The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

/ m 1 SECTION TWO WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10,1990 Sfit Canadian Statesman Durham'Region's Great Family Journal. 1 Established 136 years ago in 1854 Also Incorporating » The Bowmanville News lYLrNA The Newcastle Independent The Orono News Second Class mail registration number 1561 Produced weekly by , James Publishing Company Limited 62 King Street West, Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 416-623-3303 cn Fax 416-623-6161 John M. James Editor - Publisher Richard A. James Associate Publisher Peter Parrott Associate Editor Brian Purdy Donald Bishop Advertising Mgr. Plant Mgr. All layouts and composition of advertisements produced by the employees of James ' Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. \ Subscription Rates Six Months -- $11.00 One Year--$20.00 Foreign -- $60.00 pèr year Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman accepts advertising in Ha 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 if 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. Senate is Facing a No Win Situation The Canadian Senate is over a barrel. barrel. It is in a no-win situation. It is in a darned-if-you-do and darned-if-you- don't position. On the one hand, it can be a powerless powerless anachronism. It can be a place to put retired politicians who are no longer longer able to get elected. It can rank, with the gargoyles, as one of the tourist attractions attractions on Parliament Hill. On the other hand, it can take action action and do the job for which it was designed. designed. If the Senate does nothing, the public public can justifiably claim that there is little use in having it. But if it takes action, some politicians and members of the public will wonder why a non- elected body has taken upon itself the right to make decisions which ought to be solely under the jurisdiction of the House of Commons. Of course, the Senate in the past few months has every right to take the actions it has taken. Just as Prime Minister Mulroney had every right to appoint extra senators to try and stack the upper house in his favor. There's no doubt that the Senate is playing by the rules. In fact, it's just doing its job. Perhaps, our political science is a. little shaky on this point, but we think not. You see, the whole idea of a Senate Senate is to have a body of politicians who can, if necessary, apply the brakes to the actions of the House of Commons. There are many reasons why a Senate Senate exists. But one of the reasons is related related to the fact that a democracy is not the same as mob rule. Let us explain explain that a little more fully. It is entirely entirely possible that in one term of office, office, elected politicians could do something monumentally stupid. Suppose, Suppose, for example, that a political party party in power decided to take away women's women's right to vote or enacted legislation to ban a particular religion. As we understand it, the Senate ■ could effectively stall such excesses and thereby preserve certain democratic democratic traditions which, might otherwise otherwise be wiped out by a temporary aberration. aberration. The Senate concept exists ■ because of the fact that early democratic leaders leaders were a little fearful of what would happen if unlimited power were given to one elected body. In Canada, the Senate consists of appointed persons who can, it might be argued, best protect protect the rights and traditions enshrined enshrined in the past. Of course, another reason for a Senate Senate is to provide representation to groups and regions not otherwise fully represented in Parliament. For instance, Parliament is filled according to the principle of representation representation by population. Places with high population (ie, Ontario) have more federal federal politicians than areas with low population, such as Prince Edward Island. Island. An upper house is able to even out some of those differences because a wise government will appoint representatives representatives to serve all regions of Canada. Canada. In the United States, where the senate is elected, each state has two senators regardless of its size. In Canada, Canada, there is a formula stipulating how many senators each province is entitled to have. Ontario is entitled to 24 senators; Prince Edward Island has four. " every right to Id would suggest th,at the senators do not represent the public's wishes should be reminded that the 50 or so senators who object to the new tax are not the last 50 Canadians in the country to do so. If they were, there might be some justifiable rage directed in the Senate's Senate's direction. But, in this case, we would venture to suggest that the Senate majority has been representing the majority of Canadians. One might suggest that the situation situation is the reverse of what the government government might suggest. It's the Senate which speaks for the majority of the country and the government which is out on a very brittle limb. And, if that's the case, then the Senate Senate is working just the way it is supposed supposed to work, even though it was designed designed in the days of