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2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, March 2,1994 Section Two Former Publishers Rev. W. R. Climie, 1854-1878 • M.A, James, 1878-1935 • George W. James, 1935-1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited For 139 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community , Publisher - John M. James Assoc. Publisher - Richard A. James Plant Manager - Donald J. Bishop Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Rick Patterson, Ross Fisher, Laurens Kaldcway, Doug Lugtenburg, Sharon McMullen, Barb Patterson, Ralph Rozema, Jim Snoek, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Laveme Morrison Editorial Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfredo, Laura J. Richards Office VEPiFiED CIRCULATION PAID Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford P.O. Box 190,62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario, L1C 3K9 905-623-3303 Fax 905-623-6161 Substitute Decisions Act We've been asked on several occasions during the past few weeks to print something about the Substitute Decisions Act which takes effect early next year. So, here goes: This is the act which has to do with powers of attorney and the care of persons who, through illness or injury, are not mentally competent to make decisions for themselves. When the provincial government says there has been a lot of misinformation surrounding this Act, it is quite correct Weld be among the last persons to say that the NDP government doesn't deserve criticism for • some things. But, where the Substitute Decisions Act is concerned, most of the criticism we've seen is not warranted. Here's the reason why: The Act does nothing more than make a few minor changes to some longstanding principles. In other words, there's very little difference between the situation which exists now and the one which will exist when the Act is passed. Also, let's keep in mind the fact that the Act was passed unanimously by the Ontario Legislature. We all know that politics thrives on controversy. If the Substitute Decisions Act was even half as dangerous as some folks fear, the opposition political parties would be lining up to speak against it. But, they are not. Let us suppose that a citizen becomes mentally incompetent today (before the new Act is passed). Unless he or she has a power of attorney designating someone to act bn his or her behalf, that individual's affairs could eventually be handled by the Public Trustee. It is possible for a concerned family member or friend to get permission to act on behalf of the incapacitated person, but only through court procedures. And, keep in mind this is the situation which exists now -- even without the passage of the Substitute Decisions Act. The new Act which has generated all of the controversy actually makes it a little easier for a family member to become the guardian of an incapacitated person, because applications to the courts will no longer be needed. An application to the office of the Public Guardian and Trustee will suffice. And the general idea is that the Public Trustee would become the guardian of an incapacitated person only as a last resort, if no other friend or family member were available. The new Act docs NOT force every incapable person to have a guardian. It does NOT force everyone who is suspected of being incapable to be assessed. It does NOT hinder anyone who already holds a valid power of attorney nor does it place any new obstacles in the way of family members wishing to assume responsibility for an incapable person. And, it does NOT mean that the Public Trustee will take over the property of everyone who becomes mentally incapable: It seems to us that the discussions surrounding the Substitute Decisions Act have merely unearthed the fact that most citizens ought to have a power of attorney stating who will act on their behalf if they should become incapacitated. It comes as a shock for many of us to realize that if a citizen is (to use just one example) lying in a coma and unable to act for himself, family members cannot write cheques on his bank account to pay his bills, or make major decisions about the management of his property. You need a power of attorney to do all that. Until details of the Substitute Decisions Act were discussed, most citizens weren't aware of exactly how important a power of attorney is. Unfortunately, myths and misinformation are now swirling around the document This is unfortunate because the rules which will be in place are not intended to hurt anybody )-- only to ensure that people who are incapable of making their own decisions are not taken advantage of. All it takes to make certain that one's affairs are in the hands of a trusted family member or friend is a power of attorney. • In one respect, the power of attorney document is something like a will. The will oudines your wishes for the disposal of your property after your death. The power of attorney can ensure that your wishes are carried out while you are still alive by naming a trusted person to act on your behalf if you are incapacitated. The; main difference is the fact that everyone will need a will sooner or later, while not everyone will require a power of attorney because not everyone will become so ill or so severely injured that they cannot manage their own affairs. Neither wills nor powers-of-attomey are compulsory. But, having them in place will certainly make things easier for everybody. This advice holds true today and it will be equally valid whenever the Substitute Decisions Act is passed. This is our understanding of the situation. Of course, for specific details, one would be wise to consult a lawyer. Literacy Week Under Way February 26th to March 5th is Family Literacy Week. It is a time to focus attention on the illiteracy problem in Durham Region and promote reading within the family unit Literacy is a crucial skill. It is true that we may, in the future, gain more of our information through electronic media. But