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the HERALD Home Newspaper of Halton Hills Established A Division of Canadian Newspapers Company Limited Guelph Street Georgetown Ontario Publisher and General Manager Editor Advertising Manager it Tilt Tuesday TO mar The year in review The rhetoric is getting rough Anyone purposely looking or hardship and tragedy could easily make a In Hills The town In 1986 hud Its share of hard times and sad moments We follow the lead of an Imperfect world full of promising moment and lost opportunities But through It all the year wot a good one in Hills Designated by the United Nations as the Year of Peace 1986 was alio the year alley year or economic growth and a housing boom Here at home our community matured We re not getting older we re getting better stronger more confident more Independent now has a chronic care facility thanks proper licensing from the provincial government Our Chamber of Commerce In Acton and Georgetown met to plan joint pro jects and Italic to lobby for develop- The Georgetown Chamber Is plan for a tourismchamber office to help attract new businesses and visitors to town Highway we noticed more retail businesses starting to bios Lower rates helped many buy their first home stretching demand and providing for local builders Social service agencies assisted In the Introduction of a United Way in Hills This charitable organisation nitty eventually pro vide the funds to open more agencies help the needy Council set Its sights at Improving our road systems In Its budget and the home development by Enterac was approved Halton Regional Police officers were smiling being granted the goahead to build a safety village leach children about the rules of the Festival Five celebrating five years at the Hills Library Cultural Centre was a succens There was an opportunity for everyone who enjoys the art to par The Georgetown Girls Pipe Band did us proud In Scotland when they won the best overseas band award after many months and years of dedicated practice The future looks bright for the Farm property which could one day host a site Tor a heritage horse park A study and negotiations are underway for a use for he Moacre property I horse park would be a boon lo tourism and help to further put Halton Hilts on the map The year alio had lis tragic moments and disappointments But that best left Tor another day another editorial The town of Hills Is malur we can see the signs Be a part Its growth speak well of your home town because II s a great place to live We could do with a little more pro motion The rhetoric is getting rough With this Minister of labor workers do not have a chance of That was New Democratic Party occupational health and safety critic Ell Mnrtcl attacking Labor Minister Wrye in the Assembly 1 have spent the post while listen a lot of nonsense from the NDP side I have heard a lot nonsensical fads When they are reviewed they turn out not to tie the facts And that one response same day Since the took charge as an insinuation that Mortel was ly and since accusing another member of lying is the biggest no no there is around ere one can gain some sense of the antipathy that exists between and his critics in fact there is an edge to the NDP hostility toward that one can remember hearing in any of their assaults on Conservative labor ministers over the past decade or so House Leader Ross Me Clellan labelled the worst By Derek Nelson labor minister he seen in this place To which NDP Leader Bob added that comments had prompted a lot of discussion in our caucus and It was a very close decision In terms of rating who has been the worst labor minister In the past 11 years However the present minister still won the award And what has Wrye done or more accurately not done to deserve such contempt Strikingly it is not that he Is as being any worse than Is Tory predecessors in managing what Invariably calls the swamp and of which he crowns the guardian Those basic complaints re main the some from charging the middle echelon bureaucracy in CQVEftUP Labor with refusal to enforce ex isUng law to a perceived I tab toward industry In many decisions Rather what seems to have em bittered New Democrats toward more than other toward ministers Is that they thought more of him When he was opposition labor was verbally close to the both In policy and attitude He had a genuine belief In the need for labor reform so that workplace safety was improved in Ontario The Injury rate has actually in creased since the Liberals came to power And since Wrye had no lack of con fidence that he was the man to do the job the tough continued to flow from him even he became minister But Martel says never got a handle on the ministry that even with a new deputy minister acquired in the summer nothing positive is happening under Interestingly the response of some of Wryes people is puzzle ment They do see changes They suggest good things arc taking