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

i SECTION TWO WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30,1991 S&t Cattafriatt gtattaman (*ck Durham Region's Great Family Journal Established 137 years ago in 1854 Also Incorporating The Bowmanville News The Newcastle Independent The Orono News Second Class mail registration number 1561 Produced weekly by Jam* Publishing Company Limited cn 62 King Street West, Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 416-623-3303 Fax 416-623-6161 John M. James Editor - Publisher Richard A. James Associate Publisher Peter Parrott Brian Purdy Donald Bishop Associate Editor 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. 1 Subscription Rates including G.S.T. 12 months-$23.54 6 months - $13.91 Foreign - $74.90 Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian State»man accepts advertising In hs columns on the understanding that k will not be liable tor 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 St ate» man buslne»» office duly signed by the advertiser and with such error or corrections plainly noted In wrklng thereon, and In that case H 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, [ Editors il Con imeni L - ' 1 * 1 £ •'1 y,.l Commmunitv Papers Object to Postal Hikes That Smarts ! How would you like to wake up one morning and discover that the cost of some essential service such as your hydro or heat or telephone service was going to rise by several hundred per cent? It's not a pleasant surprise. That's for sure. And yet, this is exactly the sort of thing that has happened to Canada's community newspapers. They're reeling reeling from the news that the costs charged by Canada Post for second class mail delivery may rise by several hundred per cent. This isn't something that the average average citizen may be too concerned about. However, publications depend heavily on Canada Post and certainly need more time to absorb costs of this magnitude. . We won't bore you with the exact implications for our newspaper. But, in general, a proposed rate increase coming our way will see the costs for delivery of newspapers via letter carriers carriers rise by between 688 and 975 per cent. Non letter carrier costs will not go up by quite that amount. But some estimates suggest they'll shoot' upwards upwards by more than 200 per cent. --All of these increases are slated to" take place by March 1. And that leads us to our second complaint. The new rates were announced with only 90 days' warning. There was no advance consultation, no royal commission, no consultant's study and few chances for any options to be reviewed. Community newspaper associations across Canada, along with individual publishers, are attempting to have the increase reduced or at least delayed. Only time will tell if we will be successful successful in this attempt. But, in the meantime, the incident has left us with a very bad taste in our mouths. Although there have been some changes in our industry during the past few years, the makeup of the typical typical Canadian community newspaper hasn't changed. The typical community community newspaper is a small business providing providing local jobs and tying a community community together by offering the brand of local news, sports and features which just aren't available anywhere else. We pay taxes. And we survive without without government grants and subsidies. We are productive at the corporate and individual level. We would be willing to suggest that our contribution to this nation through providing local news coverage is every bit as meaningful as the work of the government-sponsored CBC networks. And yet we demand not one thin dime in tax dollars -- a claim that the CBC could never make. Canada's community newspapers don't ask for special privileges and they pay their own way. But, one would think that in return we should be exempt from such things as 900 per cent increases in secônd class postage fees introduced without much warning. Such an increase would never be accepted accepted by the average consumer. If the cost of our phone bills or heat or hydro "or 'cigarettes "of liquor or cars'were 7to ' rise by a similar amount, there would be rioting in the streets. So we cannot understand why the post office is attempting attempting to jack up its postage rates for publications by such a huge " amount. If there is any justice, this planned price hike will be reduced. In fact, we have heard that there are some encouraging encouraging signs that the increase will not proceed as originally proposed. So we're keeping our fingers crossed and lobbying furiously for a less painful painful proposal from Canada Post. Somehow, it doesn't seem fair to expect expect community newspapers to face the GST and a triple-digit increase in their second class mailing costs within less than six months. Environmental Factors Overlooked in Gulf War At the beginning of the current mideast mideast war, one of the dozens of analysts trotted out on network TV for the occasion occasion made the following observation: