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.UItS S ~ L~.L.L 8-Oýrono Wýekly Tisse., Wedneýdy, Feýbruary 18, 19ý98ý Area teens moved to the music at the Orono Town Hall Saturday Night. The music was provided by D.J. Larry of the Entertainers. FROM PARLIAMEN' HIL L Alex Shepherd Picture If you will air tbraffic control systems malfunction- ing, accounting systems faîl- ing and puttlng companies out, of business and pension cheques terminated. '1hese are some of the pos- sibilities If industry and gov- erninent fail to meet the chal- lenge of having their computers ready for the cal- endar change that will occur at the start of year 2000. The uncertalnty of the "Year 2000 problein," is occunring because -prograin- mers and hardware design- ers failed to consider the like- llhood of the mlllennlumn calendar change. When you first consider the problem you think there must be a simple solution but theelsn't. Many Canadians are being duped into think- lng somethlng is belng done when many governinent and business organizations are just being letharglc about get- ting on with fbdng the prob- lem. In a report commissioned by Industry Canada, that was dellvered last week, il was dlscovered mhat over haîf of the small and medium-sized businesses in Canada haven't even mhought of addressing the problem. Imagine something as sig- nificant as your information system going down and you haven't even considered the problems it will create for you, and more importantly, your customers. But this Is the norm in Canada. The report redicts bankruptcles as mhose com- The dance, organized by Sandy Cook on behalf of the Orono Cub Scouts, was part of the Town Hall's centennial cel- ebrations. Mabel Ubsdell and AI Hoyne took the Iead dancing at the Orono Community Centre Saturday night. That dance was put on by the Orono Amateur Athletic Association. panies who dld deal with the problem take the business of the companles who did not. The report suggests that banks refuse to lend money to businesses who are not gearing up for year 2000, and in addition, that insurance companies not insure those businesses since they willl incur significant liabillties. Even financial markets have failed to make ready at this point. The Industry Canada report estImates that over $12 billion will have been spent by Canadians before they are even close to solving the problem. This wlll mean reallocatlng resources from areas which companies deem more pro- ductive. And some companies simply won't have those resources. Don't be fooled into think- lng that if you buy a new computer everything wlll be just ducky. Unfortunately whlle more computer manu- facturers now talk about hardware wbich is year 2000 ready, there lsn't anyone who will warrant that their machines are, in fact, year 2000 compliant. There are still non-compl- ant computer chips slipping into the manufacturing pro- cess. You should also be leery of software purchases. There is too much software out there which is non-compliant and dumping of inventory is going to be a great temptation. So what cati governinent do about protecting the pub- lic. First governinent cati get its own systems flxed. Imagine the hardshlp for Canadians who collect Old Age Pension and CPP, or the problems for govemnment if Revenue Canada can't func- lion because computers can't recognize the year 2000. Some progress is being made but budget restraints, and computer prograins wrlt- ten in ancient languages, are a couple of the obstacles that have to be overcome. It is unlikely that goven- ments will get into the certifi- cation gaine. The fact is there is no sure way to know whether systeins are 100 per cent compliant and the legal llability arising out of some- one saying so would be enor- MOUS. I dlscussed these issues wlth a hlghly respected tech- nologist who worked on the task force. He predicted that, not only would air trafflc con- trol systems in the U.S. fail but that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service computer systemin s set to fail as well. I am lobbying the Department of Finance to provide small and medium- sized businesses wlth some sort of tax relief to aid in get- ting the business communlty ready for year 2000. Remember there are approximately 500 business days left until then. Now is the time to ask questions because the repercussions. left unattended, are going to have a dramatlc affect to us ail. Close to 240 advanced tick- ets were sold to this annual dance, the proceeds of which go towards purchasing-trophies and equipment for minor hock- ey teams. Valentine's Day dances held Iocally Ei~ Funeral Home THOUGHTFULNESS, SERVICE & CONCERN A Family Owned Business, Offering: Tradîtional Funerai Services Prearxanged & Prepaid Services - Cremation Arrangements Alternatives to Traditional Funerals - Out of Town Shipping Cory Kuipers - President 53 Division Street Bowmanville, Ontario Li C 2Z 623-5668 OFF STREET PARKING Missing purse returned Jane Koene didnt think she would ever see her purse again after realizing it was rnissing on Wednesday evening. After dropping her daugliter off at piano lessons in Orono Mrs. Koene drove to the library, not realizing she had left her purse on top of the car. When Mrs. Koene retraced her steps, she found no sign of the missing purse. Il was garbage day, and Mrs Koene thought who ever found the purse, would take what they wanted and toss the rest into the garbage. Mrs. Koene went home and started cancelling her credit cards. At 7:45 the Koene's received a phone, eal from a Main St. Orono resident, who found the purse and it's con- tents spilled over the road in front of his house. Mr. Frank Maitland picked up the purse and Mrs. Koene's belongings frorn the road, and gave her a eall. He had found their phone nLlrber on a Canadian Tire receipt. "We were just thrilled", said Mrs. Koene, "I didn't think we would ever see it (the purse) again." Thanks to Mr. Maitland for doing the honourable thing. UT PAYS TOD ADVERTISE,