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the HERALD Horn Newspaper of Hilton Hills Established 1SU A Division of Canadian Newspapers Company Limited Guelph Street Georgetown 3Z6 Ontario DAVID A BEATTIE Publisher and General Manager HIKE TURNER DAN TAYLOR Editor Advertising Manager Phone 2201 aauiBr SATURDAY DECEMBER 24 1988 Our best to you Amid all the hoopla that has become known as the com of Christmas you can still see the true spirit of the season shining through You may just have to look for it a little closer but it there It in the faces of the people you pass on the streets as they go about their busy Christmas shopping There are smiles when other times of the year they are less fordable It in the air with the sounds of Christmas carolling and the music that we somehow never grow tired of year after year It s in the religious pageantry of Christmas that retells the story of why we celebrate this time each year And of course it in the excitement we can sense in the children Even the youngest who in past years have not realized what this is all about are coming to the realize don that this is something big The heart of any Scrooge melts when he lets himself see the joy in the faces of children because the children carry the message Enjoy this festive season to the fullest There nothing else any time of the year that can create such magic From all of us to all of you a very Merry Christmas and the best In 1989 Reflections MPPs deal with a sensitive issue From the hush In he legislature as NDP Leader Bob Rao asked the west I on you could tell it was a sen stive matter Normally there la heckling and barracking galore during Question Period at Queens Park But not while was asking Sol Id torGeneral Joan about the shooting death of Michael Lawson 17 The black teenager wag killed by police Dec In Peel Region just west of Toronto while he was driving a stolen car But Ihe incident Itself is only the Ihe iceberg There are several bigger Issues here of which Lawson death is on ly the symbol dealt with one of them in question It Involves what system will be us to handle complaints citizens about police behavior The former Conservative govern established a civilian review Queens Park Derek Nelson Thomson Staff Comment By BRIAN MACLEOD In the past la months enough has happened In this relatively quiet town of people to give a reporter like myself a chance to cover virtually every conceivable type c story Some reflections The Jack Ford ap peal Tenoned 1 at through two ses sions totalling seven days taking In a staggering amount of highly technical information After my first day at the bearings 1 had of notes to siphon through The six week old strike at Curwood Packaging was settled The trike was the first of Its nature both lengthy and at times confront ttonal in recent years in town March The Ontario Hospital ap peals board released a 34page ded calling gynecologist and obstetrician Dr Jack Ford a significant threat to the communi ty and backed up the Georgetown hospitals decision to remove his A column I wrote follow the hearings brought some in teresting phone calls The column In essence said the verdict t be denied but the bearings were flip- flopped because Ford had to pre sent his case first Included in those calls was one from a doctor who disagreed and one from Dr Ford who agreed with the backwards healings observation April I sat stunned at my desk as Logic Dr Douglas ad mitted that should the Acton dump go ahead and cause any slgnlfl cant environmental problems businesses might took at other Hills quarries as potential dumpattes He made the comment about minutes into an Interview that until then gone nowhere May ISO workers of the CAW at Standard Products went back to work after a sevenweek strike It was the longest in Georgetown up to that point But CAW members at Smith and Stone stayed off the Job police recovered worth of guns and ammura tkn stolen from a sporting goods store In Hilton Police thought one or mora of the gum was used to a rob bery of the Main Street Canada pay In SNAFU by Bruce Metro Toronto again partly as result of the shooting of a black by a policeman The argument was that police bo trusted to investigate themselves even using police from another force Under the first miss loner Sydney I the system ap peared to work surprisingly well and there was widespread on the same process would be extended to the whole province That never did happen although new Liberal government in troduccd a bill In that would to work It was the longest strike In Georgetown In recent memory Both the Smith and Stone and Standard Products strikes centred around pensions July Residents all over Southern Ontario in a lengthy beat wave carrying temperatures over 30 degrees Cdclus for days at a time The accompanying drought damag crops and created a mad rush for fans and air conditioners Aural Halton police seized one pound of almost 100 per cent pure co caine valued at in a raid In the parking lot of the GO train its lion It was only the second time In the area per cent pure cocaine had been found September After a lengthy and highly emotional dispute the town decided not to purchase a small stretch of abandoned CN rail line for the sum of Just because of complaints of vandalism by abutting landowners October Prime Minister Brian Hulroney came to town saying free trade builds bridges But he talk to the press The study group looking Into the landfill proposal In Acton walked out In an interesting meeting at the Lions Chib hall In Milton November Tbe month of dou ble elections Mayor Miller stuck to his word and defeated Sheldon taking per cent of tbe vote In what he admitted was a dirty campaign And after a heated campaign in the federal riding of Hal tonPeel PC Garth Turner easily knocked off his rivals surprising most by the size of the margin of victory December Halton Hills am bulance crews firefighters and con crews worked for five hours to free a trapped gravel truck driver from his crushed cab after his truck overturned on tbe Ninth Line The driver was rescued alive And what was the most controver slal story I was Involved In this Well you have to took back beginnings