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The Herald Home Newspaper of Halton Hills A Division of Canadian Newspapers Company Limited Main St South Georgetown Ontario PETER BROTJWER Bob no Circulation Page THE HERALD Wednesday October 16 174 On the vastest of all human enterprises You dont like regional government at all do you That was one readers reaction to an editorial in this corner last week To which we say well read You got the message Government is the vastest of all human enterprises and it needs to be constantly examined to see that it is functioning well People vote for the same reasons as they form or join or support groups that are seeking to bring about social or community improvement they wish to have a hand promoting welfare they want to be part of life When a voter touches pencil to paper in casting his ballot he is reminded that he is not living alone He is one of the whole community sharing at this moment in choosing the person who shall carry out his wishes in government Democracy is defined as a system of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system The essence of democracy is that consent Is free after free debate The principle that what con cerns all must be approved by all is impossible of attainment because human nature being as it is there will always be a dissenting minority Freedom of thought freedom of speech freedom of assemblage and secret choice of represen tatives are all part of the fabric of democracy Parliamentary democratic government is direction of the affairs of the state by a majority that provides the minority with the possibility of becoming a majority by the education of citizens to its point of view In Canadas parliamentary democracy every citizen is faced by a sovereign responsibility that of directing his own fate Through their selected government men and women find it possible to establish themselves in mutually fulfilling relationship to their fellow citizens and that is the central function of happy human life THE TOWN MEETING The only way in which a person can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject affecting him is by hearing what can be said about it by people of every variety of opinion Since earliest times men and women have been trying to create a system that will give them this opportunity to learn about things In Greece of the sixth to the fourth century B C every citizen had the right to attend and speak and vote in the assembly Since then there have been many plans devised to preserve the ideal of government by citizens who meet face face to discuss their problems It is difficult Indeed to adapt a form of government that was developed in simple intimate community life to an era of great nation states large and centralized organization and highly specialized knowledge The town meeting was such an effort It was a general meeting of the inhabitants of a town in which they were able to make their voices heard They were recognized as persons ana not as faceless cogs in a machine Such pure democracy person toperson discussion and decision would be impossible in a nation province city or region hence representative democracy has developed It is not by chance but by enlightened development that government in Canada provides what people all over the world desire a liberal environment a fluid society free from class barriers opportunity to choose and to progress in profession or trade according to ones ambition ability and energy liberty to stand up and speak out for things in which one believes and the power to choose those who are to have the authority to maintain these freedoms Canadians have confidence that their aspirations can be met within this system Many other nations have democratic con that are as perfect as Canadas but Canada has added an ingredient she has given a valuable demonstration that tolerance must be an intrinsic part of any real democracy Obviously the government cannot be looked upon as an in that acts in a Santa Claus way handing out goodies Before a government can become kind it must be right is the virtue every citizen requires above all other government virtues The word politics has- become tarnished by confusing it with party political feuds Politics is not a thing apart from civilization but a manifestation of civilization in growth It changes form and function in accord with changes in the composition and ideals of society As long as we live in a changing world about which our knowledge is incomplete we must be prepared to listen to other peoples opinions about govern ment and government measures Political parties keep us reminded that there are at least two fairly meritorious sides to every major political question on which men disagree All of which brings us back to regional government and we ask you in view of the above does it work for you Do you feel its your government Or do you feel also that its something thrust on us against our wishes thing we don t understand and something that has a sinister aura about it Think about it Meet Jim who came in from the cold Weve known newspaper editors whose first priority In life was a simple stamp out govern ment There are still some left And theyre really pretty dose to the mark in their zeal for an end to red tape and unwarranted government interference We felt like stamping out a whole branch of the Ontario last week when one of officials with the titles M Sc Adv Covn Dip believe it or not came to visit us unannounced tagging behind him a