the quill pen and the steam engine. If there is any criticism of the Senate, Senate, it might be embodied in the concern concern that the upper house is acting for partisan political motives rather than purely out of the interests of the country. country. That may be true, but all we can suggest is that it's impossible to take partisan politics out of the political process. And it's doubtful that any amount of Senate reform would accomplish accomplish that objective. Nevertheless, this latest battle between between the Government and the Senate has produced calls for Senate abolition or reform. Perhaps we will one day see some changes to the make-up or the upper chamber. Since we in Canada are moving ' closer to American traditions ana away from our British roots, we may eventually see an elected Senate. But don't count on these changes taking place too rapidly. For there has been talk of senate reform for about ns long as there has been a Senate. Letter Writer Upset by Aquatics Registration Denr Editor: I nm writing to express my disappointment ana an- gor over the method of registration registration for aquatics programs programs in the Town of Newcastle. I was one of the unfortunate and uninformed parents who stood for hours in the cold outside the Newcastle Newcastle Fitness Contre, only to bo told the class I was interested interested In was Ml, Tills registration method discriminated against work- ing parents who are unable to lino up two hours early and who resent wasting a precious evening away from their children. The fact that there is only one evening class for children aged 2-4 is farther discrimination against parents such ns myself. myself. , , I suggest that registration registration should bo spread over several nights, with the various various classes divided among those nights. A desk should bo sot up for each level ol instruction, instruction, and at the very least, those waiting outside should be informed promptly promptly when a class is fall. A system system which* I* perhaps more fair would bo a week-long drop off with random selection selection of participants. Part of the reason I work outside the homo is so that I can pay for that very homo and its associated taxes. I pay my taxes in good faith and expect that part of that money will bo used to provide provide adequate recreational programmes and facilities for my children. Maybe it is time to move. Yours truly, Alison Wnilnco r... i Andrea Adair Senate appointments can also give a voice to special interest groups that may not bè able to elect a particular representative to Parliament. For example, example, a government could decide to appoint an environmentalist to the' Senate because of the need for that' voice to be heard in government circles. circles. The environmentalist appointee may not represent any particular riding riding in Canada, but he or she would represent a broad concern which is felt by many Canadians across the country. country. i Of course, the reality is that most Senate seats are patronage plums. However, patronage is not the pnly reason for Senate appointments. And some such choices have been made on the basis of reasons cited above. Our point is that the Senate has been established for good practical and philosophical reasons. The public should not be surprised when it does its job. Nor should politicians who happen to disagree with the Senate's actions cry foul when the Senate acts. They, above all others, should understand understand our Parliamentary traditions. This, of course, brings us to the question of whether the Senate ought to be blocking the government's Goods and Services Tax. Well, in our opinion, the Senate has ao so. And those who I hope if I ever become a homeowner I won't start thinking like some of them. I've covered a number of planning meetings with the Town of Newcastle Newcastle where residents are permitted and encouraged encouraged to express concerns about développent proposals proposals taking place in the municipality. . While there are many legitimate concerns and many concerns that are legitimate in the minds of the residents, there are also some issues that make me shake my head ' in bewilderment. At a meeting last week, a number of residents residents expressed some problems they believe exist exist regarding a non-profit, co-operative housing project project in their area. There were a number of legitimate concerns. Fencing between the development development and their properties, drainage from the development, traffic. increases on their roads and the need for a walkway walkway from the co-op to downtown Bowmanville were all matters the residents residents wanted to have resolved. resolved. From my understanding understanding of the planning process, process, these were all issues that could have been addressed addressed in a site plan agreement between the town and the developer. The planning staff with the town recommended recommended that the project be approved. Council, who appeared to be somewhat hesitant in making a decision on the matter, referred the issue back to staff to further further address the residents' residents' concerns. