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my" 8 -- Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, June 27, 1995 SIE ANE Phone : (905) 985-6397 Fax : (905) 985-1410 published LL Ee lB. y : Scugog Citizen Publishing Ltd SRR THE SCUGOG CITIZEN OA Member \ an independently owned and operated id ian weekly community newspaper, = ; ; is distributed, free of charge, a8 (cha reception Janet Rankin : to over 13,500 homes and businesses ssid production : Tanya Mappin 54 WATER ST., PORT PERRY, ONT. L9L1J2 in and around Scugog Township. feature writer : Heather McCrae CNA Verified Subscriptions sold outside Scugog Te hip. co-publishers : John B. McClelland, Valerie Ellis editor : John B. McClelland advertising marager : Valerie Ellis Read senior advertising sales rep : Chris Hudson accounting : Sibylle Warren " "Proud Canadians, prowd to call Scugog Township home." \ RSS mmr SR SES EDITORIAL Just ignore him Trust Lucien Bouchard to give English Canada yet another jolt and this one just a week before most of the country gets ready to celebrate Canada Day. Lucien has made it public that when the House of Commons resumes in the fall, he and his Bloc Quebecois cohorts are going to' give up their task of being the official opposition to concentrate strictly on the Quebec referendum, which is expected later this year. That bit of news got the dander of Prime Minister Chretien who said Lucien and the Bloc MPs ought to turn back their salaries if they plan to concentrate only on referendum issues. Most Canadians would agree with Jean. After all, the federal purse is footing Lucien's annual salary of $134,000 and his MPs who earn $87,500. You have to give old Lucien credit. He knows how to jam it to the rest of the country. And that is a big part of the strategy iptelling us that he won't carry out his parliamentary duties 'as official opposition. "| He knows damn well that English Canada is going to react with anger and outrage at the thought of Canadians paying the freight for a guy bound and determined to break up the country. Stirring the pot in English Canada'is all part of the referendum game plan for Bouchard and PQ leader Jacques Parizeau who would like nothing better than to see a bunch of guys in bush jackets and work boots stomping all over the Quebec flag. So, when Bouchard and his buddies return to Ottawa in the fall, why not give them the cold shoulder completely---ignore them---let them go about playing the referendum game (while they cash their House of Commons pay cheques) and let us see where the chips fall. But Jet's not get all steamed under the collar, which is exactly what Bouchard wants. However, Bouchard should be gently reminded that the day of reckoning will come. We are convinced that when that referendum takes place a majority of Quebecois will vote to remain within Confederation. But if it should happen that Quebec votes to leave, and the time comes for Bouchard and others to sit down at the | AM DOING MY JOB TO BREAK UP THE COUNTRY AND THUS AM ENTITLED TO MY MP PENSION. | EARNED IT! WHEN COMPANIES {IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE PENSION PLANS LIKE OUR MP'S (T'S CALLED FRAUD! Pe > LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the Editor: Re: National debt lottery, an idea to be pursued. Mike Steele's June 6 inspirational appeal to all in the Scugog Citizen. Well, I cannot conceal my pride in the Scugog Citizen or Mike Steele for what I think is another unselfish ' first. Their collaboration by incubating citizen brain power out of the prolific still-born rhetoric- ' embryo-wasteland to deliver positive acti tion hopefully bargaining table, he'may find the negotiations much tough than he ever imagined. . y English Canada won't forget the tactic of Bouchard and the Bloc in the fall of 1995. A rare bird What in the world is Durham MP Alex Shepherd trying to prove these days? / Just a week or so ago, Shepherd had the absolute temerity (not to mention the intestinal fortitude) to stand up in the House 'of Commons and vote "nay" to-his own Liberal Party Bill that will set up a nation-wide registry of all firearms. Does he not know that in voting against his own party on this particular issue, he has forever incurred the wrath of Liberal big-shots, including the Prime Minister? $hepherd could be relieved of his position in committee (vice chair of public accounts) He could even find that the Prime Minister might neglect to sign his nomination papers should he seek re-election in four years or so. . This week, Shepherd tells us he has decided to opt out'of the pension plan available to MPs. OK, the plan was watered down last week, but it's still none too shabby, especially when compared to what the working stiffs in"the private sector can expect to find when they're turned out to pasture. He said the plan is still too expensive and he won't be part of it. One week he bucks his own party, the next week he opts out of the MPs pension plan. Well, good for him. An MP who does his own thinking. Rare bird. * to stir a snoring Canada. May this confirm that Jenny and I have each sent off tear- sheets of your above letter, duly signed, and hope that readership has done likewise. Couple of things, though. 1/1 think an MP is granted postage- free mail--only constituents in their own ridings, and providing "MP" precedes their name. If it is a federal leader they are free mail to all. Otherwise the post office errs in charging all that postage to all those politicians (who as far as I know never could fathom something as alien as innovation) or even bother to acknowledge/receipt of same: not from this aging voice in the wilderness crusader, anyway. 2/ Should any citizen have their mail returned because of this 'outside-the-diding' stipulation thing, I'll advance you this offer. If you want to drop any returged mail you may get back sure will safgkeep all such letters until July 3 The thing is it would not be practical for anyone to spend 45 cents to mail me theiy returned envelope, in order that I spend another 45 cents to return mail them 45 cents in an from . envelope. It gets ridiculous. 3/ So, let's ask this paper to draw one envelope from all that are received and 1 will award the winner 45 cents (times how many envelopes are received) To keep it all straight, I will hand my cheque to the editor, who will see that the winner gets it. 4/ 1 have heen at this sort of thing since my conscious life time and would hate to tell you how far I have not got with officialdom. So, if nothing comes of either readership or government response, please don't despair or even think of giving up. Canada.needs you. That other Port Perry chap who took up the tax petition revolt expended energy too. But don't imagine Don't think of giving up that in itself accomplishéd much. The whole damn country and probably all newspapers were screaming. One argund here continually featured a tough-looking guy pointing a menacing finger while shouting "don't you dare." 5/ If initial effort fails, I'd like a meeting (705-277-2376) to discuss 35 years of researching social problems and the tricky part-solution. Meaning a truly beautiful bureaucracy for those who deserve it and something else for those who don't. Just give Harris 'common sense' time and he'll drive us to it. Avian Ron Ward, RR 1, Janetville, Ont. I think it stinks' To The Editor: It's nice to live in a Democratic Country, but it seems Durham Region is slipping with the system of replacing an élected Regional Councillor. I read in the (Clarington This Week) applications being accepted for replacement for John O'Toole. Council opted to appoint because a By-élection would cost $30,000. Town Clerk Pattie Bearie set a deadline of Aug. 16th to have the vacancy filled. One Councillor expressed my feelings oh this matter. In the election a few months ago, three people campaigned for this position, the voters indicated 1st, 2nd and 3rd, the 2nd and 3rd should be asked in that order The council should not have a say who they want or who they don't want; the voters have spoken. Scugog went through the same problem and the process they took was a poor example of Democratic Process. They advertised for applicants and they were never given a chance. Council voted three for one Councillor and three for another neither of them had ran for the _position in the election, then they put the two names in a hat and drew one out, and they had an election to fill the Council seat. If this is the way the Region of Durham operated, I think it stinks and sh6uld be changed. and if not interested then a TO Asselstine, other more expensive ways. ackstock.