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Maplefest at Alan Downes îIone snould count te winters pancakes, sausages and that blasts we have been having in the golden syrup. past couple of weeks one would It you missed last week it al have to wonder if it is really Limne happens again this week-end with for Maple Syrup evenis. Chef Lou Fitz and president Jim The calendar has it that it is Cartier of the club on hand. 0f time and the local Kinsmen with course Alan will have the team their Maple Fest at Alan Downes out for a drive off to the sugar over the past week-end are also bush. aware that it is time to serve up Community Fairs (Continued from page 1) have evulved was the Blacksmith. Next was probably the Miler and shortly after the Sawyer, al of these peuple were very necessary to the development or the "New wurld". Although the original surveys set out large tracks of land for farming and somne land was se-t aside for the church as well as learning institutions, nu tuwnsites were set asîde. This process was just another aspect of evolution. ThceBlacksiih might pick a central area where it would be easy for the fanners te gel lu, tie Miller and Sawyer would choose a spot on a creek where a dam could be built and a pond formed that would give him a power supply. Evenîually churches, stores and fairgrounds would locale nearby and a town was bure. Must of these setilers came as established families, in retrospect we may say that Iis was foolish, bringing women and chidren lu a place whére there was nu shelter from the harsh climale, where Ihere was nu confirmed food supply and where there was nu guarantee uf survival. . . Just free land. There was probably lwo rationalities fur Ibis, firstly, there was nu reason for the women and children tu stay behind and secondly they knew that if tbey didn't ail go together, they would probably neyer sceeune another again, su they had to stick together. And sticking together is definitely une of the most important ventures undertaken by these hardy peuple. Large corporations today can only drearn of having their empluyees incorporate the kind of teamwork Ibat was everyday practice for our forbearers. It's that teamnwork that 1 would like tu focus on as we look at the early "fairs" in Ontario. When a task needed dune, cummunities pulled together, neighbours dropped whatever they were doing' te help raise a barn or put un a fair. A cummunity spirit prevailed that was the foundation of Ibis country. The 1991 census repo rted that in Ontario 2.2% of the population made their livelihood froni agriculture, where during the early l9th century that figure was well over 95%. This was the time for the "Fair" or as it was originally known as "the Show" to make it's appearance. I like to think of it as the original Trade Show. Almost every community had an agricultural society, formed to provide it's members with the means of impruving their pruductiviîy. As a group they could accomplish things like importing breeding stock, a task not achievable by an individual farmer. As new and better livestock and seed became available the agricultural societies would host a "show", usually in the Fail of the year, after the bulk of the harvest was completed, These "shows" were almost always a une day affair, where the whole family would attend. It would bc the social event of the year for niost of the farm famiies, a lime tu relax and visit with your neighbours after an intense season of planting, harvesting, clearing land and building split rails fences as well as many other tasks necessary lu surviving in this new country. In early years a "show" would consist of showing the domestic animais and grains, then each year new items would be added such as canning, needlework and baking, of which the housewife was justly proud and should also "show". Froni these early, humble beginnings until today agricultural societies in Ontario have neyer douked back, a year neyer goes by without somne new item being displayed at the fair. t wasn't long before the manufacturers found out that the "show" was an excellent place to "show" their pruducts, s0 il happened that the first contact most peuple had with new products such as sewing machines and automobiles was at the Fall Fair. Over the years many of the small'fairs have amalgamnaîed to foret larger fairs which run frm one day to a week in some cases. Faîl fairs still "show" aIl the traditional agricultural produce and domestic sciences plus much more. You can still meet many people you know and enjoy a social chat over a coffee or a hot, full course meal. You can also visit countless demuinstrations, displays, exhibits, or entertainunent. And of course one queen's Park Report from Gord EIlîs, MPP Durhain East Recently, the Federal New Democratic Party released their economic plan which will form part of their platform in the upcoming federal election. Suspecting that the right wing economic pundits would slam their plan, they asked for an independent study of the proposais by Ottawa-based Informetrica Ltd. The New Democratic plan represents a bold departure in Canadian economic policy, and perhaps most important, the report released by Informetrica, confirms that the NDP's economic plan will reduce inflation and unemployment, and would hold the lime on the federal deficit. The plan becomes that much more important when considered with the fact, that neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals are proposing significant changes in economic policy. Taking ail the elements of the NDP plan together -- investments, revenue measures, and consequences in the economy, i ncluding the reduction of interest rates -- Informetrica's study demonstrates that the NDP's plan would actually reduce the deficit by a cumulative total of more than $8 billion over five years. In recent weelks, some people have contacted me for a reason for the NDP-changing ils policy on casino gambling. First of aIl, there neyer has been an officiai NDP policy on casino gambling, despite statements made by Dennis-Drainville and others. It's true that over the years, various statements, have been made by people i the-party about lotteries and gamblîng, but most of these statements were made in différent Urnes and different cuntexis. Today, the reality is that gaming is here to stay, and it's al over North America. Together, lotteries, horseracing and charitable gambling make up a $4 billion mndustry in Ontario. If we were to follow the logic of people who say that gambling is wrong and should not be permitted, it would mean shuttmng down every church bingo hall, every charitable Monte Carlo nîght, every racetrack in the province. Across Canada, casinos are weil established as a popular form of entertainment. Sume varîeîy of casino can be found un every of the prime reasons for the young men tu attend the "show'! 140 years ago was tu prove that he had the fastest horse, another tradition that survives to this day. In recent years the mandate of fairs in Ontario has changed to an educational theme. As more and more of the population move a way from the agricultural foundation, it becomes important to show fair-patrons where much of their food cornes from and how it is produced. The Durham Central Agricultural Society hopes that you and your family will plan to visit the Orono Fairgrounds on September 9 - 12 when they wil pruduce the l4lst Annual Durhami Central Fair. by Ron Locke Canadian province and territory. So it's not a question of changing our policy, or introducing something new in Ontario -- it's basically a recognitionthat tumes have changed, and public attitudes-have changed., The government remains committed te introducing casinos as carefully and responsibly as, possible, which is why we decided upon the pilot project approach. While there bas been no decision to expand casinos un Ontario beyond Windsor, many, 0uther cummunities continue to express interest un locating a casino in their community. I see in Great Britain that Social Services Secretary Peter LiJley, wil publish a White Paper in April, that will see the retirement age for wumen raised from age 60 te 65 - the sainie as for men. The move is estimated to save the government about $8 billion dollars a year. The move' will form part of the Conservative government's review Of g overnment spending. Other moves over there that are being considered are, taxing benefits paid to ivalids and means-testing child benefits. Some battles are fought, and lost, over and over again. More than 50 years ago, Stephen Leacock fought bitterly, and unsuccessfuily, against his forced retîrement froni the economics department of McGil University. Retirement at age 65 makes things nice and tidy for administrators. But it totally ignores the question of competence both before and after age 65. In a few days time, I will- celebrate my own 65th birthday. As a member ofthe Ontario Legisiature I am not subject to compulsory retirement - thank goodness! My teniure depends upon you ail, and not on la decision made by the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to serving everyone for sometime to come. 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