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2 • Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Subscriptions $32.71 + $2.29 GST = $35.00 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." Canada &■ Jlpcna ^n\ ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St, P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON LOB 1M0 E-mail: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax: 905-983-5301 . Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Donna Wood Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman V 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 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 error 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. "We don't cut and run" Canadians have long enjoyed a reputation of being peace loving people. In fact it was our very own Lester B. Pearson, who created the United Nations Peacekeeping Force; and he is still considered considered the father of the modern concept of peacekeeping. While, peacekeeping, can be dangerous, Canada has nonetheless been in the forefront of United Nations peacekeeping peacekeeping missions since 1948, having deployed more than 100,000 troops over the years to serve the United Nations cause for peace. Canadian have served as peace keepers in places that could turn deadly dangerous in minutes. Canadian troops are now in command of NATO combat operations in the Kandahar region of southern Afghanistan. This is a mission unlike others in recent decades. Instead of peacekeeping, Canadian soldiers will be leading the fight' against remnants of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban'. They will also be trying to preserve security in the volatile region where there has been a recent increase in attacks, including suicide bombings, bombings, designed to disrupt the fragile national government. - As this is a mission so unlike our former peace keeping efforts, there have been many asking if Canada should be involved in the Afghanistan operation at all, especially uow since 10 Canadian soldiers have been killed in this most recent operation. The goal of the Canadian Forces aud its NATO allies, is to bring a foundation of peace, and lay the groundwork that will strengthen the national institutions and develop economic opportunities in this foreboding land, while hindering the proliferation proliferation of a terrorist breeding ground. While Prime Minister Steven Harper visits the troops in Afghanistan, with the message that "we don't cut and run," there is a demand back home for a parliamentary debate and vote on whether Canadian troops should even be involved in*"* this UN: sanctioned conflict. There may have been a time for that debate, but it should have been done before the Canadian solders went to Afghanistan. The world as we knew it changed forever with 9-11, as did face of thé enemy and how we deal with them. While we would rather not have our soldiers involved in dangerous missions, that is the new reality in today's world. ig in Touch ti O'Toole Looking to the past, there are many places to assign blame. However, it is more important to look ahead. What are the current government policies that don't work or need to be changed? What' can be done to develop a plan that supports the enduring values of rural Ontario? Above all, it is time to make agriculture, agri-business, agri-business, and rural Ontario a priority. priority. Realistic policies on landowners' rights must be part of rural Ontario. Urban residents are property-owners too. However, land ownership ownership in rural communities represents represents the livelihood of entire families who have often owned their property for many generations. It is difficult, if not impossible, for urban lawmakers lawmakers and bureaucrats to create create ' regulations ■ for rural O'TOOLE see page 8 Party Leader Speaks to Landowners' Association » Last Wednesday evening, Opposition Leader John Tory was a guest at the Durham- York-Victoria Landowners' Association general meeting in Port Perry. Some of the goals of the organization are to support the rights of property property owners, to protect the rural way of life and to lobby for less government interference in rural Ontario. I am pleased that our PC leader took the time to address the group and to also to meet as many of the members as possible before the. meeting; There were about 500 in attendance, from perhaps, a dozen or so provincial provincial ridings. The frustration Ontario's farmers and rural residents are feeling is the result of a lack of effective government policies policies for rural Canada. Letters to the Editor To the Editor of the Orono ■ 1) Our teachers want smaller the workplace and are being Weekly Times, classroom sizes and less of a bullied by management, are workload so that they are able we just going to. roll over and . The following is a letter to to be more effective. let him walk all over us? I the Editor and/or an ' opinion 2) Oiir government wants to hope we exercise our rights if piece about the OPSEU keep larger classrooms while we need to, which is obvious- College strike: bribing the teachers with a ly what our teachers are doing, higher salary. (Students will not only for them, but their I am shocked at the gênerai • foot the bill when our tuition • students as well, attitude of my fellow students is raised next year.) As taken from opseu.com , about the strike. Listening to a The government would " [Ted] Montgomery advised radio phone-in show yester- rather not have the students students to help make sure the day, student after student know that the teachers are faculty , strike would be a short slammed College faculty for actually sticking up for us. A. one. "We encourage students going on .strike and causing a strike now should not come as to call upon the McGuinty dismptibh. in the Academic a surprise: it has come about government to act now, to year. It is abundantly clear that after a year-and-a-half failed ensure that the .Rae report is they are misinformed about negotiation process. And by 'put into effect so that the the basics. So here they are: the way, when we get out in STRIKE see page 3 "Please move over... someone needs their help" To the Editor: have their hazard lights flash- , situations. They may be parting parting or a flashing green light on time, but that only means it is While shopping in one of their vehicle when respond- not their full-time job. It does the local stores in Orono, I ing. This indicates they are on not however, mean anything overheard a woman complain- their way to save someone's less, ing to her friend about the fire- home or someone's life, they Please , move over when fighters responding to a call, are not joyriding. you see them and respect the She felt they did not need to Last month they responded fact that someone is waiting pass anyone on their way to to my home because I was for them to get .to them-- the "hall" after all, she has as veiy ill, I am glad they were someone who needs their much right as anyone else to quick. (In case I haven't said it help, be on the street". enough, many thanks to you ■ I would like to respond to all!!!) Please understand, Sincerely, her via this paper so maybe these are a group of dedicated, someone else will learn also, professional firefighters Jane Ann Tillson The firefighters usually either responding to life and death Orono