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2 - Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, Match 8, 2000 Weekly Times Serving tast Clarington one/; beyond sii Subscriptions $23.36 + $1.64 G.S.T. = $25.00/year 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: oronotlmes@speedline.ca Phone/Fax (905) 983-5301 Publisher/Editor Marg Zwart Ratepayers contribute to rainy-day fund I'll admit, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to understanding the make up of corporations, corporations, and how they function. But the concept of volume purchasing I am able to get my head around. 'Bigger is better' we were told, when the hydro commissions'in the Durham Region were exploring their options, and were talking about amalgamations. In the end just Aj ax, Pickering and Clarington amalgamated, to form Veridian, 'Bonus!' I thought, when the newly formed Veridian presented Clarington council a cheque of $948,000 last September, with the promise of another cheque this year, (double bonus). The two cheques represent dividend payments payments by the corporation to it's shareholders - the municipalities municipalities of Clarington, Ajax and Pickering. Since then, Roy Forrester has been carefully studying the dynamics of the new 'Veridian Corporation' and has come to the conclusion, dividend payments will be coming coming out of the pockets of the hy dro users. In a presentation to council last month, Forrester reminded council that Clarington Hydro was formed from the amalgamation 25 years ago, of Orono, Newcastle and Bowmanville public utilities.' The Municipality of Clarington had not invested a cent into the formation of the three original utilities. Nor did they invest capital into the newly amalgamated Clarington Hydro. I deeply resent the fact that I will now have to pay an increase in my hydro bill so the municipality can accumulate accumulate a rainy day fund of millions of dollars. As a shareholder in the Veridian Corporation, the Municipality of Clarington must take the dividends offered. Also, as a shareholder,-Clarington must try to get the best return it can. But is. there any reason they can't funnel the money back to the ratepayers in the form of a credit on their tax bill? If the member municipalities are looking for a bigger returh on their non-investment, I hope they get a bit more creative then downloading payments to a rainy day funds onto their ratepayers. Letters to Editor Still More Rants and Raves Dear Marg: A couple gripes this week, the first of .which I no doubt share with all other Canadians.....the absolutely ridiculous price of gasoline and diesel fuel. It would appear that the Little King from Shawinlgan has his ear plugs firmly Implanted on this oe, so maybe Mr. Mike should take control of this situation, before it gets completely completely out of hand....If 72 cents a litre isn't already. Perhaps Instead of worrying about passing a bill to ban the squeegee kids (that's a beaut!) he could give some of these arrogant petroleum industry executives a little tap on the head with a ballpeen hammer, for a little reality check. They've pretty well told John OToole and his gasoline task force (isn't "force" a bit of a misnomer here?) to shove it, and see themselves as merely a "collector "collector of taxes"....and, are getting away with it! I'm sure you have many readers who remember when a couple tenths of a cent per GALLON increase brought cries from far and wide. Lately, they hit us with two to five cent per LITRE raises on a regular basis. And, like a bunch of damned sheep, we keep on taking it. Frustration is the key word here. What can we do about it? Boycott gasoline products? Not likely, as I'm not prepared to go back to the CCM. Cut back? I still gotta get to work every night. As Kim Jobe points out in last week's O.W-T. the truckers truckers are giving it a. real shot....the only group who's had the guts to stand up and fight this Issue. It'll be interesting to see what Mr. O'Toole recommends. recommends. His government could eat a few cents a litre In tax cuts, but that's nickel and diming. And Chretien likely won't do anything. So, solve the problem the way it should be solved...by getting these giant, money-grubbing petroleum companies in line! NOW!!! I see that The Wilmot Creek is back in the news again. Still. (Why is it almost always referred to as THE Wilmot Creek?) I've never heard of THE Orono Creek. Or THE Bowmanville Creek. THE Graham Creek, or THE Oshawa Creek. Just wondering. wondering. We have the (ongoing) concerns about development. Plus a couple house trailers, which have now become an illegal "trailer park". And even a bunch of thoughtless cows peeing and pooping on the hallowed, although somewhat somewhat eroded, banks. There are no doubt deer and other wild animals doing the same thing. And, I don't even care to think what the fish might be doing in the sacred waters! Some recent O.W.T. editorial editorial headlines include "Studied To Death"...bingo! on that one! Another read "The Brightest Jewel In. Clarington's Crown". Sorry, but I've got a problem there....If that is true, then somebody should take the crown Into Hooper's Jewellers to see if there are some missing baubles. A damned (that's damned, not dammed) creek is the area's crown jewel? Puhleeeze! And I swear the next time I hear THE Wilmot referred to as "PRISTINE" I'll barf up my breakfast. Why don't we all just leave the creek alone? The cattle and wild animals will continue to roam its' banks as they have for a couple couple centuries now. And those banks will keep eroding. The fish still are going to do their thing in the sâcred waters...minus the Atlantic Salmon of course. They seem to prefer less-pristine water like the Rouge and Credit Rivers, as well as other streams in New York State. Life will go on and I'll bet THE Wilmot will survive just fine, thank you. And the Atlantic Salmon will be there when' they see . fit. That'll be up to them. Interestingly, there is a saying which could apply to some of these more vocal friends of THE Wilmot Creek, but I can't remember it something or other about people and glass houses. houses. I don't know, it just seemed to be quite fitting. Bob Rotz Kirby (soon to be Nakina) P.S. GOOD . NEWS!!! During the length of time it took to write this item, gasoline gasoline only went up three cents a litre! We know how quickly Alex's team has moved on the GST and the YOA, so we can forget them. And I doubt John O'Toole will find the ballpeen hammer....so, go get 'em truckers!! Six days on the road and I'm a gonna make it home tonight! If i have enough fuel. THE MONSTER THAT IS 407 By Jessica'Markiand At a Press Conference held by the 407 Action Group on Monday Jim Robb, of the Better Transportation Coalition, presented some startling facts about the future course of the 407 east of Highway 48 where it now ends. He shocked the audience audience and media alike with slides of the destruction of a natural streambed during construction construction of the 407. The natural natural vegetation was bulldozed and the stream was channeled for 200 metres. This raised the water temperature and has caused fatal fungal diseases in mature fish. Removal of the natural vegetation causes runoff and deposits silt in the stream which clogs and destroys spawning beds. No amount of "mitigation" (government's (government's favourite buzzword) buzzword) can ever restore this stream to its former state. Robb also informed us that Harris Government exempted the builders of the 407 from Provincial environmental regulations regulations under the following .acts: the Conservation Authority Act, the Ontario Water Resources Act, and the Lakes & Rivers Improvement .Act. That means there: is no recourse if environmental damage is done to the 27 rivers and streams that, cross the path of 407 between Highway 48 and Brock Road. This is why the 407 Action Group and many other envi- (continued page 7) 5ÊEW UPTUESro WE&MCMTGS- :