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Wednesday June 14, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A7 COMMENT Id y llic la n d sc a p e o f B ru c e C o u n ty fo re ve r c h a n g e d Any other year, arriving home from up north after a few days to find our fridge door left opened would have caused mad w eeping and fervent gnashing of teeth. Who, after all, likes to throw away food and milk? But this year, I shrugged. After spending four days in the Walkerton area, I came to realize there are far worse problems than milk that's gone bad. "ABSOLUTELY NO DRINKING OF WATER!" screams the sign on the door to the region's health department Below, a child's hand-scrawled picture with the words of support: We heard you were feeling bad and we hope you feel better soon. Other get well letters of support covered the door. Inside, signs point to water bottles; water systems; water lit erature. Around the comer, the water foun tain is covered up with paper and tape, barring its use. The hand washing sys tem is outlined in detail: on every counter in the washrooms stands a large container marked in stark black and white: hand-washing system. O utside, ju st across the grass, stands the helicopter pad where people were air-lifted, the whirr of the pro pellers as it flew overhead a constant reminder o f the ongoing tragedy. This is the reality for this small town hit hard by the E-coli outbreak. The television cameras and m ost of the print people may have gone, but the bitterness lingers. "Just as long as you aren't from the media..." is a favourite expression. Who, after all, wants to be DIANE HART put on the map for an epidemic? They are trying hard, these people. But it doesn't help when visitors from the city arrive at a place more than 100 kilometres away - a large bustling city with its own water treatment centre - and ask shop owners if the drinking water is safe. It doesn't help that there are cancellations all over the place, even in the surrounding area. It doesn't help when people like myself take bot tled water up there and insist my kids, impatient only to see their dad after several days, drink only the bottled stuff. It doesn't help at all, to a town that continues to feel the effects of the dev astating news of neighbours who died as a result of drinking the town's water. But fear is perhaps the worst part o f it all: and the most endemic. Signs are a testament to the trials of the past couple of weeks: expressions of thanks to water suppliers; thanks for support from a shop owner; a large sign at the golf course advertising a great course and....great water. Time to get on with it, urges a hotel owner. Another smaller town advertises free water to town resident's from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Neighbouring towns and villagers support Walkerton: We're thinking of you, Walkerton; Hang in there Walkerton; Our prayers are with you, Walkerton. Parents m ust get involved in education issues It is tim e for the parents o f our school children to take some respon sibility and get involved in education issues. Parents who would never consider the purchase of a car or com puter w ithout due research, seem quite content to leave questions about edu cation to be decided upon by others. At a tim e when education is clearly at a m ajor turning point, this laissezfaire approach seems frightfully irre sponsible. The crisis ii\, education promised by form er Education M inister John Snobelen is here. It is called Bill 74. U nder Bill 74, teachers will have less time for each student. Parents lose local control o f education through the continued trvialization of trustees. Teachers are grossly offend ed by the lqss o f professional, employee and democratic rights. The m inister of education assumes dicta torial powers. Everyone associated with any aspect o f education assum ed dictatorial pow ers. Everyone associated with any aspect of education will tell you that Bill 74 is a bad law. In the past few years there have been ample indicators that should have alerted parents to the need to take interest and get involved. Some parents did wake up and grassroots bodies such as People for Education did their homework as parents and gained an excellent understanding of what is afoot. Regrettably, the government is not yet responding to these parental voic es. Instead, the government floods us with slick and soothing pamphlets and electronic advertisements funded by the our tax dollars and a nasty The crisis o f the contaminated drinking water is heightened by its tranquil location, nestled in the gentle rolling hills just a stone's throw from the shores of Lake Huron. If you are lucky to drive up to that part o f the province, entering the welcome sign of Bruce County "cattle country", even the most savage road rage can disap pear. You can be at your w it's end try ing to find your way along construc tion-laden highways ju st north o f Guelph only to leave it all behind in those tiny villages and towns. It is a soothing ride up the gently curving highway, surrounded by a light mist on the hills, a few red-winged blackbirds crossing your path and, campaign o f teacher-bashing funded there, on the hillside, a few head of cat by the Mike Harris Tories. Parents tle grazing. would not buy a car based on such The crisis of contaminated drinking public relations exercises, yet they water couldn't have happened in a seem to acquiesce to the education more idyllic location. policies that they are being sold. Today, it remains idyllic. But it is a Parents, fellow citizens, if you sobering experience to walk through value education as im portant to our that town. The flags are at half mast; children's futures, the civility and outside the small Public U tilities well-being of our comm unities, and Commission building, a half dozen the prospects for our country in the cars with Ontario Clean Water Agency global economy, then it is time to do signs are parked. The tow n's business your hom ew ork on Bill 74. Ask es are mostly open and it's almost back teachers, principals, trustees and the to normal. Except for another sign erected by a folks at People for Education what is happening to our schools. W hen you business owner near the edge of town. Just as you drive out of town you understand the issues at stake, you will certainly want to make your see it, a lingering reminder of what has voice heard and you will not let down gone on in the past several days. That large sign stands on the side o f the your vigilance again. road, a symbol of the worry that lies O ur children, our schools, our ju st beneath the tranquillity: Eteachers deserve that much from you. coli....have you left yet? J. MacIntyre O a k v ille S to re R e n o v a t io n S a le O v e r 8 0 0 S u i t s and S p o r t c o a t s u p to 6 0 % o ff S u its fr o m $ 299.00 a n d S p o r tc o a ts fr o m $ 199.00 Father's Day Special! Prices slashed on all Casual and Sum m erw ear! In c lu d e s all D e s ig n e r C o lle c tio n s up to 6 0 % off FINE M E N 'S WEAR 183 Lakeshore Road East, D o w n to w n O akville Telephone (9 0 5) 8 45-8911 9 am - 6 pm w w w .5 4 a r v e y s m e n s w e a r .c o m Saturday June I7