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PAGE 6 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JANUARY 10,2001 41 Editorial & Opinions FOR 147 YEARS, OUR FIRST CONCERN HAS BEEN OUR COMMUNITY Publisher - Tim Whittaker Editor-in-Chief - Joanne Burghardl Managing Editor - Judi Bobbitt Advertising Manager - Brian G. Purdy Advertising - Lavernc Morrison, Christian Ann Goulet Office - Junia Hodge, Nancy Pleasancc-Slurman Editorial - Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone, Jacquic Melnnes ®fje Canabtan 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.M. E-mail: judi.bobbitt@durhamnews.net Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 EDITORIAL Time to make a call on GTSB future Is the massive board central to the well-being of GTA? As former Toronto councillor Gordon Chong gets set to take the reins of the Greater Toronto Services Board as its new chairman, critical questions abound regarding the future future of the controversial body. Now officially in existence for two years, the GTSB has accomplished little so far. Most of the blame for that falls with the Province, which has provided little direction and few clues as to what the GTSB will do and how much power it will have. Mr. Chong said over the weekend he wants to see a strong signal from the Province about what it intends to do and where it plans to go with the GTSB. The notion of 'another level of government* never sat well in Durham where nearly all local politicians turned thumbs-down on the idea over the past few years. Will the GTSB consist of yet another level of government? government? Will it have taxing powers? Don't we have enough now with municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments? governments? Will the GTSB be responsible for just transportation transportation across the GTA or will its mandate include land use planning, social programs and other cost-shared services services (police, fire, water, electric, etc.). Most Durham politicians have seen the GTSB as a way for Toronto to muscle in on the tax base of the four surrounding surrounding regions to help pay for its own programs. Durham chairman Roger Anderson minces no words on the GTSB. "I'd like to see the GTSB dissolved. But if the Province is not going to do that, I'd like to see it stay focused on transit transit and transportation and leave the rest of it alone," said Mr. Anderson in a recent interview. Others, like Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion are tired of waiting around for the GTSB to get going. While under the leadership of initial chairman Alan Tonks - who was elected as a Liberal MP during the 2000 election - the GTSB was a fuzzy construct which spent most of its time listening to consultants explain what it should do. Now, however, it's time to put up or shut up. Minister of Municipal Affairs Tony Clement, who talks a good game, will have to explain clearly what the role of the GTSB, is. Up until now it's been only involved in GO Transit. Is that enough?, If we're to keep the 42-membei: board let's make sure it provides effective representation, new ideas, and a vision of the future for the GTA. If it does all that, it may be time to end regional government. But that's a topic for another another day. 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. VTUOWsUT VIE WERE OTOÇEDK) NWÆ.MKS0B MPtolîtAENTi LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .(BB I1WIF00» wiMrm METTE Hats off to store staff To the editor: Bowmanville is a great town and I'd like to share with you an experience I had recently. The store windows are so nicely done up on King Street, it's fun to just window browse. Back in November the Family Gathering shop had the usual delightful delightful children's clothing on display and a particularly wonderful wonderful furry red coat with a silver sparkle in it and a matching furry red hat. Later that week I described described the coat to my cousin in Toronto, who happens to be the grandmother of a two-year-old named Christine. She asked if I could purchase the coat on her behalf for her to give to the apple of her eye. My pleasure, and soon tlie coat and hat were delivered. delivered. Christine adored snuggling up in her new ensemble. It was an instant hit (and her mother said she didn't like wearing hats, ha!) Two weeks later, mother is off Julie Snowden, left, and Karen Vella of Family Gathering Gathering earn reader's praise for replacing a little girl's stolen hat free of charge. in a store in Toronto while father and Christine are busy in the toy aisle. The coat and hat were stowed in the cart beside Christine Christine until the hat found its way onto the floor. Before father noticed noticed and had time to retrieve it, a woman snapped up the hat and literally ran out of the store. Christine was distraught and parents parents