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Standing silently outside Oakville Town Hall Friday in the cool October evening, dressed in a pink maxi-pad gown, Tamara Zeta Sanowar-Makhan refused to be forgotten. The Toronto artist crashed the offi­ cial opening of an exhibition by Canadian artists of South Asian descent at Town Hall to protest the removal of her work, called "Ultra- Maxi" Priest (a life-sized religious vestment of Catholic design covered with 200 quilted feminine-hygiene products), deemed "offensive" by staff. Surrounded by a few supporters Sanowar-Makhan stood outside, immobile for two-and-a-half-hours constrained by the heavy robe cover­ ing her and the stool she needed to keep the six-foot gown from touching the ground. Inside 50 guests, many of whom were either representing the Oakville Arts Council (OAC) or were family and friends of the artists, sipped beer and munched South Asian food. Decrying censorship Sanowar- Makhan gained national media atten­ tion last week when she publicly objected to the town's actions. But her critics claim the artist carefully orchestrated the entire event to gener­ ate publicity. "I believe this is a manipulation because she knew right up front that this is not a gallery space and there can be no controversial work," said Gillian McIntyre, Executive Director of Oakville Arts Council (OAC). "In this case venue is the issue not censor­ ship." When asked to comment on McIntyre's remarks Sanowar-Makhan flatly denied that she deliberately pro­ voked the incident. "Because it has been shown prior (in 1995) I don't see how she can see this as being any kind of desire to gain attention when the work already has a Photo by Hon Kuzyk Artist Tamara Zeta Sanowar-Makhan wore her controversial coat out­ side Town Hall Friday night. history to it," said Sanowar-Makhan, a Torontonian of mixed Trinidadian ancestry. Sanowar-Makhan, whose volunteer work teaching art at a Toronto shelter inspires her, said the piece had been approved by the Oakville Arts Council. Furthermore the OAC decid­ ed where it would go and assisted her to install it. The installation, however, was never completed. The Town Clerk, Judith Muncaster, asked it to be removed after receiving five com­ plaints in a short time from staff dis­ turbed by the feminine hygiene prod­ ucts. Navojot Verraich, the 23-year-old Curator of the event, said the manner in which the Town Clerk told Sanowar-Makhan to remove the piece, and her refusal to even hear Sanowar- Makhan's explanation, was very (S e e 'A r t is t ' p a g e 8) Has three years to repay $20,0000 A former Oakville woman received a one-year conditional jail term Monday after pleading guilty to near­ ly $131,000 worth of welfare fraud. Jacqueline Hooks, 40, and her common-law spouse Richard Hachey, 42, who lived on Elm Road in Oakville and now live in the Sarnia area, were arrested April 28, 1998 and jointly charged with fraud over $5,000. On Monday, Hooks pleaded guilty to the charge before Ontario Superior Court Judge Janet Simmons. Hooks received a one-year jail term, to be served conditionally in the communi­ ty. Hooks was also placed on three years probation, during which time she must repay $20,000. Judge Simmons said this amount was "reasonable" and "enforceable" and is a general deterrent to other wel­ fare cheats and a specific deterrent to Hooks. Hachey's fraud over $5,000 charge was withdrawn by Crown Attorney Douglas Maund as part of the resolu­ tion package. According to Halton Region Eligibility Review Officer Ted Waller, the fraud occurred between Jan. 1987 and Feb. 1998 after Hooks declared she was the sole support parent of three children. At the time, she was living with Hachey. Waller said two weeks had been set aside for Hooks' trial and that 32 Crown witnesses were ready to testi­ fy. On Monday, Hooks elected to be tried by judge alone, not judge and jury. The jury panel that was present was dismissed. "(Hooks' plea) saves a lot of court time and court expenses," said Waller. * Environm ent o ffic ia ls look for culprit in paint sp ill Fareshare Food bank urgently needs food By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Important even at the best of times, Fareshare Foodbank's Thanksgiving food drive is especially cru­ cial this year. The event, which gets underway tomorrow and runs through Oct. 14th, is Fareshare's most important drive of the year, usually producing 60% of the food- bank's annual requirements. "It needs to be on par with previous years, or we're in