The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PAGE 6 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JULY 5,2000 FOR 146 YEARS, OUR FIRST CONCERN HAS BEEN OUR COMMUNITY Publisher - Tim Whittaker Edilor-in-Chief- Joanne Burghardt Managing Editor - Judi Bobbitt Advertising Manager - Brian G. Purdy Advertising - Laverne Morrison, Christian-Ann Goulet Office - Junia Hodge, Nancy Pleasancc-Sturman Editorial - Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone, Jacquie Mclnncs ®f je Canadian Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Ciimic and W.R. Climic 1854-1878 M.A. James 1878-1935 • Norman S.B. James 1919-1929 G. Elena James, 1929-1947 • Dr. George W. James 1919-1957 John M. James, 1957-1999 Produced by Mctroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Also Publishers of CLAR1NGTON THIS WEEK P.O. Box 190, 62 King St. W„ Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 TEL: 905-623-3303 FAX: 905-623-6161 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Internet - stalcsmn@durham.net Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 EDITORIAL And who shall finally lead them? Alliance must win trust before winning election The Canadian Alliance will finally have a leader on Saturday. Saturday. The choice between two Albertans, Stockwell Day and Preston Preston Manning is between right of centre (Manning) and far right of centre (Day). Whoever does win, and on the basis of the June 24 vote it would appear Mr. Day has the clear edge, the Alliance will have much to do in order to win the confidence confidence and respect of Canadians. At the top of the list is the Gaspc mess. It's convenient that Tom Long, the Ontario-based leadership candidate, was beaten beaten on the first ballot. That, to some extent, swept aside the stench raised over the false names submitted on Alliance membership membership cards sold by his representatives. But it left Canadians uneasy about the methods of this party which boasts of providing providing a new style of open politics. Of greater long-term concern concern are a number of issues that won't go away. Tire original aim of the Alliance was to forge a right-wing union between Reform and the Progressive Conservatives. But that hasn't happened and won't. In fact, the latest poll has the Tories gaining on Alliance. Nationally, figures released June 20 show the Alliance with 16 per cent of the vote (down 3 per cent since May) and the PCs with 14 per cent (up 5 per cent). The Liberals are still way out in front with 49 per cent. Look for the Tories and Alliance, especially in Ontario, to split the vote again and the Liberals to win another enormous number of seats. Tire Alliance - read Stockwell Day's - position on a host of issues also appears to be at odds with typical Canadian centrist views, an area the Liberals have staked out with impunity. impunity. To be different and offer a true alternative, the Alliance has had to take extreme positions: • a flat tax of 17 per cent for all; • referendums on capital punishment, abortion and same- sex benefits; • a look at a two-tier health care system • a plan that offers no new solutions for Quebec • rnüch more control of all programs at the provincial level and much less at the federal level. 1 If you look at this list and think the Alliance wants to make Canada into a pint-size version of the United States, you're right. And such a plan will not wash with most Canadians. The Alliance will do well on the far right, but the majority of Canadians are not there and never have been. It won't be difficult for Jean Chretien to breeze through on the promise of reasonable tax cuts, increased social spending, protection of health care and a plan to deal with Quebec (the Clarity bill). We welcome your opinion. Please E-Mail your comments on our opinions to statesmn@durham.net. Submissions which include a first and last name, as well as the community of residence, residence, will be considered for publication. LOOKING BACK WITH THE STATESMAN 75 YEARS AGO July 2,1925 At the Bowmanville Women's Institute meeting at the home of Mrs. F.C. Colmer, the school nurse, Mrs. Aspinall, made the startling announcement that the death rale of infants in Bowmanville was twice as high as in Toronto, and that in examination of 76 pupils of the public schools, 196 defects were found by a medical examiner. 50 YEARS AGO July 6,1950 A petition was received by the Bowmanville Town Council from 10 residents of Flett Street complaining about inadequate inadequate lighting in their district. They petitioned for three additional additional lights to be installed on the west side of Flett Street down as far as Belleville St.. 25 YEARS AGO July 2,1975 A large crowd of officials and friends was present for the official official opening of the Marina at the Port of Newcastle that had been underdevelopment by Mr, and Mrs. Scott Fennell for the past four years. An appropriate gift for the occasion, a Canadian flag, was given to Scott Fennell by Allan Lawrence, M.P, for Norlhumherland-Durham. HO, IT m ot PUT ITS OVER B THERE'S ONLY BIB LEFT... VIHJKW» DiDVOMA BAD FIRST DAV OF SUM VACATION?. ton.. Train, whistles a disturbance To the editor: For some lime now -1 have deliberated about writing a letter letter - knowing full well it will be to no avail. However, it may make me feel a bit better just airing my frustrations by putting pen to paper. About a year ago - my husband husband and I moved to Newcastle to what we thought was a quiet retirement town. NOTH We moved here from a much more densely populated area - but very much quieter. By now I'm sure you know what I am referring referring to - the trains!!! I honestly think when pur chasing a home near train tracks it should be law you are informed by your realtor. Also being allowed to spend a night in the home you ate about to buy would not be a bad idea either! either! That may be a bit extreme in this day and age and highly not feasible - but nevertheless - one should be warned. I swear the conductors of these trains gel great delight blowing their horns and irritating irritating everyone along the way. They are sadists to say the least. Why doesn't Newcastle have the barriers and flashing lights so the trains don't have to be honking the way they do? I don't think I (or my husband) husband) have had a full night's sleep since we moved here, and unfortunately what we deemed as a quiet little community has turned out to have trains in stereo from both directions. It is a real shame as we do love our home but because of the noise pollution we arc going to have to relocate again and you can be sure one of the first things we will be looking for is where all of the train tracks are located and then go to the furthest point! I'm sure we are not the first nor the last to be disappointed disappointed in Newcastle. It is surely a disappointment disappointment to move again when you hoped this was your last. There! I have had my say! I can't say I feel 100 per cent better - as a train whistle just blasted me from my desk!! S.A. Moss Newcastle Of floods, God and politics Churches have their place