The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

i A SER FT "A Family Tradition for 128 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 30, 1996 -7 The Gents were great! To the Editor: May I use your paper to comment on the "Seven Gen- tlemen" concert which was held this weekend at Town Hall 1873. Whoever came up with the idea of a scholarship to honor Jean Kennedy is a genius. Those who took part in the event presented a show of which Mrs. K. would have been proud. Congratulations - do it again some time. Bill McKay, Port Perry. A diamond in the rough To the Editor: Little did] know when I drove my van into a snow-covered ditch recently that I would drive away from the mishap a happi- er person. I was waiting in the van with my infant daughter when the tow truck arrived. Dave of Brian's Towing hauled me back on to the road within minutes. But when I dug out my wallet, he declined payment. He explained he was coming home for lunch anyway and he lived just across the road from where I went in the ditch. "Happy New Year," he said. Tow truck drivers sometimes get abad reputation as road vul- tures preying on the misfortune of others. But there are good men like Dave in the business for whom the pleasure of help- ing someone out is sometimes worth more than the money. Sincerely, Kay Langmuir, Port Perry Hope for 'Team Canada' To the Editor: Last month's high profile trade mission to India, Paki- stan, Malaysia and Indonesia by Prime Minister Chretien, the majority of provincial pre- miers and 300 Canadian busi- ness leaders, provided a strong indication of the future direc- tion of Canada's foreign policy. Canada is an active trading nation and we should have no quarrel with supporting an in- crease in trade with our part- ners with one stipulation: that it is mutually advantageous to the parties involved. Unfortu- nately, as is the case with many of our Asian partners, trade takes place while millions of people struggle on incomes far below the poverty level. To be an effective trading partner, these countries have to be able to stand on their own feet with equal negotiating pow- er. It is my belief that this can only be achieved with an ongo- ing commitment from Canada to support socio-economic devel- opment in these countries. We have to remember, as a trading nation, that we are in a favorable position. Having to re- ply solely on aid is no advantage to anyone, no matter what coun- try they live in. We can praise this latest "Team Canada" initiative but we must also take it one step further and stimulate interest in building resources in our trading partners and in the area of international develop- ment as a whole. Sincerely, John Martin, Chief Executive Officer, USC Canada Unions betraying trust From Page6 These people who have always promised us that they were here to serve and protect, to enlighten, to heal, and to dispense justice now squeal like pigs because they are asked to do their bit. They are threatening the government with "class action chaos." The judiciary has fired the opening hostile salvo by dis- missing charges against a rapist. The cops promise rampant crime and mayhem, the .firemen a firestorm, the teachers intensified dumbing strategies, and the doctors, pestilence and disease -- many will die -- and maybe commit the premier. For me, the lowly taxpayer, it has become a lesson in trust and character judgment. And, I guess, I know now who my friends aren't. Stay the course, Mike Harris. Don't give in to these unethical pressure tactics which reek of blackmail. Jann Flury, Oshawa We welcome your letters to the Editor! Take advantage of the fax: 985-3708 by Jeff Mitchell HAPPY / BIRTHDAY, HURRICANE IS IT TICKING? ...There was a great picture in one of the dailies last week, showing a bunch of those Queen's Park Rent- a-Cops standing in the parking lot, looking suspiciously at... a birthday cake. That's right. A birthday cake. Looks like white, with vanilla frosting, and a little cascade of candles. Now, you wouldn't think a birthday cake is all that menacing. Unless, of course, it has been sent to Hurricane Mike Harris by a group called Interfaith Witness for Social Justice and Compassion. A pretty creepy- sounding bunch indeed, especially if you're in charge of the Common Sense etc., etc., which is taking such flak from all these Social Justice and Compassion yahoos. It's a sign of the times, | reckon, when a birthday cake becomes a threatening object, and requires close examination by five Queen's Park guards. At least -- as far as | know -- they didn't call in the bomb squad and have it blown to smithereens by that water-blasting robot. It does, however, make you wonder what dangers abound for the Premier -- who, by the way, turned 51 on Tuesday -- in such an unstable climate: Cream pies at public appearances? Poo- government offices? ...Better keep those Rent-a-Cops handy. Unless, of course, slashed in this spring's budget. But | doubt they are. Joni Mitchell song (betcha can't pick just one!) about having a river to skate away on? It comes to mind as | sit by the window thaw and now this week's cold northern drafts, is a perfect sheet of ice from here to the Island. Beautiful. OFF WITH HIS HEAD: I've been going over the agenda from the Durham Board of Education this week, and reading up on a few amendments trustees have made to their discipline policy. It outlines those acts which are deemed to be unacceptable, with. | know you've heard this before, but it puts me in mind of discipline when | was in school. Early on, any transgression was dealt with by a whack or two on the bum. As we progressed through school, more serious sentences were imposed for more grievous infractions: Out came The Strap, as we called it, an ugly piece of leather with which the vice-principal would lash your palms. Later on still, they'd just kick trouble-makers out, or even have the police come and take care of them. Now discipline has become more complicated, as have the infractions officials are dealing with. Think: How many guns and knives do you remember being smuggled into school? The times, as always, are a-changin'. ) DROP US A LINE: Hope all you anglers out there will take part in The Star's Ice Fishing Derby, running from Feb. 16 to 28. Watch the paper for more details. poo cushions in the legislature? A wedgie while touring vacant they're among the 330 million civil servants who are to be | AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE: Remember that moody old now and gaze out over Lake Scugog, which, after last week's and the responses school officials are expected to meet them | by J. Peter Hvidsten NOTHING MUCH EVER SEEMS TO HAPPEN it seems everytime I've been away from home the first thing | do with the family, | wasn'ttoo surprised to find the old town still looked the same... and glad it did! But after camping out with five people in a hotel room for aweek.., dragging three kids around Walt's Magi Kingdom. 2 rg on crammed every die attraction we could into the three days we spent in this land of make-believe. diet of fastfood and HAPPENINGS.... . Receiveda lotter from Jennifer Fowler, daughter Sl from South America there sheisawayona Youth Challenge project. Sounds like she's having ~ the time of her life, and if space permits in the next couple of weeks, we'll publish letter in full so oth- ers inthe community can read about her incredible experiences deep inthe jungles of Guyana. | when | arrive back in town is to J drive through the downtown to see what thas Yappengy, orwhat has changed while I've been away. I'm not sure if all travellers go through this same phenomenon, but it's almostlike | expect to see half the buildings burnt to the ground, a few stores closed up, the lake has vanished from the end of Queen St., ora tomado has swept through the area. Just any- incicate that while | was away time did not The only problem with this approach was, by the third day their little legs must have felt like lead and they were just too tired to enjoy the final day. We remedied the Disney trip by spending the final days of our vacation on a white sandy beach, where the kids made sandcastles and played in the surf, or by the poolside where we relaxed under the warm January sun while they swam. We had a great holiday, butthe old saying, "it's nice to go away, but it's even nicer to get home" sure rang true for our family. There really is no place ike home! would not have be - « Extremely pleased to see the Port Perry Star has been chosen as one of the top newspapers inits cir- culation class by the Ontario Community News- papers Assoc. I'd like to offer my congratulations to our dedicated staff for the efforts, without which this en possible. See article elsewhere. » Congratulationsto Rick McCoshen, who was elect- ed president of the Scugog Chamber of Commerce while I've béen away. I've always had a soft spot for the Chamber, hag spent many years as apresi- Now ot