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Chronicle V Chretien is no progressive 75 King St. South, Suite 201 Waterloo, Ontanio, N2J 1P2 Phone: 886â€"2830 Fax; 886â€"9383 Eâ€"mail: wchronicle@sentex.net According to Prime Minister Jean Chretien, the next federal elecâ€" tion is going to be fought on ‘ideology and values". He is attemptâ€" ing to repackage his government‘s record as "progressive". in an attempt to contrast it with the rightâ€"wing polhcies being espoused by the leadership candidates of the Canadian Alliance On the first weekend in June. Chretien attended an international conference an "Progressive Governance in the 21st Century" hosted by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and attended by the likes of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President Bill Clinton Like the other 15 participants, Chretien was there to espouse the soâ€"called "Third Way" (a moderate alternative 10 unferâ€" iered capitalism and traditional communism}. In fact, Chretien‘s argument was that he had actually invented the Third Way â€" he AN“THER | As a member of the NDP. I‘ve been * hearing a lot about the Third Way over VIE“" the past several years. The fear amon P y & many longtime party members is that .c the party leadership is secretly adoptâ€" mA t _ ing the moderate strategy of Blair and w f Schroeder, and abandoning many of ”‘ig the party‘s traditional leftâ€"wing poliâ€" J 1/ _ cies [personally, 1 prefer to argue on an rufl »g ISSugb)’-ISSUC basis, rather than L ?2 focussing on labels). 1 was somewhat amused, therefore, to learn that our Prime Minister plans to seize the Third Scott Piatkowski Way label and run as a progressive Since 1993, the Chretien government has proven to be exactly what it now claims to be fighting against Chretien‘s speech to the conference is a 23â€"page epic (available in its entirety online at http//pm.ge.cg} that paints him and his govâ€" emment as the faithful guardians of the social programs which they have systematically gutted over the past seven years. Two of the more interesting excerpts include: * "The government chose to achieve these (deficit reduction) tarâ€" gets, not through acrossâ€"theâ€"board cuts, but through a review of all of its programs to align its activities with the prorities of Canadiâ€" Canadians have made it clear that their number one priority is preserving health care, yet the Chretien gavernment brutally slashed federal health funding. Despite its recent thetoric, it still hasn‘t restored those cuts. Its latest budget offered two cents for health care for every dotlar in tax cuts * "Inclusiveness does not begin at the postâ€"secondary school level. One of the challenges all countries must grapple with is ensuring all children get a good start in life and that families are given the support they need for the healthy development of their children, so that they are ready to learn and to seize opportunity later in lite." â€" So, Jean, where is that national childâ€"care program that you promised (the one that was recommended by the Royal Commusâ€" sion on the Status of Women in 1970)? Still studying the report, 1 suppose Fresh from his speech to his fellow "progressive leaders", Chreâ€" tien went to Windsor to speak to the meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS). There, his true agenda came to the fore as he pushed for a Free Trade Agreement for the Americas, which would unite Canada‘s economy with thase of carrupt and represâ€" sive tegimes such as those of Peru and Columbia. He offered no promise that this agreement would contain any more protections for the environment or for workers than its predecessors, the FTA and NAFTA. Chretien can hardly wrap himself in the cloak of a proâ€" gressive as long as he continues to defend and promote the policies of Brian Mulroney, He can hardly claim to be the protector of our social programs and Canadian values when his platform and recard mitrot that of the Canadian Allance in all but the packaging. ( :I WATEZRfi)i)Cle International Standard Serial Number ‘, Sm\ & even insisted on calling it "The Cana dian Way". 