and supporting leaders are not part of it It's July, summer, such as it is, has arrived. We opened the cottage this past weekend and discovered the lake's water level was the highest in 30 years. It rose six inches last week alone. There is no beach, our dock is half under water, and the lake is waist deep where we usually have our bonfires. According to our neighbour, who is a year-round resident, when the ice went out in late March, the water level was the same as August last year. But the summer of 2000 apparently means the arrival of the monsoon monsoon season here in southern Ontario. Having experienced monsoons, let me tell you this is just like them. Twice now when driving on the highway we have been blinded by rain and slowed down to a crawl, wondering if we were going to be forced to pull over. I know we have had three years of drought, but do we have to make up for it in just two months? Last year Duncan, an engineer engineer in our congregation, created created a set of blueprints for a scale model of Noah's Ark the children children in our Sunday school actually actually built. I'm thinking of seeing if lie could make those for the actual size, just in case. But holidays are upon us and as we gel ready to head off next week I thought I'd share a post Canada Day reflection. This Saturday is the final vole for the Canadian Alliance, 1 see in the press a number of Christopher White guest column conservative churches and other religious groups arc urging their flocks to support Stockwell Day. They should cease and desist. desist. It is not the purpose of churches to endorse either a candidate or a particular party. That is not only divisive, but it will backfire and wind up hurling hurling them. The essence of politics is power, attaining it, keeping it. Churches are about God, and servant-hood. The story of the Christian right in the USA, is instructive here. It failed, mainly mainly because its members forgot who they were and what they were about. While I don't want to gel into duelling bibles, it is important to remember one of the temptations Jesus faced was political power, he rejected that way, as should the churches. This does not of course mean churches and other faith groups should not engage our leadership leadership on issues that affect our communities, Our congregation alone sent more than 70 letters to our local MPs on health care, and our hoard sent a motion calling upon both the federal and provincial governments to live up not only to the letter, but the spirit of the Canada Health Act. Equally we've been very active active on issues of homelessness, helping to create an interactive event called the Homeless Maze. We've partnered with both Durham College and the Cornerstone Community Association Association in this venture. This means both economic and educational educational opportunities for those who are on the margins of our society. This type of work, I believe, is what churches should do, we should be salt in the world. But endorsing a candidate and a specific specific parly goes way over the line and transforms those organizations organizations into branches of that party. Equally of concern is how it isolates isolates those within those communities communities with differing views, In our congregation, as in most, tire people who support all the major parties. While we don't all agree politically, politically, it doesn't matter, because because that's not what we arc there for, we arc there to worship, worship, to teach, to learn and to reach out in service to others, All that is both compromised and diminished when we start selling party memberships and handing out political literature. I hope those churches will not give in to that temptation. It will come hack to Infant all of us, Christopher White is u minister at Westminster United Church, Whitby. Walkerton disaster cries out for responsibility v : Chris Bovie ■■ X " jê t P ÛK n Staff Editor Blame. It doesn't take anyone special to spread it around, but it's usually the courageous spirit who can swallow his pride and put a solution ahead of his own personal appearance. That being the case, it seems many politicians are lacking the moral fibre needed to take the high road. The people of Walkerton have become become nothing more than pawns in a political political war. Premier Mike Harris fired the first volley in blaming Walkcrlon's municipal government for not applying for provincial aid to assist its water and sewage program. It turns out Walkerton did get federal funding for the program, but that's beside the point. There's a time when even politicians should take the high road, even if fault is as evident as the nose on one's face. If a man suffers a heart attack while driving a car and he and his children perish, should we turn a venomous tongue on his wife and mother and say, "It's your fault because you didn't make sure he had a monthly doctor's checkup?" Not only was it the wrong political move for Premier Harris, it was unequivocally unequivocally the wrong moral decision as well. But as evident as his mistake was, Howard Hampton and Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty turned around and !■ played the same game. Under the guise of a caring humanitarian the provincial ■ NDP leader has used this tragedy to ■ further his own and his party's political I future. It might be argued that's the nature of the beast. Official opposition must live up to its name and fight against every policy and action of the ruling party. This is different. It is perhaps the most vile of political political actions, and believe me that's hard to accomplish in the world of politics. What's next for these political ambulance ambulance chasers? Will they show up at local hospitals passing out election leaflets or kiss ailing babies in Walker- ton's pediatric ward? The people of Walkerton aren't concerned concerned with ballots and election cam- : paigns. They want safe drinking water ? and to know they and their children .< won't have kidney failure a few years • down the road. Surely those residents I are experiencing the gamut of emotions ' - fear, sorrow, confusion and anger. There will be plenty of time to lay blame and no doubt the courts will be tied up for years in civil litigation. But ; for now a helping hand from government government and some compassion would go a Tong way. THE CANADIAN STATESMAN is one of the Mctroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Claring- ton Board of Trade, the Greater Os- hawa Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Press Council. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement limited to space price error occupies, The Canadian Statesman welcomes letters to the editor. All letters should be typed or neatly hand-written, 150 words. Each letter must include the name, mailing address and daytime telephone number of the writer, The editor reserves the right to edit copy for style, length and content. We regret regret that due to the volume of letters, not all will be printed, Fax letters to 623-6161or emailed to statcsmn@durham.net A 0 ™ wiaiwi re»iutNUL