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Page 6 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanvillc, December 2, 1998 %\)t Canabtati talesman a; 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 ClnringtoiilCourticc Independent P.O. Box 190,62 King St. W., Bowmanvillc, Ontario L1C 3K9 Tel: 905-623-3303 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. onc-Coi-Ci ci Internet - etatesmanOnma nrn Publications Mail Reoistration No. 07637 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, Tim Bowers, Kevin Britton, Suzanne Christie, Sharon Cole, Laurens Kaldeway, Barb Patterson, Sean Pickard, Tyler Sellick, Jim Snoek, James Stephenson, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Editorial Laverne Morrison Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone Office Supervisor-Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford, Libby Smithson Editorials Inconclusive Vote On Separation The most you can say about the outcome of the Quebec provincial election is that the results are on the question of sovereignty. The Parti Québécois retained its majority. But, it did not receive such overwhelming support that Canadians could conclude that separation will occur or that the majority of Quebec citizens want it. If a showing over 50 per cent in the popular vote means a mandate to separate, then Lucien Bouchard's Parti Québécois fell short. In fact, the statistics we saw on Tuesday morning show the PQ and Liberals in a dead heat where the popular vote was concerned. The Liberals scored 43.4%, with 43.3% going to the PQ. In reading those numbers, you also have to consider the fact that many who voted for the Parti Québécois did so because they wanted it to form the next provincial government. They did not necessarily cast their ballot for that party because they believe in separation. On the other hand, you must also consider the fact that nationalism has historically been the strongest plank in the PQ platform. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for the party to concentrate solely on peace order and good government of the province for the next four or five years. The party ideology in favor of sovereignty will never be far from the surface. So, we can be assured of more constitutional debates, perhaps some court challenges and yet another referendum referendum campaign within the lifetime of the latest provincial government in Quebec. The bottom line is that Canada does have a few more years to try and work out its unity and constitutional problems. A reprieve has been granted. But, it seems as though we were saying that 20 years ago. It seems as though every battle over Quebec sovereignty sovereignty must end in a draw. Council Salaries Thanks to the actions of Clarington Council, the pay for local elected officials has taken a big leap forward. It may be what the majority of councillors want. But, what about the taxpayers? In justifying the pay increase, Clarington councillors studied the remuneration of other municipalities. Surveys concluded, for example, that the mayor's salary was among the lowest among mayors of similar-sized communities in Ontario. So the mayoral salary was hiked immediately by $10,000. It's now $45,000 and will hit $50,000 by the Year 2000. Local councillors' pay will be pegged at 40 per cent of the mayor's remuneration. It seems to us that surveys are one tool for deciding the pay of municipal elected officials. But, an even more important survey might have been taken of the electorate. electorate. Does this council have a mandate to increase its pay? Did anybody campaign for more pay in the last election? At the root of the controversy over salaries for elected elected officials is the philosophical question of whether trustees, councillors, MPPs and MPs are career politicians politicians or whether they arc merely public-spirited citizens doing their part to serve their community. If politics is to be considered a career, then it's reasonable to expect the same sort of perks, benefits and pay that career civil servants servants earn. But, we still cling to the belief that politics should be a form of public service by men and women who have careers outside the political forum. Such individuals are free of the need to get re-elected and can, therefore, make independent decisions. In noting the hefty salary increase approved for Clarington, we cannot help but wonder how elected officials officials can realistically negotiate salary issues with municipal municipal staff if those same councillors have substantially raised their own pay. And, the pay hike will be used against municipal councils by cost-conscious provincial Tory politicians. "How can local councillors complain about the cost of downloading when they raise their own salaries?" the provincial government will say. Rather than raise the pay of elected officials, why not make the salary a dollar a year and see who volunteers to step forward? It wouldn't be a practical solution, but it would embody the principle that politics is not a career. On a more realistic