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"A Family Tradition for 128 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, August 15, 1995 -7 LE ITE |°¢ S from our readers Feds ignoring demise of AES office To the Editor: February's federal budget made dramatic program cuts in the name of fiscal responsibili- ty. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture recognizes the real- ities of cost cutting and is pre- pared to play its role in develop- ing new and innovative approaches for strategic agri- cultural expenditures. One of the casualties of bud- get cuts was the cancellation of Agricultural Employment Ser- vices (AES) effective in Ontario March 31, 1996. Thousands of Ontario farmers rely on this program for their human re- source requirements. Ontario farm organizations, through their coalition, the Ontario Ag- ricultural Human Resource Committee, are committed to finding a more affordable re- . placement for AES. Canadian farm leaders agreed during a recent Winni- peg meeting, to form a national committee to prepare a blue- print for this future program with the understanding that Human Resource Development Canada (HRDC) would share the costs. The OFA is grateful your parliamentary colleague Jerry Pickard, MP (Essex- Kent) attended the Winnipeg session to carry the farmers' message back to Ottawa. He played an important role in our discussions. It now appears that HRDC's commitment to this process 1s waning. The attempt to off load any federal financial responsi- bility for this labor issue to Agri- culture Canada is unaccepta- ble. In times of change, farmers need a transition period to ad- just to new realities. Neither Minister Martin, nor the Liber- al Party of Canada can disman- tle programs with the stroke of a pen and expect any sector to adjust instantly. Adaptation measures require time to devel- op and implement. The silence of Ontario MPs is deafening. Ontario agrifood industries are responsible for 608,000 jobs Deep cuts will affect To the Editor: While some may applaud the Harris cuts, I think it is impor- tant that we take a closer look at its impact to our communi- ties. It's good to see a government being responsible. It's good to see a government making tough decisions. But tough decisions should be informed and well- planned, with the goal of mini- mizing adverse impact upon those vulnerable people, re- sources and services. Our agencies are already cash-strapped. More cuts will mean further reductions in ser- vices, such as Children's Aid So- cieties and Associations for Community Living. Think about it: what if the Children's Aid has trouble keeping its mandate of protecting children? Children are assaulted or in need for longer. Reduced funding to colleges could mean a reduction in stu- dent spaces at a time when they're needed the most. A reduction of ministry bud- gets spells further reductions in services to the Ontario public -- even less road maintenance, less laboratory services, less psychiatric treatment, less law enforcement. Most of us will not miss these services until a crisis arises. That is what makes these cuts attractive, because they are seemingly invisible until you need them. Municipalities won't be able to fill the gaps in our province. Agrifood is the second largest economic sector. Farmers are the catalysts of a $40 billion industry. OFA's 40,000 members expect active support in caucus from all elect- ed members. We expect strong representation in Ottawa. We want assurance that HRDC will continue to accept responsibili- ty for farm labor deployment while we work on a new more ef- fective replacement. Canadian farmers have already suffered more than their fair share of budget cuts and will not accept Minister Axworthy abrogating the responsibility of . HRDC. Minister Goodale and Jerry Pickard need some real sup- port. In this era of restraint, Cana- da must never dismantle the very infrastructure needed to sustain the economy in the next century. Sincerely, Roger George, OFA President economy without raising taxes. Reduction in capital spend- ing means less jobs in construc- tion and maintenance, less in- vestment in the infrastructure of this province. How do you take $132 million out of the health care budget and not af- fect service? Simply stated, you don't. But until a crisis arrives, we won't notice. Literally thousands of Ontar- ians have had a dramatic reduc- tion in their purchasing power. Less purchasing equals less jobs equals less taxes equals less purchasing... Sincerely yours, Joan Gates, EMB O.P.S.E.U. Oshawa Editor's Notepad by Jeff Mitchell MUSING ON MUSICAL MEMORIES WHERE DOES THE TIME GO? ...It was sadly, and fondly, that we noted the passing Wednesday of Jerry Garcia, leader of the fabled Grateful Dead. One more icon of a generation passes. So Wednesday night at my house we got out the vinyl and spent some time listening to Uncle John's Band and other hits -- actually, none really were hits in the billboard sense -- that blended so well with the long, soft hours of twilight that accompany summer days. You don't have to be a Deadhead -- I'm not -- to appreciate what was going on with