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2 - 2002 > RONO Weekly Times Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 GST = $32.00 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. " Orono Weekly Times 5310 Main Street, P.O. Box 209, Orono, Ontario LOB 1M0 Email: oronotimes@speedline.ca • Phone/Fax 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to our readers. Opinions expressed to the editor and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily necessarily reflect the opinions of the Orono Weekly times. Letters must be signed and contain the address and phone number of the writer. Any letter considered unsuitable will not be acknowledged or returned. We reserve the right to edit for length, libel and slander. If your retail or classified ad appears for the first time, please check carefully. Notice of an eiror must be given before the next issue goes to print. The Orono Weekly Times will not be responsible for the loss or damage of such items. Health and happiness This being the last publication of the Orono Weekly Times till the new year, it is felt some sort of year end message would be appropriate. Let me begin by saying thank you to all our subscribers and advertisers for your tremendous support this past year, and for your continued support in the new year. Thanks too, for all the tokens of appreciation that find their way to this office at this time of the year. Last night as I attempted to remove the film out from the camera for processing, I met with the horrible realization that there was no film in the camera. An easy enough mistake to make as apparently, it's happened to Roy numerous times with the same camera. There is no indicator on the camera that lets you know if there actually is a film in it. When you're reached frame number 35 and you only ever use 24 exposure film, you know something's wrong. So all you people who ask (only half in jest) if I've got film in the camera, camera, keep asking, chances are I don't. In a world of constant change, at a certain level it is comforting to know that some things never change. So a high end digital camera is on the top of our Christmas list. We have a very low end digital camera, and while it's only marginally better than having no camera at all, it saved our bacon this week. The reason we have a picture at all this week is because I happened to have the digital camera in my pocket when strolling through the Forestry 1 spotted Santa feeding the wild goats. Right up there, high on the list with the digital camera is a year's supply of editorials. However, number one on the list-- even before the camera and the editorial supply, is our wish for your health and happiness happiness in the coming year. Reminder - the Orono Weekly Times will be on holidays for the next two weeks. We publish again January 8, 2003. www.dalighan.com !!| ill li!i ill i 1 1 II I III III III ill! ! iiij iijjjfefpspiiiiP Letters to the Editor Undermining volunteerism Dear Editor, It is with great relief that 1 learned of the defeat of Bill 30 at Queen's Park. This is the Bill that was to . protect the rights and interests of 'volunteer1 'volunteer 1 firefighters - a media campaign that was focused on the activities of Tim Lee, a professional firefighter in Whitby. Let me first stress my support and admiration for the men and women in our communities communities who routinely put their lives at risk to ensure our safety and protection. That said, the presentation of Bill 30, with Mr Lee as its spokesperson, has raised a number of issues for public consideration. The matter that causes me the most consternation is the continual reference to Mr Lee and others in this situation as 'volunteers'. A volunteer, by definition, is unpaid. 1 work in a volunteer based organization organization and not one of our volunteers volunteers is paid for the service they provide to our community:- community:- If they were paid, they would be considered 'staff. This inaccuracy devalues, demeans and undermines the commitment and passion of the thousands of men and women in our society who do 'give back to their community' through unpaid, that is, volunteer volunteer work. Think of Scout and Guide leaders, parent volunteers, volunteers, community drivers, food bank workers. None of them receives financial compensation compensation for their time. That is volunteering. volunteering. An additional issue raised by presentation of this Bill is that of Mr Lee's rights and obligations as a member of a professional association and of a union. With membership in any such association, there are terms or conditions. When one signs on with the membership or association, there is an implicit - and more likely, explicit - agreement to abide by those terms and conditions. conditions. My employer required me to sign an Agreement of Terms of Employment which ,considered ,considered issues including ethics, values, conflict of interest and outside employment. Agreeing to those terms of employment has certain consequences; consequences; disagreeing with them has other consequences. The actual terms and conditions conditions of Mr Lee's memberships memberships and employment are something of which he was aware at the time he accepted this employment and are not being questioned in this letter; it is the concept of Terms of Employment or Membership that is. Mr Lee's subsequent choice to disregard those Terms discredits the professionalism professionalism of the associations of which he is a member. By refusing to comply with the terms of his professional association, association, Mr Lee is undermining undermining not only his own credibility credibility and professionalism, but that of his colleagues. I have chosen to live my life in small communities, none of which could offer fire and safety protection without the dedication of part-time firefighters. In no way am 1 suggesting that we could do without the part-time workers in some of our communities. But let us NOT forget that they are professional men and women who are being financially financially compensated for the training, expertise and courage they bring to their jobs. By refusing to pass this single single Bill, the Ontario govern ment has defeated those who undermine volunteerism, devalue the professionalism of firefighters and mock the benefits benefits of union membership. A ' good day's work, I'd say. Jennifer Robertson Millbrook We are a fringe player Dear Editor, Canada's failure to acknowledge the USA as the main driving force in all economic economic wold policies, will eventually bankrupt us. Our governments have spent $billions. on trans Canada bilingualism, metric conversion, the GST failure, gun registration and recently the absolutely ridiculous decision decision to agree to Kyoto without USA participation. Canada covers a lot of real estate and just maintaining transportation links with such a relatively small tax base places enormous economic pressure on us to be competitive competitive in the world markets. When is Canada going to use logic and 'just good old' common sense when deciding on policy? Whether we like it or not--we depend heavily on the USA decisions are 'right and proper'... but our government government cannot ignore the geographic geographic factor, plus our trade and industry dependence... making major decisions. I am proud to be Canadian and live in Canada but we must face reality--we are a fringe player. Adopting policies policies and directions contrary to the USA is not just stupid, it is suicide. Kelly Adams Orono gjgggjBggi