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PAGE 4 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ June 1,2005 Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-in-Chief Chris Bovie Managing Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook ^Office Manager Janice O'Neil, Cheryl Haines Composing Managers Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 )c Cmtabtmt Statesman Opinion | JUNE 1, 2005 durhamrcgion.com Phone 905-579-4400 Classifieds 905-576-9335 ■ Distribution 905-579-4407 General Fax 905-579-2238 * Newsroom Fax 905-57.9-1809- E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com" 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 infodurhamregion.com EDITORIAL c-mail letters to ncwsroom@durhimiregioii.com Renewal projects badly needed Government plan to put $30 billion into provincial infrastructure necessary It might not be all brand new, but plans by the Ontario government government to put $30 billion over five years into infrastructure in this province is badly needed nonetheless. nonetheless. Liberals and Conservatives played political games after the funding announcement late last week by David Caplan, Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister. Conservatives claim most of the renewal projects planned for by the Liberals were announced while the Tories were in power between 1995-2003. Liberals, however, say they're plunging ahead with what needs to be done now and over the next five years. In thé end, it matters little to the taxpayer, as long as the Province follows through on pledges made and delivers what taxpayers and businesses need. The Ministry says it will pro vide funds to start or complete 105 hospital projects, kick S4 billion in to repair schools under the Good Places to Learn initiative, initiative, provide $3.1 billion to improve public transit including GO Train sendee, and $600-mil- lion for a Canada-Ontario affordable affordable housing deal. After saying while in opposition opposition that they would be against any private-public partnership deals, the Liberals appear to have had second thoughts. Mr. Caplan has said he will look to the private sector for financing and management of many of the large-scale projects, an idea that found support from Whitby-Ajax MPP Jim Flaherty, a former Conservative finance minister. While. it's possible the price tag could be higher with private private involvement, the key is that construction could proceed more quickly. And, in the end, Mr. Caplan has promised that, whatever the arrangements in construction and management, ownership will remain in public hands, That's reassuring for taxpayers. BACKWARD GLANCE Going nuclear, 1980s This Week file photo The massive Darlington Nuclear Generating Station construction construction project was a 1980s feature in Durham. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to newsroom@durlianiregion.com Reference to homophobia misplaced To the editor: Re: Column right on, Bob LeP- dge letter, May 29. I cannot help but laugh when 1 listen to homosexual activists refer- to groups or individuals who uphold the traditional way of marriage as "homophobic." The term "homophobic" refers to the fear of homosexuality. This term often is used by homosexual homosexual activists to end discussion of an issue by accusing their opponents of having an irrational fear. This is unjust. One can disagree with and be critical .of a behaviour without having a fear of it. When the charge of "homophobia" "homophobia" is made, it signifies that those making the accusation do not have reasoned responses to their critics, so they switch to portraying their critics as irrational irrational rather than responding to their arguments. David Saunders Coiirtice Here's an idea: Just pick up litter yourself To the editor: Re: Clarington says Canada Post should help clean tip, May 25 I can't believe council is going to Canada Post to ask them to help pay for anti-littering signs and garbage cans at Supermailbox Supermailbox areas. Does council truly believe people people who litter do so because of a lack of signage telling them not to or because there's no garbage can right there? Get real! People who litter do so because of a disrespect of their environment environment and/or community. Everyone has garbage cans at home, and those who respect their environment and/or community community wait until they get there to throw out mail they didn't want. t . Although approaching Canada Post would save taxpayers some money in this venture (if Canada Post were to agree to pay for some of it), in the end, we will all end up paying for it in increased postal rates; the logical thing Canada Post will do to recover the money. My suggestion to residents is that, if you see someone littering, say something to them. If they don't pick it up, do it yourself. I know that's unpleasant, but it's a free way to fix the problem, problem, Kathleen McCabe Coutice God would say that prejudice is simply not acceptable To the editor: Re: How would God vote on same-sex■ marriage bill? Ray Choquette letter, May 25. If God got a vote, He might use it to remind us to stop using His teachings and the misinterpretation misinterpretation of those teachings as a weapon to justify one's small- mindedness or to punish others for not being exactly like them., That's definitely not what He intended the Bible to stand for, so He'd use his vote to reassert that there is no excuse for discrimination discrimination against any of His children be it because of the colour of their skin, the country they're from, the language they speak, the beliefs they hold dear, the gender they are or that of the one they've fallen in love with. . He'd remind us