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Page 4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, October 14, 1998 W)t Canabtan Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climie and W. R. Climie 1854 -1878 M. A. James, 1878 -1935 • Norman S. B. James, 1919 -1929 G. Elena James, 1929 -1947 • Dr. George W. James, 1919 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited Also Publishers of The ClaringtonlCourticc Independent P.O. Box 190, 62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 •623-3303 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. 623-6161 Internet - statesman@ocna.org Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 Tel: 905 Fax: 905- For 144 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher - John M. James Assoc. Publisher - Rick James Plant Manager-Rick Patterson Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Supervisor - Ralph Rozema, Suzanne Bennett, Tim Bowers, Kevin Britton, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Barb Patterson, Sean Pickard, Tyler Sellick, Jim Snock, James Stephenson, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuurnmo Advertising Editorial Lavcrne Morrison Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfredo, Jennifer Stone Office Supervisor - Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford, Libby Smithson Editorials A Licence To Speed? ; Don't think of the debate over higher speed limits on the 400-scrics highways as being about travelling 120 kilometres per hour. ' The real question is whether or not cars should travel 140 kilometres per hour on these freeways. The fact of the matter is that vehicles are going about 20 kilometres per hour faster than the posted speed limits. limits. And, extending the speed limit won't just legitimize the current speeds on the highways in question. The Vehicles will soon be cruising at the customary 20 kilometres kilometres beyond the legal limit. 1 That means the real speed demons on our roads will be within shouting distance of 200 kilometres per hour. ; If the provincial authorities want to make it legal to drive 120 on Ontario's superhighways, then there must be a commitment to strictly enforcing the limits. In other words, motorists edging over that limit should be prosecuted. prosecuted. And, doing that might necessitate the stepped-up enforcement of speed limits. It might mean returning to some form of photo radar. Oh yes, while they're at it, the Province of Ontario might want to throw some extra money into highway repairs in order to ensure these roads can safely be travelled at the speeds in question. In a news release commenting on the proposed higher higher speed limits, the CAA notes the importance of ensuring ensuring that sound engineering standards are behind any increase in the speed limits. . The automobile organization also makes the following following point which may be of interest. "Although it has been said that speed kills, speed variation is most dangerous, leading to tailgating, passing, weaving and other risky maneuvers. The vast majority of people drive at a fairly similar speed collectively judged to be safe on a given road. Generally, 15 per cent of drivers drive much faster than the norm and 15 per cent of motorists drive much slower. The goal of any speed regulation should be to reduce speed variance to make high-speeders and slow- movers keep pace with the traffic flow." 1 We're not so sure that the higher limits will not merely merely create a bigger gap between the slow-movers and the Speeders on Ontario's freeways. ; The CAA has declared, however, that "artificially low speed limits actually create speed variance and encourage encourage collisions. Raising the speed limits on some roads will allow law-abiders to catch up to the prevailing speed (>f traffic, allowing for a safer traffic flow." ; If only there was some way to be sure that a 120 kilo- metre-per-hour limit would accomplish that goal and not merely up the ante when it comes to the speed of the (ravelling public. ; In short, without upgrading the roads and rigidly enforcing speed limits, the safety of the motoring public could be jeopardized by the higher speeds. ; Otherwise, drivers may be travelling over 140 kilometres kilometres per hour along highways not designed for that kind of speed. : Under those conditions, you'd be safer at the Indy 500. Agriculture: A Diverse Industry ; Ontario produces 200 different commodities on 13 million acres. ' And, while the province produces familiar crops like corn and carrots, it also grows more exotic species such as ginseng, peanuts and Chinese vegetables. You'll find pigs and poultry oh Ontario farms, but also pheasants, deer, trout and buffalo. It is this wide range of products that many of us may not realize. In connection with Agriculture Week October 5 to 10, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food offers the following facts about agriculture in the province. They are facts we might not otherwise realize. Did you know, for example, that there are more than 67,000 farms in Ontario, with each farmer producing enough food to feed 120 people? Did you know every million dollars of output from agriculture and related services generates about 31 jobs. That's more jobs per dollar of output than any other goods-producing sector? Did you know Ontario's agri-food industry contributes contributes more than $25 billion to the provincial economy annually and employs more than 640,000? ; Nor arc the products produced "down on the farm" confined only to the meat and potatoes products with which we arc most familiar. ! Farm products might, for example, begin in the barnyard barnyard as wool or in the field as hemp, an experimental crop used