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m - Orono Weekly Tunes, Wednesday, April 2,2003 "" * 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 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. ' '" Survivor-lraq As the war rages in Iraq, we find ourselves inundated with the constant coverage, updates and analysis of the American led invasion which began twelve days ago. We've come to the point of being over-saturated over-saturated with war coverage and many find themselves tuning out of the war. Reporters from the international international media have been "imbedded" with coalition coalition troops to give instant coverage from all phases phases of the operation "Iraqi Freedom." This on-the- spot coverage does not allow journalists time to reflect and give perspective to their reports. Tfye overall style of reporting reminds us more of a reality television series rather than live action war coverage. The night-scope vision glasses give an eerie, un-real quality to many of the live reports of the bombings and skirmishes. The non-stop coverage also makes the less than two- week effort feel much longer. With the battle of Bagdad looming over Iraq, I hope the constant pictures/reports from these earlier earlier battles will not makes us callous to life story of those who lose their life on both sides. The media is the message and the message too many people seem to be getting is, this is just another "Survivor- Iraq." Let's hope Saddem is voted off the Island. AS I 866 it ...by Peter Jaworski Upholding worthwhile traditions Ontario's budget was delivered on television. In a first for the presentation of the Ontario budget, Janet Ecker, Ontario's Finance Minister, delivered the budget from a television studio in Brampton, rather than at Queen's Park. What followed was a bit of a furor--and rightly so. Dalton McGuinty, Ontario Liberal Party leader, said: "I'm not going to attach any credibility to an infomercial." Meanwhile, the NDP called it a "dog and pony show" and, to prove the point, made that announcement with a dog and a pony in tow. Howard Hampton, the leader of the NDP, added: "To use what is one of the hallmarks hallmarks of the democratic process, the parliamentary process, and frankly bastardize bastardize it ... is something all people in Ontario should be concerned about." Even a few Tory backbenchers backbenchers expressed anger at the decision to air the budget in front of television cameras rather than at Queen's Park. It's unusual to have elected members critique their own Parties--the reasons for their jobs in the first place--so when it happens, you might want to perk up your ears a bit. The decision to air the budget in front a hand-picked studio audience, complete with canned applause, and a scripted "question period" was a bad one for several reasons. Ignoring Ontario's typical approach to budget's denies the continuation of a valued historical tradition. In a society society that moves quickly towards the new and novel, it is a source of comfort to find a few things that remain the same. Especially when that 'sameness,' as it were, is not caused as a consequence of law, but, rather, as a consequence consequence of a general respect for the values and principles those traditions show. This isn't to hold up beyond criticism anything 'traditional' or 'historical' simply because it is old. That is as useless as maintaining bloodletting as a form of health care in virtue of the progenitors of the supposed 'cure.' Instead, this is to uphold a tradition that is still useful and worthwhile. Presenting the budget in front of Parliament, for instance, allows critics to be vocal immediately. Responding Responding to elements of a budget, the rest of us get a chance to hear and witness which elements elements of the budget are more controversial than others. Immunizing the speaker from this immediate kind of criticism criticism immunizes her also from one additional incentive to be wise about the creation of the budget in the first place. Scripting 'question period' also detracts from the valuable Noah's Ark Dear Editor, A great audience at Orono United Church was on hand Saturday evening to greet the talented Oshawa artists from "The Black Puppeteers" production production of Noah's Ark. The show was presented in the Main Hall downstairs with the complete stage area criticism that is a hallmark of regular Canadian political business. Opposition parties have incentives to ask the toughest questions, and through those questions inform us, the viewers. Each of us do not have the resources necessary to hire separate economists and accountants to ensure that one political party's estimates, assumptions, assumptions, and hopes are accurate. Opposition Parties do. -It might be objected here that this isn't a criticism of the JAWORSKI continued page 3 cloaked in black to cast an erie feeling! The many artists, animals animals and puppets portrayed gave audience members of all ages an exciting visual presentation. presentation. A delicious lunch was served at closing. Kirby United Church sponsored this production. Isabelle Challice Orono Letter to the Editor