MUSEUM NSE iS La ---------- | oo si Cn CH SW welt en Ari TG RN EE. a te RSC sora soa --! CTC PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, October 24, 1989 -- 7 MULTI-WHAT? Good for you, John Nunziata. He's the well known Liberal M.P. representing a Toronto riding where close to 40 per cent of the constituents are new immigrants to this country. | heard Nunziata on CBC Radio one afternoon last week, expressing his opposition to the plans by the Federal Conservatives to set up a ministry for multi-cultural affairs. And | could not agree more. The last thing this beleaguered nation of ours needs now is a bureau- cratic department, which when all is said and done will end up accentuating the differences in cultures. Of course, the Liberal Party in the past has been very astute at finding ways to cultivate vari- ous ethnic groups in large urban ridings with the re- sult that fairly substantial blocks of votes could be delivered to the Liberal candidate in those ridings at election time. And it's likely for this very reason why the present government wants to set up a separate ministry for multi-culturalism. The time is long over-due for governments to get out of this business of multi-culturalism. It's a waste of precious tax dollars, and frankly | think it is insulting to cultural groups. Having respect for one's culture and ethnic origin is one thing. Using government money to do it is something else again. The federal government recently gouged a huge hole in the passenger rail system in Canada because of the costs. The government is getting ready to slap a goods and services tax on the Viewpoint by John B. McClelland If money is such a problem for the federal gov- emment (and nobody doubts that it is) then setting up a multi-cultural ministry and all the paper push- ers that go with it, will amount to a huge waste of tax dollars. It will generate resentment rather than respect for cultural and ethnic differences, which in the long run will be damaging for this country. Nunziata spoke very eloquently on the radio program | heard. | hope he continues to speak out against this folly. We should be thinking about Canada in terms of one culture without all the damn hyphens. Our neighbours to the south get their fair share of criticism for a a lot things, and much of the criti- cism of American is justified. But | have always admired the way Americans put their country first, the way they stand up when the flag is un-furled, even the way they put their right hand across the chest when the anthem is played. Hokey? Perhaps. But America is not suffer- Ing fom any identity crisis the way we are north of the 49th. It is for this very reason that the decision was made to continue the World Series this week in the wake of that tragic earthquake that left several hun- dred dead in San Francisco. There were suggestions that perhaps the Se- ries should be cancelled this year as a tribute and [homodal to those who died in the 15 seconds. of ell. At first glance this seems like a reasonable Sugcastion But baseball and the World Series not only represent America, they are America. Califor- nia will dig out, restore essential services, mourn and bury the dead. Some may think that playing a baseball series in the wake of such a tragedy is callous at best and an insult to those who died. It is perhaps a more fitting memorial to the earthquake victims that such a time honoured and gheris ed tradition like the World Series will be con- inued. It is the American way of doing things. Nothing, not even an earthquake that claimed hundreds Is bigger than America and its institutions. The World Series is more than just a string of baseball games played in October. Canadians have a hard time understanding this. Of course in Canada it is fashionable to criti- cize certain institutions, or at least be indifferent to- wards them. Have you. ever been to a public function when O Canada was played and people are talking, fid- geting, munching a hot dog? Hell, there are people who don't remove their caps when O Canada is played; they don't even stand, let alone try to sing the words. If you went to ball game in Fenway Park and stayed seated while the American anthem was played, you'd get a punch in the mouth. Canadianism is a naughty word in this country, which is a big reason why Canada is flying in doz- ens of different directions, lacks cohesion and a sense of national purpose. country that will pinch every citizen. Remember When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 9, 1944 Port Perry, Reach and Scugog - District "E" has flown its pennant in every Victory Loan so far, indicating that its objec- tive had been reached. At the recent Stock Judging Contest held at Brooklin, three of our local, young farmers took high honours, John Kerry took first prize; Mac Christie took fourth prize; and Fred Christie won the Silver Shield for training these young men. Bruce Hull and Mervin DeNure, the conveners of the Chris- tian Citizenship, had charge of the YPU meeting on Tuesday evening. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 11, 1954 A tractor owned by Jim Wilson of Scugog caught fire and considerable damage was done before the Port Perry Fire Brigade brought the flames under control. Misses Vera Howsam and Helen Innes were in Port Perry Hospital for tonsilectomies last week. Firemen from Uxbridge and Port Perry answered a call to the home of Mr. Ivan Spencer at Greenbank. Neighbours had removed most of the furniture before firemen arrived. - 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 12, 1959 Something old - something new, on Wednesday, October 28th at 6:30 p.m. in Port Perry. Many familiar faces and old friends of the Port Perry Rod & Gun Club gathered for the annual 'Duck Dinner" in the spanking new banquet room of the Boy Scout Hall. The Valedictory address at the Port Perry High School Com- mencement was presented by Miss Lillian Couves. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, November 12, 1964 Relating his early school years, Mr. N.A. Sweetman, a native of Scugog Island, addressed a capacity crowd of parents, teachers and students last Friday night in the Port Perry High School Auditorium at the annual commencement exercises. Miss Carol Morrow was the Valedictorian at this year's Commence- ment Exercises. Charles Brignall has taken over Town Taxi in Uxbridge from Mr. James Keating and will open an office in Port Perry in the near future. Claudette Boulanger, a second year Alberta College of Art student and a graduate of Port Perry High School, has received the Bapco Paint Supply Award of Art Materials for excellence in her first year studies. (Turn to page 8) Letters to the editor Enjoys Port Perry and the "Star" To the Editor: I have been a summer resident of Port for the past 8 years and have so grown to love the area, that I have decided to become a permanent resident in early December. My reasons, I felt, were simple: friendly shopping, beautiful scenery, and especially great, co- operative people. One of the ways I was able to get a feeling for the place and the people was in Wednesday's Port Perry Star. How I enjoy reading FSTwon't bring any more $$$ To the Editor: RE: Federal Goods and Services Tax Brian Mulroney's tax on goods and services won't bring the Federal government any more money? So says Michael Wilson. Yet the tax on electricity in On- tario alone will bring them over half-a-billion dollars from this previously untaxed necessity. Now Otto Jelinek says he'll need almost 4,000 new collectors to collect the same amount of money. There seems to be room for some correction. Brian Mulroney should try NOT taxing electricity. In other coun- tries with a value added tax, they have recognized electricity as a necessity. C. Carl Anderson, Chairman Municipal Electric Association of Ontario a newspaper that is "community oriented," focusing on the adults and children and their activities and good points. I get enough ex- posure to all the "bad" points of this world and the people who live in it from the Toronto Star and Sun. How I have laughed over many of Peter Hvidsten's columns, be- ing able to relate; rejoiced over the birth of the twins and hearti- ly agreed with his feelings of frustration with the Dr.'s Waiting Room article. You see, I believe my time is valuable too; and I cannot afford an extended wait. I spoke to my family doctor about it and since then, if an emergen- cy crops up or a new baby ar- rives, and he must leave, his nurse informs patients as they enter, telling them of the expected wait, thus giving them the choice of staying or making another ap- Smile For The Day pointment. (By the way, my Dr. tells me it also allows him the chance to keep closer to the actual appointment times as the day goes on). As for Julia Ashton, how pleas- ed I was toread that she would be a regular columnist. Yes, there are times I find her column "'youthful" but then again she is young, and how else will she ever gain experience if not through actual exposure to the reading public. I doubt Julia will stay for "13 years' as Peter has done, but at least she will gain experience and a more mature outlook on life to take away with her. How for- tunate that we still have com- munity minded newspapers to give young people a start in jour- nalism. Also, how refreshing her (Turn to page 8) "PO YOU HAVE A CARD FOR A , THIRD GRADE TEACHER WHO CRACKED UP 7