to make paper and a variety of industrial products. products. Corn is processed into road de-icers, windshield washer fluid, ethanol fuel, soap, toothpaste, paint, varnish varnish and sparkplugs to name just a few examples. To salute Ontario's agri-food industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs suggest that you invite Ontario home for dinner. More information is available at the Ministry's web site at www.gov.on.ca/omafra. Tax Bill is Too Late The taxman arrived late this year in Clarington. Too late, if you ask us, Ratepayers will be required to hand over the final two installments of their tax hills in October and November. That's just in time to start Christmas shopping. The late tax bills are the result of the complex reforms tinder way in municipal government. Reforms, we might add, that were instigated by Queen's Park. The delay suggests, however, that Queen's Park miscalculated the length of lime required for the downloading process. If that process was going to take this long, they should have waited until next year to make the changes. : Let's put it this way: Queen's Park and all the other levels of government expect to see their taxes paid on the date they fall due. Shouldn't the general public have the right to expect that governments will meet their deadlines? deadlines? Photo Finish The team from Versa Care ran well, but not well enough to win last week's bed race event in the Newcastle Village fall festival. Those honors went to the Newcastle Firefighters. The team from Versa Care consisted of Lloyd Fletcher, Phil Hardakcr, Michele Davies, Rene Sparks and Pauline Lynde. The bed race was one of the activities at the annual Fall Fcst in Newcastle on Saturday, October 3. Many craft exhibitors, live music and the dog walk-a-thon were all part of the day's attractions. Letters to the Editor Noise is a Fact of Life Dear Editor: I am sick and tired of reading all the complaints regarding the Lishman Proposal, now complaints of noise from low flying planes. It's funny there were no Where Are Council's Priorities? Dear Editor: The decision on Wednesday, October 7 by the Council of the Region of Durham to allow a rezoning amendment to the Official Plans of both the Region and the Municipality of Clarington, in order to facilitate the building of a fur garment finishing factory factory by Bill and Paula Lishman, brings a major stage of this contentious issue to a close. It leaves, however, some worrying residues. First, the Municipality of Clarington's disregard of its own stated policies of requiring an Environmental Impact Study for rezoning within or adjacent to a 'natural feature' such as the Wilmot Creek is designated, designated, raises the question: 'What is the Municipality's commitment commitment to environmental protection?' Second: The Municipality of Clarington's support of the rezoning to include the access road to a neighbouring neighbouring property, against the owner's wishes and to the serious detriment of their peace and quiet, raises raises the question: 'What is the Municipality's com- ' mitment to the rights of property owners?' Third: The continued support by the Municipality of Clarington for this application application despite the prohibitive prohibitive costs to the applicants which include paying for the re-contouring of 300 metres of the Taunton Rd„ plus the two items mentioned mentioned above, raises the question 'Who and what is setting the priorities for this Council?' Sincerely, Mervyn Russell More Funds Needed For Disabled Children Dear Editor: For the past year, parents parents of disabled children in Durham have met with local MPP's, Cabinet Ministers and bureaucrats from Queen's Park in an effort to address the critical critical underfunding situation that exists for children's services in Durham Region. The response from the government has been consistent. consistent. They acknowledge the unfairness of the situation; situation; they sympathize with the parents whose children are suffering from a lack of services, but they claim the government cannot afford to provide an appropriate appropriate level of health care for disabled children in Durham at this time. How can it he that there is no money available to provide services for disabled disabled children, hut there is plenty of taxpayers' money to spend on advertising advertising in the government's ongoing public relations battle with the teachers? The $2.7 million that the government is currently currently spending in its "spitting match" with the teachers is TWICE the annual budget of Durham's Grandview Children's Centre which is struggling to provide services services lor almost 3,000 disabled disabled children. As a parent and taxpayer, taxpayer, it is absolutely heartbreaking heartbreaking to see this money being wasted when disabled disabled children arc missing out on opportunities to develop into independently independently functioning adults because of a lack of services. services. Sincerely, Kathryn Dremner Co-Chair PACK (Parents in Action Jbr Challenged Kids) complaints when they were using the same area for a movie shoot. We live at the corner of Cone. 7 and Hwy. 115/35, this is tlie busiest corner in this area of Clarke Township. The noise from traffic on the highway is constant day and night. The squeal of brakes as the cars come too fast over the overpass, can send you right out of your chair. We arc on the direct flight path of the jet planes. The hydro copter flies low as it checks the lines right behind the house. The rescue rescue copters fly low over the house on the way to the hospital. The planes that fly from the Halminen and the former McClarcn property property are seldom heard, the noise from a private plane that