were baffled that such a thing should happen. I received a phone call from my cousin an hour later and naturally naturally everyone was disappoint ed. She asked if I could see if Family Gathering might be able to order in a hat. I was doubtful because the hats came as a set with the coat. Nonetheless, I made the phone call and was greeted by a very helpful person, who, unbelievably, commented that a large hat in red fur was shipped extra, with no corresponding corresponding coat. Problem was, it was for a nine-year-old. Well, a wonderfully talented seamstress named Julie Snowden, Snowden, who works in the store, offered offered to take the hat home over the weekend .and 1 do what she could to adjust it to fit Christine. Needless to say, I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to call my cousin with the good news. When I picked up the newly-re- vised hat (it looks great), not only was the hat lovingly nestled in its own little cloth bag, but there was no charge. A goodwill gesture to make up for the not-so-nice experience, experience, they said. Well, my hat is off to the good people at Family Gathering. They are a special bunch of people. people. Leslie Burritt Hampton MPP Flaherty star of government Attorney General anointed saviour W WITH THE STATESM AN 75 YEARS AGO Jan. 14,1926 The 1926 town council held its inaugural meeting when Clerk John Lyle, returning officer, presented the results of the municipal election. Council includes W.C. Caverly, W.H. Carruthers, Jos. O'Neill, W. Arthur Edgcr, A.J. Wad- hams and W.H. Minore. 50 YEARS AGO Jan. 11,1951 The inaugural meeting of Bowmanville's 1951 town council was held with the following members present: Mayor L.C. Mason, reeve G. Frank Jamieson; deputy- reeve F. Morley Vansonc; councillors W.D. Carruthers, N.E. Osborne, M.S. Dale, A.C. Darch, R.J. Niddery and G.R. Wool. 25 YEARS AGO Jan. 14,1976 Newcastle councilors were faced with having to make a decision regarding ice-making equipment at the Bowmanville Bowmanville Arena, which due to outlasting its normal life expectancy expectancy has finally broken down. A rough estimate for a new evaporator was $16,000, Information taken from the archives of The Canadian Statesman An almost unknown minister has been given what amounts to the giant task of saving the government government of Premier Mike Harris. Attorney General Jim Flaherty, Flaherty, whom most people would not recognize if he slapped them across the face with a writ, could be seen plugging away at his job when he brought in almost all the government's legislation of consequence consequence in the past few months. Mr. Harris is looking for a new issue on which to fight the next election because cutting taxes, which won his Progressive Conservatives election in 1995 and re-election in 1999, has just about run its course. Further sizable tax cuts will be difficult to provide because the economy is slowing and revenue revenue is unlikely to continue increasing increasing to pay for them. More residents also are questioning the desirability of tax cuts that have weakened essential services. Premier Harris clearly is bent on making law and order his next theme. One of Mr. Flaherty's new laws is Ontario's first dramatic dramatic legislation attempting to counter organized crime since 1964, when a Tory government brought in the notorious 'police state bill' that would have enabled enabled police to hold indefinitely anyone who refused to answer questions. The earlier Tories had to abandon it after protests it would violate civil rights and governments governments have been paralyzed on the issue ever since. Mr. Flaherty's law will enable his ministry to go to a civil court and ask it to confiscate any properly properly it finds, on the balance of Eric Dowd At Queen's Park probabilities, that a person owns through unlawful activity. This is far less proof than is required to seek confiscation under the federal Criminal Code and also competes with Ottawa's code. The law will face serious challenges it is unfair and unconstitutional. unconstitutional. But organized crime is patently patently on the rise particularly among bikers and immigrant gangs and Mr. Harris will feel many will give him credit he is not merely sitting watching. Another of Mr. Flaherty's laws will allow the Province to go to court to seize money criminals criminals receive from re-telling their crimes in books or interviews. Some other provinces have basically similar laws, but Ontario Ontario will be the first to allocate money recovered from gabby criminals specifically to compensate compensate their victims, Mr. Flaherty has introduced legislation to grab and protect children as young as 13 who work as prostitutes mostly in major cities but surprisingly even in some smaller communities. It will enable police and child care workers to apprehend