He said one of the flaws of military leaders is their tendency to be prepared prepared to fight the last war but not whatever new conflict comes their way. And it would seem that the creation of an oil slick more than 40 miles long is one of the things for which military planners weren't prepared. The military, it would appear, has taken the sort of attitude which was shared by industry for many years. They seem to believe that the oil slick is somebody else's problem. In the planning of this campaign, it would appear as though nobody thought about the environmental consequences because the focus was solely on the winning of the war. Everyone hopes that can be accomplished in a few months. However, the environmental impacts of the conflict could last for decades. Oddly enough, the possibility of an act of environmental terrorism came as no surprise. Saddam Hussein always always claimed in his rhetoric that he would use the oil as a weapon against coalition forces. There certainly was ample warning. But, prepared as they were for the last war, the U.S. and its allies wrote off the threat as something that is not militarily significant. How odd that a force which has an arsenal including laser-guided bombs, B-52 aircraft, "wild weasels," cruise missiles, satellites, and AWÂCs does not have some way to counter-act the possibility of environmental terrorism. We also note that although reports now indicate that the allies nave managed managed to halt the spill with a bombing run on the oil outlet, there's no guarantee guarantee that the damage will not resume or that new oil spills will not be created. created. Worst of all is tho fact that Saddam Saddam may make good on his threat to Progress in Muscular Dystrophy s: Dystrophy mada has Dear Mr. James: The Muscular Association of Canada been dedicated to those thousands of Canadians with neuromuscular disorders disorders for over 35 years. Néver before have we experienced a year marked by as many significant research breakthroughs breakthroughs as we have within the past 12 months. As we opened the chapter on the last decade of the 20th-century, 20th-century, we got a taste of what we may expect in the 21st.... possible treatments for those affected by muscular dystrohy. We draw much of our strength from the support of our many corporate and individual individual friends, whose contributions contributions have made these breakthroughs possible, and have provided "HOPE" to those affected. On behalf of the Muscular Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, and of course, those we serve, it is my pleasure to thank your company for your decdication and support support of our campaign against over, 40 • neuromuscular dis- ! orders.' Through your contribution, contribution, our team has been made stronger and we are proud to call those within your family part of our team. Should you be interested in further information about M.D.A.C. or its corporate programs designed to enhance enhance the work of the Association Association and the company on its behalf, we would be delighted delighted to provide you with such. Please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Mike Nixon, Corporate Development Development at the address below. below. Sincerely, The Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, R. B. (Rick) Ashbee Director of Fund Raising & Regional Development 150 Eglinton Avenue E., Suite 400, Toronto, Ont. M4P1E8 Travel Precautions Suggested set ablaze the many high-pressure oil and gas wells in Kuwait. And that's a move which could have even more chilling implications than the oil spills. It seems to us that the coalition forces have no credible way of stopping the burning of the oil fields. Depending on who you talk to, the impact of such a blaze could range from nothing whatsoever to a global change in the our climate. In retrospect, it may be possible that the coalition has made a tactical mistake in attempting to strike first at the traditional "command and control" centres of the opposing army. For while the allied air armada is attempting attempting to bomb its enemies back to the stone age, they are allowing the Iraqi forces to use environmental terrorism at will. Their strategy might have been adequate adequate in the last wars. But today's Gulf War offers a new scenario. And one cannot help but wonder if military planners took into consideration the environmental threat. For it seems to us that although an individual oil spill or a few gas well explosions explosions would not, in themselves, be militarily significant, you have to realize realize that some of these effects can be cumulative. For instance, several oil spills will eventually foul the waters of the Gulf so badly that they will interfere interfere with the desalination plants that provide drinking water for residents on the Arabian Peninsula along with the more than half million allied troops. The other side is apparently as free to commit environmental atrocities as the coalition forces are free to bomb Iraq and Kuwait targets. A