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THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1998 THE NEW TANNER GRAPEVIN One man's junk is another's treasure The Acton Trunk Sale, a favour- ite Saturday morning social event and shopping adventure, returns to Acton on Saturday, May 23. The Town, which now owns the land beside the CN Rail tracks, south of Mill Street where the sale is held, has agreed to allow Trunk Sale or- ganizers to use the property, for free, again this summer, providing the Town is named as a co-insured by Tyler Transport Limited. The Trunk Sale, now in its fifth year, is a take off on the popular Brit- ish boot sales. For a $5 fee you can "rent" a space to park your vehicle and sell your odds and sods. The sales are held each Saturday morning until October 3 and the best stuff goes fast and early. Fresh and frozen Watch for some major changes next month at Freezer Frenzy includ- ing a new name and a new location. The new name is Fresh and Freezer Frenzy and the new location will be the easterly half of 9 Mill Street East, most recently home to a martial arts centre. "We'll have a full fresh meat counter and will offer a wider range of breads and baking goods along with a deli," co-owner Sandra Bychuk said recently. Renovations are underway to di- vide the building into two stores and Bychuk said they hope to be moved into the new 18,000 square foot store by June. Bychuk and partner Don Corely bought Freezer Frenzy in March and "Our Survey Says..: do Bychuk said they are keeping all the good things to eat that previous owner Sharon Vincent stocked, and adding more. Meadows expands 19th hole rumours that Al Kavanagh had sold Acton Meadows golf course are not true. In fact, Kavanagh just purchased Beaverdale golf course on Highway 24 outside Guelph. Last fall he purchased Brant Valley near Cambridge and he also owns Calerin golf course, south of Erin, so members can play all four of the semi-private courses. Acton Meadows now has 18 holes to play and manager Maggie Allan reports that the course is in good shape. Plenty o' plants If you're looking for a great se- lection of carefully nurtured, healthy plants at rock bottom prices check out the Acton Horticultural Society's annual plant sale on Saturday in the parking lot of the olde Hide House. Society members, including two Master Gardeners, donate all of the plants, shrubs and grasses that will be on sale. "Huge mature plants at half-price with no sales tax. That's why the sale is always a success," explained So- ciety president Max MacSween "T was just out potting big clumps of Day Lilies for the sale and there must be 20 plants in a two-gallon pot. They're about $3.50 for each plant at a nursery." Some of the proceeds from Sat- urday's sale will be used to purchase two more flower boxes to add to the six already used to spruce up Main Street South. What is more important to you; eliminating the GST or compensating those who acquired Hepatitis C through tainted blood? The are equally important. If I was the government, I would look after Hepatitis C compensation properly. Those with a legitimate claim should be funded. Dick Voscamp, Acton We should scrap the GST and increase the funding for Hepatitis C. The government had the opportunity to do the testing (on the blood) but chose not to. They should be held responsible. Annette Hartley, Acton I don't like the GST, but both are equally important. Debbie Rennie, Acton Get rid of the GST. Taxes are bringing down this country. Mike Brouwer, Acton This weeks New Tanner survey by Angela Tyler WAITING: A Canada Gane: ina pond by 22 aided aid Trafalgar F Roads sits natty on her nest oa for her goslings to hatch. - Angela Tyler photo Allan Rock, arguably the most disaster-prone minister in Cana- dian politics, has missed the mark again. This time he has cost the Liberal party as villains over the issue of compensation for victims of hepatitis C. With feet firmly planted on the low road, Rock is insisting that only those infected between 1989 and 1990 receive any money. Those who contracted the disease before these dates are out of luck. _In what:was;-to-me; one:of the» most cold, ruthless and heartless sound-bites ever seen on TV, Rock stood stone-faced to say "the file is now closed." Judging from the reaction in newspapers across the country, the file is anything but closed. I figure that the pressure will increase to the point where, magi- cally, a second deal will be offered to those so far excluded. This will be sold as yet another example of how the Liberals are more hu- mane, more compassionate than anyone else. The duplicity is enough to drive one to regurgita- tion. In fairness to minister Rock, the deal, as it stands now, smacks of something being rammed down his throat by the P.M.O. and cabi- net as a whole. The government has been caught flat-footed by the angry opposition of ordinary Ca- nadians and the superb perform- ance of Reform leader Preston Manning (who is_ usually underwhelming) in the House. I'm sure the midnight oil is being burned in an effort to concoct some plot to get the Liberals out of this mess. In the meantime, minister Rock continues to stonewall and other prominent Liberals are div- ing for cover. Even the P.M. is keeping his head below the desk. He cancelled an interview with the CBC's French language TV show "Le Point" because he refuses to dis- os the issue of Hepatitis C. He ' The file isn't closed, Allan! The Way I See If with Mike O'Leary did, however, find the time to appear on CNN to deliver es S message Castro compared es nena n em- bargo of Cuba to the Holocaust and demanded the blockade be lifted. It's admirable that the P.M. took the time to deliver dictator Castro's message. I only hope President Clinton didn't keel over in shock at finding out how angry Castro really is. I was surprised at the anger di- rected towards back bench Liberals who held their noses and voted for this travesty of justice. Why is any- one surprised at this turn of events? Under our party system, our elected officials represent the government to us instead of vice-versa: During the last election campaign, then candi- date Chretien promised more free votes in the house. That commitment has gone the way of promises to scrap the GST and re-negotiate NAFTA. The Liberals are banking on our traditional short memories come election day. This time, how- ever, the press is running strongly against them and this issue will re- surface if not resolved. Even the To- ronto Star wrote a scathing editorial in opposition to Liberal policy. The Grits are in big trouble on this one, folks. The thing that sticks in my craw is the intransigence of the federal Liberals to admit making a mistake. Personally, I make mistakes all the time. I was taught to own-up to them, correct them and carry one. I would have more respect for the govern- ment if they did just that. Why torture sick people by mak- ing them demonstrate for justice when it's obvious the government will give in on this issue? How dare they play politics in order to put the most favourable spin on the ultimate resolution. Our MP Julian Reed is quoted saying "I am voting with a heavy heart." One assumes he is not re- ally in favour of this legislation. Like other back-benchers party discipline caused him to toe the government line. Not to do so privileges or, in a wors SC nario, give him a seat beside Toh Nunziata. Don't get me wrong, I respect Mr. Reed and think he works hard. He is probably the best fed- eral representative we have had in the last 20 years. Until the rank- and-file MPs flex their muscles on issues like this though, the cabi- net will continue to steamroll over the will of the people. The Hepa- titis issue gave them an ideal op- portunity. If only a dozen MPs had stuck to their guns this legislation would have been redrafted. There is no chance Mr. Chretien would have - allowed the government to fall and thereby campaign on this is- sue. In the end, the sick were sacri- ficed too, so the government would not be seen to lose face. That face should grow a beard to disguise itself. Joey Hache, a 15-year-old hepatitis sufferer, stood in the gal- lery to applaud those voting against this legislation. He was ejected for his efforts. One hundred and fifty-five honourable members stood to vote approval of Mr. Rock's bill. There was little honour in their action. Methinks the wrong people were ejected by security. Editor's note: This column was ~ written before Premiere Harris put a new slant on the hepatitis com- pensation issue. J Got a Beef? Write a letter to the editor! Deadline is Tuesday at noon