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VIEWPOINT by John B. McClelland _ Bh, 1 ~~ Scugog Odtizen -- Tuesday, November 29, 1994 -- 9 WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT . The power went off in Port Perry last Thursday afternoon for a couple of hours. As we sat around the office in the darkening gloom on a late November afternoon, it hit us all just how totally dependent we are on hydro. When the juice stopped this office came to a screeching halt-- no lights, no computers, no laser printer, no fax, no phone, no calculator, not even a cup of luke warm coffee. It was like being stranded on some island, surrounded by high-tech gadgetry that wasn't working. And the longer the hydro stayed down, the more the office was cooling off. All of us remarked that it was fortunate that last Thursday was not a Monday when we are in production of this newspaper each week. . If something happens to the juice on a Monday evening, you may not get your paper until the end of the week. As it was, all we could do last Thursday afternoon was sit around the office and wait. Thankfully, Scooter next door quickly filled his thermal coffee containers the moment the lights went out, so we were able to enjoy a mug of hot java. And a couple of hours later, the Corner." ~ That's what I miss--big Don in his pin-stripes and button-down collar ranting and raving about anything that happens to pop into his head, while McLean tries, mostly without success to play the straight man. When Don gets on a rant, McLean always looks like he's either trying to stifle a good laugh, or he's deathly worried that somebody is going to sue the pants off everyone connected with "Coach's Corner." I have to say I honestly miss the colour and the bombast of big Don's often outrageous views and comments. In this day and age of political correctness, he most" certainly is NOT. I still see him on the tube Sion time to time hustling'Ford trucks and hockey videos. Thank goodness there is no truth to the vicious rumour that Don had packed his bags during the NHL strike to work as a commentator on Swedish television. Strange that I can live without hockey, but I really miss the guy with the wall-to-wall lapels. Speaking of the hockey strike, did you see the photos of Leaf captain Doug Gilmour in the ghastly, ad- plastered uniform of that Swiss team where he is playing for the time being. What a contrast between the truly classic uniforms of the Maple Leafs, the Canadi or the Red Wings. lights blinked back on, the p screens lit up, the phone started ringing, the fax was spewing out some useless press release and we were back in business. Ontario Hydro (yes, that Ontario Hydro) the one that spends money on rain forests in South America; the one that is billions in debt; the one that has taken a lot of criticism for its nuclear program; the one that everyone loves to hate; really isn't all that bad, after all. If the lights ever went out for a week, or two weeks, or a month, this province would grind to a total halt. Maybe we all need to give that a bit of thought, next time somebody bashes Ont. Hydro. YOU MISS WHO? The NHL lock- out is now, what, a couple of th I hope the NHL never allows its teams to plaster uniforms with commercials they way they do in Europe. Part of what makes the game so dear to the hearts of so many is the tradition. Bad enough they let a team be called the Mighty Ducks, but to splash logos all over the Leaf or Canadien uniforms would be the last straw, for this die-hard fan, anyway. IN CLOSING: Looking for a way to get into the festive season? Mark JDecember 9 and 10 on the calendar. Better yet, get your tickets for the Millar Lights Merry Christmas concert at Town Hall 1873. The Lights will present an evening show Di ber 9, a matinee and old. I hardly miss the games on TV; 1 long ago gave up reading about the "negotiations" cause nobody has been to explain to me just what the evening show December 10. The Lights, a childrens musical group directed by Tom and Catherine Millar, have staged high hell is a "luxury tax," and besides I quality productions in Port Perry for have huge problem with a labour' dispute involving billionaire owners and millionaire players. But there is something about hockey that I miss. It's Don Cherry and his side-kick Ron McLean on the between period "Coach's several years. This Christmas Show will be superb entertainment for all ages. I'm looking forward to it. Tickets, by the way, are on sale now at Irwin Smith Music (on Queen Street, right across from the Town Hall 1873) = "heart, it is the view of a To the Editor: I'am in full agreement with Mr. Bruce - Bs for ir some issues discussed at that candidates g in Greenbank, I was allowed. to Rogers (Citizen, Nov. 16) that letters to the editor should not reach print. Usually, I don't read them. Contrary to the thoughts of the anonymous letter writer I found that Pp my op I hope that at the next election forum, Mr. Rogers will again be the moderator. Yours truly, 3 Saunders, even though I wadlin dis-ag; with Put up or shut up To the Editor: On Sunday October 23, I attended a Sotial Policy Forum at Durham College. The forum was chaired by the president of Durham College, Gary Polonsky, and hosted by Durham MP Alex Shepherd. This was the first public forum I have ever attended. Having said that, it certainly won't be the last. As a business man, U. of T. Political Science student and volunteer in a federal constituency