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Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, March 23, 1993 -- 9 a VIEWPOINT by John B. McClelland LETTERS TO EDITOR So, Quebec MP lJéan Charest decided last week he will seek the leadership of the Conservative Party, thus preventing what many pundits predicted would be a veritable coronation of Kim Campbell. It was probably the easiest decision the youthful 34 year old Quebecois has made in his political career He has everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose. If he fails to de-throne the perky Campbell at the leadership convention in Ottawa this coming June, he will magnanimously hold her hand high in a show of unity, then go to work like a demon in his home province of Quebec to help deliver the vote for the Conservatives in the next election, The Tories can't win a majority without making some serious 1n-roads in la belle province and if Charest can deliver for Campbell, well, he'll have his pick of Cabinet plums like External Affairs, inter-governmental affairs, defense, justice, heck, maybe even finance And if by chance he should win the leadership' Campbell will have no choice but to work hike a demon west of the Manitoba border to deliver as many seats for Charest, in return of course for a choice Cabinet post If Charest loses to Campbell, he knows that next time around, it will be his turn. As a 34 year old, he can afford to wait ten years, but he could not / afford to sit out this leadership race It's an 2asy choice Here in Durham riding, our local MP Ross Stevenson is throwing his support behind Campbell Would it be too much to hope that should Campbell win the leadership and go on to form a new government, and should Stevenson get himself re- elected, he might get himself a Cabinet appointment? Probably. But this part of Ontario has been left out of the federal power structure far too long. Stev: nson has been around long enough to warrant consideration and is more than qualified for agriculture or the environment Durham deserves a voice in the federal Cabinet. This is an important riding with both rural and urban issues All we can do is hope. One final observation on Kim Campbell. We have all seen that "peek- a-boo" photo of her holding the robes of justice. Some thought it was provocative. I thought it was harmless. But remember what happened to NDP MPP Peter Kormos when he posed fully clothed as a Sunshine boy in a Toronto tabloid? Boom, his political career goes into a major tail-spin. Is there something of a double standard here? You be the judge. Kim Campbells run for the leadership of Conservative Party is a watershed in Canadian politics. Just a few short years ago, the idea of a female, twice- divorced, graduate of the London School of Economics, an admitted free spirit in the 1960's seeking the leadership of the Tories and standing a chance to become Prime Minister, was out of the question. Times are changing in Canadian politics, and for the better, in my view, anyway Times are changing in Canadian society generally and in some instances, most certainly not for the better A case in point was a drug bust made by the Durham Police near Bowmanville last week Some 2.000 large manjuana plants were seized in a greenhouse The crop was worth about $1 milhon on the street, making this one of the largest drug seizures ever in the Region The cops were appalled to find three automatic military assault rifles, an Uzi sub-machine gun, and several rifles and shot guns That's enough fire power to start a small revolution. No wonder the cops are skittish these days when you consider the kind of weapons they are starting to see in the line of duty This crop of greenhouse grass, by the way, is considered to be top quality. And I'm told a greenhouse can turn out three crops a year That's big bucks, and perhaps it éxplains the heavy artillery Still, it's scary to think of what is happening in this country IN CLOSING: Did you enjoy March Break? Noticed a large number of fairly frazzled looking parents luggin' kids around last Friday afternoon in the less than spring-like weather. March Break should be a month later, so at least the kids can play outside in relative comfort As for teenagers in this community, there is sweet nothing to keep them occypied during the week. They'd be better off in school Ont. 'witch hunt' To The Editor: I am deeply alarmed at what is happening in rural southern Ontafio today with regard to the public hue and cry over Native hunting and fishing I am appalled at the shallow, selfish, short sighted attack on the integrity of aboriginal people based on all too easily accepted misinformation, innuendo and deliberate sensationalism This 18 the way that it starts Accusations made with no regard to the facts, general acceptance of those accusations and escalation of the situation without question. Soon fear and hatred replace logic and chanty and the attack becomes personal and people get hurt. The residents of Salem, Massachusetts knew this phenomenon all too well It appears that the distance between legitimate concerns and rampant paranoia is far too short. Spreading fear in the name of righteousness 1s a cowardly act The Native people in southern Ontario have suffered abuse and generations. They were often misled into signing treaties and many of the things they asked to have protected never found their way into the written text of the treaties. They were forced into residential schools and suffered every abuse imaginable. Promises have been broken to our Native peoples; their lives have been shattered through abuse; they have been forsaken, abandoned, forced onto the welfare system and away from their traditional lifestyle, and robbed of the dignity that was their forefathers' The litany of complaints about Native hunting and fishing is more absurd to anyone who has had the pleasure of learning about the special relationship that Native people have with their environment. Native people respect and honour all life. They have a special reverence for life and carry a spiritual obligation to care for and protect the natural environment. They stand for principles of conservation that are the opposite of what they are being accused of. The First Nations in southern Ontano are seeking to regain that honourable position that they had when the Europeans first came to this land and our aboriginal friends taught us to survive. Have we become so fearful and so loss for cowardly that we jump to condemn our Native neighbours without stopping to ask if their accusers are being fair? Is that the price that we have to continue to pay in our efforts to stomp out anyone or anything that 1s not like us? I hope not I say, let us enter into a dialogue with our Native neighbours and build trust and support - not tear it down Sincerely, Dr. Ian V.B. Johnson Trent University, Peterborough Thanks for all the help To The Editor The Committee, in charge of the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation for the Township of Scugog, wish to publicly thank the many canvassers who gave their time and effort to this worthwhile cause. Again we had a successful campaign which was due to the excellent response and generosity by all our communities, in the door to door canvass. Our total raised this year was $16,464. and included in this amount is the money received in the "Rose Box" campaign. The "Rose" Campaign, headed by Audrey Hall, are the boxes placed with local merchants and we thank everyone who participated in this part of our campaign The excellent coverage, at the beginning of the campaign, by the local newspapers as well as the week to week educational information shown on the Community Cable 10 Television, is a great service in making the public aware, and we thank you for this To the 21 captains, who made our work so much easier, a special thank- you. Sincerely, Chairpersons Gwen Taylor, Judy Smith, Joan Lane, Dorothy Bourgeois even Scucoe CiTizens oF 1907 The Prince Albert United Church Choir 1907 Back Row: William Patterson, Adrian Porteous, Frank Hall, Robert Hartry, Rev. Isaac Snell, George Hartry, Mrs. "Rev." Snell, Edwin Hartry (married M. Turner), Lou Corrin. Centre Row: Edith Bond, Luella Turner (married E. Hartry) organist, Effie Bond (married Mr. McKerihan) Evelyn Turner (married Mr. Wauchope), Effie Smith, Mrs. Robert Hartry, Mabel Hartry, Mabel Turner (married V. Kirby). Front Row: Flossie Mearing (married Mr. Love), Clara Bond (married G. Luke), Ida Hartry (married Mr. Banks). Many thanks to Grace Beacock for the loan of this picture.