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i V 2 The Canadian Statesman. Rowmanville, March 30, 1983 Section Two Editorial Comment j Much Study Needed Do we really need additional town facilities such as fire halls, arenas, and administrative offices over the next five years? The Wk million dollar capital expenditure forecast now being discussed by the Town of Newcastle cannot answer these questions. The answer can only come from elected officials in consultation with the electorate. However, the capital budget is important because it sets the agenda for items which the town may consider in future years. As an elected group entering the beginning of a three-year term, town council is in a unique position to plan long-range goals. If, on the other hand, the town council waits too long, it runs the risk of making its decision on political grounds alone, Certainly there is nothing new about most of the forecasted projects. The town has demonstrated a continuing commitment towards improving firefighting facilities. Therefore, the budget calls for a rural fire station in the north of the town and an expanded fireball in Bowmanville. The question of a town hall which will bring all administrative activities under one roof has been the subject of long discussions in the past. At one time, even the Pine Ridge Training School was suggested as a possible site for administrative headquarters. Perhaps the only new item on the budget is the Bowmanville .Arena. But, given the age of the structure and its location downtown, it's hardly surprising that the town's public servants are considering long-range plans for building a new facilitiy. On the subject of the Bowmanville Arena, we suggest however, that the municipality place all of its cards on the table and inform the citizens of the exact condition of the present arena and its remaining lifespan. The next step would be to decide the location of a new facility. Could the current site be re-used or is another larger location preferable? Finally, a system of fund-raising for the building must be put into place. Then it must be decided whether the building would function by its own board of directors or whether it would be under total control of the town. Only when some of these issues have been resolved can the town decide on the future of the Bowmanville Arena. Similarly, the issue of a new town hall merits further study. Elected officials will have to decide whether the current system for housing municipal staff is actually inefficient or merely inconvenient. What will be the cost advantage of having all of the town's officials located under one roof? Will future developments in electronic accounting and record-keeping demand the same number of town employees as in the past? Should the town attempt to repair the existing historic municipal hall on Temperance St., or build onto the newer police and fire building nearby? Is there another site for a municipal centre which would be even better than the two mentioned above? Town council must do a good deal of additional homework before it decides on the value of a new arena complex or a municipal headquarters. It is good to see the Town of> Newcastle considering these longterm longterm goals. However, it will take considerable political fortitude and judgement to make some of the multi-million dollar decisions that lie ahead. Easter Presents Hope Let's not let chocolate bunnies hijack our Easter. The fact is that Easter has been thoroughly commercialized with its chocolate eggs and jelly beans along with all the other trappings of the occasion. Easter has joined Christmas in becoming a custom which is as much a triumph of merchandising as it is of the human spirit. But if Easter, Christmas, or any other festivity takes on these false values, it's our own fault. The numerous Easter traditions are not misguided. The intention behind easter bonnets, easier parades and even the Easter Bunny is tq single out this day as a special time of the year. Of course, the trappings of Easter without its "true meaning" can make the event about as hollow as a chocolate rabbit. We'll enjoy the season much more if we can grasp its meaning. Years ago, people would not have disagreed with the idea that Easter could have a "true meaning." They would have understood Easter from its traditional Christian concept and accepted it on those terms. But today, we live in a more cynical time. How can anyone suggest Easter can have a correct meaning when there are so many shades of belief or disbelief? The answer is simple. Easter is all about rebirth and renewal. And everyone can believe in these things whether they are a Christian, an atheist, agnostic, or member of some other religion. The Easter symbols including new clothes, eggs, flowers and rabbits, are all symbols of life itself and especially of birth. Here in the northern hemisphere, we can see the theme of rebirth echoed in the warmth, budding and flowering of a new season. Easter suggests the possibility of renewal, re-awakening, and starting again. Most of all, it represents hope. This Easter, may you look beyond