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

PAGE 4 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MARCH 12,2003 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 Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Barb Harrison Composing Manager Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 Œtjc Cmmbtmt ü>ttitc5mmi March 12, 2003 Metrolancl Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Phone 905-579-440C Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-440? General Fax 905-579-2235 Newsroom Fax 905-579-1805 E-Mail newsroom@durbamregion.com 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 infodurhamregion.com EDITORIAL c-miiil letters to nvwsroi)iii@cliirli:imrcj;i(m.com Sexual assault centre funding badly needed T he victims of sexual assault assault or domestic violence need someone to turn to after being violated, often by someone they love and trust. For the women and children who are hurt - the vast majority of victims are those who are most vulnerable - there is a need for swift, professional treatment. That's why the $125,000 provided provided by the Province to expand the Sexual Assault Care Centre of Durham Region at Lakeridgc Health Oshawa is so very important. important. The local cash injection is part of a $3.7-million investment to 31 hospital-based sexual assault assault treatment centres across Ontario. Durham MPP John O'Toole O'Toole says his government "is committed to ensuring victims of domestic violence and children who have been sexually assaulted or abused have access to the medical medical care, support and follow-up they need." The key aspect of the centre's treatment is to provide emergency emergency medical services with documentation documentation of the injuries for child victims of sexual assault who come to the centre within 48 hours of an attack and to women who visit within 72 hours of an attack. The team is on-call 24 hours a day and will respond within 30 minutes after a victim arrives at the Oshawa emergency room. Those victims who cannot get to Oshawa can go to their local hospital and transportation will be arranged. Shirley Burnett, the centre's executive director, points out Lakeridge Health has been extremely extremely supportive of women's issues and the program. She says the hospital has even covered deficits when the program ran short of funds. "When you see a program that is hospital-driven, that makes it so successful," she says. The centre centre ensures that, in this region at least, women and children get the help they need and that justice has a better chance of being served. The Durham program has resulted in a higher conviction 'rate as a result of the well-docu- • mented evidence the centre collects collects following an attack. This latest investment is part of the ongoing, long-term attack on domestic violence and sexual assault. Long gone are the days when such incidents were kept strictly behind closed doors, or when bringing up the topic of violence violence against women brought ignorant comments and grunts from a nearly all-male Parliament. Parliament. Much progress has been made, though unfortunately, it's been airived at through inquests and over the bodies of murdered women. One of the most tragic events in Canadian history, the Montreal massacre on Dec. 6, 1989, which saw 14 young women slaughtered by an embittered embittered man who then killed himself, himself, pul the spotlight squarely on violence against women. Though the actions of the killer were a gross anomaly, they motivated politicians across the land to commit funds and take action to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault. The cncl result has been a commitment to provide shelters for women and children, counselling, counselling, and services that help victims regain their dignity. There is still much to do and a long way to go, but the voices that were once silent or silenced are now being heard loud and clear. OPINION e-mail letters to newsroom(G'tliirliamref'ioii.com What's good for Newcastle... D owntown merchants in Newcastle arc rejoicing rejoicing at the reinstatement reinstatement of the type of village constable they've grown to know and love. And who could them? It's great news for the village, where the program had its genesis. Alter all, merchants say they've seen a dramatic dramatic decrease in gangs of kids hanging out in the downtown core, and that the existence existence of such a constable constable gives police a human face - not a bad idea in a small town where no police detachment exists. The program assigns one specific officer to Newcastle, and allows that officer to work flexible hours in order to better respond to the needs of the community. The village