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J PAGE A6 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ July 12,2006 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 Todd Blayone Interactive Media Manager Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 Canadian Statesman JULY 12, 2006 durhamregion.com 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 L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 infodurhamregion.com EDITORIAL e-mail letters to newsroom@durhaniregion.com Region has to comply with Greenbelt It's hard to argue with Uxbridge Mayor Gerri Lynn O'Connor when she complains: "I, for one, am tired of being dictated to by people who don't even live in ; this community." Who wouldn't agree with that statement? Mayor O'Connor's lament has long been shared by municipal politicians of all stripes who are forced to abide by provincial or federal. legislation which often conflicts with painfully worked out municipal planning. The problem is that the guys and gals at Queen's Park or on Parliament Hill make rules and regulations which apply provin- cially or federally and which often can have little practical application to the workday lives 1 , of everyday people in local communities. communities. For all the high-minded idealism idealism found in federal or provincial provincial statutes, there are hundreds of little exceptions and they cause nothing but grief for your average municipal representative and the people who work at City or Town Hall or at the Region; • In this particular case, the outgoing outgoing mayor was complaining about the Province's just-passed Greenbelf legislation which will require Durham Region to adjust its Official Plan over the next three years to make it compliant compliant with the Greenbelt plan. The Province spent plenty of time and money over the past few years devising Greenbelt legislation legislation which was brought forward to tiy to control urban sprawl and save farmland and wildlife areas adjacent to urban areas. Some of the Greenbelt zones have bumped up against municipal municipal plans and have caused local politicians and staff to go back to the drawing board in order to comply with the Province. Certainly Mayor O'Connor is likely not alone in her feelings. And there may be some slight massaging that can be done of the Durham Official Plan after council has a chance to meet with David Caplan, the provincial provincial minister responsible for implementing the Greenbelt program. program. However, it's-important to note the Province is simply following following through on its goal of limiting limiting urban sprawl and protecting lands for fanning and conservation conservation that otherwise might be' paved over by developers. It's the same kind of thinking that went into the Oak Bridges Moraine legislation or the proposals proposals for Places to Grow. The Province is the only level of government equipped to save municipalities from themselves and to provide an adequate commercial/residential/agricultural commercial/residential/agricultural balance across Ontario. It simply can't be left up to each municipality. or region to make up the rules , as they go , along. At some point, there has to be some central direction and control control so that the province looks and feels like an attractive place to live and invest. Yes, the Province needs to listen listen to municipalities blit it is also responsible for providing them with leadership and for having a long-range vision that is best for all Ontarians. BACKWARD GLANCE St. Joseph's Church Photo supplied by Clarington Museum's and Archives Bowmanville's original St. Joseph Church was built in 1858 on Church Street near where the Youth Centre is today. Church Street had six churches on it at one time; today only three remain. w worn LET NOU WOW ff WSWMalS CFTPlm pH dofighan.coin CLICK AND SAY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to newsroom@durhamregion.com Leave killer where he is To the editor: Re:Jurors presented with contrasting contrasting portraits, of killer, July 2. So, Michael Yarema wants to ■ convince all that he ought to be released from his cage because he's undergone a jailhouse con-, version to Christianity, that it took kicking to death an innocent man, Terry Spindler, while uri- ' nating on him to convince him that, "it was destructive" and that he "had to change." Most people know, that when they're about three years old, not. 20-21, as Mr. Yarema was at the time. He was an adult and there was no evidence ever adduced that he was insane. He knew what he was doing yet'did it anyway. Personally, I don't care how many kids he has, that he has à loving wife, that he's completed high school in jail or that he supposedly has the support of a church. He's where he ought to be and it's my hope the jury will see through his plan for release. The record shows, clearly, that he is a cold-blooded killer. Leave him where is. Larry Wood Bowmanvillc New nukes not the way to go To the editor: Re: Nukes a reliable energ)' source, editorial, June 14. Nuclear energy is the most expensive; unreliable and dangerous dangerous source of energy, as well as being environmentally unfriendly. We are still paying down the debt from the previous previous venture. ' The Pickering , station constantly needs repairs, and often one or more reactors are shut down due to problems. I There can be accidents with catastrophic catastrophic consequences. The storage of nuclear waste is also a serious problem that has not been solved yet. Until that problem alone has been solved, there should be no more nuclear reactors built. There are much better alternatives available that are widely used in other coun- ■ tries, such as wind power, solar power, high efficiency coal powered powered plants. . Renate Roy Ajax Daughter of organ recipient found column misleading To the editor: Re: Organ donation decision isn't about to get any easier, Ian McMillan column, June 30. Maybe I'm a little biased but I found Ian McMillan's article to be misleading. My father received à liver via an anonymous donor about four 'months ago. Now I don't know the story . behind this liver and I'm positive positive there is still a family grieving grieving and another story to tell but recently there has been a change made. Instead of thousands dying, waiting, hoping