march 19 2005 suntnhune a metroland community newspaper 34 civic ave 3rd floor stouffville on l4a 7z5 publisher ian proudfoot edrror in chief debora kelly business manager robert lazurko director production interactive media john futhey advertising director retail flyer sales nicole fletcher advertising director classified real estate events management gord paolucci distribution director circulation barry black director circulation systems lynn pashko marketingpartnerships director debra weller york region printing general manager bob dean letters to the editor wise to remember black history yearround as a proud woman of afrocanadian decent i know black history awareness is not only beneficial to the black commu nity but to people of other racial back grounds although black history month has passed it should be remembered and recognized yearround it gives people a clearer understanding and apprecia tion of black culture history and symbolism it also recognizes achievements by black leaders many have strived to improve living conditions and create bet ter opportunities for black people for example rosa parks stood up against bus segregation in montgomery alabama in 1955 she refused to give up her seat to a white man and was arrested for failing to comply with the bus drivers instructions harriet tubman founded the underground railroad for freedom- seeking us slaves in 1851 she later returned to the united states and led hundreds of slaves to freedom in canada including her family members her heroism continues to be recognized throughout africanamerican history singer josephine baker was refused service in 1951 at the famous stork club in new york city she responded by crusading for racial equality and refusing to entertain in any club that was not racially integrated it resulted in breaking the colour barrier at many establishments honouring black history in schools encourages students from all races and nationalities to break down barriers of hatred and negative stereotypes with historical knowledge young people would focus less on visible dif ferences and more on what they share with others sasha brathwaite markham hospital doctor will be missed many markham and stouffville resi dents were saddened by the sudden death of dr bruce brooks head of med icine at markham stouffville hospital i was a patient of dr brooks for almost 15 years he was the ultimate professional a great doctor and human being who treated patients as friends rather than names in a file dr brooks smile of welcome relaxed me on many an occasion in times of worry and downright terror he could and did reduce my wor ries and made me feel that the world was heading in the right direction i miss you bruce as do all of your patients your colleagues and mostly your loving family god bless john keay markham liquor beer not coming to a corner store near you it was a grocery store just off the highway near cleveland where wed stopped for supplies en route to a state park excuse me i said to a clerk could you tell me where id find the nearest liquor store yes she smiled about 15 feet to your left not only is beer and wine but the full range of alcoholic beverages in all their glorious profusion right there in the next aisle over from the potato chips and peanut butter it was a shock to my tender sensibilities all my life ive been protected by the liquor control board of ontario only big brother can be trusted to sell liquor and hell tell you when where and how much to pay we left the store nervously clutching our purchases at any second we could be accost ed by an inebriated teenager robbed at gun point or run down by a drunk driver those are the dire fates in store for us if we allow booze to be sold anywhere but in lcbo outlets accord ing to the opponents of privatization somehow we survived ohio as people survive in countries all over the world where alcohol is sold in retail stores bruce annan the province is paying four experts 1000 a day each to review the sale and distribution of alcohol in ontario the liberals claim this is the first full reassessment of the question in decades although privatization has been dis cussed by every government of all three party stripes since at least bill davis here are the issues 1 more availability will mean more drunk driving if someone who has already been drinking wants more better they should stag ger to the corner store than drive to the lcbo 2 teenagers will be able to get booze teens have little trouble getting booze now but if only government employees can control them then shouldnt government run the bars and nightclubs too 3 the lcbo makes a big profit for the gov ernment the lcbo doesnt make a profit that billiondollar dividend they brag about is purely taxes 31 per cent of the price of every bottle which privately run stores would have to collect and pay as well alberta which privatized alcohol sales in 1993 collects 500 million from liquor markups and has onequarter ontarios population so the lcbo is actually under- performing as a revenue generator but our new liquor stores are so nice you object hope you like em theyve cost 281 million of public money since 1998 are they moving in the right direction yes because of the mere tlireat of private competi tion imagine what the real tiling might create competition improves selection alberta carries 21500 listings to ontarios 13600 competition improves service alberta has triple the number of outlets it had prior to 1993 and perhaps competition might even improve prices the debate is especially timely because lcbo employees are negotiating a new con tract the board says not to worry theyve always settled without a strike in the past which shows theyre already overpaying at upwards of 17 per hour for checkout clerks in 2002 when the bc government was about to introduce private sector competi tion it was able to bargain a better deal with its liquor store employees now would be a good time for this province to do the same unfortunately the people the review panel has heard from as usual were the special pleaders the union the antialcohol activists the academics if permitting entrepreneurs to break up the liquor cartel had been disastrous in other canadian provinces the pressure groups would be showering the government panel with evidence rather than hyperbole in the nanny state we rarely let business do the job if big government can do it more poor ly and more expensively instead so heres bet ting against privatization after all ontario doesnt border on ohio philosophically it borders on cuba bruce annan is a yon region writer and consultant he can be reached at bruce annangmailcom letters policy the suntribune welcomes your letters submissions must be less than 400 words and include a daytime telephone number name and address the suntribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and edit for clarity and space utters to the editor the suntribune 34 civic ave box 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