war against the environment has never been practised to the extent that it appears to be employed now in the Gulf. It may bo the most significant factor in the battle. And, unfortunately, it may have been the factor which was most overlooked, overlooked, Dear Editor: Air travellers can lessen airport security inconven : ience and help safeguard the nation's air traffic system by taking simple travel precautions, precautions, the Canadian Automobile Automobile Association advised today. today. "Because airports around the world have increased security security due to the war in the Middle East, travellers need to be aware of security procedures procedures ànd act accordingly," accordingly," says Linda Goodyear, CAA Peterborough Managing Managing Director of Travel Agency Agency Services. Travellers should call ahead to verify aircraft arrival arrival and departure times. They should also plan to arrive arrive two hours prior to departure, departure, rather than the usual one hour, Goodyear said. Take only those items truly necessary for the journey. journey. Fewer suitcases and carry-on items will help travellers speed through terminals terminals and aid baggage inspectors. inspectors. Be advised that most electronic devices - including including cameras and radios - will be inspected manually. "When packing or transporting transporting bags, do. not leave them unattended at any time," Goodyear said. "This mil keep luggage secure from tampering. Also, do not accept 'gifts or packages packages from strangers, or carry carry wrapped presents." If dropping off or picking up passengers, don't spent unnecessary time in the airport. airport. Security is improved when crowds are smaller. At some airports, only tick- ■ eted passengers will be allowed allowed beyond security checkpoints. Travellers need not be alarmed at the sight of increased increased security personnel. If questioned, be cooperative. cooperative. For all the international flights and some domestic flights, luggage can't be checked curbside. Passengers Passengers must take their bags inside inside to airline check-in counters. counters. While at the airport waiting waiting for a flight or while on board an aircraft, be vigilant and don't be afraid to report something, amiss to uniformed uniformed airport or airline personnel. "Air passengers can add to their own security and the security of others by following following these common-sense suggestions," Goodyear said. Sincerely, CAA Travel Agency, Ltd., Peterborough, Ont. Local Artists Well-Represented. Staff Savs Arts Centre Answers Statesman Editorial In response to your editorial editorial of January 23 which accused accused the Visual Arts Centre Centre of failing to provide exhibition space for local artists, we would like to offer offer the following clarifications: clarifications: 1. The mandate for the centre, as outlined in our information information booklet entitled "What We Are" describes us as "serving the Durham Region." Region." In this capacity, several several exhibition venues are available including: The Mill Gallery, the Town Hall Gallery, Gallery, Artist's Showcase, Art Rental, and the Upstairs Studio at the mill. Each space has its special focus. is re spe The Mill Caller 7 served for juried exhibitions as well as group and individual individual shows. Within the last year we have exhibited the work of many local artists in three juried shows, works by students from courses at the mill, children's art during Castles and Dragons summer summer camp, and several individual individual exhibitions. In fact, over the last year all but one show included work by area Artists At the Town Hall Gallery arrangements are made through the VAC administrator administrator and again works are primarily by artists from the region if not specifically from the town. Exceptions to this have been artists who are instructors at the centre or participate in our art rental rental program. But it is specifically in ARTIST'S SHOWCASE that work by artists within the Town of Newcastle is featured. featured. These individuals are given the advantage of a lower commission rate on sales, and three month exhibition exhibition periods. Upstairs at the mill is space provided for any works in progress, student work, instructors' work, and occasionally a formal show such as our current "Heroes and Monsters" by Oshawa folk artist Gordon Law. 2. In addition, artists and the the interested public enjoy enjoy the stimulation which exhibitions, lectures, courses and workshops from beyond oiir own backyard provide and therefore artwork from outside the region is shown periodically, most particularly particularly in the Mill Gallery, where the exhibition schedule schedule is organized by a selection selection committee of local artists artists who meet annually to review proposals and slides from a wiae variety of artists artists applying to show their work. 3. Local artists may take classes, rent studio space, obtain entry forms for grants and contests, and generally use the centre as a resource in many ways. Since most galleries and more and more juried shows require artists to document their work with slides, we also employ a photographer to assist in artists' professional professional development. 