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the results since not long ago another another affordable housing development, Participation Participation House,' met with an almost similar fate. That proposal was turned down while this one still has a chance for approval. approval. ■ t'J ' Y . M -t'. I spoke to one woman last week who is in support support of the co-op on Jack- man Road and hopes to eventually live there. She said ever since the issue has come up, she has been referred to as one of "those people". I guess that term means that she is one of "those people" who are spending more than half of their earnings on rent. "Those people" must be people who are living in cramped quarters over store fronts because they can't afford anywhere else. Perhaps "those people" are single parents who only want a nice, decent, clean place to live with their children. But, the fear I believe is that "those people" don't care about now things look and will throw litter about their properties.. "Those people" will have parties in the community community room of the co-op til all hours of the night even though there are time limits on use of the room. And darnit, "those people" people" will play ghetto blasters and the noise is going to become too much of a nuisance to the quiet, serene neighbours already already in the neighbourhood. neighbourhood. I looked around at "Those People" on Monday Monday and found that they were an awful lot like me. They brush their hair, dress nicely, breathe the air and I may be guessing here,' but they even eat, "sleep and probably even bleed just as everyone else. And, like me, I bet not one of them owns a ghetto ghetto blaster (When 70 percent percent of your income is going going toward rent, I don't think a ghetto blaster is a luxury one can afford.) I think it is time this ridiculous and narrow minded view about af fordable housing is trashed. Affordable housing wants to exist because there is a need. This is a community that quickly volunteers its time for charitable organizations organizations and is able to raise thousands of dollars for an arena complex, I'm surprised it ' can be so against affordable housing housing when the issue comes to its neighbourhood. The bottom line in the matter is that today you may be okay with your house, two cars and 1.7 kids. But tomorrow you could find 1 yourself looking looking for a way to shelter and feed your kids. Hopefully, if tomorrow finds you a little worse off than you are today, you, will get a better response than "those people" are currently getting. IK Œmïavm 5523 e QDO oa rinirui7iirg7i HDMB-MADÉ, u "- au ll'i r APPtl STWdCI. I Reader Offers Ideas on Trash n APPLE _ CIQ6E (ssiQjum r 9o The latest 10-point program on waste. Since the much- publicized meeting at the Kirby school, which was arranged arranged in order for the Region's Region's experts to educate the public on their proposed plans, I've given a lot of thought to waste management management in general, and landfill sites in particular. From various discussions, I've been able to glean the following: 1. Garbage is THE business business of the '90's. 2. We all produce gobs of it but few of us want the responsibility responsibility for dealing with it. 3. We have a landfill site in our midst, an apparently well-run site, operated by people known to be experts in their field. 4. The present Laidlaw site has not, apparently, completed all of the environ- mental requirements to allow allow it to continue its operation. operation. 5. The Region, in true socialist socialist fashioji; has decided to get into the act and create a new dump site. 6. Given our experience with government-run companies, companies, one can be assured that this too would lose money money and produce an even further further increase in taxes. - 7. Our residential garbage garbage from the Town is trucked to Pickering to a site owned by Toronto. 8. Most of the waste going going into the Laidlaw site in recent months comes from ; north and east of the Region. Region. 9. The experts hired by the Region to determine site feasibility expressed no knowledge of tne recent environmental environmental concerns and studies in the headwaters of the Ganaraska. 10. No new landfill sites have been licensed in Ontario Ontario in the last 10 years. This would seem to indicate indicate a poor state of waste management and a decidedly decidedly unsophisticated state ol management period. Yours truly, Pat Irwin Lycett "Don't - be àfraid, honey... the qui<l<2book says that we'vt stumbled into <i place called w Town <f Mwcastle. '- This inust be a ritual oF some tincL perhaps flay think. u)e arc Apple 0o<ts and tkty art r»akino humUe oFFerto^. Just smile and waw?, " 0 Parliament Hill By Bill Scott, M.P. Victoria-Haliburton Why do we have such a high standard of living? How can we afford national health insurance, unemployment unemployment insurance and old age pensions? In one word - trade. When you cash your cheque this week, consider these facts: * Three million Canadian jobs depend on trade. *Exports generate over $5,000 for every man, woman woman and child in this country each year. international trade accounts accounts for one-third of all that we produce. Let's face it. Trade is our bread and butter. That's