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-~ -~--- - Orono Weekly TImes~ Wednesday, Fehruary 9,1994 Newcastle Public Sehool News Several classes are considering each. The studenits are now taking a trip to the Winter Garden orders with delivery to be made, Theatre in Toronto to sec "Beauty on February l4th, Valentine's' and The Beast" on May 2nd. Day. The cost for tickets are $8.50 , Carnival events have been and the classes are holding events planned for the Primary and and activities to raise funds to Junior divisions of the sehool. help offset the cost of trans- The primary event is being held poration., February il with the junior event Mrs. Hoy's grade 3 class are to on February 14 - alternate dates seli personalized Valentine are February 18 and 28. Cookies to students. Cost 50 cents "Age %of. Conoe&rn" News and1 Information for Seniors" from your "Senior" ai Queen's Park - Gord Milis Last week, I said I would write about the Ligbtman report and Tenant Rigbts. I arn going to put that on hold in order to write about something that bas popped up which. is causing some concern. I want to give, you some information about the Substitute Decisions Act, whicb is updating the laws on what may bappen when someone is not rnentally able to make important decisions about bis or ber life. These can include decisions about finances, property management, and personal care, which includes tbings like bealth care, food, housing and safety. The new Act continues to allow people to plan in advance for incapacity, by naming a trusted member of the family or friend througb a power of attorney to make those decisions for tbern should they become incapable of doing so themselves. T here bas been some confusions about the new law, particularly as it relates to durable powers of attorney for property and applications by family members for guardianship. Here are some of the common misconceptions. Myth # 1 - After the Act cornes into force, people who are given power of attorney will bc required to provide security and file a management plan. Fact: A person narned in a power of attorney is flot required to provide security or file a management plan. If you do not make, a power of attorney, and a guardian bas to be appointed, the guardian will be required to provide security and file a management plan. The law has always requi red these safeguards to protect the interests of the incapable person. Myth #2 - People should hurry to make powers of attorney before the Substitute Decisions Act cornes into effect to avoid certain provisions of the new legislation. Fact: After the Act takes effect, all substitute, decision makers and attorneys and guardians will be subject to its provisions, no matter when the power of attorney was made, so it really won't make any difference if the power of attorney is signed before the Act is proclairned. Myth #3 - The Public Trustee will take over the property of everyone who becomes mentally incapable, even if they make a power of atorney or have farnily who want to act as a guardian. Fact: The Act is designed to limait government involvement to situations where there are no suitable alternatives. The Act gives people, the opportunity to make sure someone they trust will take care of their property by rnaking a continuing power of attorney. If there is no valid power of attorney, farnily or close friends could apply te becomne the person's guardian of property. If no other appropriate person is willing and available to make important decisions, and there is clearly a need for decisions to be made, then, as a last resort, the Public Guardian and Trustee may make thein. No matter who the decisions-maker is, the property will continue to belong to the incapable person. The decisions- maker's job is to manage it for the incapable persons' benefit. .Myth #4: The Act puts new hurdles in the way of farnily members who wish te assume guardianship of an incapable person when there is no continuing power of attorney. Fact: The Act actually makes it easier for a family member to become a guardian in some cases by introducing a process that does not require an application to the court. The safeguards of security and a management plan have been preserved in the new process because they have proven in the past to be a valuable way of protecting the financial interests of incapable people. Myth #5: Everyone who is suspected of being incapable will be assessed. Fact: Many incapable people will neyer be assessed. Smnce the purpose of an assessment is te put a decision- maker in place, this would rarely be necessary if a decîsion-maker had already been designated under a continuing power of attorney. Even if there isý no power of attorney, an assessment would not bc needed unless the circurnstances indicated that a guardian would benefit the person., Myth #6: Every incapable person will have to have a guardian. Fact: There is 'no requirernent under this Act that Waste Community Liaison Group Update by John Veldhuis How does one dlean up a low level radioactive waste site? The Clarington Community Liaison Group is faced with this very question. We started looking at ail of the available options and there were many. We then narrowed the list down to a smaller number which included putting a cap or layer on the wastes, making fi solid by poking holes into the site and injecting a grout or cernent into the wastes, or placing electrodes into the site and giving the waste huge quantities of electric current, digging the wastes up and turning it into a huge cernent block, heat it so that it becomes a glass pellet and excavating and removing the wastes from the site. The Clarington Community Liaison Group prepared a mission statement and objective which must bc met in the execution of the dlean-up programme, a copy of these goals is available fromn the office or wiil be mailed to you upon request. The différent methods were next compared to these standards and given a rating. It turned out that excavation met most of the objectives, better.than any of the other methods proposed. Next, We are looking at the soifs under and next to the wastes. Some of these are contaminated by being in contact with the wastes. These are called native soifs. We also have to look at the contaminated groundwater. How do weclean up the native soifs and this contaminated groundwater. We meet every Tuesday evening in the Commercial building in Newcastle. All of our meetings are open to the public and we invite you to attend any of the upcoming meetings and to take part in the discussions. every incapable person have a guardian or any other form of substitute decision-maker, for that matter. In fact, the Act contains certain safeguards to prevent a guardian from being appointed unnecessarily. The Act treats guardianship as a last resort when decisions need to be made, the person incapable of making them, and there is no other alternative. Myth #7:, The new legislation is already in effect, or is going to corne into effect imrnediately. Fact: The Substitute Decisions Act will not be proclaimed until early in 1995. This week's colurnn has been long, but I feel that a lot of the myths just had to be addressed, and the sooner the better for everyone. Until next week - when 1 hope to write about the Lightman Report as it pertains to seniors. Please caîl 987-7786 and check about the topics on the agenda. Together we can solve this long standing problem of low level radioactive wastes in our comrnunity. Capital may open ini 1995 The Port Hope Capital Theatre rnay well open in the summer -of 1995 providing the organizing group and the town are successful in baving the project partially funded through the jobsOntario Community Action Program. The local foundation hias a rnembership of over 800 people in the area and has $200,000 to date. A further grant of $20(000W frorn jobsOntario would be a big boost for the project of creating a major entertainment centre in Port Hope. GOING ON A TRIP??? GETTING MARRIED??? Planning a Special Evening on the Town for Dînne, the Theatre or the SBîg Game??? I HOURGLASS Limousine Service will get you there and back in saféiy, com fort and style. Balanced Feeds& Farm Supplies Durham Farmers' Co-op Taunton Roadat Hwy. 115 Telepne905-983-9134