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-r Fi 1992 - EDITORIAL Who needs 'em? OK, so Canada didn't bring home a tub-full of medals from the Winter Olympics in the French Alps. The tally of two gold, three silver and two bronze put Canada well down the list ip overall medals and nowhere near the totals run up by those athletes from the pew Germany or the new Unified States as the former Soviet Union is now called And as they tumed the lights out at Meribel Sunday, there were 3 few naysayers who wondered if all the time, money and effort' that goes into Canada's Olympic programs was worth it Incredible, but that's the way we do things in this country Instead of celebrating seven medals (our best total in years, by the way) a few critics and cynics had 10 have their say. Well, bumblebees 10 them. Fact of the matter is, the vast majori- ty of Canadians had 10 feel mighty dam proud of those medals and equally as proud of all the athletes who just gave their best, even if they didn't collect any baubles on the winner's podium One would have 10 be a y sour individual not 10 feel a tug of emotion when Kerrin Lee hurtled down the side of a moun- tain, or at the sheer joy on the faces of the womens speed skating team. And what about the hockey squad winning the first medal in this sport in 32 years? Some say the Olympics is littlp more than a giant commercial for those who make sports equipment, of it's nationalism running wild, an orgy of fag waving hysteria. And there's some truth to that But as has been said mapy times before, beating somebody in sport is far better than beating somebody with a club As for the showing by Canada's athletes? What a great wnic for & country that needs something 10 get it thinking posiively again The critics and the naysayers should go back 10 bed, pull the covers over their heads and tam the electric blanket up 10 "mine. ™ Who needs 'om, anyway' Sigh of relief Durham Region heaved a sigh of relief Monday afternoon when General Motors made no mention of closing any of its plants in Oshawa .The same cannot be said for Si. Catherines where over 2,000 jobs will be lost with the closing of the foundry in 1995 and the dis-continuation this fall of production of one motor (3.1 lure V6) at GM's engine plant Though GM said it will take whatever steps it can 10 ease the pain for that city, one must keep in mind what happens when 2,000 jobs disappear. St. Catherines will be a long time getting over the hardship, if ever Just as Oshawa and indeed much of Durham would be a long time getting over the pain should the company ever announce that one of its plants will be shut. It would be a staggering blow to the city and the Region, not to mention what it could do in personal terms 10 the ployees and their families thrown out of work, permanent. ly. Some predict that Oshawa has only been given a reprieve; the bad news announcement may yel come over the next few months. To avert that, surely the time has come for the company and the union that represents the employees 10 get down to the serious business of saving jobs. Nobody for one second is suggesting the union should "sell the farm," but this 1992, not 1932. The old "them/us" hard line lity that blinkered labour rel on both sides for decades should be relegated now 10 its rightful place Giving up a bit 10 keep a lot is not something 10 be dis- missed lightly. , The stakes are just 100 high. The industry that makes cars and trucks in North America is in for a tough ride this decade. Time is running out. The "old ways" just won't work in the 90's, and anyone who doesn't believe that should take a walk down main street in St. Catherines this week. OK VANINA,, .. . SPIN THATWHEEL/ IT'S TIME TO PICK ; a v.30 TODAY'S GAS PRICE! | 93' os I ) PR "TeCUGOE CizEN- vA. | A h\C NX N XA 2 3 \ \ RLY o LJ ° Xe J) X ( Rob Craddock is a Scugog cartoonist and graphic artist. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR * MP explains how our federal tax dollars are spent To the Editor. With the federal budget coming out this week, it would be an appro- priate time for further explanation about exactly how our federal tax dollars are spent. In a recent report, | showed how many conts from each dollar paid in wealthy federal share of welfare and social assistance. Our federal transfer payments roguire $583, with S57 for employ- ment and training, S104 10 native peoples, $96 for regional develop. allowances require $103. Just over $50 is paid 10 benefits and services © each of us, and perhaps may even help us feel somewhat betier about the amount of taxes we pay. The payments are ponant 10 those who get them and 10 the local of the itics where which began last "April and ends March 31. The tol cost of federal budgetary spending in this period averages out 1o $5867 for every Canadian. Of that tol, the largest portion $1594 is used 10 pay interest on the national deb. The cost of running the federal govemment itself, includ- ing public service salaries, adminis tering programs, building, supplies and Parliament, works out to $624 per person. National defense takes S68 Crown Corporations require S187. That includes $74 for the fed- eral housing agency, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., $38 for the CBC, $15 for VIA Rail. $4 for Canada Post and $6.50 for Atomic Energy of Canada. Ouawa's payments 10 the pies and hy governments cos $901 pe person in that is $283 in the federal $634 for UIC, while family they live. According 10 the most recent fig- lies in Durham Region directly received close 0 $200 million last Durham Riding. Accused shouldn't have names printed To the Editor: Your editorial "Nigh criminal offense. This is the only fail-safe such time as they have proceeded 10 I's that we as a soci- ety, can impose upon ourselves 0 ensure the privacy of all participants in the criminal process, both com- plainants and accused, until such time as evidence is heard and find- ings of fact are made at a trial. It is very much in the public inter- est 10 have a public trial process and 10 properly report on proceedings in which persons are convicted of crime. In my opinion, it is complete- ly contrary 10 both the public interest and the private rights of the individu- al to have one's name published