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PAGE A6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, NOVEMBER 8,2000 4t Editorial&Opinions FOR 146 YEARS, OUR FIRST CONCERN HAS BEEN OUR COMMUNITY Publisher - Tim Whittaker Editor-in-Chief - Joanne Burghardt Managing Editor - Judi Bobbitt Advertising Manager - Brian G. Purdy Advertising - Lavernc Morrison, Christian-Ann Goulet Office - Junia Hodge, Nancy Plcasancc-Sturman Editorial - Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone, Jacquie Mclnncs Efic Canadian Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climic and XV.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 Metroland 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.nt. E-mail - judi.bobbitt@durhamnews.net Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 EDITORIAL John Mutton the best in tight mayoral battle New faces to fill council spaces in close races Choices, choices, choices. For those who haven't yet mailed in their ballot, on Nov. 13, Clarington voters have 28 candidates to pick from for 11 positions around the council table for the next three years. And it looks like a game of musical chairs, with current current councillors vying for new posts, previously-ousted politicians seeking a comeback and lots of new faces added to the mix. With the retirement of Mayor Diane Hamre, the four-way race for council's top post has been closely watched. Our choice to fill the mayor's seat is John Mutton, who's performed well at the regional level. He's been diligent in bringing many motions forward on behalf of constituents. He has a solid grasp of environmental issues, issues, and has acted as a watchdog for taxpayers' money. He understands the political process, has proven himself accessible and is not afraid to step on toes when the need arises. Jim Schell is the obvious choice for Regional councillor councillor in Wards 1 and 2, having turned in a solid performance performance at the local level. He has a thorough knowledge of community issues and a strong track record. For Regional councillor in Wards 3 and 4, we're backing Willie Woo, even though we would have liked to see this newcomer try for a local seat first. Nevertheless, Nevertheless, Mr. Woo's long list of volunteer activities and ongoing ongoing community involvement reveals he sincerely has the community's best interests at heart. At the local level, there's no reason not to return incumbent incumbent Jane Rowe in Ward 1, who's proven herself capable capable of the job, In Ward 2, our nod goes to Board of Trade past-president George Khouri, who has a solid grasp on issues facing Clarington ancLthe needs of the business community. In the Ward 3 local seat, we'd likë to see what rookie Steven Cooke can do. This young man knows Clarington issues inside out, has been a regular presence at council meetings and has job experience at the provincial government government level. It's his second run at a council position and he deserves a look. In Ward 4, our choice is Gord Robinson, well-connected well-connected in the community and a director on both the Orono Fair board and the Orono Arena Board, both of which are very successfully run. In the public school trustee race, incumbent Bob Willsher certainly deserves re-election for his strong performance and dedication. A much-improved job by Nancy Coffin over the past several months gets her our vote for the second trustee position on this board. On the separate board, we choose incumbent Joe Neal for an increasingly strong performance and the fact he's not afraid to voice an opinion that's different from the pack. Newcomer Barbara Malone has already demonstrated demonstrated she does her homework on education issues and picks up our choice for the second trustee position. French Catholic trustee Nicole Chalifoux-Shorey has been acclaimed and there are no takers for the French public trustee position. So there you have it. Above all, we hope you'll get out there and vote this coming Monday. The democratic process is only as strong as its participants so take advantage advantage and have your say. We welcome your opinion. Please E-Mail your comments on our opinions to judl.bobbltt@durhamnews.net. Submissions which include a first and last name, as well as the community community of residence, will be considered for publication. LOOKING BACK WITH THE STATESMAN 75 YEARS AGO Nov. 12,1925 Citizens welcomed the announcement of the opening of the Bowmanville Dairy, where milk and cream were pasteurized. pasteurized. Milk was to be sold at the regular price of 12 cents a quart. 50 YEARS AGO Nov. 9,1950 Citizens were urged to support the addition of four classrooms classrooms to Ontario Street Public School in Bowmanville. The classrooms were to house the growing number of students students in the area, including 90 to 95 kindergarten students expected by 1952. 25 YEARS AGO Nov. 12,1975 Installation of a new gas-fired automatic boiler at Bow- manville's hospital meant a neighbourhood pollution problem problem would be solved. Sooty emissions from the smoke stack had been a problem in the neighbourhood since 1962, when a boiler fueled by bunker sea oil was installed at the hospital. Information taken from the archives of The Canadian Statesman LETTERS TO THE EDITOR IA Tyler (left), out playing a game of wad hockey with his brother, Travis. Proud brother salutes Down Syndrome sibling To the editor: This week is National Down Syndrome Awareness Week (Nov. 1-7). I am a nine- year-old boy who has a seven-year-old brother with Down Syndrome. Travis has difficulties with fine motor skills and is very difficult to understand but he can do many things. He loves me! He can read the name on most of his videos, give hugs and kisses, play soccer, street hockey and Nintendo 64. Travis loves to help clear the table, put dishes in the dishwasher, dishwasher, pack and unpack the car, do laundry and help the waitress, his teacher, babies or anyone who needs it. Most of my friends think he is funny and quite smart. He usually shakes their hands or gives a hug and plays with them. My hockey team both this year and last year adopted adopted him and let him into the dressing room after the games. He