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

An ntinuing feature "Love ... Debbie" Dear Diary, Julie says this will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. At least, that's what she said when she gave you to me at Christmas. She says she writes in her diary every day and she would die, just die, positively die if anyone ever read what she wrote. But you know how dramatic Julie is! Anyway, here we go with day one. Julie said I should begin by describing myself soI'll have a record when I'm forty [gads!] and will remember what I was like. So... I'm 15, Dad says I'm gorgeous, but that's what every Dad probably says . Rod doesn't seem to think I'm gorgeous or even alive... I've got dark brown curly hair which drives me absolutely nuts, big brown eyes [COW EYES is what bratty Scooter calls them], not too many zits, good teeth [thanks to that $2,000 orthodontist bill Mom is always reminding me about], a pretty good body but I want to be thinner anyway, and one thing everybody says is cute... would you believe dimples? I'm 15 years old in Grade 10, which is average, and I like English and Art_at school but I wish I was good at gym like super-athlete Robert James who wins absolutely every- thing. My best friend is Julie who is also 15, also in grade 10 but likes Auto Mechanics of all things. She is usually lots of fun but when she gets sad she always talks to me, which makes me feel kind of good because she trusts me, but also makes me mad sometimes because when she is sad it makes me sad too. She seems to be sad a lot lately. Her Mom says it's hormones. Whatever it is I wish it would go away and we could just have fun and be crazy like we were last year. Maybe I've got "hormones" too, be- cause I get sad a lot lately too. Of course, I am worried about Robert James. Things are sure quiet around here tonight because ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS You may be eligible for $10,000 to renovate your home, $5,000 may not have to be paid back depending on your income. Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (C.M.H.C.).- For more information, phone or write: Frontiers Foundation 524 Hartland Street Thunder Bay, Ontario Help your Mom and Dad have gone to the lawyer's office with Robert James to talk about his drunk driving charge. I can't even imagine Robert James drunk and it was only the second time Dad let him have the car for the football game and he's only~17 and you'd think the cops would give him a break. But now he's got to go to Court and he's really worried that it might affect his football team because the Coach said that any kid who drinks or dopes up is off the team. What a mess! And as if I don't have enough to worry about I get stuck babysit- ting Scooter who is four now and gets really crazy when Mom and Dad go out and runs all over the house making trouble. He's a pain, but he sure is cute with all those blonde curls and the only blue eyes in the house. He hates his curly hair because all the kids at J.K. call him a "girl" but I like them and I hope it stays curly. Mine did. Rats! Dad sure got mad when he got the call about Robert James the other night. He slammed down the phone so hard it cracked and yelled a lot but had calmed down by the time Robert James was brought home. Mom cried a lot. I can't figure out why Dad gets so mad when sometimes he drives home in lots worse shape and then sleeps on the couch and is miserable all the next day. I think he's really mad because all the other men in the © welding shop will find out and none of their sons have ever been charged with anything and he is embarrassed. When Mom stopped crying she called Rev. Smith who went with them tonight. He's O.K. I guess. Oh, I almost forgot. I have to tell you about Patches. She's MY dog. Robert James and Scooter always say she's their dog too, but I got her for MY birthday when I was 13 and besides she likes me best. Next to Julie I like Patches best too. She is really cute even if she is just a mutt and she's got longish, soft hair in brown and white and black patches. She really likes me to pet her and talk to her and take her for walks, which gets me out of the house just at the right time sometimes. I have to go now. I can hear Mom and Dad and Robert James coming down the sidewalk and Dad sounds mad again. Love, Debbie. (Editor's Note: "Love Debbie" will be fea- tured in the NEWS every two weeks. Watch for the next chapter on Feb. 9th.) ' Terrace Bay-Schreiber News, Wednesday, January 26, 1983, page 5 Business Unions out of touch by W' ROGER WORTH Members of Canadian public sector unions, and the politicians who support their fight against government wage restraint pro- grams, should wake up. With 1.5 million peo- ple jobless, and the rest of the work force so uncertain about the fu- ture, there is over- whelming national sup- port for Ottawa's six and five program, as well as the wage restraint plans initiated by some pro- vinces. More important, even unionized workers in the private sector do not appear to be sympathet- ic when their civil ser- vice brothers and' sis- ters threaten to wotk to rule, or close down the system. Common sen- se, it seems, is prevail- ing. But, as might be ex- ected, the leadership heavyweights from the public service sector are appalled at the fact they might have to limit sal- ary increases to five or six percent. In Quebec, for exam- ple, the public sector is threatening to strike, even though there is little public support, and the Parti Quebecois government is heavily backed by grassroots union members. In Ontario, the public sector leadership re- cently put together a protest that incorporat- ed the slogan **Let the B i. Pay'*. The * Bcc 7e or course, are the tax- payers, including many people collecting un- employment -- insurance (yet still paying taxes), who fully understand that such Alice in Won- derland thinking doesn't work in real life. Still, some politicians supporting such action actually boast about the fact that they have been able to hold up legisla- tion that will force public sector employees to be happy with a five' per- cent raise. Other provinces are experiencing similar dif- ficulties. It's true, such a raise may not keep up with the rate of inflation. But for these people to complain so vehement- ly, while hundreds of thousands of others simply can't find work, is akin to outright greed. These are indeed tough times. Small busi- nesses are going broke like never before, the banks are closing down generations' old family farms and even some company executives are being forced to accept pay cuts. In addition, virtually every govern- ment in the country is running a deficit as it at- tempts to keep up with the needs of the less affluent among us. In a _ compassionate society, that's neces- sary. What isn't needed, though, is the cry from our employees (the civil service) who seem to think they should be coddled. It's too bad they weren't more res- ponsible. e Vision Plan Preferred Hospital Accommodation Direct claims payment e Easy administration with ies one monthly billing ( For groups of 6 or more = BLUE CHIP PLUS offers e Comprehensive Dental Plan e Comprehensive Drug Plan e Major Medical Benefits Write for a brochure or call direct Al King 34 Cumberland Street North Suite 707 Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4L @ (807) 345-5451 ONTARIO BLUE CROSS 5100-31 Ri HEART FUNDY P7B 2E1 807-344-9330 Compound Annual Interest, RRSP 12" guaranteed for 5 years PRE-NATAL CLASSES Pre-Natal Instruction Classes will be held at the Terrace Bay High School Library ~ commencing Superflex, a multiple account annuity plan with interest rates guaranteed from 1 day to 5 years. For personal service, call: Heather Boylan or Mary E. Cashmore Wednesday, February 2, 1983 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at 825-9401 *Rate in effect Jan. 14, 1983, subject to change without notice. There is a $25 annual administration charge on the plan. Partners are invited to attend. For further inquiries please call: The Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Schreiber Office e 824-2413 Sulife OF CANADA