1SSN 0832â€"3410 Jimn Alexander Gerey Mattice Norma Cyea . Aill Kerges Uynn Mitcheil Laurte Director of Advertising Sales Supervisoe Advertising Sakes Advertising Sales Reg CJase Mngr Cussi Cal Bosveld Group Publisher & Deborah Crandall Bob Vrhanac Andres Bailey Caroben Anstey Chery! McGill Editor Sports Editor Reporter Orculation Manage Circulation Let‘s just build the new library on wheels They‘ve dug up a Texas grave in the hunt for the body of folkâ€"hero bandit Jesse James. They‘re doing it the hard way It‘d be easier to ask his descendants. After all, they‘re easy to locate. They‘re all running gasoline companies. Against the Flow: The Walkerton tragedy is waning a bit, but you‘d never know it by the hassles. And theres moreâ€" much moreâ€"to come. With four inquiries scheduled, there‘ll be no shortage of words. Premier Harris has knuckled under to public and media demands and agreed to hold a fullâ€"blown public inquiry. Harâ€" ris had wanted an allâ€"party commission, but Opposition members saidâ€"with some truthâ€"that it would have the Tory hand at the 0N€E controls L NUL All the orobes, I suppose, will focus on who said what to whom, and what action was taken then. Of course, there‘s the question if everyone who was supposed to be told was told. In any event, it now seems clear that the regâ€" ulations, particularly as they applied to smaller municipalities, were an accident waitâ€" ing to happen As a matter of fact, Waterloo Region can‘t be so smug about clean water. Lets not forget that it wasn‘t so many years ago that the local water supply was tainted. The pollution took at least one life and made dozens ill so we have little to brag about. The big difference was that the local action was swift and the community was informed. In any case, we can expect that the Walkerton tragedy will produce new regulations, ones that, in particular, protect smaller communities One of the Books: It looks as if the main site for the new Waterloo library is a movable feast. Yet another prospect has been suggested for 1t By way of getting some closure, how about building the hbrary on wheels and towing it to each site and see where it fits best? And would that the legislators would show the same grace under pressure that Walkerton residents have shown Models of Service: I‘d hate to start a feud with Arthus, but P@q‘N ONCE OVER LIGHTHY 1 respectfully contest that village‘s claim as "most patriatic‘ during the Second World War. The nominee in these parts is Bridgeport, now part of Kitchener. The village of 700 had 108 men and women in uniform. Figuring it on the basis of the people served by the Bridgeport post office 121 out of 1,000 served. A news story has said Arthur was officially recognized and that plaque attests to its title. Offhand, I don‘t know who would do the "official" recognizing. No doubt Arthur‘s record is superb, but l sull bet Bridgeâ€" Maybe the milestone was the 50th Anniverâ€" y sary of D Day or one of the anniversaries since but veterans are surprised and pleased at the attention the recent return of the Unknown ) Soldier received In particular, it‘s gratifying to see so many young people paying more attention. They‘ve been fed for too long too much pabulum about Canada as peacekeeper and too little about Canada as fighter for peace Incidentally, if people think that old soldiers just fade away they should see us trying to get into a uniform. 1 gave up struggling with my sailor suit when I found I‘d have to let out my hanky. Sometimes a lot of Canadians have seemed ashamed that Canada‘s war effort involved killing. Thats, alas, what wat isâ€"bleeding, maiming, killing, and destruction of muluple kinds It seemed as if some Canadians would be a lot more comâ€" fortable thinking of nearâ€"pristine peacekeeping, although that effort is worthy of admiration too port‘s is better. The village sent its sans and daughters by the score.. It was all but bereft of younger people during the war, and five enlistees were killed and two decorated. Conscious of the village‘s record, in the immediate postwar the village hockey team was named the Bridgeport Vets. It‘s great to read that the folks around Arthur think of such things, and its action mirrors a new interest and a new respect for what Canada‘s veterans achieved Waterloo Chronicle is published every Wednesday by The Fairway Group = A division of Southam Inc. The views of our columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the newspaper Mailed subscription rates $65 yearly in Canada, $90 yearly outside Canada + GS T Those environmentalists are always whining about air quality..... Looks to me like that bird is a victim of sunâ€"stroke.