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PAGE A6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, APRIL 4,2001 & 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 - Lavcrnc Morrison, Sharon Goodman Office - Junia Hodge, Nancy Pleasancc-Sturman Editorial - Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone, Jacquic Mclnnes Elje 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 CLAR1NGTON THIS WEEK P.O. Box 190,62 King St. W., Bowmanvillc, 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 e-mail responses to neusmom@ihirhanmews.net Chairman comes up with bright idea Hospital financing plan is moderate and sensible Finally, we have a Durham politician who has clearly seen the light and is offering a positive, progressive plan to make sure we get the health care we need. Durham Chairman Roger Anderson has proposed an easily digestible special levy through a one-per cent increase increase for each of the next three years, at which point taxpayers would continue to pay the third-year level for another nine, years. The plan would raise a whopping $70 million over 12 years. The slow-but-steady levy on our property taxes works out to an extra $33 to $45 for the average taxpayer by the third year, at which point they would remain at that level until the 12 years are up. The funds would go a long way to help pay off the $100 million needed to finance the $409-million hospital expansion plan, at Lakeridge Health's five sites and the Ajax and Pickering Health Centre. The Province, meanwhile, would pay out $216 million million while local hospital foundations would be expected to contribute about $93 million. There would still be a shortfall of about eight per cent of the total amount but creative minds will surely be able to come up with ways (lottery anyone?) to make up the difference. The chairman, who,is plugged into Queen's Park and who knows the lay of the Tory cabinet, has seen the only way to deal with hospital funding is to provide a positive proposal. To sit back, as some stubborn regional politicians politicians have done and demand the Province do it all is backwards thinking. It's clear our hospital infrastructure is ailing and in dire need of major improvement. We can certainly rely on the Province for at least half the funding but, traditionally, traditionally, hospital expansions or improvements have never been fully funded by the Province. Those who argue the Province and the feds must pay the entire share of much-needed expansions and improvements are going down a dead-end road.- ; ' . V Mr. Andersoir-deserves credit 'tor;putting the entire issue into 'perspective. What issue for any politician could possibly be more important, more vital than health care? Police services, roads, transit, recreation centres -- all matter little when stacked against hospitals ill- suited to a rapidly growing, rapidly aging populace. "We have an obligation, and I think it's a moral obligation, obligation, to make sure health care is provided, no matter what," said Mr. Anderson. Well said. We hope when Regional councillors, debate Mr. Anderson's plan at the April 25 council meeting, they'll see the light and vote for a future that includes the very best health care for all Durham citizens. For the minimal amount being asked, the solution is an easy one. LOOKING BACK WITH THE STATESMAN 75 YEARS AGO April 1,1926 A splendid reception was given by the Newcastle United Church Choir when they presented their play 'Receiving the Parson.' The Opera House was well filled and the audience audience very appreciative of the way the play was slowly but surely being developed and unravelled. 50 YEARS AGO April 5,1951 Due to unfavourable ice conditions, the local arena was denied denied the capacity crowds usually associated with hockey playoffs, meaning a considerable decline in revenue. 25 YEARS AGO April 7,1976 Newcastle council resolved to advise the Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Education that the rate increases for the citizens of the town were outrageous and unacceptable. unacceptable. The overall increase was some 26 per cent above the previous year. Information taken from the archives of The Canadian Statesman LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ■ Next winter let's keep downtown streets clear To the editor: Goodbye winter, hello spring - Bowmanvillc. This has been my time of discontent. I do enjoy winter, walking in the new-fallen snow. However, However, it is not so nice when snow turned to ice. It is especially especially bad when you en- e-mail letters to ncwsrooin@ihtrhamnews.net counter areas the homeowner has not cleared. Bad as this may be, it is definitely nothing compared to the disgraceful menace that awaits the visitors to the downtown sector. From Liberty Liberty Street to Scugog Street is a menace to all, The shopkeepers shopkeepers do their part to clear the walk, but can only shovel the snow to the curb. There it sits to be joined by the slush plowed from the road. In mid-winter, this mess froze to a height of four feet or more. It extended from the curb to at least half the curb lane. Thus, when someone parked, they had to scale this glacier, balance on top, reach down and then pay for the privilege. In some places it was almost necessary to tie ropes to thé parking meters so one could grapple over the mini mountain. Perhaps council should consider using revenues from the meters to have the snow removed at night (when there is no parking permitted) from all streets that have parking meters. It would surely encourage encourage shoppers to spend in the town, instead of the mall. Food for thought, eh? Frank Whalen Bowmanvillc Be careful about throwing stones Tories lead the way in problems with justice system A Liberal member of the legislature legislature has admitted breaking the law, but Premier Mike Harris's Harris's Progressive Conservatives are showing a lot of nerve in trying trying to make political capital out of it. Claudette Boyer, who had been critic for francophone affairs, affairs, encouraged a niece to tell police she was driving after the MPP's husband reversed a van and injured a pedestrian. Mrs. Boyer pleaded guilty to obstructing obstructing police, a serious offence, and was given an absolute discharge and put on probation. Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty showed he appreciated appreciated the gravity by expelling her from caucus and saying this was his low point in politics. Tories have quickly pounced on the incident, charging Mr. McGuinty had been hypocritical in accusing a minister of corruption corruption while one of his own MPPs was involved in a real, proven breach of the law and chortling it was not a Tory but a Liberal who had to appear in court. The Tories have nerve because because their own MPPs have done much more than their share of appearing before judges. Liberals and New Democrats also have tended not to comment on MPP's personal transgressions except where they could be held to reflect reflect on their parties' standards. They avoided adding their condemnations when, for instance, instance, former Tory backbencher Alan Eagleson, who became better better known as a hockey agent, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment imprisonment in 1998 for defrauding associates including friends in hockey. A more recent conviction involving involving a Tory became known when Steve Gilchrist had to step down as Mr. Harris's municipal affairs minister while police investigated investigated an allegation he re ferred developers who wanted to discuss projects to his own private private lawyer, which opposition parties said was influence-peddling. influence-peddling. Police found no evidence to lay a charge, but it came out Mr. Gilchrist had been convicted of income tax evasion while with a family company in his 20s and although he does not lack ability and energy, Mr. Harris has not reinstated reinstated him in cabinet. Tory Bill Vartkoughnet became became the only MPP ever arrested for soliciting after he approached a woman he thought was a prostitute prostitute and offered money for sex and she turned out to be a policewoman. policewoman. The charge was serious, because because without those who solicit there could be no prostitution, although although it was withdrawn after he agreed to attend a school for offenders. offenders. Terry Jones, a Tory MPP for a decade, deputy Speaker and often rumoured a possible minister, minister, was jailed for six months in 1992 for defrauding investors whose money he had promised to U'iple in land investment schemes that failed - someone this persuasive persuasive should have gone a long way in politics. And back in the 1980s Albert Belanger, who had been Tory deputy whip, was fined for fraud after lie filed a claim to be a creditor creditor of a company that went bankrupt bankrupt to which he was not entitled because he was an official of the company. A smaller number of New De mocrats have been in the courts. Will Ferguson had to step down as premier Bob Rae's energy minister while police investigated investigated a woman's claims he helped her escape from a girls' training school where he worked and had sex with her when both were teenagers. Although a court found the allegations allegations were without foundation, foundation, Mr. Ferguson never got back in cabinet and rowed with Mr. Rae over it and quit the legislature legislature in disgust. Later he was jailed for a week for punching his estranged wife after drinking, which a judge said was at the root of his problem. A New Democrat also received received the longest jail Sentence. John Brown, a social worker who founded homes for emotionally disturbed children, became an MPP to fight Tories he claimed stifled innovation. He flew in his own private plane around the province but came down to earth when he was sentenced to three years for defrauding the province in billing for funds. The most unaccountable lapse was that of Ted Bounsall, a quietly quietly competent New Democrat who was caught leaving a store with a $7 bottle of vitamins he had not paid for and later found guilty of theft. Mr. Bounsall made one of the most useful contributions by a backbencher in memory when he brought in a private member's bill providing equal pay for work of equal value (now called pay equity) and MPPs in all parties could not help but vote for the principle and eventually it became became government policy. A Liberal has now joined the list of MPPs who committed serious serious offences but Tories predominate predominate and if they insist on getting into comparisons of who is more honest they could get embarrassed. Speaking perfect American Judi Bobbitt Managing editor jbobbitt@durhanmcws.net It's early yet for Canada Day, but we never felt so thankful to call the Great White North home as we did Sunday night, watching Rick Mercer Talking To Americans on CBC. Those WERE Americans Mr. Mercer , was talking to, not visitors from another > galaxy, though you could be forgiven for suspecting they don't live on this planet. While we've known for a long time that most Americans know next to nothing nothing about Canada - and don't really care that they're ignorant - it was a toss up whether to laugh or cry at the "facts" our southern neighbours were willing to believe believe about us. And even if we're not experts on the U.S. of A., how many of us would be- , lieve a Canadian hour has seven more minutes than an American hour? :• A Harvard university professor agreed that the Toronto Polar Bear Hunt should be banned. In Florida, residents . ! on the street agreed Canadians should > try to better themselves, given the fact 80 per cent of us are developmental^ ' delayed, or what, in the old days, was >. termed "retarded". A state governor congratulated us ont. preserving our national igloo, while an- . other went on air to comment on our new 24-hour clock. George. W. Bush/) seemed; pleased to hear^hat o imprime ij minister, J[eaq Poutine, had,,endorsed ; him in his presidential candidacy. (That i was just gravy for Mr. Bush). i. Another group on the street congrat-. ulated us for reaching a population of -. one million, and for getting FM radio. . Still others didn't question our newi; motto, America's "Eskimo neighbours ; to the south." To the south? !- The best segment, though, was the<. outrage Americans expressed when told most of our students can't identify their home state on an unmarked map or nante their state governor. It's appalling, . one university student pointed.out, to be . so ignorant of the world we live in. But as one woman was agreeing this lack of knowledge in our schools should cause Canadians concern, a little boy . beside her piped up for Rick Mercer's microphone. "Hang on," the boy objected. "Canada "Canada has provinces!' Hope blossoms with the younger generation. There is a story, its origins lost to me now, about a woman greeted with aston- - ishment at a United States airport when she told a fellow traveller she was Canadian. Canadian. "But you speak perfect American!" American!" her new friend protested. I have also heard of United States residents bringing their skis to Canada on July vacations, or asking to be taken , on lobster-picking trips, but those might., just be tall tales. After all, you can't paint all Americans Americans with the same Eskimo brush, and there must be many of them who speak perfect Canadian, too. 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