The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

SPOR1A Lifetime Service Guarantee the HERALD Home Newspaper of Halton Hills Established 1866 ONTARIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 1KB SECTIONS PAGES DISTRIBUTION Leather Slurs OPEN iHide SUNDAYS It Worth The Drive To Acton Gary sees his shadow Gary the Groundhog came he saw and he ran That means Weinbergs hairy soothsayer saw his shadow Feb Groundhog Day Thus Gary has predicted six more weeks of winter for us all reporting in from the Centre for Conservation This contradicts the early morn prediction of his distant and more famous cousin Willie Willie was awoke at a Tuesday and didnt see his shadow But rights supervisor Paul Masterson explains the In consistency Gary the Groundhog makes his foray Into the forest clearing at noon This year the sun was beaming at pro viding what Mr Masterson feels is amore accurate prediction Two years ago we contradicted Willie and we were right he said He claims Gary the Groun has been correct SO per cent of the time In the hills Be a Valentine Its Valentines Day soon so have a heart The Canadian Red Cross Society requires you to give blood at its clinic Feb 8 In Georgetown at the Holy Cross Auditorium The clinic runs from 1 30 until Be a friend to so meone truly in need contract and Services Depart ment has announced Canning Ltd has sold canned goods to the Defence Department meeting The Acton Social Services and Information Centre la holding its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday Feb 10 at In the Old Town Hall Willow St North Acton Video and guest speaker Dr Doug Brown Topic Childrens Assessment and Treatment All are welcome PCs cancel The founding meeting of the HaltonPeel Federal Progressive Conservative Riding Association which was to be held Feb 10 has been postponed Feb 10 was also selected as the date when the new federal budget will be presented It Is the opinion of the steering committee for the Association that the four area MPs who were planning on attending should be in Ottawa so that they can best serve their constituents by being fully versed on the budgets contents said a commit tee spokesman Water for sale Region is going to buy the Huttonville water well for The well which used to service Brampton until that city began pumping water from Lake Ontario is capable of pumping one million gallons of water per day ac cording to Public Works Commissioner Robert Moore The water could help service the will conduct more test drilling in Georgetown South first but if more water isnt found there the station could prove useful he said An open board An open meeting or the Georgetown and District Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will take place Feb at 15 m In the board room The agenda will be posted by am the day of the meeting in the administration of fices Those wishing to address the board must forward a request in writing to the Chairman Board of Directors Georgetown and District Memorial Hospital Princess Anne Drive Georgetown II La meet The La Leche League of Acton welcomes all women interested in breastfeeding information to the next meeting Monday Feb at at IS Wilbur Street North Acton Discussion will include childbirth and planning for the ear ly days at home For more in- call Halton ProLife Will fight abortion decision Herald Local abortion activists are still reeling from the Supreme Court of Canada decision which declared the country s law constitutional Don Patterson a founder of the ProLife organization was very disappointed with the dec but his group is already and voice their objections to the rul- order Supreme Courts decision the holding order would allow the federal government to draft a new abortion law and push It through parliament while preventing abor tion on demand in the meantime said Mr Patterson The decision caught local abortion groups off guard he said We certainly never thought the court decision would go the way that Patterson Mr Patterson thinks the govern is obligated to provide an fective abortion law The group wants citizens letters and telegrams to Mr mid Prime Minister Brian Mulroncy Health Minister Jake and Justice Minister Ray urging the government to invoke Section 33 But plans are stilt In the early stages he said Its been a real shock to us We re just trying to get back to square one The group also plans to ask every candidate in the next federal lion to sip either a prochoice or a prolife statement Abortion Mr Patterson promis ed will be a major Issue In the next federal election Mr Patterson who has seven sons The ProLlfc organization represents a majority of the people Mr Patterson contends The problem with the current law which has allowed so many abor tions said Mr Patterson is that it says a womans health must be In danger before an abortion can be legally performed But women are claiming that their mental health is in danger and that allows the legal abortion said Mr Patterson It makes you wonder what the heck Is going on The Supreme Courts ruling was also applauded by many womens groups throughout the nation in cluding the local WHAM Women of Action Movement group WHAM Health Committee Chairperson Barbara Walker said the decision represents a great step