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wr 8 + Scugo Citiven = Wednesday, May 24, 1099 : va published by: Scugog Citzen Publishing Ltd, sgpubtshers: THE SCUGOG CITIZEN an independently owned and operated weekly community newspaper, is distributed, free of charge, to over 13,800 homes and businesses in and around Scugog Township. Subscriptions sold outside Scugog 36 WATER ST, PORT PERRY, ONT. L9L1J2 B Phone : ok kisi Fax: (905) Ss91410 OCNA CCNA a ccna 8 #CNA CCNA Verified Ci i Ci fie tor : John B. Member Member senior advertisi conThoLED feature writer : : John B. McClelland, Valerie Ellis McClelland advertising manager : Valerie Ellis ing sales rep : Chris Hudson advertising sales rep : Heather Gibson accounting :$ibylle Warren reception : Janét Rankin production : Tanya appin He McCrae "Proud Canadians, proud to call Scugog Township home." EDITORIAL Time to slash interest rates There are some very nasty signs that Canada is lurching towards another recession, if indeed we ever surfaced from, the one that decimated the economy in the early 1990's. Some of the key economic indicators this year paint a less than optimistic portrait: house sales in April, for example, dropped 43 per cent from the previous April; retail sales in March fell 0.7 per cent from February and were at their lowest level since the dark days of the recession in the early 1990's; our trade surplus dropped to $2 billion in March, down from $2.4 billion the previous month; manufacturers orders fell nearly a full per centage point in March. Of course all these numbers and stats that come tumbling from the economists' computers in the glass towers of the financial districts only back up what individual retailers and salespeople have known since the first of the year when they check their cash registers and order books. The fact that some very large corporations continue to make hefty profits and the stock markets are moving upwards means 5IGNS OF THE FIRST LONG WEEKEND OF APPEARED ON EVERY CORNER! THE SUMMER OKs RIA cmzen > [ LETTERS To THE EDITOR | little to the small retailers wondering where all the 8 have gone. The brutally high rate of unemployment is one major reason why the economy is in a stagnant mode. People on Ul and welfare don't have enough to cover the base necessities like food, clothing and shelter. And many who now hold down a steady job are so uncertain about the future, they are carefully socking away any extra money for the day the axe falls rather than spending it. As for going into debt for a "big-ticket" purchase like a new home, vehicle or room full of furniture, forget it. With the economy shrinking and threatening to shrink even more before the end of the year, some experts are suggesting it's time for the Bank of Canada to step boldly into the picture and cut interest rates. But even last week, the trend setting rate climbed several per centage points to (again) shore up the Canadian dollar which fell better than half a penny against foreign currencies. One economist said flatly last week that the Bank of Canada rate must be lowered to early 1994 levels if the country is to avoid falling into an "official" recession this year. Gordon Thiessen, who runs the Bank of Canada, is hopefully taking note. A meaningful cut in interest rates may not be the total answer for a sick economy, but it certainly would do no harm. It would also help to get people back to work in secure jobs that pay more than mini wage. Ci s can't stimulats the etonomy when the entire pay cheque is gobbled up by the basics And likewise those with jobs who don't know from week to week if the pink slip is about to arrive. 'Don't deserve our votes' To the Editor: A large segment of the voters of this province are disgusted with the court ruling that allows homosexuals to adopt children. However, not one of the leaders of the three main-line parties has the integrity or the courage to promise, if elected, they will do everything in their power as Premier to overturn this ruling. Instead, by their action or inaction, they are agreeing with this Ontario court ruling. Anti-family Rae was trying to lose this case. That's why the N.D.P. government admitted in court that the Ontario law that- says couples must be of opposite sex to adopt children was illegal under the Canadian Constitution. Since the N.D.P. intentionally lost this case and had previously put their stamp of approval on the Children's Aid Society allowing homosexuals to become foster parents, it proves the N.D.P. are more concerned about the homosexual Kin Club clarifies To The Editor: In response to the letter recently published in your newspaper with specific -reference to the Kinsmen Raise _ the Flag Ceremony. We the Kinsmen Club would like to straighten out some misconceptions. The invitation went into the Mayor's office at 3pm the day before (on a Friday) which was not seen by our Mayor until Sunday. a We also understand that neither of the papers were notified of the event so they could send someone to cover the event. The responsibility lies with the organizers of the event not the papers and the dignitaries. Our special 'thanks to the Kinette Club of Port Perry, who arranged for the RH Cornish Public School Bank and their Teacher for a job well done, The Kinsmen Club of Port Perry wishes to apologize to the Mayor for any embarrassment this unfortunate incident has caused. Larry Kendall, President Kinsmen Club of Port Perry. than they are about the traditional families and children of this provi protecting and enhancing the' values and morals that made our nation great certainly is the responsibility of the party that forms the next government of Ontario. Mr. Harris has also said the issue of homosexuals being adoptive parents is not the top of the list for the Conservatives. In other words, what happens to the concept of the traditional family and the protection of adoptive children from a lifestyle that our society has always said is wrong, is not a priority with Governm the Ontario Conservative Party. Mr. Harris, shouldn't the families and children of this province be your first concern and responsibility? The leaders of the three main- line parties have proven to Ontarians on this very important, divisive, moral issue, that they cannot be trusted to protect true family values and they certainly don't deserve our confidence or our vote. Dave Switzer Frankford, Ontario ent will decide who works To the Editor: Re: Employment equity. Government will decide who Bill 79, the Employment Equity Bill, the NDP provincial law supposedly designed to remove (imaginary) barriers in the workforce for visible minorities, natives Cop-out McLeod says she would be more than happy to extend to homosexual couples all the benefits that married couples now receive. Since she hasn't spoken out against the recent decision by the Children's Aid Society in accepting homosexuals as Foster Parents says to me that she is really not concerned about children being adopted by homosexuals. Pass-the buck Harris has indicated that social workers not politicians should decide who gets to raise a child. What a wimpy from fr h (no white males need apply) will affect who gets laid off in the civil service. The Citizenship Minister has stated that employment equity gains will be protected despite layoffs. Hire on merit, fire on merit. On the federal level, the public services minister is not quite so straightforward. He uses government doublespeak terms. In basic English, he tells us that everyone's basic constitutional rights will be respected in deciding who will be laid off, but then tells us that the rules of who wants to be Premier of Ontario. Well Mr. Harris, 1 t Equity will have to be applied. To us ordinary Canadians, that and would be like answering yes and no to the same question. The Minister, Marcel Masse, admits that deciding layoffs on the basis of race or sex would be illegal under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but getting him to explain himself has been an exercise in futility. Perhaps the fact that most of our influential politicians are French and work in the French language is causing part of the problem. : When their statements are put in English, perhaps errors are being made in the translation. I am sure Employment Equity rules will eventually apply to workers in the private sector. If this is the case, the government will decide who works--not the company, not the union, and not the ordinary person. And to think a lot of union people still vote Liberal or NDP. P.S. Employment equity laws are costing taxpayers in excess of $10 million annuslly. Dean J. Kelly, Port Perry.