note, there arc two better ways to set the pay for local elected officials. One possibility is for councillors to establish the pay for the incoming council, at the conclusion of their term in office. Another is for a committee of citizens to review the salary of elected officials and make recommendations. Unfortunately, Clarington's elected officials look neither neither of those alternatives. Hot Enough for Yo? The really big story of 1998 may not be the Quebec election or the scandal surrounding President Clinton or the battle over reforms in Ontario's government. The big story might be global warming. Consider some of the statistics: In 1998, the damages from natural disasters such as floods, famines, storms and earthquakes exceeded all of the damages recorded through natural disasters in the 1980s. Locally, the month of November has been declared the warmest November since records were kept. Moreover, the first days of December seem to be following following a similar pattern. What is the meaning of all this? If we wait until scientists, politicians and other experts decide global warming is a fact, we could be wailing too long. We have almost reached the point where the average person with a memory for weather can confirm the climate climate change. Whether the solution is to reduce fossil fuels, boost public transportation, promote energy conservation, preserve preserve forests or restrict development, it seems to us that the time for action has arrived, Parent Applauds Students' Move The senior students at Courtice Secondary School planned a protest today (Monday, November 23). They worked all weekend to create a thoughtful, yet organized demonstration. Their message message was short and to the point: We want our school back! They made it blatantly clear that they are neither supporting the teachers and union, nor are they supporting the board and administrators. They want "teachers who have the energy and drive to deliver a program of education that will prepare them for post secondary education." They want their assignments assignments and tests marked with the same amount of care as it took the students to write them in the first place. They want their extra-curricular activities back. Instead of being heard as independent individuals that we are trying to raise, the parents are now up in arms against the teachers. Comments such as: "teachers put them up to it", "teachers encouraged them to do it", "teachers locked them out of the classrooms so that they would have no where else to go," rang through the telephone " wires. Frustrated teachers are angry and sick (literally) of being the "bad guys" ALL of the time. Students are furious that they are being taken so callously. The tension between teachers and administrators administrators can be felt throughout the halls. That tension has now carried over to the community and the very parents whom we are to phone. At the end of the day we all have to account for our actions. My own daughter is in her OAC year and my nerves are ruined by the thought of the damage that has already been done to her education. However, I also have children in grade 7 and 11 and I cannot afford to let their education education continue to be beaten and battered. I have phoned or e-mailed my trustees weekly to inform and be informed. How many of the parents who are so quick to blame the teachers for the mess that the education system is in, can say as much? How many have taken the time or trouble to understand either side of the argument? argument? They just want it to go away. But it won't. Not by itself. What will be left by the time the contracts are signed? I fear the answer to that one. Beverly Suchlarcl Courtice Remember the Merchant Marine Dear Editor: In my opinion it is disgraceful to sec WWII veterans of the so-called "merchant marine" standing on : Parliament Hill, 53 years after the war's end, threatening to go on hunger strike in order to receive a veterans pen- ■ sion. Members of the Canadian Parliament, it seems, have ; not yet grasped the fact that these men have kept Britain • alive and built up the reserves which made it possible to : win the war! It's a moral obligation to honor those killed in action, but to discriminate against those who put their .lives on the line, just as others, only under an other unit name is a scandal. : Sincerely, ! Rttdi Kalweit Thoughts Unlimited by Rick James What's That Supposed to Mean? There's nothing worse than being slighted by someone who thinks they are trying to help you. For example, I've been shopping and heard salespeople recommend a certain type of dress to women to help them hide their large figure. It's a dangerous area to venture into and can be lethal if not handled carefully. For men, there's nothing more dangerous than recommending sports equipment that fits their maturing abilities. After commenting in last week's column that the ice surface at the arena seems to be getting 10 feet longer each season, I took a real shot on the chin Monday when I purchased a new hockey stick. I was doing the usual tests