office, I am privileged to learn from and experience a broad cross section of society, a learning process based in theory and in reality. The cynicism and skepticism of my generation ( I am 33 years old) is suffocating. So it was an unexpected pleasure to be a participant in what turned out to be a thoroughly sincere, intelligent, imaginative, objective and civil plea for our country. It was unfortunate however, that most of the speakers were considerably older than myself, but more fibout that later. Approximately one hundred people attended this event and many received what amounted to a standing ovation for their vigorous defence of our country, what was unanimously calied, 'still the best place in the world to live'. They were the kind of speeches that made you want to go up and shake their hand for giving you the opportunity to hear them speak. One individual astutely blamed the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for many of the debilitatingly slow changes to our social welfare system, stating. As an interesting anecdote, Australians vote regularly in referendums on changes to their Constitution. They have been doing this for several years, and not one clause has yet received the consensus necessary for a Constitutional Amendment. Another popular suggestion was to eliminate or at least curb the amount of foreign aid Canada contributes to other countries. The sentiment seems to be, fix what's broke in our house, before you spend money elsewhere.' This sentiment is easy to appreciate, but difficult to live up to when one witnesses the state of affairs of less fortunate people who simply have the misfortune of being born ina despotic country. This is not the paint of a 'bleeding Bosnia/Herzegovina if any of us cut our foreign aid? For certain, Canadians are disgusted with the pension benefits afforded to Government employees, particularly, Federal MP's. The cry is; 'Six years is not enough'! I whole heartedly agree. Nonetheless, when one considers the expenditures required to enter the political arena, and maintain travel and office expenses if elected, I do feel an MP's salary should be increased substantially. In conclusion, former Chief Justice Dick Lovekin and I pondered just how difficult the future will be for those in/entering the workforce today. Mr. Lovekin, in a recent speech to students at his former high school, was empathetic with the students concerns. He reminded them however, of his and his fellow students and friends service in the Second World War. Their sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice; many of them knew they would never return. I responded to Mr. Lovekin's story with one about my grandfather, Louis Shebib. One of seventeen children, he and his older sister had to leave school in grade five to work and care for their parents and siblings, all this for $1.00 a day in pay. My grandfather will be ninety years old in January, and fortunately he did not work in the mines of Glace Bay and New Glasglow. He got to lift 200 Ib. bars of steel in the Sydney Steel plant with his bare hands and raise a family of four on $17.00 dollars a week in the early to late forties. : During the Depressiori, he hoboed for thirteen years, never knowing where his next meal would come from. We concluded, that times are indeed tough. But for many generations, the future has often looked bleak. Arguably, people today are unfamiliar with the work ethic the generations of the past took for granted. Moreover, these past generations are also partly responsible for making it 'easier' for their children in a modern world. If all of us are obligated to lead Canada into a prosperous 21st Century and beyond, why were there so few students at a forum held in a post secondary institution? Running Canada is a business. It needs hands on application, | constructive advice, heart. There are a number of countries like ours that are under financial duress; can you imagine what would happen to a country like p and pi hinking. It also needs people my age and younger to put- up or shut-up. Louis MacPherson Burma or Oshawa, Ontario Adoptees need access to information To the Editor: There is a private members bill going through the Provincial Legislation agenda as Bill 158. I am quite sure the majority of the Ontario public are unaware of its contents, I feel this is one way of bringing it to, their attention. This Bill is asking that adoptees can access their "Statement of Live Birth," which is totally unattainable at the present. In fact, if you were born after 1970, then even the last name is sealed into the records. They can only get their last initial and a number. This is distressing to say the least. Although done for what people thought were good reasons (not disturbing the birth parents, for example) adoptees have been disturbed about this all their lives. Sometimes-they think they were discarded because they were not wanted. But most children are given up with the hépe that they will have a better life. It is the most emotional time of life of not just the birth mother, but the child's father and grandparents. There are major medical reasons including the future children of the adoptee as to why they should have access to their own baekgrounds. There is also the possibility that a mutual attraction could occur between people who are closely related. They could even end up getting married, not knowing they could be brother and sister. Jan Sullivan, Ajax, Ontario.