constable concept concept has been so successful, it was extended into other areas of Clarington, including Bow- manville and Coin lice. But then, the program was thrown into jeopardy, as staffing demands required the village constable officer to rejoin rejoin It is platoon. That meant the village constable could not be flexible in his hours, and though lie was intended to focus on Newcastle during his shift, lie was also required to lake on other duties. Luckily, hy some miracle, an extra officer has been granted to the Durham Regional Regional Police Clarington Community Office. Anil that means the village constable will once again hit the streets in Newcastle. Good news for Newcastle; not so hot for the rest of Clar- inglon, where no such officer has been restored to duty. Elsewhere, like in Courtice, Bowmanville and Orono and outlying areas, the village constable will remain remain on platoon, due to staffing requirements. requirements. If the program is worthy enough to warrant an extra officer officer for Newcastle, it should be deemed a deserving program for all areas, not only in Clarington, but in the smaller centres across the Region. Beaverton has a similar program, program, Inn that town had to give up a traffic officer to ensure ensure it had the staffing to maintain the program. Police budget and staffing issues are always going to be a problem - there will never be enough officers to keep everyone happy. On the other hand, there arc very few residents residents who enjoy tax increases, increases, whether that accommodates accommodates the hiring of extra police police officers or not. But the village constable program, which makes police more approachable in the community, is worth getting behind, and warrants freeing up a few more officers. The merchants of Newcastle have sung its praises and have expressed expressed great gratitude at its rejuvenation. It would probably probably he equally welcome elsewhere, elsewhere, blame Jennifer Stone Staff Writer e P0W- www.dolighon.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Parking machines ineffective To the editor: Re: 'Parking garage machines machines hold the coinless captive,' column by Martin Derbyshire of Feb. 23, 2003. On Feb. 9 I had the 'misfortune' 'misfortune' of having to use one of the parking garage machines at Lakeridge Lakeridge Health Oshawa too. A note was fixed to the front of the machines - "not accepting $10 and $20 bills." Why? The explanation on the machines was: it was too cold! These are new machines. Do we not live in Canada where it has been known to gef cold? I mil letters to ncwsrooinS'iliirlmmiTgioi looked at the rest of the pictures on the machine to see what kind of bills it would accept - are you ready for this? $1, $2 and $5 bills. Did the Bank of Canada not do away with $ 1 and $2 bills a long time ago? These are new machines - well new since last summer anyway. anyway. I eventually found some money that would work. Now the machine gave me change. Thank goodness I am an able- bodied person - the change came back way down below; if I'd been disabled, on crutches, a senior senior not able to bend way down, too sick, I probably would have had great difficulties retrieving my change (maybe to the point of having to leave it). I think, given the amount of money LHC has been spending on revamping revamping the entranceway (it OPINION i.emn docs look spectacular! 1), it could have invested in parking machines machines that can handle the Canadian Canadian winters; know what kind of currency is available in Canada and is more user-friendly for seniors seniors and the physically challenged. challenged. Only my opinion though. Sue Hillebrand Oshawa Correction A column in the March 9 edition contained an error. The contract cancellation for the EH-101 helicopter cost taxpayers almost $500 million . to compensate contractors who had made deals to build the Sea King replacement. We regret the error. e-mail letters to newsroom@ilurhiinireyion.com Ethnic groups not represented in cabinet S ome Italian-Ontarians are complaining Premier Ernie Eves has not given them a big enough voice in his cabinet, but almost every other ethnic group except the privileged British could claim the same. Liberal MPP Greg Sorbara, of Italian heritage, is in charge of his party's election planning. He's anxious to drive wedges between the Progressive Conservative Conservative premier and any group of voters and said Mr. Eves, in a cabinet shuffle, failed to give Ontarians of Italian ancestry ancestry the prominence their numbers and talents talents deserve. Premier Eves has only one minister of Italian descent, Tina Molinari, associate minister minister of municipal affairs and little known publicly