Flowering education Staff Comment The I lower of education became part weed in 1966 Some of those looking at the crossbreed saw more flower than weed others saw more weed than flower For Roman Catholic separate school supporters 1986 was a vintage year Through Bill 3D full funding was finally extended to Catholic schools It was a blooming lesson In Justice to the Catholics who have been waiting decades for its arrival Some public school system sup porters viewed It as a threat to their provincial funding which they see getting smaller every year The exodus of public school students to Catholic schools did not happen in That result was predicted by some as a result of ex tended funding Those with such fears at least learned that money Parents and students showed they satisfied with public education Consolidation left an unpleasant scent in Ihc noses of many Hills residents More upsetting than the closing of- and Howard Wrigglesworth public schools was the secrecy with which It was done Information Identifying which schools would close leaked out from some members of the consolidation committee The committee as whole did not want that Information released too soon Hopefully the Board will be more open about Its plans to close schools In the future The fact that parents were inform so late in the consolidation pro cess Justified their anger By getting Involved in a protest opposing closures many parents learned more about the Board That was one of the benefits or the consolidation The closing of one public school led to the opening of a separate school Bishop Reding Secondary School is temporarily using what was the Public School building This means shorter bus rides for many local Catholic students The future of Speyslde and public schools is before the courts Should the Speyslde Area Ratepayers Association win Its court case both schools might open again A victory for the Speyslde group would mean reversing consolidation committee recommendations and many headaches for the public board In 1967 At least they would be getting a renovated Speyslde school Back the separate board renovated the Speyside school One of the interesting relation ships to watch In will not be on prime time television but In the news as the public and separate boards grow more dependent on one another Local Trustees Bruce and Dick Howitt etched their names a lit tic deeper In history by ser as chairman and vice chairman of the public board In the separate board Trustee Irene Mc Cnuley served her first term as vice- chairman All but Trustee were reelected to these positions for ForMPP No longterm guarantee three The public board separate school trustees Separate school trustees have sat on the public board since It was formed In Milton and Hills Trustee Don Gordon lost that post with the public board Meanwhile the separate board gained three French trustees who will serve at large In until the next municipal election Georgetown resident Ken Norman is one of them For students of the public board the good news In 1966 was that the strap was abolished It still exists In the separate board but is very rare ly used Public school taxes rose by per When Quebec MP Robert decided to become a member of the New Democratic caucus Leader Ed described it as a Christmas present But the big question is whether the present comes with any long term guarantee And the answer of course is No The acquisition of Mr Toupin a yearold notary who was elected as Tory in and who quit that party last May was obviously a cause for celebration by the After nil that party has never had a In caucus and the addition of this former Tory focuses renewed attention on the growing popularity In the province All opinion polls have been consis tent In suggesting the NDP now are well ahead of the Tories In Quebec the Liberals being far out In front Ottawa Report to political turncoats Mr has other difficulties to overcome He not only walked out of the Tory caucus In a huff he was earlier a supporter of the Quebec Liberals Ana rightly or wrongly he had developed a reputation within the Tory caucus of not being a good team player Whether Mr Toupin actually toyed with the idea of Joining the federal Liberal caucus depends on whose version you accept He says such a step And Mr was pleased to he was invited declare that his new will be f a spokesman for us in the province M ISIS of Quebec John Turner says no such approach was ever made He says Mr Toupin sufficient political stability honest and who knows Only when you think of some Liberals who were accepted do you realize the enormity of this put down Mr Toupin who quit the Tories over the closing of a Montreal oil refinery sold he was originally at traded to the party because they presented It as the Progresslv- The leader tremely important for me to have person who Is honest and who knov the philosophy of our party and Is totally at case with It But It not just question of whether