comes from the East is much noisier. Come on, folks. Get real! We live in an age of big transports, fast cars and planes. All these can irritate a person at times. I'm sure no one deliberately deliberately sets out to irritate you. Where in this world can any one go, in this day and age, where there is not some noise? I have lived through 75 years of quiet rural life, noisy rural life, tractors and machinery and noisy city life, not always happy with either. If we want the convenience of getting from one place to another faster, we must put up with the minor irritations. P. Lowery First Nations Understood Meaning of Thanksgiving Dear Editor: In your editorial of October 7, 1998 entitled "Giving Thanks", you wonder how "could these pilgrims...possibly invent a festival of thanksgiving?" thanksgiving?" For your information, like most "American Inventions" they did not invent thanksgiving. Simply adopting a practice and taking ownership of something does not give them the right to claim it as their own. Thanksgiving is the extension of the Native Harvest Festival that was "presented" to the starving and plague-ridden pilgrims. pilgrims. This festival, still practiced today in many communities (by many different names) is a celebration celebration of the harvest of the "three sisters, beans, corn and squash." The event was a gathering of Native people bringing their food shares to the community tables. A bountiful harvest guaranteed guaranteed the survival of the community, All harvests were gathered gathered and equally shared among the families of the village, Unlike the pilgrims pilgrims of the date with typical typical Anglo-European attitudes, attitudes, most Natives owned nothing that did not belong to the community as a whole. On the other hand, many first settlers would let their friends and neighbours neighbours starve if their bellies were not first filled. Personal ownership was a right guaranteed by the King himself. When the first settlers arrived in North America, many came without adequate adequate supplies, tools or clothing to survive the harsh seasons. Sickness and disease was rampant, so the history shows. The Natives of the eastern eastern coast welcomed them into their homes and their communities. They provided provided them with winter clothing and supplies and showed them how to receive all that they needed needed from Mother Earth. The Native women's and men's life was filled with gratitude gratitude for what was given them by the Earth Mother, Today this respect and gratitude is not forgotten among the First Nations of this continent. The II a u d e n o s a unee Thanksgiving Address, only one of many offerings of thanks, reminds us every day of those things that we should he grateful for. It is loo had that the importance of this gift from the Natives to the Pilgrims has been lost in the Colonial history that you presented in your editorial. editorial. yours truly, Tsi Nikayen ' Enonlinc ' (Mohawk - There is One Who Watches) Oregg Powless, Newcastle SEEN AND HEARD GREAT PUMPKIN PROBLEM -- We have it on good authority that the balmy weather of 1998 has created a bit of a crisis in the pumpkin patch. The pumpkins have ripened several weeks too early, which means some of them could be a little mouldy or rotten by the time Halloween rolls around. Now that's pretty scary! GOLDFISH RACING PART OF APPLE FESTIVAL -- New this year to the Apple Festival is a scries of events taking place at the Clarington Community Resource Centre on Church St., Bowmanville. The "Firehouse" youth centre and the "Clarington Project" will both be participating. Family events include a craft sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., penny auction and children's games. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be "goldfish" races. These have been nicknamed nicknamed the Firehouse 500. There will be performances performances by the Ganaraska Cloggers at 10:30 a.m., with children's children's entertainer, Uncle Mo, performing from noon until 1 p.m. Hot dogs, pie and ice cream will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Youth events at the Community Resource Centre on Church St. include live local bands at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. HO, HO, HO! -- We don't like to be accused of rushing the seasons. However, the Bowmanville Santa Claus Parade is not much more than five weeks away. It will be held this year on Saturday, November 21, at 10:30 a.m. This will be the 37th edition of the parade which is one of the largest non-commercial non-commercial events of this nature in the area, if not Ontario. BOWMANVILLE CREEK CLEAN-UP -- Saturday, October 24th, volunteers are being invited to clean up the valleylands from Highway Two to Baseline Rd„ in Bowmanville. Meet at the north parking lot off Roenigk Dr. at 9 a.m. and they'll give you instructions and lots to do. The project is sponsored sponsored by the Clarington Healthy Communities Committee. Hours of the clean-up are from 9 a.m. to noon. For information, information, call 623-1595. UNITED CHURCH MODERATOR VISITS VISITS -- Bill Phipps, Moderator of the United Church, will be the •speaker at a forum Saturday, November 14th, at Courticc Secondary School. The forum begins at 2 p.m. The moderator will be addressing topics related to social justice and a moral economy. See future editions for further further details. BEST FRIENDS MISSING --Two purebred purebred golden retrievers named Chase (age eight months) and Bailey (three months) have disappeared disappeared from a Clarington home on Sunday, October lOlli. The owners have reason to believe the dogs may have been taken. A reward is being offered for their safe return. If you can help, call 983- 5880.