trouble," says Fareshare spokesman Dudley Clarke. Ordinarily the first food drive of the year is at Easter. This year, in conjunction with Toronto's Daily Bread Foodbank, Fareshare switched from Easter to early May and called the event a spring food drive. Donations totaled only 40% of the usual haul and so, says Clarke, the drive was a "dis­ aster." Fortunately, Fareshare could draw on its reserves, but these have dwindled. "We need to have a good Thanksgiving food drive to put us back on track," said Clarke, who explained Fareshare will revert back to its customary Easter food drive next year. The public is being asked to save the brown paper bag contained in today's Oakville Beaver, fill it and drop it off at Fareshare Foodbank, located at 1240 Speers Rd., Unit 6. Its doors will be open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the food drive. Donations can also be dropped off at all of Oakville's seven fire stations and two Loblaws stores. Non-perishable items of any kind are welcome, including baby food. The foodbank is always running out of meat products, fruit, apple juice and jam. Cash or cheques (for which income tax receipts will be issued) are also encouraged so that Fareshare can go to local stores and purchase what it (S e e 'F o o d b a n k ' p a g e 4) Photo by Riziero Vertolli G R E A T G O U R D S : Kristina Hawley really got into the swing of things on Saturday during Chisholm Public School's 25th anniversary celebra­ tions and Fall Fair. It was a great time for the kids and adults, too. The Ministry of Environment and Energy (MOEE) is investigat­ ing Tuesday's dumping of paint into a downtown storm sewer. The result was a huge white slick easily visible to passers-by who immediately summoned the Oakville Fire Department during the lunch hour. According to Acting Platoon Chief Gerry Lieferink, the MOEE - which in turn notified the Ministry of Fisheries - was contacted and responded to the scene. The Town of Oakville's spills team was also on site to clean up the mess. Lieferink said the paint was dumped into a grate and into a storm sewer situated in a catch basin on the private driveway of townhouses on Walker Street only a stones throw from the lake. Because there was no rain Tuesday, Lieferink surmised that the (S e e 'S p il l ' p a g e 5) Photo by Barrie Erskine Martin McConnochie, Senior Enviromental Officer for Halton-Peel District Central Region, talks to acting Platoon Chief Gerry Lieferink, of the Oakville Fire DepL, and Alex Dachuk, from the Town of Oakville Public Works. Inquest set into 1998 house fire northwest comer of the second storey master bedroom, the other across the room. The window was open when firefighters arrived, but the screen was still in place. The double doors to the bedroom were also open. An inquest has been set for Nov. 1st into a house fire which killed a mother, her two children and a relative more than a year ago on Salvator Boulevard. Dr. Peter Clark, Regional Coroner for Central Ontario, announced the inquest on Monday into the deaths of Lynn Fedoruk, her children Amanda and Adam plus Bonnie Letchuk. The tragedy marked the worst loss of life by fire in Oakville's history. The inquest will start at 9:30 a.m. in the Northhampton Room of the Oakville Quality Inn, 754 Bronte Rd. Dr. David Eden, Regional Coroner for Niagara, will preside over the inquest. Halton Crown Attorney Brian O'Marra will serve as coroner's counsel. The inquest jury will examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths and make recommendations to prevent similar tragedies. Lynn Fedoruk, 44, a popular special needs and enrichment teacher at Heritage Glen School, died on her birthday - August 16, 1998 - the day of the fire. Adam, 15, and Amanda, 12 - as well as Letchuk, 33, were taken off life support the following day. The fire started around 4 a.m. Oakville firefighters found three of the victims huddled under a window at the today's paper FHHnrfata ............... 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OFFICIAL MEDIA OF WIND h e ARTS ----------- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6,1999 52 Pages 75 Cents (plus Artist wears controversial 'coat' in protest of censorship By Sandra Omand SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Welfare fraud netted $131,000 for woman a By Howard Mozel RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS f Free Consultation 842-2100 EXPRESS Jacuzzi Suites he ARTS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6,1999 By Sandra Omand