Mr Toupin is ease with the NDP philosophy The bigger issue whether voters will accept him as a credible disciple NOT EASY Quite apart from the fact cent In Whether the tike or votes and but I pro lan will produce lower or weeds lend to it IM conservative has yet to be seen A holiday message By DON KNIGHT Burlington With Ihe Holiday Season upon us I want to express my hope the new year will be a healthy and pro sperous one for all My colleagues and I have been working hard over the past few weeks to Introduce some Important before the Christmas break Among the cms whkh were recently introduced was legislation regarding Pay Equity in the public and private sectors The Honourable Ian Scott Introduced this legislation which is the most cam prehenslvc in Canada and which will ensure that gender discrimination has no place In our society With pay equity workers will receive the same wage for Jobs that ore con sidered to be of equal value to the employer even if the Jobs are not necessarily the same The Honourable Jack an Bounced the PLUS Pro gram With Or- FIRM PLUS the far mlng sector will receive an million In interest This will bring he total to million over the next three years As many as farmers are ex peeled to apply for the OFFIRR PLUS program New or beginning farmers will also be able lo par ticipate Initiatives were also token in the Social Services and Environment I The Honourable Jim Bradley an proposed fines of up to a a million dollars a day for most serious pollution offenders Responsibility for pollution wilt now go right to the top officers and directors of corporations will have to take all reasonable steps to prevent pollution offences Failure to do so will In Itself be a violation of the law traduced legislation to impn formation regarding adoption This legislation would allow adopted children and their natural families to leam each other Identities after the children reach adulthood and providing both sides give their con sent Thoughtful planning for the retire ment future of Ontario citizens resulted in the Introduction of far reaching pension reforms recently The legislation contains a number of substantial reforms Full time employees will be eligible to Join their pension plan after two years of service regardless of their age This Is change from the usual practice that required a worker to have been employed for 10 years and be at least olds old Part time employees will be eligible to join after consecutive years of service provided they have earned a certain minimum amount My colleagues and I will be forward many more new and Important initiatives when the next session of the Legislature begins In the new year I want to take this opportunity to again wish everyone a safe and hap py Holiday Season However In some of his earlier parliamentary speeches Mr certainly didn t indicate ho had trou ble with this In June 19S5 as New Democrats were railing against the first budget of Finance Minister Michael Wilson Mr Toupin was stoutly defending It as courageous because It increases indirect and direct taxes He said it contained a new vision of Canada where Individuals and the sector will play an Important role That not ex the stuff of the New Democrats RIDING PROBLEMS Mr Toupin had also applauded the Mulroncy government for using the living strength of the market and banks He also had high praise for the governments lifetime capital gains exemption But on Joining the NDP he had this to say about the Tories I reproach the party because of Its lack of direction because It favored the in terests of high finance and the multinationals to the detriment of ordinary people As Prime Minister Mulroncy once said in a different context we re having difficulty getting our message across But its not just In political philosophy or credibility that Mr Toupin is likely to run into trouble There the more practical problem of holding his Terrebonne scat Although long held by the Liberals the riding is regarded as somewhat conservative In the election Tory Toupin swept the constituency with nearly votes defeating Libera in cum bent Roland by votes The candidate received only vutcs And the entire executive commit tee that worked for Mr says it will remain loyul to the Tories The party claims to have more than members In the riding while the has virtually no organization To the astonishment of no one the Conservatives now arc planning a membership blitz in Terrebonne While nil Quebec scats might well be up for grabs In the next election you can safely assume that the Con will spare no effort to hold Terrebonne And given Mr Toupin political lineage he could be In for a very rough ride even if he docs manage to say all the right things WRITE US A LETTER What do you think about what Is happening In Hills in this province across the nation and around the rid We are interested In your opinion The Herald Invites Its readers to express their opinion through our forum section