publicly because most announcements announcements of substance substance arc grabbed and made by the minister or premier. Mr. lives has four backbenchers backbenchers of Italian heritage, hut passed them over, and Mr. Sor- liara accused the premier of ignoring ignoring able Ml'Ps and promised the Liberals, if they win the imminent imminent election, will have more Italians in their cabinet. An Ital- iaii-language newspaper supported supported his criticisms. Parlies traditionally try to appoint appoint MPPs from larger ethnic groups as ministers lo suggest they are aware of their concerns mul attract their voles, hut Mr. lives has heen getting away from this practice. Mis Tory predecessor, Mike I Itiiris, had Al Palladiiii, a colourful colourful former car dealer, in the more senior post of transportation minister. minister. Mr. Palladini, who died in 2001, was known as much for his good humour and gaffes, such as refusing to believe there are Ontarians Ontarians who do not drive cars, as for his political accomplishments. accomplishments. But, he made everyone aware Italians were represented in cabinet. New Democrat premier Bob Rae had Tony Silipo and Rosario Marchcsc in high-profile high-profile posts and Liberal David Peterson in the 19S0s had Mr. Sorbara, Vince Kcrrio and Remo Mancini. Mr. lives has ministers ministers representing the large Portuguese and eastern European and smaller Dutch constituencies. constituencies. But there was a lime when the first priority in appointing ministers to represent ethnic groups would have been making making sure Franco-Onlnrians had prominent posts. Mr. Harris had eastern Ontarian Ontarian Nohle Villeneuve as his agriculture agriculture minister and credible spokesman on francophone affairs, affairs, but he lost his seal in the 1999 election. Mr. Rae had Gilles Pouliot and Shelley Martel in his cabinet and Mr. Peterson had Bernard Granilmaitre, Gilles Morin and Rene Fontaine. Tory William Davis's ministers of French heritage heritage included Leo Bernier, so influential influential lie was known as "emperor "emperor of the north," Rene Bmnelle and Peril Guindon. But the Tories have elected few MPPs in the norlhern anil eastern ridings where most francophones francophones live in recent years anil Mr. Eves has only a couple with French names from whom to choose. The only one he thought worth having in his cabinet is Jerry Ouellette from Oshawa, where you will not hear much French spoken along the main street. Jews arc getting into cabinet more than they did in discriminatory discriminatory times. Mr. Eves has David Young, Mr. Harris had Charles Harnick, Mr. Rae is partly of Jewish heritage, Mr. Peterson had Monte Kwintcr and Elinor Ca- plan and Mr. Davis had Allan and Larry Grossman. The only two blacks ever elected when their parties formed governments, Alvin Curling in the Peterson Liberals and Zanana Akandc in Rae's NDP, also made it to the cabinet table. Few Ontarians of Asian heritage heritage have reached cabinet considering considering their large numbers through the most recent immigration. immigration. The only Chinese elected, Liberal Bob Wong, was a minister minister under Mr. Peterson. Tory David Tsubouchi, the only MPP ever of Japanese ancestry, ancestry, has been a minister under Mr. Harris and now Mr. Eves. Mr. Peterson's Liberals and Mr. Harris's Tories each elected one MPP from the Indian subcontinent, subcontinent, surprisingly few considering considering their litige numbers here and fervor for politics, hut neither made it to cabinet. One obvious task for all par- lies is lo gel members of such ethnic groups elected and into their cabinets. The cabinet now looks like a roll call from the British Commons, Commons, crammed with names like Clark, Wilson, Newman, Turn- hull, Cunningham, Elliott, Fla- lierly, Sterling and Coburn - who nowhere near represent today's Ontario. Eric Dowd Queen's Park CLICK AND SAj Today's question: With the number of traffic fatalities and accident- related injuries continuing to fall in Durham, do you feel safer driving on the region's roads? □ Yes' □ No Cast your vote online at infodurhamregian.com Last week's question: In the wake of the nightclub tragedy in the U.S., do you feel a similar situation could occur here in Durham Region? □ Yes 52.7 % □ No 47.3% Votes cast: 148 HAVE YOUR SAY Question What are you doing for March break? Carly Crosina "Going tobogganing with my friends." Stephen Coleman "Spending time at my grandpa's house and my friend's." Clayton Smith Theresa Wadawek "Going to Purple Woods to make taffy with maple syrup." IElie Cmmtiimi Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Bowmanville Clarington 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.