forward in the abortion laws The decision was a solid ma jority indicating in a clear cut way thelawwasunjustsaldMs Walker She believes the Supreme Courts decision will be welcomed by most Canadians WHAM doesnt plan to sit still and wait for the governments next move said Ms Walker The group will likely lobby the federal govern ment to heed the statements written by the Justices of the Supreme Court Should the government decide to write a new law it would have to be less conservative than the law just struck down said Ms Walker Any law which went against the reasonings of the Supreme Court would also likely be labelled un constitutional she said The Supreme Courts ruling shouldnt effect procedures at the Georgetown District Memorial Hospital No abortions have been performed at the since the spring of 1988 because no doctors could be foundto sit on the abortion commit tee said Executive Director Mark The abortion process is really up to the individual physicians because they refer their patients to other hospitals or doctors who perform the abortionssatdMr Liberal MPP Walt Elliot said although the caucus is now examin ing the decision any move by the provincial government would be premature until the federal reacts clearly to the Asked if the Liberals who opposed abortion as a method of birth con trol during last summers election feel a needto react to the Supreme Court decision Mr Elliot said I havent any idea about that The decision has complex legal implications and the government flret has to study it in detail before any solid moves can be made said Mr Elliot Builtin prejudice against rural areas claims farming rep is a built In bins to the current system The has serious concerns about the objectivity of some of the agricultural Impact studies that have been done In recent years said OFA President Norman The agricultural industry which has over million Investments is being threatened by the In consistency of these agricultural lm pact studies he said Right now any person or company proposing to develop land must hire a consultant to conduct an agricultural impact study The OFA says the fact that the consultant is hired by the proponent of the development means there Is a built in bias The wants the Region to select the consulting firm using the money from the proponent of the development In that way the consulting firm would be working for the Region and any bias would be towards Official Plan designations said Mr He cited three specific cases which occurred in Hills that he said Just a few flaring ex amp j ihc bias In study on lands surroun ding the Croatian Centre said a tank which can store wo million litres of animal manure lust 150 metres from the centre would have no Impact on the quality of air surrounding the centre said Mr The lands are located northwest of the centre and the prevailing west to cast winds would bring the odor from the manure towards it he sold When the manure Is spread on the fields it almost surrounds the Croa tian Centre he said In another case In March a consulting firm used a map which In dicated an unused bam was on a pro perty in Hills said Mr gar The map also indicated the farmland was Idle In fact the barn was being used and the land was be ing used for hay production he said In a third case In 1987 lands owned by Eton on Lot Conces sion were the subject of a consul tants report that had a lot of things that we did not agree with said Mr The asked Halton to hire the consultants of the developer last fall but the Federation didnt supply enough background material to support Its case and the Region re jected the request said Mr William has heart and sole William Cook Is on his way Friday to Haiti with his suitcase full of shoes for the poor and needy Herald photo by Cheryl Mooder Steps into charity role to help Haitian needy By CHERYL Herald Staff A Georgetown man travelled Friday on what has become an annual sojourn to Haiti with suitcases of goods for the impoverished people there William Cook has been taking shoes glasses carrying bags and other articles down to the est Indies country since The poverty the farmer witnessed during a 1982 SI ensure trip to the southern islands of Haiti and a ma lea lugged at his heart strings I saw what was going on down there Mr Cook said It started from there They ore a proud people he added The Hai tians are trying hard but getting no place For this threeweek trip Mr Cook packed two large trunks and two suitcases full of approximately of glasses a numerous array of brightly colored shoes lots of soap and anything else the sep- tuagenarian could collect For his winter holiday Mr Cook took a tiny beige suitcase and maroon shoulder bag All you need ore shorts a shirt and shoes he said The glasses Mr Cook takes are mostly on the strong side because he said people down there a lot of them are pretty well blind I get a lot of it very cheap the 74yearold said He picks up his articles anywhere he can such as the Salvation Army discount stores and garage sales I got a nice bunch of shoes from St Vincent Paul he said Friday Mr Cook began his trip by driving to Fort Lauderdale Fla where he will stay with his daughter- Inlaw until a Haitian with a freighter ship him up for the four day cruise to