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4 -- FORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, August 5, 1987 Editorial Comments PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The following editorial comment was written by a long-time friend and colleague who now publishes the Amherstburg Echo. John James Jr., eldest son of the Bowmanville Canadian Statesman Publisher John James, is well kriown for voic- ing strong objection to some of our governments bungling, and we wholeheartedly agree with his opinions on this matter. The Welcome Mat Is Rapidly Wearing Out The latest batch of 'Tamil refugees' waded ashore near Yar- mouth, Nova Scotia recently in dramatic fashion. They also waded right into the middle of rekindled controversy over the federal government's perceived inability to deal with what many Canadian citizens consider a cut an dried case of illegal entry into the country. } The majority of public reaction ---- including the federal Liberal leader John Turner (the man has his moments, however rare they may be) ---- was definitely on the anti-social side. It appears most Canadians feel the impounded boat should be loaded up and shov- ed in the direction it came from. ° There is ample evidence to adopt such a position, \n our opinion. Plenty of people in this area, and throughout the rest of Canada, have literally waited years for relatives to be granted permission to enter this country legally. A lot of the are still waiting. Is any country in the world expected to show a compassion to a group of people who simply sneak ashore, and expect to "call a cab to take us to Toronto?" Certainly the behaviour exhibited by members of the 'walk on' troupe is open to criticism. Going on hunger strikes until ceremonial swords are returned to their possession is a bit much for anyone to swallow. . If any other resident of Canada were to attempt walking down a street while packing a twenty or thirty inch sword ---- ceremonial or otherwise ---- SWAT teams would be swarming all over them in a matter of seconds. One can't help but wonder why these people are so determined to make a new home in Canada? Mind you, they'll gladly accept the generosity of Canada and its citizens. But is it asking too much in return to expect them to be prepared to live by the rules of the land they have 'chosen' to adopt? Unbelievable as it may seem to most of us, our government ap- pears to be bending over backwards for a group obviously guilty of illegal entry into the country. Even more difficult to comprehend is the tragic irony that while we work ourselves into a bureaucratic dither over what should be a simple solution to resolve, our native Indian and Eskimo citizens still await federal (and provincial) legislation which grants them even the barest semblance of rights and human dignity. It is time for some government representatives and members of the federal bureaucracy to get their act together. They need to stop worrying about the 'fine print,' and start dealing with 'hard realities.' The only thing Canada owes these people is a gentle nudge in an easterly direction, and a friendly salutation ---- how does 'bon voyage!' sound? J.EJ. Port Perry STAR (09 §) (= | 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO h Phone 985-7383 PO Box90 LOB INO J. PETER HVIDSTEN Member of the Publisher Canadian Community Newspaper Association ; and Ontario Community Newspaper Association Advertising Manager Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co Ltd Port Perry Ontario J.B. McCLELLAND Editor Authorized as second class mail by the Post Ottice Department Ottawa and tor cash CATHY OLLIFFE payment! of postage in cash News & Features Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 ? a < EE ant Un Ve Gon ol Ip DD L060 23305 Subscription Rate In Canada $20 00 per year Elsewhere $60.00 per year Single Copy 50° COPYRIGHT -- All layout and composition of advertisements produced by the adver tising department of the Port Perry Star Company Limited are protected under copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher THESE DAYS, MAYBE WE $HOULD SPRUCE UP QUR PORTS OF ENTRY. Chatterbox - by Cathy Olliffe STRIPPED OF TRANSPORTATION I want to see a show hands ---- ¢'mon, how many of you red-blooded Scugog females went to see the Chippendales strip show at Elusions the other night? Be honest, now (oh yes, I see Joanne and Angie, Terry, Patsy and Kathy, Judy and Wendy ... don't be shy now Gloria ... ah, yes, Mrs. K. ....) From what I understand, Elusions was pack- ed to the rafters with drooling women from all over southern Ontario, who came to witness the chiseled in stone unbearably handsome men who make up the Chippendales show. ' A tasteful show, I am told. Moi didn't attend, of course (I'm much to, ahem, refined for that sort of thing -- actually, I wasn't invited), but from what I gather, the men didn't take EVERYTHING off ---- just enough to tantalize the screaming audience. A good friend of mine who did go had this to say about New York's finest collection of bods: "They were absolutely perfect. PERFECT. I mean, if someone were to make a movie about genetics, and the perfect species of human beings, they would have to use these guys. PERFECT bodies, PERFECT chiseled features." This particular friend, whom I will call Jane, was impressed by the dancer's perfect features, but wasn't impressed with the $21 entrance fee (*'I saw them do the same routine on Phil Donahue, exactly the same, only it was better on TV because they were interviewed afterwards."). Jane also was't impressed with what went on after the show. When it was all over with, an entirely sober Jane (she wasn't drinking because she was driv- ing), stepped out of Oshawa's biggest night spot, and stepped into mass confusion. ~ Tow trucks were madly towing away cars at the rate of a few a minute. Policemen were stan- ding by, helping out legalized car thieves, by tell- ing them which vehicles to remove. Women were clustered around in groups, some angry, some helplessly watching their only means of transpor- tation being carted away. | Jane looked to the spot where her car was parked. It was gone. Jane, not known for her tact, blew up at the nearest policeman. She said some things I can' repeat in a fami- ly newspaper. Suffice to say, she was teed off, supremely so, and tore a strip off that cop that may never be sewn back on. The officer, a tall young man, looked down at Jane, who isn't very big, and snarled, 'One more word out of you, lady, and you're going down to the station." This threat only served to infuriate my friend even more, who tongue-lashed the brow beaten man with new intensity. Fortunately, Jane was not booked. Her car, she discovered, had been impound- ed a good distance away, so she accepted a ride with the tow truck driver (who was giving rides to many of the stranded women( on the trip across the city. } Along the way, Jane started an argument with the two truck driver. "I hope you didn't wreck my car. It was lock- ed up, you know -along with the power steering and the transmission," she said sharply. The tow truck driver replied that her car wasn't damaged, that he had gotten into her car and put it neutral. "How did you get into my car? It was lock- ed," Jane asked, her anger building up in her throat. "I picked the lock," he replied. "YOU PICKED THE LOCK?" Jane screech- ed. "What gives you the right to break into my car?" This conversation, of course, is what Jane related to me. I wasn't there, so I don't really know, but Jane isn't one for exaggerating, so I trust her. She is, however, known for her ability to say what's on her mind, and not pussy-foot around when she's mad. And on this evening, she was mad as a hatter. Later, $45 later, she said, "I know it is illegal for the average person to pick a lock and break into someone's car. Does a tow truck driver, with the permission of the police, have the right to pick a lock without the car owner's permission?" I didn't know. And I still don't know. I tried to contact a few "local lawyers but wasn't successful in talking to anybody. Still, I question the legality of a tow truck driver picking a car's locks. Even though the driver may have permission from a police officer, I wonder if "permission" is enough. Shouldn't he or she have a warrant before giving an okay to break into a car? [ mean, if the average joe on the street pick- ed the lock on someone else's car, he'd be up for attempted car theft or at least, break and enter. What makes tow truck drivers so special that they can "break and enter?' I'm not saying Jane's car shouldn't have been towed. It was, after all, illegally parked. Not that it was blocking anyone, or parked in a fire zone or reserved parking (that doesn't matter, she was still illegally parked). All I'm doing is questioning the tow truck driver's right to break into other people's cars. Jane could have had valuables in her car. The driver might have been attempted to steal them. (Turn to page 8)