young man who appeared bewildered by the whole deal It was Monday Deadline day Busy day At about Ham a reporter announced theres someone to see you from the government So there we were was it Bill Davis feeling it was about time he met the editor of the newspaper that says his regional government idea stinks Or was it a man from Ottawa bringing a special citation for intelligent reporting on behalf of the Prime Minister No It was Jim Well just call him that for short His last name doesnt matter Were not out to get bim fired Wed just like his dosb to teach him bow not to go about his job And Jim explains that this fellow with him needs a job on the newspaper He write pretty good says Jim We look at Jim Then at the fellow with him Were really a little em barrassed We sense that Jims friend is also But not Jim No sirree I thought Id just drop in and see the people at the paper here in Georgetown and see what we could do Well we didnt have any time And we didn have a job either really And Jim wasted a whole lot of money just driving up the first place without any kind of warning or even it appears knowing where he was going In fact we are still wondering whether he was perhaps heading for the Toronto Star on Yonge Street downtown and whether in the process he got lost on the ex pressway The point Is first that Jim with all his titles and expertise wasnt doing his protege any favors and secondly that he wasted your money and our money We feel the minister In charge of the Counsellors of the Vocational Rehabilitation Branch of the Ministry of Community and Social Services no Egllnton Ave West Toronto 2Ci ought to have a chat with all his Jim We set this out feeling when we meet people like Jim and see them blunder with our money Youre going to be allhght Bribabyl How was your Thanksgiving Was it fattening only or pretty lean or sad or happy or a mixture of blessings and feelings of Did you spend some of it all gathered around the table or were you one of those who took It as the last weekend of the year to go camping and did you like some people I know roast the turkey outside on an open fire I wonder Thanksgiving is always a good time to stop a minute and even a few days after Thanksgiving it does no harm to think about those who dont have too much to be thankful for Take these two girls I know Ones in her twenties and one of the most gorgeous creations ever ac to walk the face of the earth and the other is her daughter a little toddler called As all mothers of little Bris this girl is no different in that she has dreamt many dreams about her little A CHURCH BAZAAR fa a the Catholic Women real community effort Even League in a craft bee In the Father Devent pastor of church rectory recently The Holy Rosary Church Joined women are weekly craft session until bazaar Rev Is November making helping Ann Foster measure of articles to sell at thewoolforanoctopu See their Annual Christmas family section by peter brouwer BILL SMILEY At last things are looking up I Things at last seem to be looking up for Canadian writers after generations of neglect by heir own coun try men With a few notable ex ceptlons it used to be that to be a writer In Canada was almost par with being an Untouchable In India If you were not openly scorned you were quietly ignored which was worse The bin publishers them British or American with an affiliate In Canada shied away from Canadian writers as though they had the plague at the same time fostering Insignificant American and British writers One of the exceptions was Stephen who made a lot of money and became a well known character in this country after his first book had been accepted by a British publisher Typically was Ignored if not despised by the people of Orillia when he was alive He had a summer home there Many Orlllians detested him because he poked wicked fun at some of their leading citizens in his Mariposa tales QUEENS PARK Teachers need word of Mrs Joe Parent Our teaching fraternity and particularly the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation have often been viewed with less than praise In In this space In recent years It has been the apparent greed of teachers more money smaller classes work to rule that has been most of the forefront and rightly or these being the Issues of the day they have been the matters commented on and often somewhat critically WHAT S WRONG It Is therefore pleasant to be able to view with approval an action by teachers and the OSSTF This action la a study which the Federation Is sponsoring and Is aimed at Improving our educational system through the views of teachers and more Importantly the public The study hopes to find out just what Is wrong with our secondary education now and It Is good to see the teachers volunteering that there are serious wrongs In it and then come up with proposals for solutions JUBT The obvious first suspicion VIEWPOINT is that this Is a propaganda move and it undoubtedly will be labelled as such In some quarters It may and very certainly could turn into this Just a vehicle to try and buy good will and a platform from which to air beefs However the writer prefers to take it on faith For one reason because the officials responsible for the study from president Jim Foster down leave an im that Instills faith They appear to be both serious and sincere Then secondly because such a study could be valuable JOE The study Is to take the form of a questionnaire to 34 secondary teachers and then forums at Sudbury Windsor