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2 - Orono Weekly Times Subscriptions $38.09 + $1.91 GST = $40.00 per year. No Refunds. Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Aid to Publishers - Canada Periodical Fund toward our mailing costs." Wednesday, November 10, 2010 ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON L0B 1M0 E-mail: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax: 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Production and Display Advertising - Roxanne Johnston Classified/Sports - Sue Weigand The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to our readers. Opinions expressed to the editor and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Orono Weekly times. Letters must be signed and contain the address and phone number of the writer. Any letter considered unsuitable will not be acknowledged or returned. We reserve the right to edit for length, libel and slander. If your retail or classified ad appears for the first time, please check carefully. Notice of an error must be given before the next issue goes to print. The Orono Weekly Times will not be responsible for the loss or damage of such items. Honouring the debt we owe By Brian Lee Crowley Managing Director Macdonald-Laurier Institute Every Remembrance Day, Canadians rightly honour the sacrifice made by so many valiant compatriots over the years and decades past. Too often, however, we forget that remembrance of past deeds carries with it obligations to the present and for the future. Primarily, we must care for our veterans and their families; that is, uphold the contract which exists between society and those who served in the past. We must also renew it with those who are serving today and will be asked to serve tomorrow. Why do we falter in honouring our debt to our veterans? One reason is our lack of understanding of why the sacrifice of those who died, of those who were maimed in body or spirit or who simply risked so much in the service of their country, is so important, to us and to people a half a world away. Let me pass on a story from a good friend who, as a child, was brought from Holland to live in Canada. It helps explain exactly what kind of men and women we sent overseas for past wars, have overseas today, and will need to send again. Canadian troops liberated the Netherlands from Nazi occupation in World War II, a difficult job carried out with typical Canadian effectiveness and self-effacement, despite considerable losses fighting on flat, wet terrain that offered little shelter from enemy fire. Shortly after the liberation, my friend's Dutch father met a Canadian soldier and stopped him to say: "You don't know me and I don't know you, but I know who you are and what you represent. You and your fellow Canadians came from across the Atlantic, from far away, knowing nothing of my country and having little at stake here. At great expense in blood and treasure you have freed us from cruel oppression, and I imagine you have lost friends and colleagues in the effort. The least I can do is to tell you how deeply grateful my fellow-countrymen and I are for what you have done for us." The Canadian looked at him calmly, smiled and said, "No need to thank me sir. We had a job to do and we did it." Then he saluted and carried on down the road, while my friend's father went home and announced to his family, "I think we have found the country where we must go to live." Ask yourself this: Why was that Canadian soldier in Holland? It wasn't just to fight the enemy. He and his comrades were also there to defend the moral principles on which our society is based, values like individual freedom, democracy and the rule of law. He, and soldiers just like him, was prepared to put his life, his hopes, his dreams and his family's future on the line to uphold these principles, fighting for home, country and for a precious way of life. They fought, and died, on behalf of all Canadians. When we, as citizens, ask our compatriots to take such risks, and make such sacrifices, we assume a debt of honour to all who serve, to those who return as well as those who do not. We must care for them and their families as needed. I want to add my voice to Col. Pat Stogran, Canada's retiring Veterans Ombudsman in calling on Ottawa to fulfill our practical and even more important moral obligations to ensure that the treatment of our veterans is based on the highest Canadian standards of decency, generosity and fairness. While I trust that the moral obligation is clear, the practical one also matters; the world is not a safe place and if and when we ask such sacrifices from our brave men and women, it is imperative that we understand and keep the commitment that necessarily accompanies the request. Safety and honour alike demand it, on November 11 and every day. Thanks for your service, Gord To The Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Councillor Gord Robinson for his many years of service to the Municipality of Clarington as a whole, and to the residents of Orono in particular. During Gord's tenure as Councillor, I had occasion to require his assistance and he invariably was able to cut through the "red tape" and help solve any problem. As the Facility Manager at the Orono Arena, I also know first hand how much time Gord dedicated not just to our arena but the Newcastle Arena as well. We will all miss him. I would also like to thank Mayor Jim Abernethy and Councillor Charlie Trim for their years of dedicated service. Peter Maartense Orono Hail Cesar! To The Editor: Hail Cesar! Cesar Millan that is! Most of you know him as the "Dog Whisperer", which is shown on the National Geographic channel. I had the privilege of seeing him in person while attending his live show on October 30th at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. He is currently touring Canada until mid November. Having been "in dogs" for over 35 years, teaching and judging as well as breeding, I must say that I have seen many of what we call "problem" dogs in my time. When working with so many dogs, one is bound to learn something about how to "read" them. But this man is truly Amazing! If you care for your beloved compansions, I would urge you to read Cesar's first book, Cesar's Way and to watch some of the "Dog Whisperer" shows on the National Geographic channel. You will learn to give your dog what he or she needs for a well balanced life, which is not always what we think they need. I must tell you that Cesar is the very best thing that has happened to our dogs since the first time they joined us around our cooking fires. Marie Horne Cheindor Reg'd Newcastle To The Editor SOMETHING DO YOU HAVE TO SAY? Let our editor know! Letters to the Editor are always welcome! oronotimes@rogers.com