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PAGE 6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, NOVEMBER 7,2001 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 Ilodge, Nancy Pleasancc-Sturman Editorial - Brad Kelly, Jennifer Stone, Jacquie Mclnncs Elje Canabtau Statesman Former Publishers ami Partners Rev. John M. Climie and W.R. Cliniic 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 LIC 3K9 TEL: 905-623-3303 FAX: 905-623-6161 HOURS: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.M. E-mail: newsroom@durhamregion.com Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 EDITORIAL e-mail Idlers to nm-smnmte'ilurluimn'gimi.com Confidence, faith our important allies Everyone has a role in ensuring economy stays robust and strong Ontario Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's economic statement yesterday was a sobering departure from previous previous budgets and updates tabled by the provincial Progressive Progressive Conservatives. Out were the tax cuts we have come to expect from the past several budgets announced by Mr. Flaherty, the Whit- by-Ajax MPP, and his predecessor, Ernie Eves. In are targeted targeted benefits for the neediest families in Ontario and additional additional funding for provincial security and the new fight against terrorism. Welcome to Ontario, post Sept. 11. And, while Mr. Flaherty's economic update did little to , address spiralling health and education costs in Ontario, it docs provide a response and direction to Ontario's place in the battle against international terrorism. Certainly Canada's Canada's most populous province must have a clear policy and the necessary funding to join this 'new war'. And, in the context of Mr. Flaherty's speech yesterday, it's important to connect his voice with that of Liberal MP John McCallum, who spoke to Durham business leaders here last month and noted a recession is already taking root in Canada. Mr. McCallum, former chief economist with the Royal Bank of Canada and parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Paul Martin, confirmed our worst fears, but noted the economic fundamentals of today are far different than those of the early 1990s when Canadians went through a deep and protracted economic recession. Consider: Interest rates are at 40-year lows (cut again last month by three-quarters of a per cent), inflation is within a manageable target range, the Canadian dollar isn't overvalued as it was in the early '90s, the housing market remains relatively strong and unemployment levels are comparatively low. Those elements point to a shorter, milder recession this time around. But, as Mr. McCallum pointed out and as Mr. Flaherty alluded to yesterday, consumer confidence and spending will help tip the balance in our favour. If we are to continue spending -- prudently -- we contribute contribute to a healthier economic outlook. If we stop spending, spending, the terrorists claim victory. Mr. Flaherty was forthright and practical yesterday in his update for Ontarians, while Mr. McCallum finds some light, even in the dark prediction of recession. The messages messages serve to boost confidence. We can help bolster the effort of governments by remaining remaining confident too, by having faith in our own eco-. nomic fundamentals and by spending as we normally 1 , would. 1 We can endure the next few months, rough as they may be, and emerge from the other end in a better position. It's up to each and every one of us. „,tow Hit TENS WfflTB, HMIMI *10 mm mm BttflW w\tv^ r ■ wiNfi.dollghin.tcm LOOKING BACK WITH 75 YEARS AGO Nov. 4,1926 The Durham County Prohibition Union met and resolved resolved that any candidate it endorsed in the upcoming Provincial election be asked to oppose any government sale or "so-called control of liquor," as well as that the candidate candidate promise to "affiliate with all dry member's of the Legislature, Legislature, regardless of political parlies, on all temperance issues and vole accordingly." 50 YEARS AGO Nov. 8,1951 Hooper's Jewelry and Gift Shop celebrated its sixth anniversary anniversary by offering, for a donation of $1 or more to the Memorial Hospital Building Fund, a free single-strand pearl necklace. 25 YEARS AGO Nov. 3,1976 Several programs sponsored by the Newcastle Visual Arts Centre were disrupted because the municipally-owned Cream of Barley Mill fell short of fire codes. Information taken from tlw archives of The Canadian Statesman www.dollghan.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to nc\vsraoin@(lurhamregum.com Join the Legion for services To the editor: On behalf of the executive and membership of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 178 Bowmanville, we would like to relay some information regarding regarding Remembrance Day. It has come to our attention that some people arc very upset about our annual Remembrance Day service service being held Sunday, Nov. 11. Years ago our services were on the Saturday before the 11th of November, but many business people complained that they had to miss the service, so we tried holding on the Sunday before. Once again we received com- .plaints because of church at that time and also many were confused confused whether it was Sunday or Saturday. We went back to hold- i. ing it on the Saturday before, as we knew that we couldn't make everyone happy. These changes were all decided by the General Membership each time. Then on Nov. 28, 1996, the General Membership made the motion, moved and seconded it to hold Bowmanville Br. 178 Remembrance Remembrance Day on Nov. 11, no matter matter which day of the week it was. The veterans felt that this was one day that should definitely be held on the proper day and that this would not change again. Branch 178 did hold a Remembrance Remembrance service at Orono Cenotaph on Sunday, Nov. 4 and will hold service at New- tonville Cenotaph on Friday, Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m. We are aware that we can't please everyone all of the time but we do earnestly invite all people to attend the Remembrance Remembrance Day service of their choice. No matter where we are on Sunday, Nov. 11 we all need to pause and reflect on the past wars - the sacrifices made by men and women of Canada - those who lost their lives, those who came home with visible wounds and many bearing unseen unseen wounds that they can never forget. Also remember the wives, children and parents who wailed for the return of their loved ones. Many waited in vain until the dreaded "telegram" arrived. arrived. ' At present day our young Canadian men and women are serving us once again in the horrible horrible /war in Afghanistan. This should make all Canadians more conscious than ever of the importance importance of Remembrance Day and the wearing of the poppy. So, if possible, please join us at Bowmanville Cenotaph for our service. Join the Two- Minute Wave of silence across Canada, pray for our veterans, their families and for those now serving our