children children on the streets and in bawdy houses, strip clubs, massage parlours parlours and motels and remove them to safe locations where children's aid societies will assume assume temporary responsibility. A court will then decide what to do with them, what counselling counselling and other help should be given and whether the children should be returned to parents. , Mr. Flaherty had a bill passed that makes parents liable in civil court for damages their children cause unless they can show they exercised reasonable care to prevent prevent or discourage it. The Attorney General also has shown more recognition domestic domestic violence is a crime by bringing bringing in a law under which judges and justices of the peace will be available around the clock to issue intervention orders requiring requiring spouses to stop abusing and even communicating with the abused and those who ignore orders orders will be prosecuted in criminal criminal courts. Another Flaherty law set up a permanent office to help crime victims, but the Tories have paid some lip service in this area before before and it would be rash to predict predict how much it will help. Other Harris ministers have concurrently announced measures measures continuing the same theme of promoting law and order. Education Minister Janet Eckcr announced as part of a crackdown any student who swears at or threatens serious injury injury to a teacher will be suspended suspended immediately and given coun- Bul Mr. Harris has clearly given the main task to Mr. Flaherty, Flaherty, who also will have to sell law and order when statistics show most crime is down - a tough job for an unknown. New year's prediction: Your wallet will get lighter Judi Bobbitt Managing editor There are no psychics in the newsroom newsroom but here's a prediction for 2001: you'll find yourself short of cash this year. /Yes, Virgil, there is a Grinch, and he's after your wallet. Unless you won the lottery or got a really big bonus as a Christmas present from the boss, it seems certain you're going to have less disposable income in 2001. Look at tire economic picture painted by some of our newsroom's recent recent stories: • Brace yourself, homeowners (This Week, Dec. 15, 2000). Our residential property taxes are likely going up. In this story, Durham Finance Commissioner Commissioner Jim Clapp explains the combined effect of updated property tax assessments assessments and Bill 140, which could create a tax freeze on industrial, commercial and multi-residential properties, will place a hefty burden on the shoulders of Durham homeowners. • Hospitals still want millions (This Week, Dec. 22, 2000). With a freshly- installed council at the regional level, Lakeridge Health expresses new hope it will be given $100 million in regional tax dollar's. This would add more than $100 annually to the average tax bill in Durham, for the next five years. • Water rates up (This Week, Dec. 24, 2000). Faced with a recommendation from staff to raise water and sewer rates 2.5 per cent, regional politicians instead approve a ftve-per cent hike in water rates and a 2.5-pet; cent increase in sewer rates. Oslrawa councillor Bob Boychyn notes that if we, the public, could only see those deteriorating water pipes, we wouldn't dispute the hike. • Freeze taxes and pay for hospital expansion, expansion, O'Toole urges Region (This Week, Dec. 24,2000). Local MPP John O'Toole expresses confidence municipalities municipalities won't raise taxes due to property property assessment, while at the same time urging them to support Lakeridge Health's $ 100-million request. "If they raise their taxes for the right reason, people will understand," he assures. Well, I'm not so understanding. We understand Lakeridge Health wants to deliver high-quality health care; we understand regional politicians have to fix up the watermains; we understand understand we pay taxes because we require, require, and use, services. We also understand understand natural gas prices are up and Veridian has applied for a rate increase. Is it loo much to ask that different levels of government understand, in turn, there is only one level of taxpayer, and there's a limit to the increases we can be hit with all at once? Those of us who voted have elected people to grapple with Bill 140, and the Province's elimination of development charges to fund health care, on our behalf. behalf. I say, get grappling. Coming to taxpayers, taxpayers, hat in hand, can't be the solution to everything, eveiy time. E-Mail your comments to: judi.bobbitt@durhamnews.net THE CANADIAN STATESMAN is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Clar- inglon Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Ontario Press Council. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. 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