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lO-Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, March 6, 1991 Report from Ottawa The locale of ibis story moves down near Newtonville. Like some of the other s tories, this story had its timiing in the 1930s. A very good and dear friend of mine was the late Neil Stewart. Neil was the itinerant music teacher for the local schools in the area. He was a dedicated teacher and an accomplished artist. Besides all these accomplishments, Neil had a great fund of general knowledge of many varied subjects. It was- through tbis interesting man that my story begins. Neil had acquired a very old map of the area east of Newtonville. This was a hand drawn map, and was so old it had an aura of mystery about it. The map described the location of a peat-mining operation in the early 1800's. The location was north of Ellioî's garage. The garage sits on the souib side of No. 2 Highway, but a large depot of' used cars and army surplus vehicles stand across the road. Neil explained to me that we would probably fmnd our site in a raiber large bog. To prepare for ibis excursion we would bring rubber boots, rain gear, and above al spades to dig the peat. What we didn't plan on were clouds of hungry mosquitoes. The old map was accurate, the peat mining operation was installed., We cut, large rectangular strips of peat from the bog. They were saturated with water and we would have 10 remove them 10 a place where we could dry them. In order for peal to burn iî needs to be dry. What no one had told us was ibat the water in, the peats produces. a beautiful brown dye whicb 50 stained our clothing that there was little hope of redeeming them. A highlight of our foray was 10 discover an abundance of wild orchids and the rallier rare pitcher plant. In order 10 prove that peat would provide a good source of fuel and re-establisb a long- forgotten peat-mining operation, we felt we would have 10 prove our product did indeed bum. To this end we decided to put some block of peat i the kitchen often to expedite matters. 1 can only tell you that this is not the way 10 dry peat. The bislory of the peat moss lies i the bog to ibis day. The istorical sidelight of this story is not a happy one. World War Il was breaking out and the Minister of Defense in the MacKenzie King govemment of tbat time was the Honourable Norman Rodgers. On a fog bound moming bis plane and bis defense aids crashed mino the bog. Because of the necessity of war- time security there was liltle written of that air disaster. Our war-time Defense Minister was killed in the accident. Not only does the bog hold the secret of the peat-minebut iî also holds the mystery of the plane crash. I would like 10 add a féootote to this story. On Saturday, Mardi 2nd, Miss Catherine Stewart, celebrated ber 90tb birthday. Catherine Stewart is the sister of the late Neil Stewart. The Stewarts were bighly respected members of a Sixth Line family that have resided there since their forefatbers settled there. In 1970 Miss Catherine Stewart published a book called "Kendal Hilîs'. t leaves a las ting record of these beautiful hbus. Gord's View Why I no longer watch TV To say that I no longer watch any TV would be stretching it a bit. The truth is that I hardly ever watch - sut down and look at a TV program. In tbis lime of war news, of course, 1 tumn on the News from the Gulf on CBC at ten, if I can. Unfortunately TV is an artifact of life today. You would have to dwell in a -monastery, or live in total isolation, to gel away from it completely. At Queens Park we- bave our own daily show, and people still talk about that around me. What is it that exactly switched ;me off TV? t bas just been a 'feeling that bas developed, a graduaI distastes, growing sometimzs to repulsion, for what seerrs and endless streamn of noise, vulgarity, violence, explicit sex and time wasting empty talk. Recently, it seemed that at any time I turned on the set it was disgorging some forma of insanity or loud-mouthed vulgarity. Is it foggeyish of me? Is it something to do with my age? As people grow older, they -grown more discriminating. As they recognize more names in the obituary columns, il strikes them that life is'gelting shorter, and perhaps to short to spend time looking at the characters portrayed in afternoon soaps. Do you ever think back 10 those rattling good series on the box - when there was an Upstairs, Downstairs to spend tbe evening watching. When Sunday night meant Ed and Bonanza. These days'to watch Dr. Rutb somehow seems repellent. Who needs il? Why drag yourself down by succumbing to such use of media. A huge amount can be gained by not walching TV programs. You can read mor e, you have a better chance of keeping in louch with friends througli letter wrîting. You can go out for more walks and gain better health. You can listen to CBC Radio more, listen about current events, or history, or gain some fresh inquiring ideas from a real knowledge quarter. 1 cant remember when I got that feeling last from a TV program. Someone once said, "if you do not like what is on television you should turn it off". Now that is a, good tip. If more of us did so, the fare might just change. The way 1 see il. by Ross Stevenson M.P. for Durham Last weeks federal Budget deait, head-on with major problems facing Canada today; the recession, shaky confidence i our nation's future, and the complaint by Canadians that theyre already over-taxed. The 1991 Budget is a blueprint for economie recovery powered by lower interest rates and reduced iflation. Lower jnterest rates that stay low will stimulate spending by business and consumers. To keep interest low the federal government has set 2 perý cent as the inflation target for comig years. This also will be a great help to senior citizens and others on-fixed icomes. Over the past 15 years Canadians learned that more government spending only leads eventually to more taxes. So, while the 1991 Budget didnt touch established programns for veterans, the elderly, the unemployed, and native peoples, overail spending încreases are limited to 3 per cent for the next five years. New laws will ensure these spending li mits are followed, so that the federal govemment -- like other Canadians -- will have to live within its incomne! I'm sure ail of you will be pleased to know that Ottawa's entire income from the new Goods and Services Tax will be used exclusively for reducing the federal deficit and the national debt. Canada became a financial cripple between 1975 and 1984 wlienthe governmentin office borrowed and spent nearly $200 billion more than it took in. By 1984 compounding iuterest on that debt had increased it by another $120 billion. Today the total accumulated debt is about $380 billion -- equivalent to $ 15,000, for every man, woman and chid in Canada So, for example, if the éntire federal govemment was shut down today -- ail offices closed, al spending and programs cancelled, ail bureaucrats, M.P.s and Senators were fired, and all federal buildings and properties were sold -- thered still be a $13 billion operating deficit this year because of the interest charges on the national debt. Even without those interest charges, the government in 1984 had a $16 billion deficit on its operations and programs. Today, aside from interest there is a $12 billion surplus. So this govemment has already achieved a significant $28 billion turnaround. But more restraint is needed, and this Budget provides it. Salaries of the Prime Minister and Cabinet are frozen. The entire wage budget of the federal government is to be frozen next year, and in followýing years will be liniîted to 3 per cent. Governn-ent operating budgets and capital spending are frozen and Management will be reduced 10 per cent. Tbere's no money for sucli things as Toronto's proposed ballet- opera house or the cultural centre in Montreal. Significantly this Budget contained only two increases in federal revenues -- an added tax on tobacco, and a rise in Unemployment Insurance contributions to keep that programn seif-sufficient. Concern has been expressed that federal, restraints will reduce Ottawa's ability to regulate medicare. However the govemment will shortly introduce new legisiation to ensure there is no erosion of the national medicare standards that Canadians expect. The theme of this Budget is recovery and prosperity. Our prosperity was risked by previous govermnents that gave Canadians programns and benefits without raising the money to pay for them., Recovery is on the way, andby acting now the government is ensuring our economy and the social programns we cherish will be strong and remain so ini the future. IT'S THE ANNUAL BOWMAN VILLE ROTARY CLUB'S Ea ster SealCampaign OUR LOCAL OBJECTIVE Please.-. .HeI pUs, HieIp Our Kids Please drop your donation off at the Bowmanville branch of the Bank of Montreal, andi help us save on increased postal costs. ln order to meet our objective, WE NEED VOUR HELP! WE KNOW YOU CARE. SHOW YOU CARE.