cheers us on dur ing the games. Travis and other people with Down Syndrome just want to be like you and me. Although they may not look the same as you or me, they are more like us than different. different. So the next time you see ,a person with Down Syndrome, Syndrome, shake their hand and look for what you have in common, not your differences. differences. Tyler Johansen, Age 9 Solina Uncertainty surrounds future of hydro rates To the editor: Jacquie Mclnncs takes us further 'In the Dark on Veridi- an' (Nov. 1, 2000). N o amount of number crunching will lessen the uncertainty as to what electricity rates will ultimately be paid in what jurisdictions jurisdictions when the dust finally finally settles on the opening of the electricity market. Nor will it relieve the fact that a large sum of money is being removed from the pockets of the electricity consumers of Bowmanville, Newcastle and Orono, from the system they have already bought and paid for; and that this money has been expropriated by the municipality municipality of Clarington for such other purposes as seen fit. The Municipality itself had no investment in that system. system. A discriminatory levy, pure and simple. Every nickel of electricity cost and profit must come from the consumer of this vital commodity and will ultimately add to the price. There is no free revenue, no free reserves as reportedly implied implied by Veridian's Dave Clark, no free lunch, No amount of number crunching or rationalizing about alternatives can make this a reasonable and acceptable acceptable economic, business, or political decision, in the public public interest. Let alone one consistent with the Ontario Government's Government's declared objectives of customer choice and lowered cost from competition. Henry J. Sissons Orono Blind spot a true threat to safety To the editor: Concerning the intersection of Regional Road 57 and Ilwy. 2. Anyone who has to travel through or around that inter section knows about the dangers. dangers. First of all there is a definite definite blind spot that is obvious even to the stupid! Ninety-five per cent of motorists motorists who make a left-hand turn to head north on Regional Regional Road 57 from Hwy. 2 are doing so by chance. I myself have witnessed dozens of near misses and I am not alone. Recently there has been a delayed light to which about three cars can, without fear, make it through due to the duration duration of the delayed light, the other cars wailing for the chance to make a successful left turn are basically playing Russian Roulette with the other cars. Why doesn't someone make it law to only allow right-hand turns on a delayed light only! Don't you think it would solve most of the problem? No one is in that much of a hurry to risk their life; you would just have to wait your turn. Alice Thom Kendal Judi Bobbitt Managing Editor Mail-in voting: Return to sender Municipal election night isn't here yet and we're a long way from knowing knowing the results, but the Clarington mail-in voting system is already proving proving problematic. If it's to be used again, it needs overhauling to ensure it runs as smoothly and error-free as the traditional traditional voting method. Under the mail-in system, some people received more than one ballot if they own more than one piece of property in the municipality. It's up to them to tear the extra ballot up; it's against the law to cast more than one vote. In apartment buildings, there were reports of ballots sitting in the lobby to be returned to Town hall because because tenants had moved. Again, Clarington clerk Pattie Barrie advised it's illegal to mail in another person's ballot. But due to a misunderstanding at least one voter cast two ballots. Monday, more disturbing complaints complaints came to light. Election candidates candidates Mark Hendrikx and Willie Woo reported they were able to walk into the clerk's department and ask for and receive bundles of extra voting envelopes. envelopes. They were aghast, having done this to test the system after hearing hearing similar complaints swirling among the candidates. Ms. Barrie says a limited number of envelopes were given out, before she heard of it and put a stop to it. Meanwhile, some candidates and their campaign workers admit they've been offering to gather up residents' signed and sealed ballot envelopes and drive them to Town hall on their behalf. There's nothing wrong with this, according to the Town clerk. Maybe not. More than likely not, if the clerk says so; after all, it's her job to uphold the Municipal Elections Act. But just because the Act allows it doesn't make it right. Up until the early 1990s, the Municipal Elections Act also allowed candidates to pocket campaign donations. It was legal, but it wasn't right. I'm not accusing anyone of cheating cheating in Clarington's municipal election. election. I have no knowledge of anyone,! candidate or voter, even contemplât-! ing cheating. ; But extra voting envelopes and' ballots are floating around. Some vot-i ers are entrusting their ballots to thej hands of others. To top it off, a list in' the clerk's office that shows who's' voted and who hasn't is public infor-! mation. If you haven't yet voted, any-; one can easily find that out. This mail-in system is open to! error and abuse. Since it's already too! late to fix it, we'll just have to hope; the Nov. 13 results accurately reflect the will of voters. ! Hoping for accuracy shouldn't be; good enough for Clarington taxpay-; ers. ' . E-Mail your comments or opinion to judi.bobbitt@durhamnews.net. THE CANADIAN STATESMAN is j one of the Metroland Printing, Pub- j lishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Clarington Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater ! Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper ' Assoc., Canadian Circulations Audit ; Board and the Ontario Press Council. Council. The publisher reserves the right , to classify or refuse any advertisement. advertisement. Credit for advertisement limited limited to space price error occupies. i 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 623-616lor emailed to statcsmn@durham.net ^CNA (vrtAJuo nwuxjNut. Jpcna is cca