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6 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, March 28, 2000 "Scugog"s Community Newspaper of Choice" Freelance Writers- Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 E-MAIL: port.perry.star@sympatico.ca C2ITORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by columnists, contributors and leter if brought to the editor's attention. We reserve the right to edit connection with any advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of 1 Year - $37.45 (includes GST) Six DORI PERR PUBLISHER................. J. Peter Hvidsten GENERAL MGR........... Don Macleod oCna MANAGING EDITOR... Jeff Mitchell 1860 OFFICE MANAGER..... Gayle Stapley " GOT ADVERTISING MGR.... Dob McEachern Meer Ontario Community REPORTER................. Chris Hall Publications Mail Registration No. 07881 Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 1B7 Tons eas ossarly thos of The Port Parry Sta. Lotter must be signed and the telephone number (which wil not bo published) included. Requests that a name be withheld willbe honoured only thers is a compeling reason 1 do so. Enors or refuse publication of any material submitted. ADVERTISING POLICY: The publisher is not lable for sight changes or : BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy Dudley, Janet Rankin, Lesley West ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse, Heather Mack, Linda Clarke, Janet Archer, Malcolm Lennox PRODUCTION: Trudy Empringham, Pam Hickey, Daryle Wright, Arlene Cheel, Robert Taylor, Richard Drew, Scott Ashby, STAR EY 2000 BN > Rh Nata - # pry * SUBSCRIPTION RATES Months - $19.79 (includes GST) ~~ Foreign 1 Year - $96.30 (includes GST) typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher is not liable for other errors or omissions in Editorial Comment Careful, Mr. Chretien... Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his advisers would do well to listen and take heed to the words of backbenchers like Durham MP Alex Shepherd. Mr. Shepherd is keenly aware of the way in which voters may react if the PM calls a snap fall election... and it could run counter to the vision of Liberal strategists. Although an early election may be dressed up as a fight to save universal health care - an issue that is, of course, of great importance to Canadians - it could easily be perceived as a cynical grab for power by an ambitious Prime Minister, intent on securing a third majority when conditions are favourable. It's true that the econom and, perhaps more import y is humming along fairly nicely, ant, that the political right would be caught flat-footed by an autumn vote. Reform is disband- ing, remaking itself as the Canadian Alliance, perhaps with a new leader, and the Progressive Conservatives are nowhere to be seen. And predicting an NDP surge in the midst of this vacuum is a stretch. | But Canadians want a government that's prepared to work and defend its record in both good times and bad. And Mr. Chretien may be vulnerable on a number of fronts, including APEC, and the jobs fund scandal. What's more, there is a growing perception that he wants to seek re-election more as a means to secure his own political legacy than to commit himself to the service of the country. | Governments and their leaders must guard against insu- lating themselves, purposely or accidentally, from the opinions and desires of the electorate they are sworn to serve and answer to. Cynicism and arrogance can be dealt with severely at the polls. Just ask David Peterson. its on both sides of the living quarters. PERSONALLY 1 DON'T RUY THIS EVOLUTION STUFF AT ALL! il V E fy (SaN- We 2 CEN U aN NERY S > AR ons! 10 BE AUG DUR HOOLS! 3 3 =12p0oP . -- Port Pert! STAR Port Perry Star Letter of the Week Some inaccuracies in letter To the Editor: I would certainly agree with Carolyn and Gordon Humphrey's assertion that "all significant fac- tors must be taken into consider- ation" when one makes a compar- ison (Letters, March 21). That is why I am writing. There were some ipaccuracies (including my name) in the Humphreys' letter regarding Montessori education and I would like to clarify them. First off, it should be noted that Mr. Neill was a visitor to Uxbridge Montessori School and not my school. The Humphreys also assert that the success of a Montessori pro- gram is partially due to low pupil/teacher ratios and the way students are selected. This is sim- low very explicit ratios laid out by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. For pre-school (2- 1/2 to five years) children, this ratio is one teacher to eight stu- dents. However, it should be noted that the success of a Montessori program is definitely not depen- dent on this ratio. In fact, Montessori herself, recommended one Montessori teacher and one assistant teacher for 35 to 45 stu- dents, and the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators has been trying to get the ratios increased for Montessori schools. As well, many of the older Montessori schools, due to changes in the laws in 1994, oper- ate only under the Ministry of Education and not Ministry of SE hihi Nokes ply not true. Community and Social Services aha SN | Uxbridge HANES t the Man Motel, owned As far as the staffing of my and do operate just as high quality % 51 AR fire des troy ed the Mad quarters of Mr. § nter, and the school, we, like every other day programs with less staff. This is called in to bring a tanker truck of water to help fight the blaze, Firemen nursery in the province, must fol- Please turn to page 19