those recordings. The rich texture of the harmonies and instrumentation, the precise mayhem of those extended live jams ... Jerry and company will be missed by Deadhead devotees, and enjoyed by the rest of us for years to come. It's become something of a regular occurrence of late, these heartfelt tributes to passing musicians. The one that hit hardest was back in 1991, with the passing of Miles Davis on a dark September night. I'll always remember that evening, for more than the death of Miles. It happened | was finding new romance at the time and stayed up until nearly dawn listening to Kind of Blue, which is still, for my money, among the finest recordings ever made, if not the best. | was weary the next day, but something special had happened. And then | heard that, as | had stayed up late listening to Miles and John Coltrane trade riffs, he had passed to the other side and would make no more music. Some coincidence, | thought. A tribute evening was also held on the dark winter night after it was announced Frank Zappa had died, a victim of prostate cancer. He, like Miles, was important to me, because he had played such a huge role in my learning to appreciate stylings and phrases that were beyond the repertoire and abilities of most of the musicians followed by my peers. | remember putting on My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Momma and then Black Napkins for a pal and saying to him when it was over: "Can KISS do that? Huh?" And I'll never forget having coffee on the first morning | spent in the first apartment | ever rented, far away from home, and hearing on the morning news that Muddy Waters had died. These passages are important, because they are cause for reflection and reminiscence. The conclusion invariably is that these are people who have played a huge role in our lives, not necessarily because we have screamed at their concerts or torn shirts from their backs, but because they were there during watershed moments, and will forever be inextricably linked to them. It is music that achieves this, because it is the universal language and because, somehow, there have been times when the mood and the music and the memories are all so right. So long, Jerry; God Bless. And Frank, and Miles, and Muddy, and all the rest of you. Thanks for the memories. EE NE ---------., Random Jottings by J. Peter Hvidsten TEAM EFFORT WINS POLICE MEDIA AWARD A It was a complete suprise last APPT | Friday when Staff Sgt. Sandy {1% oF / 4 Ryrie of Durham Regional Police called to inform and congratulate the Port Perry in which five people were shot. During our conversation, Sgt. Ryrie said they deal with 44 media outlets in the greater Durham Region area. This includes 17 newspapers, 7 tele- vision, 17 radio and 3 cable tv stations. He said the Port Perry Star was picked in the newspaper catagory because of its complete and excellent coverage of the shooting and followup stories from eyewitnesses and vicitims. Star on being selected as one of the departments Media Award winners again this year. There were two reasons for the suprise. First of all it was staffers Kelly Lown and Jeff Mitchell who selected the stories and entered the contest with- out my knowledge, and secondly, the Port Perry Star won the media award last year. The story selected for entry in the Police Media Awards competition was the Bank of Montreal rob- bery and shootout in Port Perry Plaza last October Coverage of the story was a complete team effort and as one of those involved | would like to add my congratulations to Kelly and Jeff for their tremen- dous effort. 'ASSMANIA AT JANETVILLE | made the trek to Janetville over the weekend to cover the Off Road Jamboree & Truck Pull. It's a big event, attracting thousands of off road types, and if you can stand lots of noise and dust it's a great weekend for enthusiasts of this sport. But almost upstaging the trucks this year was an appearance by Dick Assman, a 61-year-old Regina gas pump attendent who stumbled into the spo- tlight last month when Late Night host David Letterman called him from his New York talk show. Since then Assman the Gasman, as he has become known, has capitalized on his 15 minutes of fame and his stop at Janetville this past weekend is part of an Ontario tour. When | spoke with Mr. Assman last Saturday night, he said the reaction to Letterman's call has been completely unbelievable. "| just can't believe what's happened since then," he said. Dick Assman is scheduled to make a stop today (Tuesday) at Kotya Peekin' in Port Perry to auto- graph underwear and other items. His visit with owner Marta Kastellic and staff will be taped and is expected to be aired on a future Letterman show. After talking with Dick Assman for a few minutes | realized he is uneasy with his new found fame, including the hoards of media and crowds of new fans. He seems to be uncomfortable with all of the hype and hoopla and | would bet much of the time he'd rather be playing euchre at his kitchen table. To say he's not enjoying his brief fling with fame would be wrong, but with his rather lacklustre per- sonality, it's doubtful his fame will last too long. "A