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

Straying from his main topic, he used simple sketches to show the differences between an Englishman and a typical Canadian, who looked remarkably similar to former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. But all of this was leading up to an important point Wicks wanted to make. After a few more amusing tales that kept the audience laughing, Wicks turned to his topic for the evening...Canada. "There is absoâ€" lutely nothing wrong with Canada," he began. "It‘s the people who live here. The solution is simple. These people must all be replaced." Not surprisingly, Wicks â€" a native of London, England â€" believes this country needs more ‘Englishmen.‘ "A few years ago, I was asked to speak at my children‘s high school in Don Mills. After speaking and drawing a few cartoons, I went on the subway to go downtown. On the subway, a young girl pointed at me and told her mother, ‘Look, there‘s Ben Wicks.‘ Feeling rather good that I was recognized, I smiled. I noticed more people looking at me and smilâ€" ing. When I arrived at my meeting, a colleague pulled a big label off my pocket and told me I didn‘t need it. The label said, ‘I‘m Ben Wicks.‘ So much for being a celebrity." "This country needs more Chinese, Scots, Irish...more of everyone who has helped this incredible country grow to what it is today," he told his captivated audiâ€" ence. "I know there isn‘t a person in this room who can‘t trace their ancestors to somewhere else." Wicks went on to ask why we keep moaning and groaning about things â€" telling everyone to take time to stop and think about what we are. "We‘re not French or Spanish, we‘re Canadians." To show people why he appreciâ€" ates how good things are here, Wicks told about some of his experiâ€" ences as a child growing up in povertyâ€"stricken London. "We lived in buildings that were hundreds of years old and most of the kids had TB." His twin brother â€" who died soon after he was born â€" was buried between the feet of a stranger because his father couldn‘t afford a burial. "This is the nineties...times have changed. We still live in fear, but of a different kind â€" not diphtheria, but cancer, AIDS, losing your job, crime. How do we conquer these fears in the nineties? I believe sucâ€" cess comes to those mindful of othâ€" ers‘ needs." "I‘ve lived here 38 years and of all the colonies, Canada is still my favorite," joked Ben Wicks, keynote speaker at the Oakville Public Library‘s Centennial dinner at Le Dome on Friday night. Speaking to a full house of more than 300 people, Wicks started off on a humorous note, offering a glimpse at what life is like as a famous cartoonist and author. "Why are you here?" he asked. "Not just because of a bloody good meal. Not to hear Ben Wicks talk. You‘re here because the library is 100 years old. At the library, some people can walk in and find themâ€" selves backstage with Madonna, or seeing what life would be like as Kevin Costner. A library card is a By SHELLY SANDERS GREER Special to the Oakville Beaver Cartoonist Ben Wicks confident Canada will survive as a country "The survival of our country depends on people like you, people who care. Canada is not perfect, but it‘s not Bosnia, or Somalia, or Rwanda. The amazing thing is...things turn around." I‘ve had 30 jobs, so I know what it‘s like. We‘re all trying to survive a period that seems to be carrying us into rocky water and strong winds. I know we will survive as a country." Ben Wicks, keynote speaker at the Oakville Public Library‘s Centennial Dinner with town crier, Betty Kading. Wicks spoke to a crowd of more than 300 people. passport to everything past, present, and future. There is a whole world out there, if you‘re lucky enough to THE BLITZ . Thi f is not able to e te jour [ CSR( H1] 4 [ [( [ H neys I just talked about." m®Vo\® nB > ts qo eb ts Highway 25 north to Steeles. West on Steeles Harrop is 500 yards on the north side. James Lumbers Shirley Deaville New In Town? 1/2 PRICE for your first visit Tues. to Thurs. with Beata $ 50 Cut Style â€" v Reg. $35 .. 1 o LFY"ITA Sunday November 13, 1994 â€" 12 Noon to 5 p.m. FALL DINING ROOM SALE 42035 Fairview St., Burlington T Great selection of Entertainment Armoires available in pine, oak or traditional cherry. Styles in country and traditional. Pine Pocket Door Entertainment Units. Starting at â€" $899. 345 Steeles Ave., Milton HARROP GALLERY RESTAURANT Sofas starting at Custom Sofa ale Great fabric selection Web coil springs Range of styles from traditional to country Mon.â€"Wed. 10:00 a.m>5:30 p.m. . * Thurs.Fri, 10:00 a.m.:00 pm. _ * Sat. 10:00 a m 5:30 p.m. y Falrview 8t