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PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, October 10, 2001 - 7 Question of the Week... Do you find it less hectic downtown Dave Malcolm Karen Auld Matt Jones now that | don't notice the Yes, but | think they Sure, but there i x should have the park skateboar ders have g i py Ai open until 11 p.m. from Shou be ho a skate ark? th d t Monday to Thursday climes at the park: em downtown. and 12 a.m. on Friday skatepark. and Saturday. Jack McCowan Yes, but they have not bothered me too much anyway. Mary Jones | don't find it less hectic, but the kids should be allowed downtown. LETTERS Time for Canada to stand up and help From Page 6 could call decisive action by Mr Shepherd's govern- ment. From Sept. 11 onward, the US will be implementing much stricter entry restrictions on their borders, and they would like Canada to do the same. If Canada does not choose to introduce tougher screening of immigrants to make North America safer, we couid see these border delays as a new, permanent part of the Canadian economy. The long term effects on the thousands of Durham region jobs that rely on exports to the US would be negative. Mr. Shepherd contends that with- out an independent voice, Canada's position in the world would become meaning- less. This is true. Also true, is that without a stronger, more definitive response from our government, Canada's position in the world will become irrelevant. There is a time to join other countries, and there is a time to act alone. This is a time when Canada should be standing shoulder to shoulder with the us, England, France, Germany and the countless other countries who have committed to fighting terrorists. lan MacNeil, Brooklin A small planet There was something reassuring about all the Ontario Holstein jackets and John Deere ball caps walking around at Epsom Public School's annual family barbecue recently. And it wasn't surprising that during an assembly of the school's 130-odd students last week, a new teacher complimented them on their co-operative and responsible conduct in class and on the playground. Is it the school's intimate size? Is it the farm-background influ- ence? Dunno friend, but they're a great bunch of kids. So neither was it surprising to see some senior students manning a table at the barbecue selling lapel ribbons and collecting money in aid of the U.S. disaster. The sign hanging on the table said Think Globally - Act Locally and declared that all proceeds from the barbecue would gq to American relief efforts. ~The event raised more than $500. But those generous kids and parents at Epsom should keep the money. The school needs it. The disaster funds are already swollen with many millions of dollars from our wealthy American cousins who outnumber us 10 to one. Thousands of dollars will likely leave Scugog, sent by people throughout the township who feel compelled to make gestures of support fcr the terrible wounding of America, egged on by signs such as those on the doors of local merchants urging donations to the American Red Cross. But there is support enough already. And the expected massive insurance claims from victims' families haven't been counted in yet. Charitable giving should never be based on emotion, veterans of this sector will tell you, but on a clear understanding of what your money should accomplish. Do we really know what the Red Cross is doing with those funds or how much it needs? More importantly, there are better places to put one's money Over the fence by Kay Langmuir to help the U.S., and honour those who died. Terrorism is the enemy and it proliferates in countries where democratic values are weak and human-rights abuses abound. But there is one organization who for years has kept up inter- national pressure on countries who try to imprison, torture and execute people at will. It has saved countless lives of political opponents, scientists, priests, labour leaders, journalists, teachers, environmentalists, street kids and ordinary people, with a very simple tactic -- writing letters. Amnesty Intemational has more than a million members in 140 countries. It knows that, like a vampire, evil weakens in the light. When someone is thrown in jail or sentenced to death without due process, or just dragged off into the night, Amnesty alerts its highly organized membership and distributes the addresses of the appropriate officials. Once tens of thousands of letters start pouring in, even the most unconscionable despot finds it hard to execute or mistreat someone when the eyes of the world are upon him. Amnesty's information is so good that it frequently is the first to tip off governments to situations developing overseas. Its reports frequently make the front pages of major newspapers. And it has long been warning about the appalling human-rights abuses of the governing Taliban in Afghanistan, which shelters the terrorists who organized the attacks on the United States. For those among us, like the students at Epsom, who want to do something, consider a $35 membership in Amnesty International, read its newsletters, read the words of people freed, write some letters if you choose. Or check out Amnesty's Canadian arm at www.amnesty.ca If we've leamed anything from the haunting horror of the World Trade Center, it's that we share a very small planet. What happens on the other side of it should concem us, even here in safe and sleepy Scugog. The Council Table By Chris Hall Keeping their promise Much to their credit, Scugog Councillors kept their word on two promises they made earlier in the year. During budget discussions earlier this year, our local politicians took a long, hard look at ways to cut costs and keep a looming tax increase to a minimum while at the same time finding a way to deliver on promises. At the time of budget deliberations, two projects often came up for discussion: major changes to Coulcliff Boulevard in Port Perry and the reconstruc- tion of Cedardale Bridge in the former Cartwright Township. Our council has often waged debate over the Coulcliff Blvd. project, which includes suppling the handful of waterfront homes there with municipal water and sewage services and upgrading the ugly, old road to township standards. While a costly venture -- the project could run Scugog as much as $850,000, even though the township is sharing some of the costs with Durham Region -- local councillors have agreed that it is time to take action. There have been concerns raised that the septic tanks currently in use at the 30 or so homes on the road could be a. hazard, with the potential for some of the older models to be leaking septage into Lake Scugog. In an effort to quell the fears of contamination, and to bring the small community up to par with the rest of the township's urban areas, Scugog's leaders have decided to move forward on the project, despite its $1.08 million pricetag. At the same time, Council mulled over plans to rebuild the Cedardale Bridge once again this year and finally decided to go ahead with the project. The aging structure is prone to flooding, and is not strong enough to support heavy or constant traffic, which raises questions when one considers the large farm machinery and school buses that cross the bridge on a daily basis. As recently as last week, township >fficials gathered to discuss the future of the bridge, and once again considered scrapping the entire project for another year. Council had agreed to set aside $380,000 in their 2001 capital budget for the project, however the low- est tender received for the work came in at just over $500,000, and mindful of their budget, councillors pondered their options. While their options included abandoning the pro- ject, delaying it until 2002, and finding additional funding from the Community Enhancement Fund (which comes from the township's share of the slot machine proceeds from the Great Blue Heron casino on Scugog Island) to cover the shortfall, local politi- cians finally agreed to tack on the extra funds needed to the debenture, further increasing the amount of their loan. So, after years of delaying work on these two important projects because of costs, the township opted this year to debenture the funds to ensure their completion. While some may not look favourable on the town- ship essentially taking out a loan to get the work done, it must be pointed out that our councillors weighed the risks of putting off the work once again and finally decided that potentially saving lives was important that saving a few dollars. Lo