letters must be and in elude an address Your phone number should be listed In order for us verify the signature Please keep your tetter brief and to the point The maximum length Is Send your letters to The Herald IS Street Minor changes to Enterac agreement Minor changes to the Pro perly Corporation plan of subdlvl for Georgetown South were ap proved by town council last Monday night Mo3t of them are design changes to the draft plan approval conditions passed last December by council Coun Betty Fisher had some dlf with one alteration that stated out of Its pocket must prepare a park concept plan that satisfies the town planning director Coun Fisher was concerned the concept might be beyond ell budget and would be leading home buyers to expect great and wonderful things I Town Planner Keith said the lot levies pay for the development of the community park and the concept plan will bo on a budget accordingly He reassured Coun Marilyn Jeantson there won be any active recreational uses for the community park near the residence Rather there will be more passive use like swings and slides for small children There won be any lit tennis courts Norman Elliott said he was satisfied with the alteration and said It delegations were to come from the homes they could be complaining about a lot more than the park likely about things council even dreamt They think the NDP is just politicking out of fear of losing labor voters to a popular Liberal govern An outsider has a difficult time Judging the truth of much of this especially in as murky a ministry as Labor about which no two stories describing the same event ever have the same punchline But there no doubt that some of the arrogance is gone from Wryes responses in the Assembly And one can I help but raise an eyebrow in wonder how he is liandling th allegations about sex drug and treatment irregularities at the Downsvicw Rehabilitation Cen tre of I Ik Workers Compensation Board What the Assembly has seen is as New Democrat Ross McClellan nice ly put it the most extraordinary situation of three separate task forces commissioned by the same minister on the same problem Frankly It look good for retaining his portfolio when cabinet shuffle time comes later this 30 years ago The winners of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce home decorating contest were announced The twelve winners are Harry Copland Mountain view Road Bob Temple Road Herb Churchill Cres Basil Pacini Bard Lone Cecil Davidson 10 Albert St Dick Parker Albert St Harold Henry IS Market St Bill Carr Prince Charles Ted Evans Prince Charles James Young Shelley St Lalsler 14 Villeyvicw Road and Clarence Held Court J Taylor of Appleby was elected president of the Federation of Agriculture at the an nual meeting in School His vicepresidents are Laking Mac Sprowl Ed Fish and Brock The Norval Presbyterian Church had their Christmas concert The chairman of the event Rev G and Sunday school superintendent Thomas organized the concert 15 years ago Kenneth Blair of Guelph was named judge of district and county courts The announcement was made in Ottawa by Justice Minister John Turner Bud James was featured in the Herald a man who dedicated to minor hockey HcTecently retired as ihc Royal Canadian Legion Saturday Morning Hockey chairman Rick Dowding one of the profes of the Georgetown Figure Skating Club is training an brother and sister for the Canadian championships Debbie and John will skate in London for the in title Tlrec Georgetown midgets were in Ihe lineup of the Tn County Midget Alt Stars who were defeated by a North York alt star team Representing Georgetown were Glenn Robinson Alex and Williams 10 years ago Georgelown lawyer Dick and Acton School Principal Gary Diwktns received appointments to the Hilton Board of Education Mr will serve three years with the Hills Library Board Mr Dow kins will be the new principal at Actons middle school He has been principal of M Bennett The Peel Highland Games received a Wlntorio grant of The money will be used for transportation and fees for judges George Gray and Fred were at the opening of Mountclair Developments on Armstrong Avenue The company had an of opening after offices were moved from Street 5 years ago Town council opposed restoring iht century old Acton town hall A j vote decided the matter Jnramillo presented her with new baby Christmas Day Tie baby Jesus Antonio Jirnmillo wus eight pounds six ii net and was born in Georgetown ind D strict Memorial Hospital Madden won a 14 Inch col or television from The prize presented by rep Helen Robertson was second place In the store Christmas Sweepstakes Hit Red Cross is seeking donations for Poland The Interna effort called Polish Relief Pro gram is seeking to raise million for need Poles this POETS CORNER PI THERE it 111 an the reflection who shares my mirror 1 search I turn my back you both disappear When I look again will you be back ByMAHLOWEC DICKSON Ontario I