London Thunder Bay and Ottawa one possible apparent shortcoming Is that the study may not be able to get In good contact with the grass roots Nobody probably can give better advice on our educational system today than parents And not necessarily the parents In home and school associations but Mr Average parent the mother or father who la not a zealot or a joiner but who has day to day contact with children without any or Influences on what Is good education Without any sacred cows These people are probably the ones most worthy to be heard Not so today Some sharp people finally realized that was commercially viable as a tourist attraction Nowadays you d think had walked down from a mountain with stone tablets Into Orillia It is the In thing to belong to the Society There Is a Museum with a full curator There Is a Leacock annual award for humor a medal a Leacock weekend culminating In a huge dinner at which the Is paid proper homage I bet the old guy Is doubled up in his grave laughing It was all so Canadian in its approach to writing that it would be funny If it weren t a little sad Canadians ore builders They 11 spend billions on railroads and Iran scon linen highways and canals and dams But when It comes to culture the ap proach Is always a twobit one A few dedicated souls formed the Leacock Society They had no money But every year they persuade a few people to act as judges and these Idiots would pick out the funniest book published in Canada that year I know I was one of those Idiots for about four years which gave me some insight into Canadian humor Most of the books submitted were about as funny as a broken leg Lets say you are Eric of Vancouver a very funny writer by the way This would be about 15 years ago You are Informed by wire that you have won the Award for Humor and are asked to attend the Dinner receive the Leacock Medal worth about cents in a pawnshop and make a witty speech which will take you hours to write The dinner Is absolutely free but you pay your own way from and back to Vancouver Today of course Its The dinner price has gone up from SO to and the drinks from to whatever I believe that at long last some brewer has actually put up to go with the Medal Big deal So much for that I digress During the long painful aridity of the IDs and the names of Canadian writers were not exactly household words A few writers tolled on In the Canadian desert a fine writer with an International reputation plugged away when he produced now novel it would be avidly snatched up by as many as six or seven hundred of his fellow countrymen To make a living be had do hack work in journalism radio and later TV Ironically at about the age of was given two whopping great cash prizes by a brewer and a bank for his contribution to Canadian literature He was also awarded a Canada Medal or something like that which he refused in disgust And Rood for him Then after the war came not a spate but at least a surge of new writers bold writers Hugh Garner Rlcnler Pierre Bert on Farley They knew they were good and they demanded recognition And money And they got it though It was like prying diamonds out of rock After them came another rash of writers Alden Robert Kroetch Margaret A twood A few courageous in dependent publishers gave them a voice They sell Now the younger ones ore coming on pellmell After years In a cultural desert oasis are springing up everywhere girl growing up and turning into a beautiful young woman just like her mother All mothers dream those dreams right So two weeks ago while Bris mother was at work and was at the babysitter she waB bitten by a dog The dog chewed a terrible hole in her little cheek and made a horrible mess Doctors managed to just save the little ones eye Still a few days ago Bri was all smiles even though you could only see the smile on one Bide of her face For little had And even Bris mother smiled The infection had stopped What mother finds difficult though is to think of the days ahead when other little boys and girls will call her and I cruel and cruelly honest children can be And this little ones mother worries about how tough some of the days ahead will be Plastic surgery will no doubt cure most of the problem We all know that And little Bri one day when shes grown up will maybe read this and ask was It really so terrible And her mother will say it was dear So think about Bris mother a little will you And about little Bri Somehow it wasnt much of a Thanksgiving for either of them I think will be quite like her mother when she grows up And thats why I have high hopes for her Even if that little one will never quite be without a scar shell have a warm and friendly sun shining out of her eyes If you knew her mother I know youd agree with me What I know too is that one Thanksgiving some Sears from now a little girl named Bri will think a ttle about Thanksgiving and ask herself whether she could nave ever made it through a dif life with some very difficult problems without the particular girl who is her mother Be thankful dear reader Youve got more to be thankful about than you realize Even after Thanksgiving or many months after Try it on for size ECHOES FROM THE PAST AGO The proposed town bus service subsidy question will be answered in the upcoming December election Mayor Joseph Gibbons wants the public aware much extra taxes will be needed nance the operation Postmaster old Marshall gave chase In his own car when a thief took off in an em car The chase proved unsuccessful but Ihe