that every player goes through when buying a stick. You hold it up to see if the bottom of the blade is smooth, look at the warp, then flex the shaft on the ground. It means absolutely nothing, but everybody does it. I was testing the $32 Goal Scorer Guaranteed model that sported a really exotic warp and would even bring tears to Bobby Hull's eyes. It would be great for blasting shots at the heads of goaltendcrs and would really create a lot of noise when the puck hit the glass high and wide of the net, You could forget about a good backhand shot, but that's a lost art anyway, so who needs it? As I prepared to spend more money than I ever have on a hockey stick, the salesperson said, "Here, try this Bauer Impact. It only costs $17 and it's as close to a straight blade as we can get." "What's that supposed to mean," I said. My mind conjured up thoughts of "Red" Kelly, Eddie Shore, Bob Baun and anyone else of the original six teams who used a straight-bladcd stick. Even goalies don't use a straight blade anymore. It was clear that a suggestions was being made that I was entering the twilight of my hockey career. Sigh. My bubble had been burst. The salesperson was right. I'm an oldlimcr. But, I am serving notice right now to the next salesperson who suggests I try regular Ilex shafts in my golf clubs instead of the stiff shafts I've used since I was 14-ycar-old. That salesperson could end up wearing a three iron as a bow tic if that suggestion is ever made. How Much Arc They Worth? I have heard some grumbling about the closed door session last week when municipal councillors voted to increase their remuneration remuneration to levels comparable to colleagues in other jurisdictions. Raising salaries for clcetcd officials is never an easy task. No matter matter what the increase, someone is going to make the comparison with their own job or amount of pension income, Unfortunately, lew people realize how much responsibility and time goes witli an elected elected position in a municipality the size of Clarington. Unlike most jobs, being an elected official demands the ability to understand a broad range of issues, a willingness to devote huge amounts of time outside of business hours, and the patience of Job to listen to tax payers who complain about everything from property assessments to the neighbour's dog barking. In short, it's not an easy job. Although I don't particularly like the way the size of the salary increases were implemented, you have to consider the amount of the yearly pay compared to the amount of work involved. For example, the mayor is responsible for running a municipality that is larger than most corporations in Durham Region. Yet, the mayor is paid a fraction of what a person with comparable responsibilities would receive in the private sector. Unfortunately, the salary increases in the past have not kept pace with the rapid growth of the municipality municipality which led to the large increases announced last week. As for justifying the value of the mayor and councillors' work versus versus their remuneration, there's no better evaluation report than the election process that's held every three years. If you don't feel that someone has earned their keep, they can be dismissed with the stroke of a pencil. And with salaries commensurate with the responsibilities of the position, it should be easier to attract qualified individuals to run for elected offices in the municipality. Definitely An In Camera Session If you think salary levels for councillors created some controversy controversy here, check out what happened in Qucllendorf, Germany. Residents of the small village in eastern Germany have voted through a referendum to dismiss their mayor after lie became a transsexual. The vote in Qucllendorf near Leipzig Sunday night went against Norbert Lindner, a 40-year-old married falhcr-of-lwo who earlier this year assumed a female identity and began calling himself Michacla. Lindner, who is awaiting a sex change operation, said he now expected to leave Qucllendorf, and possibly Germany altogether. "I sec the result as a chance to start up somewhere else," he said. "I don't think there is any village in Germany that would have no problems with a transsexual mayor." Friends of Lindner said lie nonetheless planned to challenge the vote in Germany's highest court, the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. They said he believed his rights to sexual equality had been infringed. The village council decided earlier this year to call a referendum of its 874 voters on whether to sack Lindner, a member of the reform communist Parly of Democratic Socialism, Lindner has accused the villagers of intolerance. They said he disturbed disturbed their tranquility by deliberately courting publicity. Phew...and 1 thought we had a controversy here over the pay levels levels of elected officials. We'll have to watch the nomination forms in November of 2000 to see where Norbert, I mean, Michaels, ends up, If he, or she, should run in Toronto, I'd love to see how Mel Eastman would handle that one.