great country of Canada and Remember... lest we forget! President Jim Connell Bowmanville Legion Tories won't tell the big secret Harris skirts embarrassment by closing policy sessions Ontarians would love to know what rank and file Progressive Progressive Conservatives really think as they prepare to choose a successor to Premier Mike Harris. Harris. However, the outgoing premier premier is doing his best to hush them up. The Tories have just finished a series of meetings, the last under Mr. Harris, at which party members were given an opportunity opportunity to discuss policies and suggest suggest changes. The meetings included no fewer than 18 sessions at which all major activities of government government were considered, including finance, taxes, health, education and the environment. News media were barred from these discussions (as they have been at all policy debates under Mr. Harris) with meetings held behind doors guarded as closely as if George W. Bush and his advisers were holed up planning planning their assault on the Taliban. The media were allowed into only such innocuous events as a hollow welcome, several receptions receptions and a speech by Mr. Harris in which he said he is doing a great job and loves his wife. The premier kept out the news media because he did not want any views grassroots members members have that are different from his own reported to the public. He would be worried, for example, example, that some of the few Red Tories the parly still has might say it went too far in cutting welfare welfare benefits by more than 20 cent in 1995 and not adding a cent since. He also would not want his far-right supporters complaining he has been loo slow in privatizing privatizing and lost the enthusiasm he had for it before he became premier. premier. Mr. Harris does not want any opinions to filter through to the public that would suggest his party is not fully behind him or uncertain where it is going, thus providing ammunition for his opponents. If media were allowed in, grassroots members who have criticisms would feel emboldened emboldened because they might be reported reported and this would put some pressure on the party hierarchy to take notice. If the criticisms do not become become known publicly, the hierarchy hierarchy can simply ignore anything it does not like and push it under the rug. There were times when rank and file Tories were allowed to have their say in public at their party meetings, the last being under William Davis, premier from 1971-'85 and they grabbed it with both hands. Mr. Davis oddly was renowned for making many important important decisions, such as providing providing full funding to Roman Catholic high schools, without consulting his MPPs, leading Mr. Harris once to complain Mr. Davis "used to come into caucus and tell us what we had all decided decided to do". Bill MV. Davis also held general general meetings at which parly members from across the province discussed policies and the media were allowed in and reported them. At one meeting, rank and file Tories spoke and voted publicly on more than 150 resolutions submitted by their riding associations. associations. The party grassroots wanted wide-ranging deterrent fees in medicare to restrain costs, just as big an issue today. The premier has repeatedly denied he plans such fees, although he is felt privately privately to favour them and he would not want any in his party trying to push him into them. Those earlier rank and file Tories passed a resolution asking their government to bring in workfare, requiring able-bodied welfare recipients to do some work for their benefits. Mr. Davis would never do this and once demoted a minister, minister, Gordon Walker, who proposed proposed it, and it was left to Mr. Harris to bring in workfare two decades later. Grassroots Tories at one meeting passed a resolution complaining under Mr. Davis the ministry of labour had become a ministry for labour, because he strengthened unions' ability to organize and strike, which added fuel to the view of many in business business that he treated it unfairly. They also demanded Mr. Davis never borrow except for capital spending, a stern rebuke when he repeatedly ran up record deficits to pay for expanding expanding services. A premier who allows allows the views of party rank and file to be known obviously risks being embarrassed and the grassroots Tories who have lost this right will have difficulty winning it back. Jennifer Stone St tiff Writer js lonciu ilttrluimivgitm. com War not so distant this Nov. 11 A little over a week ago, the CBC scries 'Canada: A People's History' featured a two-hour segment on the Second World War. The episode hit close to home for a number of reasons. First, because Canadian soldiers are currently being called on for active active duty, war is at the fore of the Canadian consciousness right now, in a way it hasn't been, some would argue, for many, many years. Secondly, the show included a piece on my great-uncle, Everitt Hill, who left the family farm near Little Britain to fight in the Second World War and never came home. It was a story I was, through family lore, aware of to an extent, but one 1 frankly hadn't taken a great deal of time to stop and think about. While in England, waiting to get to the front, he met, fell in love with and married an English girl named Joan. He was called into battle when she was about as pregnant as 1 am now with my husband's and my first child. Six weeks before Evcritt's baby was born, he was killed in action in France. I honestly think it was the first time; that L didn't think of war as something far-off, both in terms of time and distance. War, 1 had always thought before, was something fought a long time ago in a land far away. I couldn't relate. Blame the hormonal cocktail that is pregnancy if you like, but it was an emotional moment when I realized the people being called to fight now, as in the Second World War, aren't so different from my husband and 1 - or from Everitt and Joan. There are many, many people out there now, in their mid-50s who, like my mom's cousin Lynn, never got to know a parent who was killed at war, before they were born. And now, as things stand in Afghanistan, one has to wonder if any yet-unborn Canadian Canadian children will find themselves in a similar situation. But yet, those Canadian soldiers, now as then, put themselves out there, knowing the possibility that they will not return home is a real one. And that makes this Remembrance Remembrance Day a great opportunity to thank both veterans and current armed forces personnel in a way we may not have before. It's a chance to give Remembrance Day the respect it's always been due. It's an occasion to applaud the efforts of those who have helped guarantee and guard our peace thus far, and those who have been called on. to do so now. THE CANADIAN STATESMAN is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. 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