and praying for organ donations, doctors can now take organs from patients who die of cardiac arrest. , When you go into cardiac arrest, brain damage occurs, making your quality of life into not really worth living at all. I am sure doctors won't look at someone going into cardiac arrest and say, "Ahh, let. this one go." ■ ' , They will try their best but after a while they know the chances. Of course there are miracles. I believe they happen everyday but that's what they are - miracles. They aren't supposed to happen, they just do. People dying of organ failure aren't dead, they are dying, a slow and- painful death to which the patient and their family feel everything. Leave the choice up to God, Live your life the way you want and don't ever take it for granted.' If it is your time you will go and maybe, just maybe, you can change someone's life forever. April Joyce Oshawa LETTERS We welcome letters that include name, city of residence and phone numbers for verification. Writers are generally limited to 200 words and one submission submission in 30 days. We decline announcements, poetry, open letters, consumer complaints, congratulations and thank you notes. The editor reserves the right to edit copy for length, style and clarity. The newspaper newspaper contacts only those people people whose submissions have been chosen for publication. FAX: 905-579-1809; E-MAIL: Newsroom ©durhamregion. com. Former Oshawa coach should be out Suppose you enrolled your child in a sport and found out the person coaching him had done hard time in prison in three different different countries, had twice been busted in massive drug rings and was even implicated in a murder investigation when he admitted to burning a butchered body in a silo on his property. You would think it couldn't be possible such a man would ever be granted the chance to coach with a record like that, but you'd be wrong. Cecil Russell, who once called Oshawa home, who has what only can be described as a disgraceful, disgraceful, reprehensible crime resume, is now coaching a youth swim team based in Oakville and Barrie. Mr, Russell, 53, was "outed" in a pair of Toronto Star stories over the weekend and it would be lair to say the reaction to his background has many astounded he is even coaching. Tim Kelly After all, the man was banned for life from coaching in Canada in 1997 but, amazingly, had his ban lifted last October by the Council for Ethics in Sports. That's why he's poolside once again, shaping the swimming careers of young, impressionable people, And somehow lie's convinced their parents that having him coach is line. Mr. Russell, a native of Northern Northern Ireland who immigrated to Canada in 1974 after competing as a swimmer in the Commonwealth Commonwealth Games, coached swim ming in Gloucester, Ont., from 1976-81 and then coached the Oshawa Aquatics Club from 1981-84. He lived in Oshawa for more than a decade but got into deep trouble after running a steroid ring with his brother David. He was arrested for steroid possession possession and trafficking in 1995 but was released in 1996 after 201 days in a Canadian jail. He led police to the remains of the butchered body in a silo on his Oshawa property, and testified testified for the prosecution in the first-degree murder trial of an associate. He then went to coach in Florida Florida but was banned from coaching coaching in the USA and in Canada due to his criminal past. He then went to Spain to coach swimming in 2000 but got implicated implicated in an ecstasy smuggling ring, was arrested and jailed for two years in Spain before he was extradited to the United Slates to face further charges. He cooperated with authorities in the U.S. and wound up back in Canada in 2004 and, after finally be reinstated last fall, was back coaching again. In this day and age when anybody anybody who works with youth must pass a police check it is incredible incredible that Mr.. Russell coaches, and almost more baffling that an organization would hire him and that parents would put up with him. What kind of life lessons can Mr. Russell impart? It's clear the Oakville club either didn't bother to check Mr, Russell's background or chose to ignore what was discovered, In fact, in a clear oversight, Swim Ontario does not require background police checks in order that someone coach. It recommends police checks but does not demand them. The former Oakville coach who brought Mr, Russell into the club was apparently unaware of his unsavory past. 1 What's sad is that, like anything anything else, the fact that Mr. Russell Russell is coaching despite his brutal past, taints all who work with youth. I mean, what's to say your son or daughter's coach is clean? If Mr. Russell can coach, can't just about anybody? His active involvement in sport is a warning to all parents to make sure all the proper procedures procedures arc followed and that anybody anybody who chooses to work with youth must be above suspicion. While we long ago passed the point where pro athletes served as role models for young people, surely we need our minor sports coaches to fit the bill. And Cecil Russell is clearly nobody's idea of a role model. Copy editor Tim Kelly's column appears every other Wednesday. E-mail tkelly@durhamregion.com. Today's question: Is it a good idea to treat drinking and boating like a highway traffic offence or is it going too far? Good idea Goes too far Cast your vote online at infodurhamregion.com Last week's question: With the moves they've made, how do you think the Maple Leafs will do next year? The same 38.5% Better 28.2% Worse 28.2% ", Stanley Cup 5.2% Votes cast: 174 HAVE YOUR SAY What is your favourite summer spot to go to in Clarington? Shelley Brown "I like to go to Pebblestone for a round of golf." Judy Conley "Cedar Park isa favourite because the pool is shallow." Barbara Twydell "The library is always, my favourite spot." Courtney Munroy "My uncle's pool because it just cools you down." The Canadian Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of. the Bowmanville Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Commerce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Press Council. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the Canadian Statesman is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction reproduction is prohibited.