The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

a Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, November 21, 1994 -- 9 PF VIEWPOINT by John B, McClelland LETTERS TO EDITOR ELECTION TRIVIA History was made in Scugog Township on November 14, election day. For the first time since Scugog became a Township back in 1974, there are more women on council than men. Is that news? Not at all. Perhaps 15 or 20 years ago, it would have been news, but today, no, it's not news. The four female councillors are Yvonne Christie (regional) Marilyn Pearce, (Ward 2) Joyce Kelly (Ward 4) and Karen Puckrin (Ward 5) The three males are Howard Hall (Mayor) Doug Moffatt (Ward 1) and Ken Gadsden (Ward 3) Gadsden was kind of the "forgotten man" in this election campaign because he didn't have to fight a campaign. Ken was returnedasto office by acclamation, which means one of three things: the folks in his ward don't care, they are satisfied enough with the job he's done the last three years, or perspective candidates felt he would be too tough to beat. In Gadsden's case, it was the latter two. Since first elected to council three years ago, he has been a solid rep for the Island and from my vantage-point, anyway, has done a good job. And as chair of the Economic Development Committee, he has worked for the betterment of the entire Township. One final comment about Gadsden. He's got a wicked sense of humour which often comes out at the appropriate time during a long and tedious council meeting. Do you know there are 14,732 eligible voters in Scugog Township? Do you know that just over 6,450 of them cast ballots on November 14. My weak math tells me that's a voter turn-out of under 50 per cent. In other words, more voters stayed home election day than cast a ballot. Incredible. It never ceases to amaze me when voter turn-outs are this low. Sure, lots of Scugog voters work outside the Township, but with the polls open until 8:00 PM, there really is no excuse. Maybe if a voter fails to cast a ballot in two consecutive elections, we ought to take that right away for a couple of elections. Or tack a charge on their tax bill. That might get people to sit up and take notice that there is an election going on. An 'election is one of the fundamental cornerstones of democracy. The process is a sacred one and voting is part of the process. Sadly, it's one that a majority of people take for granted, and it bothers me to no end. THE DAIRY BUSINESS I had a quick tour at Hanover Hill Holstein farm last Thursday afternoon where the Autumn Progeny Revue was presented by United Breeders. The Revue showcased more than 20 daughters of two of Canada's finest Holstein Bulls--Harnover Lieutenant and Roycedale Approval--and since the Revue was held during the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, it attracted airy people from all over Canada, the United States and numerous other countries such as Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Argentina. And why did United Breeders select Hanover Hill (just a couple of miles southwest of Port Perry) for this Autumn Showcase? Because this farm is recognized around the world as the dominant force in Holstein genetics. Scugog Township is known for many things: its beauty, the lake, excellent shopping and dining, friendly people--all of which make a hefty contribution to the local economy. Agriculture is equally as important, yet it often gets over- looked. And dairy is at the forefront as a world class industry. That's why over 3,000 dairy people from around the globe made their way to Hanover Hill over the last ten days. Think about that as you're whipping up that late-night snack of grilled cheese sandwiches or when you pour the milk on your morning cereal. IN CLOSING: The Citizen has added some new columns to its pages over the last few weeks. Heather Gibson is writing about movies, Virgina Frew-Clarke is providing us with tips on travel, Judy Bonnell is writing "Culinary Creations," and Liz Drebit has a column about what's happening at the Scugog Library. They are all local people who bring a fresh slant to their topics. Reaction so far has been very positive. - They are welcome additions to our pages and we are sure you'll continue to enjoy them. Ad was insulting to this reader To The Editor: While reading the latest edition of the Scugog Citizen, I became saddened by an obituary of what"! presumed was an eleven year old boy. My heart went out to the grieving parents. I felt sympathy for the relatives and friends who wouldsgertainly mourn the loss of a young child. As I continued to read the notice I was appalled to discover that "Camero F lic" was not a young boy; the author was referring to a car. : I am insulted. I cannot believe that anyone would compose a false death notice. It was definitely written in poor taste! Did the author not consider the feelings of the many people who are forced to deal with the death of a child, a brother, a sister, a friend? This notice is not funny; it's insensitive. I would like to inform the author that I own a twelve year-old car. Fortunately, I will not feel the need to