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Oroo Weky Times, Wednesday, November 16, 1994- 3 On November 9, 1994 Ralph and Joyce Willis celebrated 50 years of marriage. In honour of this occasion, a family dinner was held at Cadmus Country Club, followed with a gathering at the home of their granddaughter Jil and Gord McCabe ini Lotus. The week just past, "constituency week" 1 spent quite a lot of time talking -with ^people, one-on-one, and to groups as well. Much of my discussions were focused on explaining the changes to health care, the changes to long termn care, and Waking about changes that people see as threatening to their very future. One example of this is how people somehow believe jobs are now only available to those folks who are black, refugees, the disabled, and women. Another example is, the belief that everything regarding health care changes will be reversed if somehow we get rid of the present provincial goverfment. Likewise Long Terni Care reform. By îtself, I have corne to the conclusion that thinking's a giddy business. Somehow it's a matter of catching as many of those hazy glimpses as you can and fitting thern together the best you can. That's why most of us, and those I spoke to last week are included in the group, bang on so tight to our beliefs and opinions. None of us find it easy te change our minds. In my weekly colurnn, and in my quarterly householders which are sent to every home in the riding, 1 have tried to explain why we bave tç )me te grips with all the cba'ànges from health care te employment equity, in a straight forward easy -to understand manner. But the appearance of all the facts isn't enough for some folks it seems, to bring abo ut a major change in beliefs, Psychologists caîl this confhict between facts and values "1cognitive dissonance." They point out that it's much easier to ignore or even change the facts "Ta.nked Up" 'm flot sure there ever was a saying "Tanked Up and Ready to Go" but it is possible and it does rather suit the thoughts for the moment and for this article. It bas nothing to do with the alcoholic spirits. But "tank up" we did in those old gas gusiers of years ago when fifteen miles to the gallon may be a bonus on any trip. 0f course the pri ce was down to a regular Ciay- in and day-out 25 cents a gallon. t is cheap to the price of to-day but likely in relationship with wages of the day. t meant the ballooning, of gas stations and in latter years the addition of gas bars. Why they could be found on every corner that a car could drive around and in some some cases on ahl four points of the in- tersection. About a decade.agothings began to change for a number of themselves. than it is to change deep-seated opinions. Perhaps this helps to explain just why some people think it. will be business as usual everywhere once we get rid of the NDP. But over time, we are told by psychologists, if the facts keep coming and are really compelling, Ilcognitive dissonance" reaches a crisis point. 1 sincerely hope that the information I give on a regular basis about the issues that seem to trouble some people, cause their individual case of "lcognitive dissonance" to reach that crisis point. Because that's precisely the point when the values of an individual - or even a Society - can and do change. The Toronto Sun of last Saturday hati a headline, "Boyd Brain" in regard to a story about black youth, and an alternative justice plan for them. The headline was of course directed at the Attorney General, Marion Boyd. 0f course, any truth behind the story, would typically not be part of any Toronto Sun article. 1 also found it quite puzzling as te why Crown attorney Michael Leshner, the known NDP basher on other subjects, was the only one out of dozens of Crown attorneys in Toronto to be asked to give an opinion? He said it would create a "firestorm and was human rights gone amok." Rubbish! Wbat happenied was, a Toronto black community organization, the Harriet Tubman Organization, prepared a report which they have asked the Attorney General to read and consider. The basis of the report is about a program known as "diversion"~ where people accused of minor non-violent crimes, might have reasons and the 'Tanked Up" vehicle edged out a few more miles per gallon or was it kilometers per litre. That trend is carrying on as had the expansion of gas gusling ini former years._ t is today a degree of concemn in conservation, and as well new technology is squeezing out more turfis of the drive wheel per a sma Iler quantity of energy. .Really gas gusling is almost a thing of past and gas outiets have been on the decline for a number of years. But if we don't "Tank Up" the vehicle as often as before there arc stili "Tank Ups" to be made. t may well be that these "Tank the c harges dropped at the direction of the Crown Attorney. In return, those charged must agree to participate in community-service programs or te make restitution to the victim or community. Every provincial justice systemn in Canada now bas what is called an alternative- measures - or court diversions program. t is available now to any person before the courts who meets the criteria of the jurisdiction they are in. That includes both black and white people. 'Me irony of thîs story is Crown Attorneys, Michael Leshner included, are the folks who decide who shoýuld5be, diverted. 1 would neyer support any program if it only allowed different treatment to one segment of society, and people of colour I have spoken to about this, agree with me. t wasn't so long ago that the Mike Harris and others like him, were shouting from the rooftops that business had fled Ontario and wouldn't ever return until the NDP were thrown out of office along with the repeal of Bill 40. Did you ever see those sily Bull Boards on Bay Street? Do you rememnber that crazy big business noon demonstration, in 90 degree temperatures, by the Boys from Bay Street at Queen's Park in 1992? 1 can recaîl it like yesterday. So with a speciai joy, it is good to report that Ontario led the country in economie growth in the second quarter with an annualized rate of 8.4 per cent, its best performance since 1988. The pace of job creation is the highest in six years with almost 160,000 new jobs created in the past eight months. Ontario's deficit is now expected to faîl by $206, million. The drop is being attributed to higher than expected revenue generated by job creation and the pace of economic growth. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada is to build a second assembly plant in Cambridge, Ontario, Why would that company plan to build a $600 million plant, which will create 1,200 new jobs, if it wasn't confident that Ontario is the preferred place to do business? Until next week - a cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Prom Around...... R oy ForresterHOME than likely have passed six outiets, as many as there were gas stations in the past. Early morning out of Bowmanville and there are uine- ups at t he Coffee Drive-Ins and of course that extra, a taste of donuts or carrot cake. Things sure do change but the more they change the more they resemble things in the past. THE CATERING CONNECTION > 1 SOCIAL CATERERS Our Specîality Family Style Roast Beet Dinner Weddings *Anmiversaries- Business Functions Hockey -Basebal -Bowling Banquets HMOT - COU) - BUFFETS FRED, PATRICIA, RODNEY STORSBERGEN Box 416, Orono, Ont. LOB iMO 983-97 COMPLETE CAR & TRUCK REPA IRS DIESEL ENGINES - CUMMINS, DETROIT & CAT RADIO DISPATCH-ED TOW TRUCKS MOBILE MECHANICAL SERVICE TRUCK R.R. 1, ORONO, ONTARIO 4 MILES NORTH 0F 401 LOBi1MO ON HWY. 115 &35 PHlON E (905) 983-9151 SHOPAON- -T O B E. IE- Ups" are surging ahead- faster than any petro thrust in the past. 0f course the "Tank Up" now is accompanied by a do-nut or carrot cake and it is Coffée Time, Tim Hortons etc. etc. Corne up highway'115 from 401 on the north lane you have a choice to:"Tank Up" and its flot Sheli, Esso etc. In fact by the time you get to Orono youmore