why the mandate of External External Affairs and International International Trade Canada (EAITC) is to support Canadian exporters, exporters, both small and large, through national campaigns such ns Canada International International Trade Month (CITM). CITM is part of the feder al government's Going Global Global initiative, a five-year $93.6 million package of trade initiatives aimed at boosting Canada's economic ties with the three world markets of greatest important important to Canada now and in the future - the United States, the European Community Community and the Asia-Pacific Rim. Through CITM seminars, workshops and other activities activities in October, EAITC will spread the word on how businesses can benefit from the many trade development programs and services in place to help exporters increase increase Canada's share of these expanding world markets. markets. Canada International Trade Month is all about recognizing how important trade is to our well-being and saluting the people who strive to make Canada an important player in the global global marketplace. To the Editor: It was a terrible shock and disappointment to the physically disabled adults, their families, and the Participation Participation House Organizers to learn that the Durham Participation House proposal proposal had been turned down by the Town Council. It was turned down after a spokesman spokesman for residents of a nearby nearby subdivision presented a petition against it. No wonder wonder it came as a shock, because because the recommendation of Town Staff had been to approve the application from Participation House. The disappointment.came when the revised plan was rejected due to a tie vote by Town Council. It has been stated that the Councilors who voted against the Project Project did not give any reason for their opposition during the discussions at the meeting. meeting. Could this be due to the fact that they had been influenced influenced by the residents' spokesman who said his group was opposed to the build-up income nousing in the neigh- of rent-geared-to- borhood. He added that close to 200 residents objected objected to the Participation House Proposal because of this. The residents insisted that they were not opposed to Participation House as a residence for disabled persons persons but objected to the fact that some of the units were subsidized housing., They didn't stop to think that other other people are entitled to their "rights". Objections like this lean towards "discrimination." In that particular neighborhood, neighborhood, this seems to be what it all boils down to. Why hasn't there been other such objections like this in the other neighborhoods ns to affordable housing in the bigger developments that have been approved by Town Council? It is hard to visualize that there could be so many residents opposed to, something something in one 1 neighborhood unless they had been high pressured into it. Other objections to Participation Participation House were based "in part" on the fear that the area would become a "ghetto" "ghetto" or a "slum." What an accusation! I would like to say to this what Charles Evert, a spokesman for Participation House said, "Give us a chance to proceed on the positive rather than yielding tp the negative," The entire focus of the Bowmanville property was to create a capital location for the disabled in the region. region. It was clearly explained explained quite that the rent- geared-to-income units included included in the project was not Participation House's choice but the only way that they could receive the necessary government funding for their survival. It was also made known that if the application application was turned down it would be impossible to provide the housing for the physically handicapped because because of deadlines that had to be met before the end of 1990. And if project didn't go ahead the land may fall back into the inventory of government-owned property. In that case, the government may still seek permission to use the land tor affordable housing. In other words folks, affordable housing in the subdivision. The issue is as broad as it is long, no matter how you look at it. Some people just can't afford afford to live in higher priced dwellings due to different circumstances. They shouldn't be subject to this kind of differential treat ment , because of it. Also there is something that seems to have been' overlooked overlooked as to the whole set up-Participation House has had this property for more than a decade and has paid taxes on it all this time. This should have given them "some rights" over a subdivision subdivision that has only been in existence such a short time. ' Mr. Ewert also pointed out that eventually Parti ci r pation House would designate designate additional units in the complex for use by the physically physically disabled as the building building was designed for that reason. He said, the number would increase as funding and staff become available. So the situation wasn't really as bad as it was put down to be. Eventually Participation Participation House could have been taken over completely for the physically disabled. But because of all the controversy controversy they have been denied denied their Participation house in this region. This type of accommodation would have allowed physically physically disabled people to live independently but have access access to full-time attendant care in their community closer to home on their own.