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PAGE 4THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, SEPTEMBER 25,2002 www.durhamregion.com Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-in-Chief Chris Bovie Managing Editor Judi Bobbitt Regional Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolpdziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Barb Harrison Composing Manager Sfje Cmmbtmt ibtatetfman Phone 905-579-440C Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-440/ General Fax 905-579-2236 Newsroom Fax 905-579-180S E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com 865 Farewell St., OshawaON L1H7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 ■Sept. 25,2002 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. infodurhamregmn.com EDITORIAL c-imiil letters to ne\r.srooni@diirhanircgion.c(>iii Traffic blitz shows too many are speeding on our roadways I t was just a standard five- day traffic safety blitz. Durham's police officers paid extra-special attention to our highways and byways during the Monday-Friday period of Sept. 16-20. But what they found was anything anything but routine. In spite of all the warnings, warnings, the Road Watch associations, associations, the publicity over fines, safety zones, and safedriving safedriving campaigns, drivers in Durham continue to hurtle down our streets and roads in reckless fashion. Two motorists were, unbelievably, unbelievably, clocked going 105' and 113 km/h on roads where the posted speed limit is 50 km/h. Obviously, these drivers drivers were willing, not just to flaunt the law, but to put the lives of pedestrians, other drivers and even themselves at risk. In just five days, a whopping whopping 545 provincial offence tickets were written up. The vast majority of the tickets were written for speeding. Six criminal charges were laid. Whitby, which seems to have a plethora of driving-related driving-related complaints, continues to be plagued with some of the worst driving in Durham. An eye-popping 146 speeders were caught in Whitby, with another 25 tickets issued for other charges like driving with no insurance, driving under suspension, and using unauthorized plates. Claringlon came in with 119 speeders and Five other violations, while Ajax and Pickering totalled 128 caught going too fast and 25 with other violations. North Durham drivers were hit with 72 speeding tickets and three other violations. violations. Osliawa, where just two officers were available for enforcement during the blitz, had 32 ticketed for speeding and four others written up for other traffic misdemeanours. The Durham Regional Police Police Traffic Enforcement Unit, which holds blitzes on a fairly regular basis, says it will continue enforcement and will follow a, "strict but fair policy." That will mean the usual rules on speeding will apply. Police aren't out to stop those going within 10 km/h of the speed limit, a reasonable allowance allowance considering traffic flow, downhill driving, or other situations where speed creeps up. But cruising more than 15-20 km/h over the speed limit is clearly abusing the limit and, especially within municipal boundaries where pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers are in close proximity, is a danger on our roads. The need to control driver speed on our ever more congested congested roads must remain a high priority. But the ultimate ultimate control rests with anyone anyone licensed to drive w!)o gets behind the wheel. Keep to the limit so when a life's at stake, you'll have time to stop. OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to newsroom@(lurlianircgion,com Pot use should be legalized To the editor: Re: 'Push to legalize pot foolish move,' Crystal Crimi column of Sept. 18, 2002, The Canadian Statesman. The recent opinion article holds true to its journalistic purpose, which is - simply put - an opinion. The columnist, Crystal Crimi, raises several controversial controversial issues surrounding the legalization legalization of the plant, while tackling commonly asked questions. However, she defends defends her argument with several several irrelevant and isolated points. Ms. Crimi insinuates that conservative use of cigarettes and alcohol poses little or no threat, as she mentions a person's person's thought pattern cannot change by having only one cigarette. cigarette. It seems she has forgotten forgotten the addictive properties of nicotine - one smoke could get most people hooked, which in turn does change someone's thought pattern. Ms. Crimi furthers unfounded unfounded claims of negative reactions to the drug with a substantial portion of her argument stemming stemming from former classmates who "suddenly developed learning disabilities" as a result of "recreational" use. Judging such a small portion portion of marijuana smokers as. basis for a published article