alert the people of Port Perry of its demise. Let's put this issue into perspectivé; it's a car, not a human life. Turquoise Boyd, Scugog Township Port Perry dog race dates same as Minden To the Editor: I am concerned about a recent advertisement that appeared in Team and Trail' regarding Port Perry. It indicated that a "Northern Purebred Race" is to be held in Port Perry on January 21/22, 1995. I actually have several concerns with respect to this event. January 21/22 is the week-end date chosen by the town of Minden for the Martin Techni-Cal Challenge which is the largest limited class sprint event in North America. I would suggest that it is in poor taste to run a "copy cat" race at the same time. The town of Minden has tremendous local involvement and this race is their biggest weekend of the year. To divert spectators can only be perceived as a callous act. It is also rather presumptuous to suggest that Minden change their date after ten years, as Minden is an International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA) tioned event. Its date is set to accommodate the race circuit. Race dates are set to complement each other so that officials and drivers may compete in an optimum number of events and also not have one event detract from another. The innocuous looking "Northern Breeds" designation bars all dogs that are not C.K.C. or A.K.C. registered from entering and reduces the event to merely an exhibition in which your winning team becomes the "best" of the "restricted". You should be aware that there are three drivers at Port Perry High School and two other local drivers who are rendered unable to compete in Port Perry, thus. The designation is to prevent the Alaskan Husky from competing. The Alaskan Husky is essentially an Aboriginal breed and gained great prominence when it won a gold medal for Canada's legendary Emile St. Goddard at the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Leonhard Seppala of the U.S.A. won silver with his Siberian Huskies. St. Goddard was virtually unbeatable in Turn to page 14 You can walk on Water To the Editor: On the evening of November 6, I watched the program on television about the flamboyant magicians Siegfried and Roy. Well, this got me to thinking. We have magic and illusions right here in Port Perry. All you have to do is start at Queen Street and Simcoe Street and start walking east. What a sight to behold, any time of the year. Once you get to the end of Queen St., you can walk on Water. So, what are you waiting for? There is ample free parking. Come to Port Perry and walk on Water. Magic but no illusions, it is maybe the best-kept secret in the entire Township. You really can walk on Water and much, much more. See you there. Yours truly, Roy Walker Smith, Port Perry. Essential that you travel with proper ID and most while you wait. gorgeous area for ski and nature buffs. by Virginia Frew-Clarke a birth registration only and not be, reathed, Before you go to the airport or considered acceptable I.D. pile the kids in the car in search If you have "graciously of warm climes this winter, make sure you have proper identification for everyone. As a general rule of thumb when travelling in North America, a Canadian birth certificate or citizenship card is mandatory for all (adults also require some form of photo I.D. such as a drivers licence), Parents note, get a birth certificate for your kids as soon as possible. The small brown card you get from the hospital is volunteered to take other people's kids with you on vacation (under age 18) in addition to the above information, it is strongly suggested that you have in your possession a notarized letter from the parents. This letter should state that they both acknowledge and consent to their children vacationing with you. Include dates of travel, phone numbers and addresses where they can importantly that they have given you permission to authorize any emergency medical treatment. In the event that the child's parents are divorced, separated or deceased, additional information would be required. When travelling outside North America, in most cases a valid Canadian passport is needed. Passports are valid for five years and currently cost $35. Most travel offices, like ours, carry passport applications and can also take the photograph Also, in many countries, visas (a stamp in your passport) and tourist cards may be required. Always verify with your travel professional what documentation you will need for the specific destinations. Also, as a sidenote, I recently had the chance to attend a travel conference in Whistler, B.C. Whistler, about 90 minutes by car from Vancodver, and Blackcomb Villages sit side by side at the base of the mountains in an absolutely Accomgnodation varies from hotel rooms to chalets and package prices are quite reasonable. For further info stop by the office and pick up a copy of both Air Canada Vacations Skifari, and Canadian Holiday Ski Vacations. (Virginia Frew-Clarke is the manager of Marlin Travel, Queen Street, Port Perry. Her column "Have Ticket Will Travel" appears on a regular basis in the Scugog Citizen.)