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2 - Orono Weekly Times Subscriptions $38.09 + $1.91 GST = $40.00 per year. No Refunds. Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs." Wednesday, January 20, 2010 ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON L0B 1M0 E-mail: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax: 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Production and Display Advertising - Roxanne Johnston Classified Advertising - Sue Weigand The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to our readers. Opinions expressed to the editor and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Orono Weekly times. Letters must be signed and contain the address and phone number of the writer. Any letter considered unsuitable will not be acknowledged or returned. We reserve the right to edit for length, libel and slander. If your retail or classified ad appears for the first time, please check carefully. Notice of an error must be given before the next issue goes to print. The Orono Weekly Times will not be responsible for the loss or damage of such items. Deep ties at root of Haitian aid By Doug Firby, Senior Editor, Troy Media Canada's rapid-fire response to the rescue effort in Haiti is not only a shining example of its long-standing commitment to world aid, but also a vivid illustration of our close ­ and very personal ­ affiliation with one of the Western Hemisphere's hardest-luck countries. The tie starts at a very human level. Nearly 100,000 Canadians of Haitian descent live in the province of Quebec, mostly around Montreal, where their common language of French has made cultural adaptation a lot easier than getting used to the bitterly cold winters. So deeply has the Haitian population woven itself into the Canadian mosaic that the beautiful and charismatic Michaelle Jean has risen from childhood poverty in the streets of Jacmel, Haiti's fourth largest city, to become the current Governor General of Canada. As the vice-regal representative of the British Crown, she is nominally the most powerful person in Canada. This also makes Canada the only nation outside of Haiti with a Haitian-born head of state. Canadians watched her tearful appeals in the early days after the earthquake and were moved to donate in unprecedented amounts, exceeding even the outpouring after the 2004 tsunami that destroyed large sections of Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. Thankfully, the political response has matched the popular one. Canada has pledged $5 million in immediate aid and the government said it will match donations made by Canadians up to $50 million. On Monday, Quebec promised another $3 million in emergency relief. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was criticized for his government's tepid response to the crisis in Lebanon in 2006, is receiving praise this time around. Defence Minister Peter MacKay on Sunday ordered the deployment of 1,000 soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Valcartier in Quebec. In addition, the military announced Monday that Canada's DART -- Disaster Assistance Response Team -- would build full field hospitals and concentrate on infrastructure reconstruction and rebuilding communication systems. The Canadian government also announced Saturday it is fast-tracking immigration applications and prioritizing Haitian adoptions to reunite families in Canada. It will expedite an estimated 5,000 immigration applications to reunite families in Canada with relatives "directly and significantly affected by the earthquake in Haiti," MacKay said. MacKay said another 1,000 Canadian troops are expected to arrive in Haiti this week. In spite of the many differences between our two nations, there is a surprisingly deep bond, almost as though Haiti represents what Canada might have been if Lady Luck had dealt us a crueler hand. It is true that Haiti is top of mind with Canadians because it is so close to one of our winter playgrounds ­ the much more prosperous Dominican Republic. But there is more serious business at work here. Haiti is not just a southern neighbour; it has been the source of Canadian compassion by almost every measure, including the work of missionaries who were stationed in that country, and found themselves caught in the unfolding terror of the earthquake. And, like several Latin American nations, Canada shares a common distrust of the elephant next door, the United States ­ the paternalistic and benevolent boss whose wrath you never want to incur by showing anything less than good-natured capitulation. The US, after all, has shown little apparent conscience about deposing governments and sending troops into Haiti whenever it deemed that country's course not to be in its interests. Most governments in the Western Hemisphere know that just such a fate is not inconceivable for them, either. Nor is the horror of this natural disaster. And so, the outpouring of Canadian compassion and generosity is not just for the tortured people of Haiti, but also for all those who have been so fortunate as to have avoided a similar fate, by being born in a different place with a happier history. Letters to the Editor Oda defends prorogation Dear Editor: In response to an open letter published in the Orono Weekly Times, I wish to accurately clarify the Prime Minister's decision to prorogue Parliament at this time. Our government is currently working on the next phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan that will be launched following the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, with a Throne Speech on March 3 and a Budget on March 4. The call for a new Throne Speech to launch the Third Session of the current Parliament is routine, with the average Parliament comprising three or four sessions. Our Government's priority in the new session of Parliament will continue to be the rapid and effective implementation of Canada's Economic Action Plan to benefit communities, workers and businesses. We also remain focused on returning the federal budget to balance once the economy has recovered, and building the economy of the future. Sincerely, The Honourable Bev Oda, P.C. Member of Parliament for Durham Minister of International Cooperation POW camp meets criteria RE: Trim says focus on boys school, not Camp 30. OWT, January 6, 2010 edition. Dear Editor: Speaking on behalf of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario - Clarington Branch, which is a group established in June 2009 for the purpose of preserving and protecting the heritage of Clarington, it is important to recognize the entire history of 2020 Lambs Rd. However, it is in fact the portion of that history when it was a Prisoner of War (POW) camp that will garner the most interest on the national stage. The fact that it is the last remaining intact POW camp left in Canada is the reason that it meets the criteria for National Historic Site designation and only through that designation can federal funding become available. If we are able to gain funding through this avenue, the possibility of preserving the entire significant history and architecture of this site for local, as well as provincial and federal interests, will be much more achievable. Clark Morawetz President, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Clarington