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6- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, August 10, 1999 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PUBLISHER - J. Peter Hvidsten Member BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy ERA MGR. - Don MacLeod Aocna @heiP url Pron Sm ie Community whe CN A Dudley, Janet Rankin, Heather Callan. REPORTER hi 4 Mitchel St Newspaper ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, OFFICE MANAGER . os Had I Member Ontario Community Association Gail Morse, Heather Mack, Linda Clarke, yle Stapley Newspaper Assoc. Publications Mail Registration No. 07881 Janet Archer ADVERTISING MGR. - Deb McEachem PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 E-MAIL: port.perry.star@sympatico.ca PRODUCTION: Trudy Empringham, Pam Hickey, Daryle Wright, Robert Taylor, Richard Drew, Scott Ashby Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 1B7 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Six Months - $19.79 (includes GST) 1 Year - $37.95 (includes GST) Foreign 1 Year - $96.30 (includes GST) ~ Editorial comment Lp ys /'HOW ON EARTH = The feds' obligation DID You FIT. i VT : EVERY TH) to the provinces INTO THE CAR? ) } As the provincial premiers geared up for this : y week's summit in Quebec City, there was much talk among them about the federal government's budget surplus -- pegged as high as $12 billion -- and the designs they have on the money. (ry Their argument -- and it is a compelling one -- is that after years of slashing transfer payments and leaving the provinces to make do as best TA Np, (7 they can, the feds now have an obligation to -- 5 il share the wealth. LT) The other case being made is that the federal N government should introduce a nation-wide (FOL income tax cut. A To be sure, we'd all appreciate it. And we can 'RooP make the same case as the premiers that we, Pott ERR as individuals, have made numerous sacrifices in the name of deficit reduction. We have seen the Canada Pension Plan under fire, and contin- ued to pay a high rate of income tax even while watching the money our communities receive from the feds cut drastically. We have seen weasels at work with the Employment Insurance program, finding more and more ways to take our money and then deny us benefits when we find ourselves out of work. The message from the premiers and the peo- ple should be pretty clear, even to those who dwell in Ottawa: We don't want you to put that money to your use, fellows; we want it back. And we deserve it. If the federal government decides against a significant tax cut -- and there are arguments as to the benefit of such a move -- then the powers that be have a financial and ethical obligation to reinvest in provincial health care, education, social programs and highways. We were patient through the painful part; now it's time to reap a few benefits. Why no recycling ys? To the Editor: I had the pleasure of attending Festival Days in Port Perry this summer. This event was well attended, and the residents and tourists appeared to be having a very good time. I thoroughly enjoyed your quaint down- town, and admired the shopping area roped off to the outside traffic for this occasion. ) I stopped by an eatery for a bite and something to drink and was quite disap- pointed that I could not dispose of my soda can in anything other than a large garbage container. I noticed that there were no bins set up especially for recycling the many pop cans and bottles that I am sure were being thrown into the garbage container. I feel that it is the responsibility of the vendors selling the cans and bottles to properly dispose of these items at such an organized popular annual event as Festival Days. I am looking forward to attending again next year and would really appre- ciate your effort in helping the vendors see they are just as responsible for recy- cling as residents are for their personal recycling efforts. Sharlene Lens Oshawa But Metroland is not the only large publishing cor- two, independent newspapers in Durham Region. YJ poration wrapping their tentacles around small-town With it's recent take-over, The Port Perry Star is the MP newspapers. Other giants like Sun Media, Quebecor, only remaining independent newspaper left in the ~ Southam and Hollinger, are all scooping up the week- region. ~~ San J. Feler nviasten = lypressé is they can writethe cheques. ~~ Over the years, our family (Hvidstens) had a good Ee mete, \NINONY | lancy Monday moming. working relationship with the the James family. We sat INDEPENDENTS ~~ going to re-write this week's column, sh met at conventions, discussed mutual problems, and BY | oe PIN cr ne | VaSgoingtowditeabout, nd | BECOMING DINOSAURS When told her the column Would be about the for many years The Star was printed on the presses at James Publishing. ~~. ~~ _ Anyone who knew John James Sr., (publisher at 90+ years of age), couldn't help but love this remark- able man. His son John, was instrumental in The Star switching their printing to Bowmanville, and became a good friend before he left to strike out on his own in southwestern Ontario. And the last James to operate the newspaper, Rick, carried on the family tradition up until the newspaper was sold July 30, 1999. In Durham Region, Metroland. now owns the mar- Nao... demise of Bowmanville's newspaper, she a BN News reacted here last week gig question: "Do you think any ody cares?" fll "3 caddened mea greatdeal. ytayi that the whole problem. Nobody cares I ---- whi al the age > IM anymore. Change is such an everyday occurrence verde of extinction. | coming a living dinosaur, on the yoqay that when it happens, it causes litle more thai | verge of extinction. ues | mso Snirel ched in what 4 ripple-sffect in our lives, Aside from the vocal minor- 'Was, that I'm having a hard time accepting Whatis ity 'Who really cares if Eaton's is sold to Americans, if ip il announcement last week that Canada Tus merges with a bighank, or ithe 'Bowmanville's independent community newspaper, Bowmanville Statesman is gobbled up to become pant re he Canadian Statesman, was sold the ravenous 2 media giant Metroland. ~~ of a media giant? : Well, | do, and newspaper readers should! The Bowmanville Canadian Statesman has pub- ket in Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, and Bowmanville. In Uxbridge; they compete with another "group owned" newspaper, The Times-Journal, and in | _ Ive got nothing personal against Metroland, « ges that community sinoe 1854 and for 120.01 Fort le i ed ath lob dn 1 Aiding . lished in that commur e 18 ; rry they are up against The Star. excep att as systematic Jevoursd allbuta those years, had been operated by members of the With the Statesman now in the corporate tentacles few independent community newspapers in southern James family. Now that's commitment. of one of the media giants, it almost feels as if we've oss left to fight f out with the "ig guys.* Ontario. The Port Perry Star happenstobe one of ~The Statesman was the oldest, and one of only lost our last friend. LEB ati