that the greatest thing we can do is live our lives with respect .for one another, and He'd probably emphatically point to that whole, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," mandate He wrote about all those years ago.' That translates to everyone being equal: not almost equal but unequivocally equal. To do otherwise is to treat your fellow men or women as second- class citizens,, which is the same as asking them to drink from another water fountain. He never taught us to be that way. So, be good to one another, and for the record, I guarantee you He'd vote in favour of same- sex marriage because, quite simply, simply, it's the right thing to. do. PaulVaters Whitby LETTERS We welcome letters that include name, city of residence and phone numbers for verification. Writers are generally limited to 200 words and one submission submission in 30 days. We decline announcements, poetry, open letters, consumer complaints, congratulations and thank you notes. The editor reserves the right to edit copy for length, style and clarity. The newspaper newspaper contacts only those people people whose submissions have been chosen for publication. FAX: 905-579-1809; E-MAIL: Newsroom ©durhamregion. com. My Fabulous Gay Wedding: see it! I've got wedding jitters. Tonight, fonner Kid in the Hall Scott Thompson debuts his newest newest outing: a reality show called My Fabulous Gay Wedding. As the name suggests, this reality show is something of a departure from the standard network network television nuptials, seen in such prime-time classics as Who Wants to Marry My Dad, Who Wants To Marry a Millionaire, Till Death Do us Part -- and the sentimental favourite, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance. Instead of pitting prospective brides against each other in a catty Royal Rumble while their number is whittled down to one by a virtual stranger with a dwindling supply of roses, Team Thompson comprises caterers, Jennifer Paige stylists and wedding planners, who must scramble to produce a dream day for each lesbian or gay couple, And there promises to be plenty plenty of kitsch thrown in lor good measure. As the same-sex marriage debate rages on, it seems very likely that Thompson and company company will be the targets of much scorn from those who feel that gay marriage makes a mockery of traditional unions between a man and a woman. But while many of us return home from work,. turn on the tube and proceed to devolve into degenerate voyeurs in search of a laugh at others' expense, watching couples squabble and Hollywood has-beens take their knocks on the likes of The Surreal Surreal Life, My Fabulous Gay Wedding Wedding seems like a pretty tasteful alternative for cable subscribers everywhere, Still, my appetite for reality TV has yet to be satisfied by the menu of programs that have so far been pul on air. What we need,, perhaps, is a tasteful offering that piques the interest of some of the very vocal opponents of same-sex marriage, to balance the scales, so to speak. Jerry Falwcll, for instance, might be tempted -- for the right offer (he would probably command a higher price than, say, Ozzy Osbourne) -- to take a starring role. I sec the project as being modelled modelled after The Apprentice, with a host of would-be right-wing evangelists vying for a position of power within the ministry by undergoing rigourous tests of their devotion to the cause. It 'could be called Right-hand Man. Contestants could be charged with such tasks as organizing organizing rallies to protest equal rights causes or. compose public statements condemning fictional children's television characters for their sexual orientation. Then, in the manner of The Donald, the Reverend Falwcll eliminates contestants one by one, with the proclamation "You're damned," until the winner winner is revealed and heralded by a choir of angels. God help us. With this kind of entertainment on the tube, closet closet rcality-TV fans everywhere -- on all sides of the political and religious spectrum -- would be glued to their television sets every night, News editor Jennifer Paige's column appears every other Wednesday. E-mail jpaige@durhamregion.com. CLICK AND SAY i Today's question: 'l What do you think should , be done with nuclear waste ' from the Pickering and Darlington stations? Stored on site Stored up north Deep burial in the north „■ ii, Cast your vote online at.,;; infodurhamregioii.com Last week's question: ,r 'i Do you think Belinda :, j; Stronach did the right thing,, in crossing the floor to the, Liberals from the Conservatives? „ Yes 451 No 278 Votes cast: 729 O'I fl,, IU ,,.n lii HAVE YOUR SAY Do you favour Clarington spending nearly $2 million on a hockey museum? I 6 i „< . :;j Jeff Connelly "I don't think that the money would be well spent. There is too much competition from other markets." Jim Murphy "Yeah, because I'm a sports nut." Allison Dart "I don't know. It's a lot" Stephen Ellis "It vyould work better for a larger city." , The Canadian Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing,, Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of ■ , the Bowmanville Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater Q Oshawa Chamber of Com- ~ merce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Cana- 'jij dian Community Newspaper f ; Assoc., Canadian Circulations Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Press Council, The publisher reserves the right >3 to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement advertisement limited to space . price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of N the Canadian Statesman Is '*$. copyrighted. Unauthorized re-** production Is prohibited. <1 A ocna üEiïl <£qna hub