the seasonal frills and view the occasion for what it really represents. Easter stands for a sense of optimism and renewal that is as powerful as the force of life itself. Poet's Corner A Dog's Plea Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me. Do not break my spirit with a stick for though I should lick your hand between blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me learn. Speak to me often, for your voice is the sweetest music, as you must know by the wagging of my tail, when your footstep falls upon my ear. Please take me inside when it is wet and cold, for I am a domesticated animal, no longer accustomed to bitter elements. And I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet, beside the hearth. Keep my pan filled with fresh water for I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst. Feed me clean food that I may stay well to romp & play and do your bidding, to walk by your side ever ready, waiting and willing to protect you with my life should yours be in danger. And my friend, when I am old, do not turn me away from you. Rather see that my trusting life is taken gently, only by our Lord. And I shall leave, knowing with the last breath I draw that my fate was always safest in your hands. By Beth Norman. ®t|t (Eatrabmn Statesman Durham County'! Greet Family journal Established 129 years ago In 1854. Also Incorporating The Bowmanville News The Newcastle Independent TheOrono News Second class mall registration number 1561 Produced every Wednesday by THE JAMES PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 62-66 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 JOHN M. JAMES RICHARD A. JAMES Editor -- Publisher Assistant Publisher GEO. P. MORRIS BRIAN PURDY DONALD BISHOP Business Mgr. Advertising Mgr Plant Mgr. All layouts and composition ol advertisements produced by the employees ot The Canadian Statesman. Thu Newcastle Independent and The James Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and must not be reproduced without written permission ol the publishers. $15.00 a year -- 6 months $8,00 foreign -- $45,00 a year strictly In advance Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman accepts advertising in Its columns on the understanding that It will not be liable for any error In the advertisement published hereunder unless a proof of such advertisement Is requested In writing by the advertiser and returned to The Canadian Statesman business office duly signed by the advertiser and with such error or corrections plainly noted In writing thereon, and In that case II any error so noted Is not corrected by The Canadian Statesman Its liability shall not exceed such a portion of the entire cost of such advertisement as the space occupied by the noted error bears to the whole space occupied by such advertisement. ------ 623-3303 Reunion of Courtice Secondary's West Side Story Casts SUGAR and SPICE What Can You Do? With the Federal government facing a truly awesome deficit that makes me wince for my children and grandchildren, and with the Taxman lurking just over the horizon, ready to rummage through my every pocket, I'm in just the right mood to be re-reading. Thoreau's great essay, "Civil Disobedience." Like most Canadians, I am ripe and ready for telling the state to go jump in the lake, stop meddling in affairs it invariably bungles, and get its thieving hand out of my hip pocket. One of Thoreau's main themes is that governments are only an expedient for getting things done; things that the individual can't handle, such as national defence, postal service, and the like. But, as he points out, most governments are inexpedient. In other words, they meddle, they obstruct the natural flow of trade and commerce, they involve the governed in all sort of things the latter disapprove of, and their main purpose becomes self-perpetuation, rather than carrying out the will of the people. Think about it. Did you insist that the government go on spending and borrowing wildly until our national deficit is heading for $200 billion, and the interest on it alone is more than the entire budget of a decade or so ago? Did you demand that the government impose the metric system on Canada without a yea or a nay from the people? Was it you, or any of your friends, who insist that the government set itself up in the oil and gas business, without adding one single gallon of production? Perhaps it was you and people like you, who forced the federal and provincial governments to rely so heavily for revenues on their taxes on poison: booze and cigarettes. Or maybe it was you who whispered in a ministerial earhole that taxes should be increased for the poor and the middle-class, but held steady for the rich, because to increase theirs would "destroy initiative." Does the government really carry out your wishes about capital punishment, foreign aid, urban sprawl in choice farmland? No! No!, I hear, in great volume. Then why don't you do something about it? But what can I do, you say. All I can do is vote, you say, and it's usually picking one turkey over another. Agreed, but there is a soluation, according