4. In response to the opin ion that more involvement from high school students is required, we would like to mention that two student exhibitions at the Town Hall are planned for April and May of 1991, and that we are again offering our well- received "Best Foot Forward" Forward" workshop on portfolio presentations for students applying to an art college. In addition, the VAC sponsors three awards of excellence to high school students each year. In conclusion, the Visual Arts Centre is a place where local artists can get a start, but refuses to be hidebound by, in your own words "phi- listines who don't fully understand understand the situation.* For those who wish to sample our ongoing activi-. ' ties we are having OPEN HOUSE on Tuesday, February February 12 from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Workshops include silk . painting, pottery, photography, photography, acrylic painting, watercolour, watercolour, and fabric applique. The cost for any of these two hour workshops is five dollars, dollars, and this includes materials. materials. This event has been sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council to help us promote promote our winter programming. programming. CALL 623-5831 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. INFORMATION. Joe Dalrymple, President, President, Visual Arts Centre Board of Directors. Margaret Rodgers Administrator, Visual Arts ■ Centre of Newcastle. Over the next couple of weeks, the Town of Newcastle Newcastle Councillors are going going to discuss the types of housing they want to see in the municipality. They could have done some homework on affordable affordable housing had they attended the Durham Durham Regional Access to Permanent Housing Committee's Committee's quarterly meeting, meeting, last week. A panel discussion on how to turn "NIMBY into YIMBY" discussed the concerns of affordable housing developments that I think our councillors councillors and any of the opponents opponents and proponents of affordable housing would have learned from. I think if councillors were there, they would have had some myths about non-profit housing developments blasted away. They would have found, as I did, that other . types of projects in other municipalities have faced staunch opposition from area residents, just as they have here. There was talk about hostility, fear and prejudice prejudice surrounding developments. developments. • Yet it was also noted that once the developments developments were in place, and residents lived with them for a while, the opposition to it, (if the developments were in a good neighbourhood) neighbourhood) diminished. Those opposing affordable hous ing eventually came out in support of the projects. Not everyone can afford afford a single family home, on a grassy lot in a well- established neighbourhood. neighbourhood. And, as one panelist pointed out, continued development development of single family family homes is just not good for the environment. Neighbourhoods such as these require more forays forays onto agricultural lands. And that could some .day mean a lack of S -een space from Lakè ntario to Lake Simcoe. Somewhere along the line, developments have to be made to house more than one family. Most residents 1 cringe at the prospect of a high rise apartment building in their neighbourhood. Therefore well kept, medium medium density developments developments might meet housing housing needs and appease residents' concerns. Another suggestion to tearing down the NIMBY attitude is to build affordable affordable housing proposals when the surrounding neighbourhood is going up. This way, residents buy their home knowing an affordable housing proposal is being built nearby. The rest of the biases, including the fear, the prejudice, can only be disputed disputed once people live there and they see it works. The area residents could then support other proposals knowing the one in their neighbourhood neighbourhood was okay. But for any changes in attitude to occur, the development development has to be in place. And that's where local municipal councils play their part. Oshawa Councillor Nancy Diamond, who attended attended the meeting, mentioned mentioned that municipal councillors, while acknowledging acknowledging the need for housing, hpye to look at the municipality on thé whole and make decisions on what is good for the entire community. The bottom line, though, is that people neednousing. Somewhere along the line, people have to accept accept affordable housing developments and municipal municipal councils have to start approving them or they will see the development taken out of their control and decided on at the Ontario Ontario Municipal Board. Newcastle has grown. At some time, it has to come to grips with this growth and realize people of all different backgrounds