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2 - Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, May 21,2003 "X 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. Where is the credibility in politics ? Is it any wonder voter turnout in this country is in decline, especially among young voters? Youth have become very cynical about the political process, and we don't have to look far to find the reason? Political candidates campaign on their reputation and promote promote an image of credibility. Older voters probably still buy into the image thing, and believe their preferred candidate will be different than the rest. 'Last week our local MPP John O'Toole lost his cool in the house and gave the finger to the opposition bench while speaking on house procedures i.e. whether the budget should be presented in the house or outside. We can all be forgiven for 'loosing it' once in a while, and who hasn't done things in the heat of the moment they didn't regret immediately? John O'Toole's gesture to the opposition last week would certainly have been excusable if he hadn't first denied it. It is just this type of behaviour that makes people want to opt out of the political process. While O'Toole later said he regretted his actions, he didn't apologize until after it was evident evident the incident was caught on film. The sincerity of his apology is tempered by the fact it was only offered after he realized he was caught red handed. In the same manner, Toronto mayoralty candidate and former former Toronto budget chief Tom jakobek last week had to deal with his statement that he didn't attend a Phi' ..aiiui mkn* bmwè cwF^rcame out in the inquny into the * " computer contract that Jakobek did in fact attend the hockey game with a number of other people of influence at Toronto city hall. Now Jakobeck admits he was at the Philadelphia hockey game. With credibility in politics so hard to find, it's a wonder that even 50% of Canadians on average turn out on election day. Viewpoint Iraq receives $200 million Last week the Government of Canada announced a further further $200 million to aid in the recoveiy and reconstruction of Iraq. This brings Canada's total to $300 million. Canada's first commitment of $100 million, announced in March, is being used for basic humanitarian needs such as getting food and medical supplies supplies into the country and providing providing for the safety of civilians civilians and aid workers. The $200 million will help Iraqi authorities improve the basic services destroyed during during the war. Clean water, proper sanitation and good primary health care is what the money, for the most part, by Alex Shepherd, MP Durham will be used for. It will also be used to support support Iraqi efforts to build democratic democratic institutions. At the top of the list is the refomi of judicial, judicial, police and correctional services with the goal of strengthening civil society and promoting human rights. This is very important, especially in a country like Iraq where these institutions failed to serve the people first. Iraq's institutions only ever served a military dictatorship which gave no thought to the people or basic human rights. Once Saddam had gained power he was able, with very little effort, to corrupt officials and the institutions they represented. represented. Minorities were treated treated as less than human and murdered when they tried to SHEPHERD continued page 5 ill Up ■iiiii- üiiiüiiiiij îlUHMiiÜ! ilüüiiiiiii vas . V • •* ,U * 1 üijüliillii'ii" IPpwiw QjrVIPwv wmw, (ulighon.com Letters to the Editor Not clear enough Re, Councillors keep tid on ball diamond. Councillors have done their best to assist Municipal Grants article in Trim and Robinson, as well as us to make this year's Massey the May 14th issue. the Clarington staff have been Show a successs. extremely helpful to our Dear Editor, Committee again this year and My no- Van Dyke Unfortunately, the letter I wrote on behalf of The Massey Show Committee was not clear enough as we were not requesting a grant from the Muncipality of Clarington. We were hoping that the Municipality would sponsor the Massey Show by waiving the rental fee for the ball diamond. diamond. For our Massey Show in 2001, the Municipality generously generously paid for our collectible collectible Massey Show poster and we were hoping for some assistance again. We have no complaints about Clarington not covering for the cost of the lost "sleep"not tost "sheep' Re: "Dogs in detention. (May 7, 2003) and Letters to the Editor (May 14, 2003) Dear Editor Thank you for publishing our letter concerning the enforcement (or lack there-of) of certain bylaws of this municipality. However, if you examine the original letter sent to you, you should find in the third sentence, the phrase is "caused them to lose SLEEP". These particula dogs to my knowledge hav caused the loss of no livestoc to date, let alone SHEEP. O behalf of ourselves and M Farkas, I wish you to print "correction" in the next issu of your paper. Thank you again, and look forward to a publisher correction in order to clear u| that matter. Leslie & Brian Wilson mg