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2 Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, «January 19, 2000 ORONO Weekly Times Serving'.East Clarington and beyond since 1937 Subscriptions $23.36 + $1.64 G.S.T. = $25.00/ycar Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 Publishing 50 Issues Annually at the Office of Publication 5310 Main Street, P.O. Box 209, Orono, Ontario LOB 1M0 E-Mail Address: oronotimes@speedline.ca Phone/Fax (905) 983-5301 Publisher/Editor Marg Zwart Emergency room mess The story of 18-year-old Joshua Fleuelling of Scarborough, is familiar to most of us by now. The teen died of cardiac failure following a sever asthma attack in his home on Friday, just after paramedics arrived. Scarborough hospital, a five minute ambulance drive from the young man's home was on critical care by-pass at the time and was not accepting any more patients in their overcrowded emergency room. Paramedics were redirected to the Markham hospital, an 18 minute drive from the teens home. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate Joshua during the trip to the hospital. Ontario's Chief Coroner, Dr. James Young is now investigating. He wants to find out if the decision to travel travel to another hospital, and the resulting delay, contributed to the death of Joshua Fleuelling. Monday's story in the Toronto Star says Joshua had suffered from asthma since he was three, and often had attacks. The reported overcrowding of Toronto's emergency rooms have caught the headlines for some time now. Barry Wilson spokesperson for the Health Minister says the government is working to solve the crisis, which-he says stems from a 40% increase in hospital visits this year over last. Liberal MPP Gerard Kennedy disagrees saying the problem stems from the fact there are fewer hospitals to handle the patients. I tend to side with the Kennedy theory. theory. Hospitals now also find themselves involved in expensive expensive campaigns to recruit back nurses who left hospitals here to find jobs in the States during those years of downsizing. downsizing. Since Joshua's death, Toronto ambulances have been directed to take the most critically ill patients to the closest closest hospital, regardless of how busy they are. We don't know yet if the longer ambulance ride contributed contributed to Joshua's death. The Toronto Star printed a picture of Joshua, taken this past Christmas. Joshua has a burning cigarette in'his hand. Is Joshua, knowing what condition his health was in, yet choosing to smoke, not somewhat responsible for his own death? ^Letters to the Editor] Saturday, January 15/00 ' Dear Marg, A couple Interesting items from the last issue of the Weekly Times which caught one's eye. First was Rolfe Wakefield's excellent item about Canada, it's past, and it's future, as we head into the new millennium. Of course, being a proud Canadian, after having read the piece I developed some pain in the shoulder... .from patting myself on the back, no doubt. How refreshing it is hearing us referred to as a unique people, without specifically specifically mentioning Quebec or Québécois. What a noveil approach. Novel, but in all likelihood true. I'm wondering wondering if Lucien Bouchard subscribes subscribes to the Orono Weekly Times, and perhaps saw the article? Non? That's unfortunate. unfortunate. And the part about Wilfrid Laurier saying "the 20th century is Canada's", now makes him look like a prophet, as Canada came into it's own as a real world leader in many ways during the last hundred years. Mr. Wakefield makes a brief reference to the fact that "we ARE being Americanized in some ways," but that's OK. Had'the allied forces not won in The Great War, and again in World War' II, we could have become Germanized, or Germanized/Japanized. Or Russianized during the Cold War. Much worse than Americanized, I think. Without trivializing Canada's outstanding efforts during these crisis, it certainly hasn't bhrt us living next to the most powerful country in the world. But, in spite of our own numerot 18 accomplishments, accomplishments, we are n ot given to, as Rolfe points out, "huff and puff and boast " We leave that to the Yanks while we quietly keep on doing our own thing. And, that is, has been, and likely always will be, the Canadian way. I also talked with Roy about some of his observations observations regarding the feathered population. Firstly, I had to tell him my wife and I FINALLY FINALLY saw some wild turkeys a couple weeks back....two flocks within 15 minutes! One on Shiloh Road and the bigger bunch up by Cathcarts north of Kendal. These spottings were more of a relief than anything, as it was getting to the point, after 2 or 3 years searching, and reading about everybody and their brother seeing them all over the county, county, where the whole thing seemed like a cruel hoax, and I was sure there wasn't a damned wild turkey within a hundred miles. Seeing the size of these birds, it would be almost impossible to miss them. The other thing Roy wrote of last week was the huge flocks of a thousand or more starlings seen all around the area. Now, starlings starlings don't normally excite anybody, me included, and usually are seen as a nuisance, nuisance, but in these large flocks their flying patterns are absolutely amazing, as they climb, dive, swoop, turn sharply and change directions directions seemingly without crashing into each other, or I'm sure the ground would be littered with injured birds. Unfortunately Roy couldn't tell me how they manage this incredible aerial féat, so I did some checking on my own. There are several different theories, depending on which - authorities you speak to, Firstly, the Audubon Society believes they have a built-in "radar-type" system, similar to bats, which relies mostly on body heat. Bill Lishman says they are all equipped with mini transmitters and head phones, getting instructions instructions from the base commander. commander. And, an unnamed source says they all wear miniature, lightweight, padded equipment equipment and helmets, similar to hockey gear... .and added that they actually DO crash into each other....all the time. But they don't get hurt. So, take your pick, Roy. Regards, Bob Rotz Kirby (soon to be Naldna) Trucker sends thanks In round about way Mrs. ■ Merle Gilbart of Peterborough, formerly of Orono, sent us a newspaper clipping from the January 11th issue of the Peterborough Examiner. The clipping was a letter to the editor, written by Mr, Dale Billington ' of RR 4, Milton. Billington, a truck driver, hauling hauling groceries for a large food chain established in Milton, says he discovered thé Orono, Janetyille and Peterborough run one day and fell in love with it. After fighting my way across the city, through 16 lanes of constant horrific traffic, the letter letter states, 1 took the Hwy. 35/115 ramp and broke into a completely different world, Billington's letter states. As I slowed down to take the Main Street, Orono cut-off, with my tractor tires touching the gravel oh the left side, and the tires of my 53-foot trailer touching the gravel on the right side, I felt relaxed and more content knowing knowing things were going to slow down a bit. I rumbled through town on the narrow streets, then came-to a corner that was extremely short for my big rig, but there was no problem as the people in their cars stopped and waited for me to negotiate the turn. The people in the store were always friendly and happy to see me. He .then goes on to tell of similar experiences in Janetville and Peterborough. Thank you to Mrs. Gilbart of Peterborough for sending us that letter. Plans (continued from page 1 ) those reports, what further changes may be needed with respect to the number of municipal municipal politicians in the Region of Durham. The government of Ontario is encouraging the Regions to continue looking for ways to reduce the number of politicians politicians and lower taxes. "We expect all governments to work on behalf of local residents residents to make local government more accountable and find ways to lower taxes," says acting acting Minister of Municipal Affairs, Tony Clement. "The jury is still out on the recent amalgamations," said • Hamre. "Did they save money by reducing the number of politicians?" she asked. When you decrease the number of politicians, their work load and responsibilities increase, and so do their salaries. "Taxes do not go down, they go up," she said. 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