should not reflect an informed analysis of the topic. In my old high school, most regular users 1 encountered went on to receive receive honour roll grades, postsecondary postsecondary education and general general success in their lives, which was likely influenced, but not decided, as a result of smoking pot. That doesn't mean one becomes smarter due to usage, but does exemplify the point that the effects vary from one individual to another. She subsequently argues, "a drug is a drug and there should be no exceptions." In many countries around the world, possession of many over-the- counter flu and allergy drugs are punishable with prison time. The definition of a drug cannot be simply construed as a' state-legislated law, but rather the impact and detriment it can have on its people. I say this country acts as soon as it can to remove the outdated pot laws, use the extra revenue to fund rehabilitation clinics for hard drug users, make our judicial system efficient efficient and put more cops on the streets to nab real criminals - not a bunch of kids sharing a few tokes. Justin Archambault Claringlon e-mail letters to 11ewsroom@tI11rI1nmregion.com The scarecrow and the reporter OPINION c-iiniil letters to newsroom @(lurlimiircgion.com Retiring MPP has a way of turning a phrase I t's been à long but memorable memorable two weeks for Rosie, and now, with her tour of duty behind her and the stuffing knocked out of her just a bit, she will let her hair down and throw off her head for a well- deserved rest. Rosie, the roving reporter, in case you haven't guessed, is a scarecrow. A some-assembly- required scarecrow actually. She's been travelling around the municipality participating in the Claringlon Board of Trade Scarecrow. Festival. More demanding on chauffcuring services services than kids, she has made stops at local merchants, public public places and local events, always insisting insisting on being made up for the occasion. But though she has been a pain in the neck, the truth is I owe Rosie thanks. She has taken me out of the corridors of town hall, where I usually lurk and into otir community. And a line community it is. 11er first slop was a two-day stint at the I5()lh anniversary of the Durham Central Fair, a true community effort. Nothing beats the sounds of the midway and the smash-up derby mixed in with cows mooing and roadies roadies harking at you to throw a ball. It was four days jam- packed with fun and Four-il. Next, she hung around outside outside town hall on lake n-searc- crow-lo-work day. while I (lodged arrows flying across the council chtmihcrs during a meeting for a controversial land application. People in Claring- ton care about their towns and they are not shy about standing up to say so. Her well-appointed attire gave Rosie away as a connoisseur connoisseur of all things fine and a few merchants invited her to spend some time shopping. It's hard, this working for a living. At the Terry Fox Run in Memorial Park, Rosie could hardly contain her excitement at the incredible turnout. Clar- ington participants raised about $75,000 or just over $1 for every person living in the municipality. At the Orono Village Bake Shop, between drop-off in the morning and pick up later that evening, she gained about five pounds. She insisted it was just fresh straw but that sure looked like jelly on her chin. She returned to Orono yet again this past Saturday for the chili cook-off that included a Scarecrow lloe- down sponsored by the Board of Trade. It's one thing to write about chili contests hut a far heller thing to taste them. Rosie experienced the stuff we read about in the tourism brochures. t.'larington is a place where people care and things happen. Too bail her head is full of stuffin' stuffin' and she can't pul the words together to share her adventures. adventures. She's been at the heart of the community. Now, if she only had a brain, E very reporter who covered the legislature has wished he or she could write like Scan Conway talks. Mr. Conway, a Liberal MPP for 27 years, who is retiring, best described former Progressive Conservative premier William Davis's circumlocutions circumlocutions speaking style. Mr. Davis's sentences sentences seemed to go on forever and digressed, regressed and progressed progressed until finally he made some point. He could have spoken • more concisely, hut was anxious to foster an image of not being a city slicker. Mr. Conway said Mr. Davis spoke like "the old Colonial Railway, which twisted and turned, chugged up hill and down dale, stopped and started, crossed bridges, disappeared in tunnels and meandered through the remotest sidings before eventually eventually reaching its final destination." destination." Michael Cassidy, a New De- moerat leader who was abrasive, was described by Mr. Conway as "an ice cube wrapped in sandpaper" sandpaper" Mr. Conway's oratory