even those media use the written word. Reading and writing are the keys to learning. And it is the ability to learn which will become more important in a society where change occurs so rapidly and the skills you learn today may be outdated in a matter of years or even months. Statistics indicate that one out of every four adult Canadians is functionally illiterate. This means that they cannot perform basic tasks such as banking, looking up a number in a phone book, or reading a label on a prescription. One of the best places to fight illiteracy is in the home. Parents who enjoy reading and read to their children can pass on their enjoyment of books. But, for those adults who have never learned to read, help is available through a number of local groups which use both classroom instruction and volunteer tutors. For further information, contact the Literacy Council of Durham Region at 434-5441. Blue Box Blues The Blue Box could become an endangered species in dtc Municipality of Claringlon. Municipal council is considering replacing the Blue Box recycling program with centralized igloo-style depots where the community can bring its recyclable materials. We doubt that the depots will work as effectively as the Blue Boxes did. The problem is the convenience factor. Dedicated environmentalists will take their recyclable materials to the centralized site. Homeowners with a lukewarm commitment to recycling arc more likely to toss recyclable materials out with the trash once curbside pickup ends. If nothing else, the Blue Box program has been an educational tool. It has (aught homeowners that recycling is possible and relatively easy. Unfortunately, it has also taught us that the wholesale rc-usc of household materials is not a money-making proposition. Recycling efforts never made money. In fact, they have proven to be so costly that door-to-door collection of rccyclablcs just isn't viable. We can only hope that the availability of Blue Boxes over the past few years has made consumers aware of recycling and that this awareness will continue after the Blue Box program ends. If elected officials must vole to end the program, please try to use the alternatives to recycling. If our recycling efforts arc to succeed, they must be up to us, and not the result of government-sponsored initiatives. n m fi Letters to the Editor Chiropractic Care Needs Full OHIP Coverage Dear Editor: Ontario, not unlike the rest of the country, is currently facing a health care crisis. With more than a third of the provincial budget consumed by health care spending, governments must move to find the most efficacious efficacious and cost-effective treatments - and make them available to all of society. society. The Ontario government is attempting attempting to do just that, following an evaluation of the treatment of low ferred from-^physicians •(<chiropractor?)'ffA'.S v v ' argument. The lack of any convincing argument or evidence to the contrary contrary must be noted and is significant to us informing our conclusions and recommendations." Manga suggests a restructuring of the treatment for low back pain would result in potential savings of: "many hundreds of millions annually annually (in Ontario alone) if the management management of low back pain was trans- to back pain. This re Ontario Ministry of Health, as an in- prominent medical researcher and orthopedic orthopedic surgeon describes this phenomena: phenomena: "low back pain is now the second most common cause of disability after after cardiovascular disease. (...) we are now facing an epidemic of low back disability in all western societies societies and there is now sufficient evidence evidence to demand the fundamental reappraisal reappraisal of our basic strategy of management for low back pain." .Manga agrees: , 'V Among othersrrihe direct and indi- ; "either or both the medical pro- Tlus report, commissioned by Üie :' rect sa vingifTilfohiropractic treat- fission and third party payers of L- 1 0 - J . i . , .1 .n ... . JÎ 1 1 .iinf.Al houl ZIM/f îolLlL SS Oil ID- ° . ' J - , . . • *i tern dependent study, was conducted by 1 menthe a result of ; a highly sigmfi- _ r _ -- J . .. rant w/limtmn in* Dr. Pran Manga, internationally recognized recognized health economist and former Director General of the Health and Social Policy Directorate. The study states: "there is an overwhelming body of evidence indicating that chiropractic chiropractic management of low back pain is more cost effective than medical management. We reviewed numerous studies that range from very persuasive persuasive to convincing in support of this ; cant reduction in: j • chronic problems; • levels and duration of disability; • hospitalizations; • missed work. Can the government of Ontario afford not to consider such findings? findings? These conclusions are especially significant given the pervasiveness and prevàlence of low back pain in 'our society. Dr. Gordon Wadell, a Opposition to Federal Budget Dear Sir/Madam: What we got, instead, were more Canadians ought not to be fooled 'taxes, more spending and more by Prime Minister Jean Chretien's :promises. . . critically important first budget! In other words, Chretien is stum- Despite all the budget rhetoric, bling down the same path as that the truth is that government spend- taken by the previous Conservative ing and taxes have both increased. It government Unfortunately, that was a tax and spend budget. Under -path leads to disaster, this budget's projections, more than ■ We Canadians must not sit back $100 billion will be added.to the na- and accept that. We urge your read- tional debt over the next three years ers to contact their MPs and tell alone. them to cut spending, taxes and bal- By the end of the term of Chreti- ance the federal budget quickly and en's government, federal/provincial get our wonderful country back on debt will greatly exceed 100 per track. cent of the GDP -- the national economy. By then, we should be heading into the next recession, when tax revenue plunges