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PAGE A6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, DECEMBER 17, 2003 www.durhamrcgion.com Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-in-Chief Chris Bovie Managing Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Janice O'Neil Cheryl Haines Composing Managers Œfjc Cmmtuan Statesman ■ Phone 905-579-4400 Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-4407 General Fax 905-579-2238 Newsroom Fax 905-579-1809 E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1 H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 H DECEMBER 17,2003 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. infodurham 3gior .com EDITORIAL e-mail letters to newsromn@clurliamrejiion.eom Durham gets seat at cabinet table McTeague to have impact on foreign policy It took more than 10 years, but Durham's contribution to Hie Chretien-Martin dynasty has finally been rewarded with one of the new prime minister's pumped-up parliamentary secretary slots. Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge MP Dan McTeague (elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1997 and 2000) has been promoted from backbencher backbencher maverick to Foreign Minister Bill Graham's side. Mr. McTeague is now a member of the privy council (a new promotion promotion under Prime Minister Paul Martin, who wants to bring more MPs into the decision-making process), and will have some influence influence in the making of Canadian foreign policy. Mr. McTeague is no doubt being recognized for his work to free Canadian businessman William Sampson from a Saudi Arabian Arabian jail. Mr. McTeague helped keep up the pressure and Mr. Sampson was freed in a blaze of publicity last August. As an MP from the GTA, the most ethnically diverse region of Canada and a hotbed for immigration and foreign policy issues, Mr. McTeague's insight will be valued by Mr. Graham, who represents represents a downtown Toronto riding. With the Iraq and Middle East issues still a-boil and Canadian-American relations at an interesting interesting point as Mr. Martin takes over, Mr. McTeague will certainly be where the action is. Never one to stay silent when he feels he has something to say, it's hoped Mr. McTeague's increased clout in government will help when it comes to federal issues that affect Durham Region. Whether it involves Lake Ontario shoreline clean-up or even a fast-ferry consideration for commuters from one end of the GTA to the other, Mr. McTeague will add value to the debate. There may be a chance for Mr. McTeague, if he climbs to the cabinet table, to have an impact on gas prices, long a sore issue for him. While Mr. McTeague didn't quite make it to the inner circle of 39 cabinet ministers, his promotion could lead to a cabinet appointment appointment after the next election, if he does a solid job now. Prime Minister Martin and his staff will be watching closely to see who merits the top jobs. At just 41 years of age, Mr. McTeague is an experienced young man with good political instincts. instincts. The new privy councillor still faces a small-claims court lawsuit lawsuit from a person he defeated in the 1993 Ontario riding Liberal nomination. In the lawsuit, Mr. McTeague is accused of falsely claiming he had a masters degree in his campaign literature. While the mistake, which Mr. McTeague has acknowledged, is now a decade old, it appears it is something that does not trouble Mr. Martin, nor those who re-elected the MP in 1997 and 2000 by increasing majorities. He has earned his shot. OPINION e-mail letters to newsroomSdurhamrcjjion.com Bake up a storm and get to know your kids Parenting a tween is a game of wits. When my son was 3, he got it in his mind he didn't like' chicken. He was adamant on this point and would turn up his nose at the prospect of even lasting lasting any chicken dish. But being 3, James would readily devour a chicken dinner with gusto, provided provided it was billed as fish. Now that lie's 12 and inching his way ever closer to teenage- hood, though, my parental wiles are being put to the test. Wresting Wresting information from James about upcoming homework assignments, assignments, for instance, or getting getting past his mumbled one-word responses to my attempts at conversation can be a challenge. And I have to compete with his increasingly demanding social schedule. I'm learning more and more, though, that listening is the most important ingredient in fostering and maintaining a close relationship with a tween, and that spending quality time together requires planning activities activities that are in keeping with his interests. Thankfully, the Christmas season provides plenty of opportunities opportunities to put such tricks into practice. James, I've discovered, discovered, has a passion for baking, baking, so last weekend, armed with a gingerbread recipe, a rolling pin and some cookie cutlers, cutlers, I engineered some mollier- son bonding time, cunningly luring him from the clinches of the latest video game and I he incessant incessant phone calls from friends. Jennifer Paige As we measured out the flour, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, cinnamon, I listened as lie volunteered volunteered his feelings about his new junior high school, his teachers and the'new friends lie's made. While we rolled the dough and cut it into crescent moon, star and Teddy bear shapes, he shared his ideas for an upcoming science project and launched into a few verses of his favourite song by Linkin Park. (He confessed that some of Ihe song's other verses contained contained language I may not approve approve of.) 1 spent the afternoon marvelling marvelling at how this little boy of mine was growing up to become become a wonderful, thoughtful, caring