prompted Liberal prime minister John Turner to borrow him to warm up audiences for his speeches in the I Ml federal election, election, hut they did not find the top of line hill as palatable. Mr. Conway was a minister in the provincial Liberal government government from IW5 and mildly chided chided ousted Tory premier, Frank Miller, who once tried to close hospitals and was pelted with snowballs, but now was chairman of a regional municipality and urging the Province not to cut the hospital budget. Mr. Conway observed "there are a variety of perspectives perspectives and different roles in the political process and those who have not experienced all of them should be very careful about offering definitive advice.". After the NDP ejected the Liberals and taunted him, Mr. Conway replied: "We arc not the first government to be defeated and we will not he the last. We are all bounced around in politics. politics. That is the fun of the job. "To win is to lose and to lose is to win, hopefully next lime. I tell my beleaguered friends on the cabinet benches, as they sign their Christmas cards and perform perform their other essential tasks, I do not worry about having none of those responsibilities. "I feel like Stanley Baldwin (a British prime minister.) I was never happier than when I surrendered surrendered the seals of office." Mr. Conway could easily switch into comparing with U.S, politics, as when he complained the NDP unfairly burdened his constituents with a gas lax increase increase and "this could never happen happen in Congress, because the rural lobby would make sure the majority leader, the minority leader, the Speaker and the While House bloody well understood they were not going to he dispro portionately ripped off." Mr. Conway was one of the first to spot the big issue of the past decade, whether to maintain services or cut taxes. He said it was a 'powder keg' for all politicians politicians in that they would have to choose and a right-wing Tory, Mike Harris, chose slashing taxes and turfed out the NDP. The future, said Mr. Conway, could be seen in the rise of Ronald Reagan, the actor and right-winger who had become U.S. president. "We laugh at Ronald Reagan and I am disposed disposed to laugh too, because lie is not my kind of guy. "But before 1 laugh too loud at Ronald Reagan, I also have to think that he devastated the coalition coalition Franklin D. Roosevelt put together together and half these people are now what arc called Reagan Democrats. Democrats. "So 1 might laugh at the Gip- per, but it is the electoral calculus that counts and I might find after all the laughing I was standing with substantially fewer clothes on and much of my audience had left home and gone over to the Clipper's sideshow, leaving me wondering why they made that switch," Mr. Conway recently eulogized eulogized 1 lurry Worlon, a Liberal who died after being an MPP for three decades and almost never spoke in the legislature, and recalled recalled Mr, Worlon warned him "more people have talked their way out of this place than ever talked themselves into it," But Mr. Conway never look that well-meant advice and his rare dexterity with words will he missed. Jacquie Mclnnes Staff Writer Eric Dowd Queen's Park CLICK AND SA % Today's question: As MPPs return to Queen's Park this week, what should be the Province's first priority? □ Clean water regulations ' □ Health care □ Education funding □ Other Cast your vote online at infodurhamregicm.com v Last week's question: Should cellphonè use be banned when driving a vehicle? □ For all drivers 66.9% □ No ban 26.8% □ Only for new drivers 6.3% Votes cast: 142 HAVE YOUR SAY Question What kind of effect do you think a new 77,000-square foot arena with Olympic-sized ice will have on Courtice? Jennifer St. Pierre "It will be great, really good. I'd love my son to get into hockey and I think it's good to have somewhere for the kids to go." Peter Bremnçr more accessible to everyone because a lot of people travel to Oshawa and Newcastle (now) so I think it's a great idea." "It will be" good because there's huge house league hockey in Courtice. It will make it Nicola Davidson "It will boost the economy that's for sure and create some jobs. It's a place for people to go. Move the Generals there - they're looking for a new home." Dave Ramphal something for the kids, there's not much for them to do in the area. It's great for families." <E|ir Cmmblna Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bow- manville Claringlon 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. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse, any advertisement. advertisement. Credit for advertisement advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the Canadian Statesman Is copyrighted, copyrighted, Unauthorized reproduction reproduction Is prohibited. 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