car was later recovered near the IGA store The car was owned by James of Temple Road Georgetown Night school enrolment reached the mark Popular courses Include auto mechanics halrdressing personal grooming and physical fitness YEARS AGO and Brian Lewis represented Georgetown allstar hockey team which played in Maple Leaf Gardens They won the game against the other team composed of past and present members of the Little NHL Mrs John Bell was awarded the McNally trophy as top lady golfer for winning the championship at the North Halton Golf and Country Club Fred Nurse won the prize offered for the best bacon hog at the Georgetown Fall Fair The event was sponsored by the T Eaton Co Mr J D Cameron of also received a prize In the contest Mrs R Hess home economics teacher at Georgetown High School was guest speaker at the meeting of the Georgetown Women Institute Mrs George Campbell was the hostess at her home of George Street Tenders have been called to resurface the section of Highway from Durham Street to the White Bridge 30 YEARS AGO A small rubbish fire caused by children brought the fire brigade to the home of Jack Harlow on Friday the 13th Lloyd Kler returned home after two years absence serving his country Lloyd ship took part In operations Evelyn and Charles were married in St Mary United Church A reception was held at the home of the bride In St Marys Poole was wounded In Holland on September Word was received by his parents of Glen Williams this week Baptismal services were held at St John a United Church for Peter Robert son of Mr and Mrs Ernie Harold William Wheeler son of Mr and Mrs Harold Wheeler Barbara Anne Whltmee daughter of Mr and Mrs Frank Whitmee Judith Elizabeth Richardson daughter of Mr and Mrs Walter Richardson Robert John Hyde son of Mr and Mrs William Hyde Take my quiz to see if youre human Pick up any magazine or newspaper these days and sooner or later you 11 come across some type of quiz to let you know how you re feeling and whether or not you re satisfied Are you suited to your fob Did you choose the right mate Do you have a good sense of humor Do you steep too much or too little eat too fast or too slow wash one sock In detergent and dont bother about the other Well the solution to any of the above la to found by checking true or false to any number of absurd questions Ive often wondered what happens to the poor soul who takes the- Are you prone to suicide quiz and fails Whenever Ive tried any of these little psychological wonders they never seem to give the appropriate choices for me to tick off For In stance In the question What wins the most arguments in your home A truth or B fiction Moat arguments ve heard and I decline to use just my home as an example are won by the one with the biggest mouth The quiet member of the duo usually retreats to a locked bathroom tinkering In the garage phoning home to mother or wearing ear muffs Moving right along to What la your deadliest sin In that little beauty they pose the question As a special treat which would you prefer a dinner at a top restaurant b a visit to thetheatre ore a big box of candy They make It so dif ficult to answer they dont let me know whether I a dying of hunger this takes place during Lent Passover or the full moon c if the theatre just happens to be on Broadway Lost again Next comes the Are you satisfied with yourself The question thai puzzled me In that one was Do you believe that glasses make a person ugly Again I didn get the proper choices They make no men whatsoever as to whether or not Im wearing the glasses Last duI not least in the Are you right for each other they asked the following Does be usually dress The choices were as follows a rather flam b smartly but conservatively or casually I Immediately thought of a visit I had with some good friends last week The man of the house a big happy-go- lucky likeable sort ap peered alter shower In a pair of very short outer shorts nothing else Now youll have to agree that when the snow flurries are sprinkling outside his manner a drew was shall we say rather different Being a firm believer In being In control of any situation I proceeded to act as nonchalantly as possible When however he placed both bare feet on the coffee table and the hostess asked coffee anyone cream or sugar I found It rather hard to the occasional giggle Going back to the question Does ne usually dress I just couldnt find the ap propriate slot for my friends response My answer and all of the above Is the following quiz 1 Do you do the beat you can the Ume A yes B no Do you smile at the antics of a child and his puppy in a mud puddle A yes no Would you like to give your family mora than you already have A yea Bno Are you sick of reading about wars violence and hate A yea Do you occasionally stop and think that whatever your hardship It could be much worse A yes B no Does the government and pontics often Confuse you Do you believe that somewhere in the universe a Creator who win make sense out of your Are you not always perfect A yes no Do you love and laugh cry and hate do too little or loo much A yea no 10 Do you remember and love the smell of Grandmas or Aunt Sues fresh baked blueberry apple but lerscotch or whatever pie yes B no If you answered to any live of the above you ire in per cent human You suc ceed sometimes sometimes fall you win and you youre happy and youre But what makes you medal Is the chfya are you always com through par cent wrong itrf cent right and bat on per east That Imps