in November of 1987 Town voted to fire administrator clerk Joe Simon after li months on the job After hours rage of angry councillors claiming I was covering the news like tbe at the following council meeting When they fired turn the town of Joe Simon in severance In May ISM he settled for have done so became stalled after the Grits decided rclhink their approach In eyes a key requirement of Ihe Lawsonshoollng Investigation Is that it be done by someone independent of the police dent of the Ontario Police Com mission Independent of powers that be He noted that mother has asked for on investigation by Clare Lewis who is Linden sue as head of Metro com plaints commission line that idea order to give family go that Is indtpendent somewhere Ihat they can have some confidence In the process and mi confidence In thefairncisof tl result Of course weakens his own case or an Independent Inquiry by having already concluded the shooting nc dent makes no sense to me or to a many other people And Ihe problem using Lewis that Toronto police arc In almost open revolt against his Judgments oris It is his pallet skepticism about Lewis Is going to create doubts about the fairness of Solicitor Joan Smith a Just announced task force on police and visible minorities It remains to be seen what specific terms of reference the task force will be given and how it will inter pret them But it is quite clear from tbe com menu of some of the black community leaders become Involved In the case and where nothing short of murder charges will satisfy them that theyll see It as putting police on triol In short tbe whale issue of whether police used excessive farce Ihe Incident is now com plicated by racial politics And It is racial politics that will be the true mandate of the task force Police shootings are difficult enough when the dead person Is white as the current and controver inquest into the OPP shooting death near Windsor Indicates but once color is injected It takes on an added dimension One hopes that this task force won degenerate Into Just another knee Jerk black as victim morality play but actually will seriously examine some of the broader racial questions Involving crime and the police Toronto business man takes over PTL assets May God bless you and keep you in the circle of His precious love now and for ever Have a wonderful Christmas season Vx v W w v W W Citizens forum A youngsters wish becomes a reality To Whom May Concern My name is Patrick and I am le years old I have a terminal illness called a form of Muscular Dystrophy I live with my parents my brother Eric and my two sisters and also has muscular dystrophy I fight every day with this disease but I love life and I will accept whatever comes my way Everyone In my family has helped me cope with my disease especially the day today obstacles that 1 must go through being in a wheelchair that folds Into a bed likes stretcher In spite of my handicap I do my studies at home for my health prevents me from returning to school My greatest hobby is my comic book have worked for two and a half years to make this comic book and It is my life work It is something that I have done myself from start to finish and it is something I can leave behind me I my All I want Is a hacksaw so I can escape from debtors prison I do hope that I will live for a very long lime but I also realize what this disease can do to a person for 1 have lived with It for many years I have had a special dream and thanks to A World of Dreams Foun dation Canada It has come true In October Natalie VUlemure of the Muscula Dystrophy Association in Montreal contacted A World of Dreams to ask them if they could fulfill my dream Natalie spoke to the President Deborah Sims and within five minutes Deborah called me and we discussed my dream She said sure we would love to do It I t believe it for I had tried so many times with other companies and nothing was done The hardest thing for me to do was to send Deborah my comic book but she promised she would guard It with her life Within one week Deborah called to say that she bad spoken with McDonald a Restaurants in Toronto and they had given her the name of a company who was also nonprofit and the of children magazine Owl and The Young Naturalist Foundation had agreed they would publish my comic book The following week the greatest news was given me Coles Bookstores Canada would sell my comic book I couldn t believe this had all happened within two weeks after speaking to Deborah This Is the most important event in my life and I wonted to shore It with all of you for a few reasons I told Deborah that I wanted to do a lol of publicity for I want people lo buy my comic book I want to hopefully raise money for my family It would mean so very much to me to be able to give Ihem something for a change and possibly for me to be a little more in dependent as all sixteen olds like to be The other reason is that I want lo give money A World of Dreams so they can fulfill dreams for mlnully critically and chronically 111 children in my name Having a dream come true gives you hope and you happy at a time when you need it most I have worked so hard on this com book and I want other kids to have the enjoyment of reading it I also want other handicapped children no matter what their disease is to know that If I could do this then they could also achieve something Some of us do not hove our lifetimes to achieve our goals make a name for ourselves and that Is why It Is so Important to do what we can whatever handicap we have NOW If anyone of you out there are comic book Realize that even if you are handicapped like me you can make your dream come true especially If you have a friend like A World of Dreams Call Deborah at World of Dreams If you are like me and need them If you are lucky enough to be healthy help them with money and services but above all care and give what you can for first hand I can tell you that there Is nothing as special as having your dream come true Thank you Patrick sleazy aft air of Jim and Tammy and PTL Club has taken a decisive lum with the bankrupt club assets win ding up In the hands of Toronto bus Stephen Mcrnick Mr Mtrnck