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bp ba Editorial comment Changes to YOA much needed It looks as though the federal government is on the right track toward addressing the numer- ous concerns surrounding Canada's Young - Offenders Act. The act has been criticized virtually since its inception for being too lenient. It's become standard commentary to observe that some kids feel above the law, knowing that because of the provisions of the act, they will stand trial as youths when caught for crimes and even if convicted, will be dealt a slap on the wrist. That's just the kind of scenario that leaves law-abiding folks seething. They imagine a gen- eration of juvenile felons, happily going about their nefarious pursuits in the knowledge that because of their age, they are virtually untouch- able. So the call has come often to crack down, and crack down hard. The problem with an all- encompassing tightening of the YOA, however, is that it will come down hard on kids who have made mistakes for which they are bound to be sorry, and who would benefit from stern but alternative measures to incarceration. So it's good that proposed revisions to the act take into account the fact that non-violent youth crimes can still be dealt with creatively and, dare we say it, compassionately. That said, there is a need to assure the public that repeat offenders, especially violent offend- ers, are being handled in a manner which ensures their removal from society for the appropriate amount of time. That's because when all is said and done, any law must consider the welfare of everyone -- the community, and Th WE'D LIKE To kNow \F YouU'LL BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE INTO OUR NEW FALL LINE! Qpoph Port PERRY STAR EDUCATION & Maybe teachers should chip in To the Editor: So Gord Humphrey wants to blame more things on the government (Blame province for latest strikes, March 2). Obviously he's a teacher. He should get his facts right, instead of listening to Sid Ryan and the rest of his NDP buddies. The problem is overpaid school boards and teachers who cry and moan when their empires are, in their minds, threat- ened by bringing them into the light of the 20th Century. He talks about a system that rates schools, put out no doubt by the teachers of Ontario. For one example, the Chicago and district school board has seven mem- bers, and that city is three times the size of Toronto. The number of trustees for Durham is around 13, which includes the chairperson, at a rate of $5,000 per year each; that's one big pile of money. The support staff are on strike in Toronto and want to close all the schools. This is just another method to hold the parents up for ransom. By the way: the support staff are paid around $18 per hour to keep the schools clean. Not bad. Mr.Humphrey, if you are so concerned about the plight and deprivation of the support staff, maybe you and the trustees could show your support by donating part of your wages to back up these poor people. Frank G.Harris the offender -- to be of the utmost importance. Nestleton 'Random Jottings 'by J. Peter Hvidsten NEW REGULATIONS FOR BOATERS ~ temperatures are consistently. ;ar8, The area returned to winter this past week, after | yoying the month of February, which left us with litle ono and milder tempei spite the fact that winter has not yet reloased : ratures than usual. fH } grip, A Suheher activities are on the minds of many. C en and cottage shows have been sold abe to the city as winter dwellers i yogi oo get their sights on the warmer months ahead. "All this brings me to a news release we received y fogarding i new Y tegulations f for operators of of & Lam SN It's hard to start thinking about Bl warm weather and boating at this time of the year... especially when power boats and personal watercraft over the next few years. Under new legislation, every boat operator must pass an exam and carry a card certifying they are qualified to operate a power boat. - the graduated system requires all persons 16 years and under must qualify by Sept. 15, 1999. - all operators of power vessels under 4 metres in 'length, including personal watercraft, must be quali- fied by Sept. 15, 2002. - = any operator of a' power craft must be certified by Sept. 15, 2009. in addition to licensing, there are also new power i restrictions effective April 1, 1999 (this year). below freezing and the cold wind whistles around your i "These include - - operators under 12 years of age ~ who will be restricted to operating a vessel with no more than 10 hp, when not directly supervised. , - Children between the ages of 12-16 years of age . are restricted to the operation of vessels with no more ~ than 40 hp. The restriction also prohibits persons _ under 16 years from operating personal watercraft regardless of whether they are accompanied by an adult. - No restrictions for persons 16 years or over. * The new regulations are the governments attempt to make our waterways safer for svelyone to use... a move that will no doubt be greeted by some and criti- cized by others. COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH On the front page of this issue of the Star and on page four, readers will see our popular histdrian Paul Arculus is about to launch his new local history book, The Merchants of Old Port Perry. Working along with Paul for the past couple of years has been an enjoydble and rewarding experience, as | witnessed first-hand his enthusiasm and dedication in documenting our local history. Research can be one of the loneliest jobs on earth, sitting in dimly lit rooms, scrolling through thousands of documents and records, and Paul has spent countless hours at this task. But the rewards for patience, as new information comes to light before blood-shot eyes,.can be electrifying. I'm sure during the past couple of weeks, while his book has been in the final stages of production, printing and binding, time seemed to have been moving along at a snail's pace for Paul, But last Friday he bounced into my office with a grin from ear-to-ear... just like a kid let loose in a candy shop... then flipped open his-briefcase and placed the first edition of his book on my desk. A happier man you've never seen. Great job Paull