and social spending soars. In short, Canada is swiftly sliding toward national bankruptcy. What Canadians needed from the Liberal government was concrete action to slash government spending, spending, privatize Crown corporations and services, and re-structure the country's costly social programs. Yours truly, David Somerville, President, National Citizens' Coalition medical care ought to justify how and why so many medical technologies and procedures used in the medical management of low back pain get adopted so widely, without clinical evidence of their effectiveness." The most promising aspect of the report is its recognition of current inequities inequities in chiropractic care. O.H.I.P. covers just $9.65 (less than 30%) of each chiropractic visit Clients must pay approximately $16.00 per treatment treatment out-of-pocket. This means dial those with low incomes face barriers- to receiving the most effective treatment treatment for low back pain. If chiropractic chiropractic were a drug that saved the province province of Ontario "hundreds of millions of dollars annually" and was the most effective treatment available, would it effectively be withheld from the public? For this and other reasons, Manga strongly recommends full O.H.I.P. coverage for chiropractic care. This report was funded by the Ontario Ontario government for the purpose of saving health care dollars. The results arc clear. It is now up to government officials to implement these powerful recommendations. We can no longer support policies which cost the system system more and limit public access to a treatment proven most effective for low back pain. Sincerely. Steve Perry by Laura J. Richards Waiting for planting season! The snow is still on the frozen ground, the frost still coats car windows windows and the taste of spring we had almost two weeks ago feels light- years away. This weekend, between watching the Olympic highlights, talking about what to plant in this year's garden and baking oatmeal bread, the T want to plant my garden now' blues walked in. My apartment mate and I are at the point when we can't wait to buy a selection selection of veggie seeds, seed cells and soil to start die summer garden indoors. indoors. Our landlord has agreed to let us put in a couple of rows behind the apartment building this year. We have dreams of creating a tiny garden using some of the techniques our friends have told us about. We have gone out and bought two interesting books on "Kitchen Gardens" Gardens" from the publishers of the Har- rowsmith and another book which is like a calendar, but has plenty of helpful helpful hints. It is set up so it can be used to plot out a garden, has a seeding and planting guide, and space where the gardener can put in her/his own comments comments about how the garden went along during the season. Although we try to keep our expectations expectations down, we know our landlord will be surprised at the amount of work we plan to put into the opportunity opportunity he has given us. With something called Harrow- smith planting, we can work a lot of food-bearing plants into a small space. There is also something called 'double-digging.' 'double-digging.' Let's see...carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, zucchini, romaine, spinach and kale or swiss chard. These are some of our favorite favorite things! Last summer we watched one of the other apartment dweller's garden swell with good eats during the growing'season. growing'season. She had something of everything, including sunflowers. Our crop last summer was interesting. interesting. In garden space borrowed from a friend we had a bumper crop of zucchini zucchini and tomatoes, which had gone strange inside. The year before a bumper crop of green tomatoes had us scrambling for canning recipes. This year, with the garden close by, we will be able to keep an eye on what we have planted. While it may seem strange to some of you folks who have homes, gardening gardening is one of the pleasures denied apartment dwellers in this municipali- ty. Perhaps it is time, the municipality looked into the idea of providing garden garden plots for apartment dwellers. The idea is not unheard of since there arc garden plots in Toronto and other large cities in North America. Let's face facts. Not everyone can afford a house with some land for gardening. gardening. Municipal garden plots would help a lot of people who, for one reason or another, can't always afford to buy fresh veggies for the family or for those who want to try gardening. However, with some effort, a garden plot will provide oodles of yummy fresh produce. turn to page four m Local Author Included In Writers'Anthology Dear Editor: Would you please put a note in your letters column about a book that is now available at Fred Ver- woerd's The Book Studio here in Bowmanvill.c? The book is titled Wordscapcs and is an anthology (collection) of work by some of the members of the Metro Toronto Branch of the Canadian Authors' Association. I am pleased to say that, as a member of this august group, one of my short stories was accepted for tills audiology. It is indeed a pleasure for me to be counted in the number of talented Ontario authors authors presented in this book, Both Fred and I look forward to making this volume available to everyone interested in supporting the efforts of writers in and around our community. Sincerely, Slier Lcctoozc n We Asked... Where is the biggest pothole in Clarington located? .. .And You Said Dan Girardi Bowmanville Richard Weiss Newcastle Barbara Williams Donna Sutherland Bowmanville Bowmanville "The exit from "T 0 be honest, I can't "Church Street. There "Concession Street Bowmanville High answer that. However, arc so many potholes seems to have a few." School onto Liberty j t j g p rc tty rough along there I try to avoid it." Street. That is the n,„„LcLi" biggest one I can ChurchSIrcet. think of." \i■ xi week's i|uesiinn: I )o von think people will continue recycling it tin* Ulue lio\ system w trashed'