backgrounds and financial situations situations will want to make their home here. If council doesn't soofi make the step to accommodate accommodate those future taxpayers, taxpayers, maybe another council with fresher, more optimistic views, will take their place. ir m Pressing Matters In One Small Town -- by John E. James -- 'Hey Buddy, can you spare a breather?" Boysoboys, lettuce tell you one darnsure thing about the Year 1991: with all the nutso stuff whizzing past your eyeballs these days, any professional pundit suffering from "Writer's Block" should give serious, consideration to other fields of employment. More from habit that anything else, your correspondent still keeps pencil and pad handy while watching or reading the news. With all those whackos and weird things making headlines on a daily basis, jotting down items as we aid for our ola "Editor's Notebook" column each week at The Amityville Bugle is simply too tempting to ignore. Care for a sample or two? Item: - Lloyds of London, the 303 year old insurance institution famous for its willingness to insure almost anything under (or behind) the sun, was forced to unlock its doors for the first time on Sunday last week, Why were Lloyd and his lads clocking a spot of O/T? The firm was burning the midnight oil (almost literally, it turns out) to stay current with "Iraq vs tho World." You cun botcher Begonias that Lloyds has a largo bag of marbles at risk in that arena. Item: -- Australian nature lovers arc running up the danger flag again, expressing deep concern for the survival of The Great Barrier Reeef. Last year, the Reef supposedly faced a life-threatening crisis, courtesy of the Greenhouse Effect. This year's menace is a bit more pithy ... the giant barrier is taking a licking because tourists standing on the reef, apparently can't resist the urge to go wee-wee with all that water lapping at their feet. Item: - The auto industry recently released data on "most frequently stolen" vehicles in 1990. For the fourth year in a row, the 1986 Chevy Camaro ranks first. However, it was the Number 4 vehicle which caught our eye: a 1988 Hyundai!. Hmmm. what gives here? Most Hyundai owners we've encountered would be somewhat less than emotionally shattered bv such a loss. Ahh, at the bottom of tne page rests a clue. The indust™ notes: "quite often cars are stolen for parts." Item: -- A Florida dentist is suing Eastern Airlines for big bucks. Bruce Jacobs and his wife claim they suffered "emotional distress" when an Eastern pilot saved tho lives of Mr. and Mrs. Congeniality, along with all the other passengers, by landing his ' ' 'aft 1 J crippled aircraft safely despite overwhelming odds. Good thing the guy did. Imagine how upset Brucic would have been if he'd died! Item: -- Operators of war surplus stores in Canada were sold out of gas masks three days after the war with Iraq began, -r Say what? - Last time we checlced, the range on an Iraqi modified Scud missile was approximately 400 miles, and likelihood of the thing landing anywhere near what it was aimed at was about the same as observing one of those Toronto Blue Jays' multi-millionaires properly execute a sacrifice bunt. Item: -- Mohawk "Warriors" near Montreal, who killed a Quebec police officer, blocked a major bridge connecting Montreal with the South Shore for weeks, and cost taxpayers millions and millions of dollars for several months last summer are now demanding $75,000,000 in compensation compensation from the government for revenue losses suffered because their illegal cigarette smuggling and gambling operations were blocked by authorities. Stay tuned for an even funnier item, as Brian Mulroncy hands over the money, and announces a matching $75,000,000 grant to Quebec "in the interests of national unity," Item: - Researchers arc conducting an intensive study of cattle to measure the effect of "cow burps" on the ozone layer. Early estimates suggest that approximately 15% of the methane presently permeating the earth's atmosphere may come from burping beef herds; and that substance is a primary suspect in the much ballyhooed "Green House Effect" which might some day wipe us off the planet. Ahh, we know what you're thinking: "could emissions from the North end of a cow be anywhere near as dangerous as fumes emanating from the South end of the same beast?" Researchers say the second source is nowhere near as lethal. Which shows you how much researchers know. Last item: -- Demonstrating incredible timing and sensitivity to international affairs, a retired weekly newspaper publisher from Amityville boards a British Airways 747 in Detroit (home base for lots of U.S. militai^ production), to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, pass over a Scottish ' town called Lockerbie, and land at Heathrow Airport in London on Monday, January 28th. The process will hopefully be reversed one week later. As a result of that business trip, this column will not appear next week, If it doesn't appear in subsequent weeks, you probably won't be anywhere near as upset as he will.