whose deal with the bankruptcy trustees has been on and off more over past few months pad million US in cash recently for the PTL assets They Include undeveloped land In North Carolina a Christian theme park a sort of Disneyland for fun and television station hat once broadcast the and Tammy show Mr Bakkcr stepped down from ministry last summer after admit to sexual liaison with Jessie i church secretary Since then some of Mr Bokker male confessed to similar encounters with the evangel st But the story stop there Last week Mr and two of his were on count of mail and wire fraud and on charges that pocketed millions of dollars of followers donations IP- No Wonder Mr aged 34 is to stance himself from the doing best who to play sat ion J I aspects of his purchase Mr is an Orthodox Jew has led people to peculate about what he n do with television Will he I ho come Dick one reporter asked Not I say Mr silent his future plans To him the purchase simply was a dial like the torn I- resume T re plat in n I bought 1 sum Or all Mr offered for assets ISO mill on easl But the bankruptcy s offer down saying Id lie o is for him not pay Last month Judge 11 held on for the ism I no hid I ted to net them while had r the 1 Judge Your Business Diane Matey Thomson Km Mr Mcrnick was not the only Canadian sniffing around the assets Vancouver businessman Peter Thomas founder of the Cen tury real estate franchise in Canada had been in the running til recently Mr Thomas appears to have been knocked out of the bidding when a deal lo sell his share In Cen tury to his partner fell through sparking a lawsuit Another Toronto businessman Michael dropped out of the bidding on Tuesday tbe day before Mr Mcrnickmadehiswlnningbid RAISES QUESTIONS The whole unsavory after raises questions about TV evangelists who solicit money Indeed beg for it from their viewers Americans tend to be good about corruption ex it at every turn in the road But no doubt many Canadians have been bilked by the Bakkers as well Are the viewers alone to blame When the assets went on the block Mr supporters made a big fuss about trying to buy them back They called the man who stepped In to run the TV ministry an agent of the devil and the delay in concluding the sale a sign from Goo I m all for freedom of speech but should people like this be given unfettered access to the airwaves Surely regulators should take some responsibility for allowing the likes of Bakkers to prey on unsuspec ting television viewers The question is not religious freedom but debasement of religion and exploitation of the old the sick and the weary the lonely and lost souls who hope to buy their ticket to heaven by showering people of ques tionable virtue with money Whatever Mr Mernick does with his new properly will be a tremen dous improvement Reports provide food for thought Two government reports released recently provide food for thought If taken together One was the annual auditor which much publicity because missing accounts of how federal finances are mismanaged The other received less alien on It was Revenue Canada publico lion of Taxation Statistics for the tax year 1988 Auditor General Ken Dye a plea man who becomes a tiger when confronted with tales of financial bungling had a few harsh words for the apparently casual way Revenue Canada goes after delinquent lax payers While there a need to respect Ihe rights of those taxpayers he said there a danger of going too Tar In letting the delinquents off the hook Canadians believe in fairness Dye said But fairness also re quires that the majority who pay their full lajies on time should not be eventually penalized by hav to compensate for those who fall to pay their share The Revenue Canada figures showed that about persons out of earning more than or about eight per cent paid no in come tax at all in 1999 About 100 of these earned more than taxpayers who cam bet ween and WO about or about per cent paid no in come tax These figures are an improvement over 1985 when nearly 000 people who earned and up paid no in come lax Including In the quarter milliondollar bracket But It backsliding from preliminary 1968 figures reported last May which suggested only 5 welloff persons escaped the s bite Someone Just about now is saying Aha this Is comparing to oranges After all people Granted But Dye ventured further into the realm of perceived fairness when be said that In referring to noncollection of taxes he was merely touching the surface of a larger problem Our Income tax system relies on the voluntary compliance of tax payers And in turn the conU nuance of that voluntary compliance rests on the recognition by Cana dians that the system is equitable and evenhanded If taxpayers begin to sense that others are taking advantage of system that perception could have an immense negative Impact on the ability of future governments to col lect tax revenues For some years now questions have been raised about fairness How for example could huge com panies such as and Ltd make pretax In come of about million and million in in and not pay a cent of corporate income tax TRENDS WORRISOME Why has proportion of Ot tawas revenue from personal In come tax been rising over the last while for corporate tax it has sliding downward Early on in his term as Conser vative leader Prime Minister Brian Mulrooey was asked about the un fairness of some of the wealthiest of Canadians paying no tax He responded that this problem would be addressed they would pay a tax and It would be a handsome tax Finance Minister Michael Wilson seemed to take a somewhat contrary view when be hinted a couple of years back that wealthy should not be hit too hard with taxes Canada would be better off with more millionaires he mused Many Canadians an trying to help Wilson achieve that goal through the lottery route even though cynics argue that such b vestmenu are a tax on stupidity But one must give the Tories their due Wilson has tackled tbe lingering problem of tax reform And the goal of that partially finished overhaul has officially been to benefit tax payers at the lower and middle- Income levels The Revenue Canada statistic do suggest that government effort to