person with an arresting sense of humour - a person I am incredibly lucky lo have for a son. And, as the first batch of cookies baked, filling the house with the smell of warm gingerbread, gingerbread, I watched as James temporarily temporarily abandoned his prc-leen affectations anil regressed back to an age, nol so long ago. When hanging oui with Mom on a Sunday afternoon was the ulli- mate in cool, Next weekend we're making shortbread. News nlilor Jennifer Paine's column appears every oilier Wctlnesday. LETTER TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to ncwsrooiii@diirliaiiireglon.com Premier made right move to get rid of hydro subsidy To the editor: Re: 'Christmas spirit hampered hampered by hydro increase,' Shelley Shelley Jordan column of Dec. 10. Dalton McGuinty comes from a political party that has a do- nothing attitude: don't offend anybody and we'll get elected next term. To tell you the truth, this is one promise I'm glad Mr. McGuinty didn't keep. I am a small-business operator, and the first thing you learn when you are in business for yourself is you can't operate at a loss. That is exactly what Ontario Hydro has been doing for years. We have been paying for this not in hydro bills but in taxes, and the only reason this hasn't changed is because our gutless politicians are afraid that if they raised rates they wouldn't get re-elected. To use tax dollars to compensate for somebody's neglect, neglect, waste and comfort is wrong. I, for one, am sick of paying for my neighbour's 1,000 Christmas lights, air conditioning conditioning that runs in 70-degree heat, and for those who light their homes indoors and out for esthetic esthetic reasons. I don't have air conditioning, I turn off lights and electronics when they're not needed, 1 have dimmers on my lights and I ■ generally do my part to conserve conserve energy. So if you have air conditioning or leave lights on needlessly, or if your Christmas display looks pretty nice, stop asking me to pay for it! Darin Carswell Clarington Hit from behind results in broken leg To the editor: Sunday, Dec. 7 turned out to be more than just a 3-0 loss for the' Clarington Recreation Hockey League's peewee team Owens Corning. With less than seven minutes remaining in the game and the opposing team dominating, Collin Tompkins of Owens Corning attempted to clear the puck from his zone. An opposing opposing player moved from the hash marks and cross-checked him from behind into the boards. Tompkins went down hard and no call was made on the play. He was carried off the ice and taken lo the hospital, where it was discovered he had a broken right tibia. Coaches, trainers and parents parents should do their best to educate educate the players on the danger of hits from behind before something very wrong happens. During the last Coach's Corner, Corner, Don Cherry made some very positive comments. He said, "There is no other sport that parents are more supportive of or committed to with their kids than hockey." He reminded kids to say thank you to their mom, dad, etc., after their next game or practice. Collin Tompkins took this message to heart and did say thank you and 1 was never more proud of him for this gesture. As I carried him off the ice screaming with a broken leg asking, 'Why did this happen?' I had no answer. Scott Tompkins Tractor event a thrill for spectators To the editor: Re: 'Tractors ready lo roll,' Nov. 30, 2003. This is an event our whole family really looks forward to. We have been lucky enough lo see it grow and now we are amazed by the number of people people from outside the Clarington region who come to see this parade. parade. 1 just wanted to say thank- you to all the farmers and their families who spend time doing such a wonderful job decorating their equipment. You do a great job and we really appreciate it. 1 also must tell you that during during the rest of the year as I drive through the back roads of Clarington Clarington when 1 gel stuck behind a slow-moving hay wagon or other piece of farm equipment, 1 sure have a lot more patience. Thanks again farmers and keep up the great work. Chris Jacobs Enniskillen, Out. CLICK AND SA^ Today's question: Christmas season is critical to retailers, so do you consider consider this and shop locally or go out of town for deals? □ Try to shop locally □ Shop in Durham Region □ Go wherever the deals are Cast your vole online at infodurham20gion.com Last week's question: Should police put the names of drivers charged through the RIDE program on its Web site? □ Yes □ No 73 per cent 27 per cent Votes cast: 230 HAVE YOUR SAY Question Should Durham Region introduce legislation to ban pit bulls? Drew Crosse . 'I don't think so, as long as they are trained properly they should not be banned.' Donna Oates 'No, I am not convinced it is totally the breed.' Steve Harding 'Yes, because I have a child and 1 wouldn't like to see anything anything happen to her that way.' Cavin Jones '1 think we should prosecute prosecute and make claims against owners for hazardous hazardous breeds should they bite.' TRUE GRIT By Tim Dolighan % IM (c) Copyrigh t Dolighan Cartoons 2003 www.dolighan.com Or t'aiiiibiiin &>tiilfflNtiiii Is ono of the Motroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing group ol newspapers. The Statesman is a member ol the Bowmanvillo Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Cir culations Audit Board and tho Ontario Press Council. Tho publisher reserves tho right to classify classify or roluso any advertisement. Credit (or advertisement advertisement limited to space price error occupies. occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of tho Canadian Statesman is copyrighted, Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. AocnàflTClSl