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

PAGE 6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, NOVEMBER 22,2000 ll ial &0pinions FOR 14 6 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, Chrislian-Ann Goulet Office - Junia Hodge, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman Editorial - Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone, Jacquic Mclnnes Elle Canadian Statesman Former Publishers and Partners Rev. John M. Climic 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 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Also Publishers of CLARINGTON 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.in. E-mail - judi.bobbitt@durhamncws.net Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 EDITORIAL Liberals have earned another chance But it's time for a change at the top This federal election is all about time: who is out of it, who needs more of it and who has been able to use it to best advantage. He'll probably win a third straight majority mandate but this election campaign has shown everyone, including himself we hope, that Jean Chretien is out of time. Mr. Chretien has been a good public servant for 37 years and may retire the most experienced politician this country has ever produced. But the Prime Minister has run his course. His hints at retirement a few years down the road are good for the country and we can only hope Paul Martin, by far the best candidate to replace him, will be the Liberal leader when we next go to the polls. It would appear the Progressive Conservatives under Joe Clark and the NDP under Alexa McDonough may be out of time. Both performed well during the English-language English-language debate but both are preaching to an electorate which isn't listening to their message. Is it a matter of leadership? It could well be, but these parties have been on the ropes for many years now. This election could be the end. It's too bad for the Canadian Alliance this campaign wasn't held at least a year from now. Stockwell Day hasn't hasn't had enough time to make his mark on the national stage. The Alliance leader has had a rollercoaster ride in his first, nation-wide campaign, which is to be expected. Without a profile in Parliament and a chance to connect with the electorate, the 'scary' fearmongering pushed by his opponents has had some effect. The Alliance has some solid ideas on tax cuts, debt reduction and crime reform but its leader and his 'new' party need seasoning and perhaps perhaps an admission from the Conservatives it's time to form a real 'alliance' on the right. That was the point, wasn't it, in changing the name of the party, bringing in a new leader and altering some of its policies? So, we're left with trying to make the right choice at this particular point in time. It's a difficult one. While we have some reservations about the perfor- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Life-saving act i growth rate, With unemployment dSwîi fronïrovefÏÔ per cent to less than seven per cent and witn a drop in crime to its lowest rate in 20 years. The Liberals have some explaining to do over mismanagement mismanagement of public money - witness the Human Resources billion-dollar boondoggle - but they remain our most national national party, our best hope to deal with Quebec separatists. We support the Liberals in this election and hope for a different different political landscape next time out. We welcome your opinion. Please E-Mail your comments on our opinions to judi.bobbitt@durhamnews.net. Submissions which include a first and last name, as well as the community of residence, will be considered for publication. To the editor: While sitting in a local restaurant earlier today, I had the experience of witnessing a life being saved. A gentleman having breakfast suddenly stood up from his booth in obvious obvious distress. Another patron sitting across from him turned, recognized immediately that the gentleman was choking, and quickly responded by doing the Heimlich maneuver. Unsuccessful Unsuccessful after four or five at tempts, a second patron did the same and the food was dislodged. dislodged. Both patrons stayed with the man until, they were ' sure tie .Was 'fine then Returned to. their seats. The shaken man thanked his lifesavers and left. I have no doubt he will remember remember those faces for the rest of his life. Though I was merely an observer, observer, I was personally touched by the experience. I have had my life saved on many occasions occasions by family and friends under those exact circumstances, circumstances, as choking is something something I am not unfamiliar with. I know the fear and panic one feels and I overheard the gentle- What's really in a name? Lobby groups' real aims might surprise you LOOKING BACK WITH THE STATESMAN 75 YEARS AGO Nov. 26,1925 Local schools began serving milk to students just before recess each morning. "There is no age limit or compulsion to this milk-drinking exercise," read the Statesman of the day. "Pupils in every room take advantage of it and some of the teachers are also acquiring the habit." 50 YEARS AGO Nov. 23,1950 The Bowmanville Business and Professional Women's Club, formed in the spring of 1950, received its charter at a special meeting. 25 YEARS AGO Nov. 26,1975 The Newcastle Social Planning Council arranged a public meeting concerning a proposal on an indoor pool adjacent to Bowmanville High School. Information token from the archives of The Canadian Statesman Ever wondered who they really really are - these groups with the fancy, often pretentious, nonpartisan nonpartisan names who have something something to say on every issue insisting insisting they are motivated by the public good? Many do not identify themselves themselves fully and have political agendas not readily apparent. The Fraser Institute, whose executive executive director gave the keynote speech at a recent conference of Premier Mike Harris's Progressive Progressive Conservative party, sounds like it might be a club for expatriate expatriate Scots. It is in fact a right-wing think tank, which churns out calls for such tilings as ending the capital gains tax and bringing in two- tier health care, which would help particularly the better-off. Mr. Hanis, who cannot find time to attend the legislature, flew to Vancouver to make a speech saying saying he respects it. The National Citizens Coalition, Coalition, which is in the news challenging challenging federal Liberal government government restraints on advertising in elections and sounds like it represents represents average joes, was founded founded three decades ago by a wealthy insurance executive and golf buddy of moderate Tory premier John Robarts. But the NCC has been consistently consistently further right. It accused premier William Davis, another Tory moderate, of resembling Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister who bowed and scraped to Nazi Germany, and Tory leader Larry Grossman of being a socialist, and gave Mr. Harris a medal after he weakened weakened pay equity. It wants freedom freedom to advertise so those with money can still further influence elections. Eric Dowd At Queen's Park Ontarians for Responsible Government is an offshoot of the NCC and treads firmly in its footsteps. It was aggressive in organizing demonstrations and putting up billboards helping ensure ensure a New Democrat government government was not re-elected in 1995. Its idea of responsible government government is one that gets tougher with unions and it wants Mr. Harris to gel tougher also with welfare recipients who commit fraud, although it never calls for cracking down on business owners owners who cheat on their taxes by inflating expenses. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation also is generally a keen admirer of Mr. Harris and named him Tax Fighter of the Year, but has pulled no punches when his resolve slackened. Mr. Harris delayed so long keeping a promise to pass legislation legislation forcing the Province to balance its budgets the federation federation repeatedly accused him of betraying residents and asked why anyone should vote for him again. It called his more recent proposal for a massive increase in MPP's pay greedy and offensive offensive and urged residents to swamp him with warnings they would not tolerate it. The Institute for Research on Public Policy describes itself as an independent, non-partisan think-tank, but its president is Hugh Segal, former senior ad- Not even security shop is safe from vandalism man comment that he had never experienced this before. I just wanted to say it was a " privilege for me to witness a selfless act of strangers that resulted resulted in a saved life. It was a reminder to me that, though we go through life seemingly unaware of each other, we are not so closed off from the rest of the world that we can't see need when confronted confronted with it. Gentleman, you did a kind and generous deed and I thank you as did the gentleman whose life you saved. Kathy McEachem Bowmanville viser to Mr. Davis and Tory prime minister Brian Mulroney. The Stakeholders Alliance for Electricity Competition and Customer Choice sounds like it loses sleep worrying hydro bills will go up, but it is headed by a former Tory MPP and puts most of its effort into urging the Premier Premier to move faster on selling ' power plants and other assets of the former Ontario Hydro. Children First in Education would achieve its goal by having government pay most of the cost of private schools, which would weaken schools in the public system and coax teachers out of unions to end current turmoil. Friends of Public Education can be recognized a mile away as favoring an effective, well- rounded education in the public system. But it is worth noting they also have enemies, particularly particularly Mr. Harris because of larger larger classes and fewer special education education classes, art programs, library library staff and guidance counsellors counsellors in the system since he took over. The Health Action Lobby (or HEAL) could mean all sorts of things, but it is actually doctors, nurses, social workers and others who provide services wanting governments to spend more on health. Focus on the Family is more aggressive than it sounds because because it says the tax system helps parents who work and is unfair in not cutting taxes for those who stay home to raise children. There also are a Fair Rental Policy Organization and a Rental Housing Supply Alliance who sound as though they speak for tenants but represent landlords and builders - names arc not always always wlmt they seem. Jennifer Stone Staff Writer The flag at Dick Squires's Security Shop hangs inside the store these days. Thai's because Mr. Squires is tired of replacing flags, after six were stolen from outside the Bowmanville store since August. Five were Canadian flags; the other, a one-of-a-kind, custom-made custom-made banner given to Mr. Squires for his birthday by his wife Liz Sinclair. The last -- a bright yellow banner with the business name on it -- was stolen in broad daylight, while the shop's owner was out on business. "I couldn't believe they'd steal 7a company flag that's no good for anybody anybody to fly," he laments, adding hekl take the flag back, no questions asked, should someone decide to, say, mail it to him. , ■ J The irony of stealing from a security security shop is not lost on the store's ownej; "It could be a bit of a yuk" for the thief, admits Mr. Squires, who now has ja copy of the original shop pennant hanging just inside the door of the King Street West store. i What's more, the flags wouldn't be easy to steal. Each was attached to ah eight-foot flagpole, which also was taken each time. "I thought someone had pulled up in a pick-up truck" to get away with both flag and pole, he says) Being that it's a security shop, Mr. Squires does have the means to hook up outdoor surveillance cameras in the hopes of catching someone. But, he says, "I didn't feel I had to go to that extreme just for flags." ' Vandalism isn't new to the downtown downtown core -- not just in Bowmanville, but in any town centre. Not long ago, Clarington council looked at following the lead of other municipalities and installing installing cameras in the downtown to help deal with crime. Though the idea never took flight, that it even came up is a clear indication of the fact that there is a problem. Just months ago, 'a Durham Regional Police officer was assigned to Newcastle, in the village constable concept, to help deal with crime there. It's not new, but it is annoying. Arid while there's not likely to be a quick solution to the problem of downtown vandalism, Mr. Squires says his flags won't fly outdoors again until he hâs the poles wired into his indoor security system. Vandals won't get the best of his attempt to beautify Bowmanville|s downtown core with his flags. "The flag is inside, but I will be flying flying them again. They're not going to defeat me," he says. \ E-Mail your comments to: jennifer.stone@durhamnews.net THE CANADIAN STATESMAN is ; one of the Metroland Printing, Pub- '■ fishing and Distributing group of . newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Glaring- ' ton Board of Trade, the Greater Os- ; hawa Chamber of Commerce, On- < tario 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 j 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 re- ; gret that due to the volume of letters, • not all will be printed. Fax letters to ! 623-6161 or email to judi.bobbitt@durhanmews.net i lAwti meuxxtt. A ocna 13 cca