to Thoreau. It's simple in theory, difficult in practice. Just don't pay your taxes. Get up on your hind legs, and say it: "I won't pay taxes to buy oil companies, to support criminals in jail, to advertise the glories of the 140 Ontario St,, Bowmanville, Ont., March 25,1983. Dear John, Well, it has been three weeks since I last wrote to you, but at least it may have given some people time to get caught up on their work rather than read my letters during working hours. I must give credit where credit is due and that is to Council for holding the local spending down even though I think that it could have been more so, but then again every little bit helps. I do notice that in one article that I have read it makes mention that Council have not had an increase in salary since 1981 and this I say is not true as in the year 1981 they voted themselves two increases, increases, one for 1981 and the other one to take effect in 1982 (election year) but then again I think we must look at every case and make a decision on the merits. During the last three weeks, I have spent quite a bit of time going over past bylaws and minutes to try and determine whether in my opinion I have judged properly the matters that have been before council and 1 have commented on. In the first place I have made mention of the salaries of some top staff and the huge increases that they appear to be getting and now I read in a certain Editorial (not yours) that percentage Increases are not fair as they make the rich richer and the poor poorer,') I have said this for years.) Then we read where our Mayor pleads with Council for an increase in salary and even asked the administrator ($44,000) to speak on the matter. Now I say to you who is running the town (Council or Staff) and to find the answer answer to this I studied the terms of reference of certain Top Staff and if you get a copy of that and study it I think you will arrive at the same conclusion conclusion as I did. To back this up all one has to do is to read the article in your last edition and see the praise that certain members of council give to certain staff. The article states that it would appear that council are now working together and doing their homework and this takes some looking at also and I suggest that if the above is true then we can expect that no more arguments will occur in the parking lots, and no more motions will be made to pay out $450 for a culvert that cost in the area of $160 (that is what you call doing your homework) and when all members agreed that in this economic climate we could not justify any increase in taxes and then would not support a motion to bring in a budget with no increase, this is what 1 call double talk. Getting back to Council and their salaries, I don't want you to think that 1 am opposed to a person being paid for a job well done but I think all things must be looked at In the proper proper perspective. I remember a member of the Regional Council making a statement to the effect that she was somewhat somewhat embarrassed when she told people how much she makes and for this I will not bring the figures out at this time but if you were to take the salary received for local and add to it the amount received for regional and add to that monies received for committees such as chairman and conservation, etc. it will bring a better picture of the over all salary plus expenses. Please don't leave out the fact that one third of council salary is not taxable or reportable. Now, I know that they will say it is a full time job but then again that is the argument that was used for the local council job alone, so how can you have several full time jobs. I don't expect Council or anyone to necessarily agree with all of my comments but at least I am consistent and as an example of Con. Hamrc's record I notice that at the local level she voted in favour of a salary increase for staff to take effect as of Jan. 1983 and at the regional level she sponsored sponsored an amendment for the increase to take effect April 1st, 1983 in order to save money. I guess the answer to that one is try to save money at the region but not locally, 1 guess the council also feels that it is fair to give the lop staff such increases of $2000 and the lower ones $750 or so. I hope it would not be us the old saying goes: 'l-'or Favours Received'. government in publications..." and whatever else turns your crank. But, you'll say, I'd never get away with it. They'd seize my bank account, cash my bonds, grab my property, put me in jail. Of course they would. I told you it wasn't easy. All you have to do is persuade another 9,999 honest men of conscience to do the same, and the revolution would be over. Would the government throw in jail ten thousand otherwise honest, upright citizens? No fear. It would lose the next election, aside from not having enough jail space to put them. Of course, finding the rest of the ten thousand might be a mite dicey. Finding ten honest men these days, men of conscience and integrity, who are willing to stand up and defy is about as easy as being appointed coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs and told to go out and bring home the Stanley Cup. Thoreau himself refused to pay his poll tax and was put in jail, which he found highly amusing. Imagine the government thinking they could lock up his mind, along with his body. But the big trouble is that governments are so sneaky these days. They wouldn't dare throw ten thousand solid citizens in jail. But they could garnishee their wages, seize their assets, haul them into the courts and generally harass them to death. It was simplier in other times. They crucified Christ, excommunicated excommunicated Luther and Copernicus, pronounced Washington a rebel, and dealt in similar summary fashion with other great reformers, patriots and saints, I know wnat you're saying: I ain't no saint. True. But then neither are you a slave, to be bought and sold depending on the whims of the majority: big business, big government, big labor. There's many a man -- and : woman -- walking the streets these \ days, who thought he or she was an [ individual, a person of character ! and conscience and loyalty, tossed ! out like an old broom by the system, which is not exactly based on the New Testament. But surely we can dig in our heels a bit. Tell you what. We'll work like a chain letter. You find nine other honest men or women. I'll do the same. On the 29th of April, the ten thousand of us will send a telegram to Trudeau, saying, "We ain't gonna pay our taxes." It might take us a while, thirty years or so. Honest men are getting as scarce as virgins. But one of these years. We'll issue our clarion blast, and the walls will come tumbling down. Politicians, take note. Better buy some ear-plugs, just in case. I will close for now, but in doing so I would like to pass on my final comments to Council. Not all that you have done is bad in my opinion (Most of it) but in the future I suggest to you that you like myself read some of the terms of reference and then start running the show as you were elected to do. You know a ship at sea without a captain will go aground. Yours truly Ken Hooper P.S. I still have not received a reply from the Mayor to my very easy questions and some people are betting money that he will never answer, I have received a phone reply from the office of the Hon. Frank Miller with very encouraging words which they claim they will finalize in writing, Ken Maurice Prout, sponsor of the Prout Raiders recreation hockey team greatly appreciated" appreciated" the support of the parents of the team for coming out to the games and encouraging the boys who were a credit to all. Also appreciated were the efforts of the coaches, referees and staff. He also mentioned that Mayor Bob Attersley of Whitby, during lust week's hockey tournament in Oshawu visited the Bowmanville team before the game. Bob scored the winning goal for Canada at the World Cup series in Norway Norway in 1958. Whitby, Oshawa Branch O.G.S. P.O. Box 174, Whitby, Ontario LIN 5S1 March 18,1983. Canadian Statesman 62 King Street West, Bowmanville, Ontario L1C1R4. Dear Sir, The Whitby Oshawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, has just completed a very successful and productive productive first year. We hope that with your continued support and advertising in "Community "Community Calendar" we will reach more people who are interested interested in tracing their Family Tree. Our third meeting of 1983 will take place on Tuesday, April 5th, from 7 - 10 p.m. in the auditorium of the Whitby Public Library at 405 Dundas Street West. Our guest speaker speaker will be Mr. John Mezaks, of the Ontario Archives, his topic will be Genealogical Sources, Land Records, Deeds and Census Census Records, Our meetings are free and open to the public. For further information information please call Gil McIntosh at 668-2792. Your continued support is much appreciated, Thank you. Yours truly, (Mrs.) J. Hilton, Publicity Chairman, Whitby Oshawa Branch O.G.S, March 26,1983 Dear Mr. James: The Bowmanville and district district Canadian "Cancer Society is again calling upon you for. assistance, We are in need of volunteer drivers to transport local patients to medical facilities in Toronto and Oshawa. Out-of-pocket ex- ' penses are re-imbursed and a mileage allowance is also paid. Like all volunteer groups the monetary rewards are very small, if not non-existant, but the satisfaction and inner warmth from helping a fellow human being ana neighbor is: great. Interested people can phone Mrs. Cathy Aitken , (623-5654) to either volunteer or obtain further information. If possible could you please make mention of our need in 'Bits and Pieces'? To further impose upon you. at noon on Saturday, April 2nd, the flag of the Canadian Cancer Society will be raised in front of the police building. Possibly you could provide coverage of this event? The ceremony will mark the start of our annual April fund-raising fund-raising campaign. Mr, James, your interest in and coverage of the society and its projects is of great > assistance to us and we thank you, Sincerely Marg Maclver - Publicity ' Canadian Cancer Society