- The organization is left to continue to pay taxes on a barren piece of land to grow into a worse wilderness than it already is,when instead it could have Durham Region Participation House-- something for the Town to be proud of. J 1 sincerely thank the three Councillors, the Oftv cial from Durham Region Permanent Housing and Mr'. Charles Ewert for your interest interest and support and the Canadian Statesman for your publicity. Sincerely, Mrs. Majorie Gray R.RJ2 Newcastle, Ont. LOA 1H0 Pressing Matters In One Small Town -- by John E. James --• Canadian Culture versus the American Way of Life Fascinating times America intends to to something about their $3 trillion deficit. Nifty. See, renders of this paper enjoy n unique perspective perspective on Uncle Sam, thanks to the Coastal Watch in Downtown Ami- tyville. .We arc close. In fact, America is one mile from Amityvillo's shoreline on the "Big Muddy" (Detroit River). They stare us right in the kisser. Naturally, it impacts on our lives. For example, 'rabbit oars' deliver 12 Detroit and Toledo TV channels, plus one liny Canadian station .... the CBC outlet in Windsor. No Global, no CTV. As the locals to identify Lloyd Robertson; they'd guess lie lived in Loncfon and sold shipping insurance. insurance. As you can imagine, with five million Detroiters Detroiters located 20 miles up the crock, a number of locals locals arc tempted to 'do bidness' with America. Not an unpatriotic act, you should understand. Far from it. Amityvillc (pop. 8,500) boasts roughly roughly 35 drinking and dining establishments, with good reason. The States may have won the war of 1812, but during the mid-eighties, the Cnnuck- buek offered Yanks a 40 per cent bonus. Amity vill- ors pot oven. Purely for patriotic motives, of course. Wo digress, America's deficit reduction reduction "compromise" was reached at the last second, avoiding sadistic spending cuts in the orig inal Gramm/Rudman legislation, legislation, which "seemed like a good idea at the time." Americans arc funny people. They're furious because because -- gotchor valium read? -- thanks to Iraq, gas already went from $1 fiat to $1.25/gal. Think about it. They pay $3 a QUART for mineral water, water, $2.50 a QUART for milk and $15 to $20 a QUART for booze .... lmt add two FIVE CENT per gallon increases to gas in the next year .... and ka- boom!, the cowpoo hits the air conditioner. The Iraq crisis now assumes assumes the ncnr-fnnnticnl status of n religious crusade. crusade. Would 150,000 American kids ho getting sand in their Semite, if Kuwait's economy was based on broccoli? Canadians arc paying almost THREE dollars n gallon. Bad enough, but consider the problem from Amityvillc s perspective. perspective. It ain't easy, living living close to such a price spread. A lot of Amityvill- ers have big gas tanks in their vehicles, and one guy carries two bathtubs in the bed of his pickup. Again we digress. Further deficit reduction reduction disasters threaten the U.S. marketplace because because the 'Givcrnmcnt' (That was NOT a typo) also plans to tax cigarettes, cigarettes, Gasp! Do YOU know what a pack of smokes goes for across the border? Roughly Roughly $1.60, tax or no tax. For tho cloan-living segment segment within our render- ship, tho sumo pack is over four bucks boro. (Say, have you anti- smoko fanatics carefully considered tho ramifications ramifications of living LONGER those days ... i.o. being around to onjoy life under "Prime Minister Audrey?") Audrey?") Our neighbours will need more,wages.for .the same amount of "" darn near any sin you can name. The politicians will increase tho tax on a six- pack of beer from 16 cents to 36 cents. Tax on a bottle of wine goes from 3 cents to 24 cents, and tax on 'hard 1 liquor goes up $1.20 on the current $12.50 a GALLON. (That's why they call it 'hard' liquor.) A case of 24 Canadian beers, bought in Canada, costs you roughly $24 dollars dollars (VERY hard boor, eh?) The SAME case of 24 CANADIAN boor can bo bought across tho crook from Amityvillc, for NINE dollars Wnnd'A change. Honesti', If Americans adhere to those 'strict 1 measures, they'll wipe $500 billion off tho deficit in tho five years. Gee .... maybe WE should swap Mike Wilson's Wilson's GST for their plan? (Not quite that simple, since they've a few hundred hundred zillion more bucks and people to crank out those results.) The point is: a) Americans Americans arc having a hernia over tax increases which look like Sunday Morning Hockey, compared to tho Major League gouges we've suffered, for years. And b) remember that 'mammoth' deficit of theirs is peanuts compared compared to what wo'vo run up on Canada's credit card. Their chances look bettor than ours. But rest easy. Tho country is still secure for a couple of years and our Version of 'kinder, gentler" gentler" isn't threatened by Uncle Sam. (Unless Audrey Audrey becomes prime Minister.) Minister.) », John