Porta Prince Then the Georgetown man meets with the Haitian who knows people in need Mr Cook dispenses his goods he said Just to the people who really need Principle of principals Schools need teachers most trustee argues By CHERYL Herald Staff It was close but no cigar In a vole of seven against and six In favor the Board of Education trustees schools In the new school year Georgetown trustee Dick said he agreed with the policy in principle but felt the timing to pass it was not right My main concern is I want to be able to rank this along with my priorities he said I want to ace how the rest of the budget shapes up The Board has already committed itself to funding several programs such as music and computer pro grams and at this time the Board may not be able to afford the bet ween and price tag to hire more administrative staff Although Mr Howitt realizes the need to hire more principals he feels the priority lies in increasing teaching staff and thus reducing class size In past years due to factors such as BUI 82 which put special tion classes in schools French lm programs and demands on administrators to stay current with educational changes workload for principals has Increased In an 18month study a committee reviewed the expectations and workload of principals The changes which would have been put into effect over three years beginning in September 1988 would have placed a full time principal in all elementary schools with some schools depending on student enrol ment receiving full time or part time viceprincipals For example full time principals would have been placed in principals in Milton trustee Bob Clarke agreed with Trustee In that more principals are needed but the timing Is off He questioned whether or not prin clpals and viceprincipals accept too much responsibility rather than delegating it Superintendent of Student Ser vices Bob Williams pointed out that in secondary schools principals have department heads to help lighten the administrative load but in elementary schools where there are no department heads the super visory tasks fall on the principals shoulders Oakvllle trustee Janis Millan said the board Is aware of the Increase In workload for principals in the past few years Bill brought more kids in the schools who need extra help she said The trustee added principals are constantly being expected to at tend meetings and be brought up to date with issues such as child abuse and AIDS We are constantly urging our staff to be better she said T must recognize the many diverse ways their duties have changed Burling trustee Dave Coons did not support the policy for the same reasons as Trustee and Trustee Clarke The music program costs to Implement with no provincial help and the computer program a million with no provin cial grant he said The cost of to fund this policy would go right to the mill rate and out of the taxpayers pocket million too much for Region Region is looking for ways to pare down tho price of a proposed million expansion of Its Regional complex on Bronte Road In The first phase of the expansion would include an addition to the cur rent Regional Headquarters reloca tion of Regional Police Head quarters on Trafalgar Road to a new building on the Bronte Road site and a shared faculties building which could house a cafeteria a day care centre a gym and meeting rooms The first phase would be com pleted by late 1991 or early 1093 Second and third phases would contain additions to the Regional Headquarters In 1999 and costing a total of million in 1987 dollars But Regional Finance Com mis Joe has told coun cillors Halton cant afford million right now He recommended a to million range for the new building Acting on that advice Haltons Administration and Finance Com mil tee instructed Regional staff and the Police Commission to sit down and come up with ways to reduce the cost of the new Police Headquarters building As its pro posed right now that building alone would cost about 1 1 million The Committee also approved to hire the consulting firm of Lavcntbol and Thorn Partnership who did the original space needs study to look at ways to reduce the cost of the proposed 5 million expansion of the Regional Administration building The shared facilities building is expected to cost about million and parking roads landscaping utilities design fees would cost Just over million An additional million for fur nishing and the cost of purchasing acres of land would bring the total cost of phase one Delaying expansion rather than paring down the cost now might be more expensive in the long run said the Regions Chief Administrative Officer John Fleming The Administrative Complex and the police force are in serious need of additional office space said Mr Fleming and renting or purchasing temporary office space will be cost ly He said the proposed expansion of the Regional complex is not ex travagant but reducing the cost now is preferable to delays In the meantime the Administra tion and Finance Committee has ap proved for improvements In environmental conditions In the current complex providing the money can be Incorporated Into the 1988 capital budget The Region also looking for an additional square feet in office and storage space until the