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Response to tragedy a ray of hope ith the start of a new year W'm-'ll remember 2004 with a lot of sorrow after the tragedy in southâ€"east Asia last week. But 2005 promises to be a hopeâ€" ful year, despite the unparalleled destruction and enormous death tall, because of the world‘s response to this tragedy. | LETTERS TO THE CHRON Sure, there were some comâ€" plaints the governments of the Western world were slow off the mark in the support of the victims of the massive earthquake and tsunamis that rolled through six difâ€" ferent countries. But the response on the ground was immediate and much more intense, with children offering their Christmas money, and even those without going with even less to help people who now have nothing. __ In our shrinking global commuâ€" nity, it‘s proof of the axiom that you can act locally and think globally. Continued from page 6 Problem won‘t go away on its own We don‘t have to wait for governâ€" ment interventions and reformed policies to dictate solutions to what we already know in heart and mind. Che key is making ourselves aware of the problem and the role his article comments on the I City of Waterloo meeting on Dec. 6, which dealt with a rezoning of Green Acre Park (GAP] lands. During the proceedings, a disâ€" turbing tendency of this council came to light. As many as 10 times. council showed their paranoia of legal liability. Get mad about the waste of tax dollars We elect a council to govern, not to hide behind their lawyers and "protect" themselves from their own electorate. They claim that they will be liable for anything that happens at GAP as a result of residents living there yearround. Yet they express no concern for the same "dangers" encountered by those living there for 10 months. This is not logical. They constantly cite the Walkerâ€" ton water crisis as their liability mantra. The Walkerton crisis involved a public water supply and the corruption of town officials who knew about the problem and failed to correct the problem or warn the public. The residents have challenged the city on many eccasions in meet ings to show their liability and they cannot The tesidents have offered to absolve the city from any liability, but the city will not accept this â€"â€" The GAP water supply is private and is monitored by an outside authority biâ€"weekly. One wonders why such paranoid people stand for public office or Perhaps the quick response ot the average Canadian, let alone the uverage citizen of this world, shamed our governments into action. But at least they acted to help a part of the world that has neiâ€" ther the resources nor the organizaâ€" tion to respond to a tragedy of this scale. The good will being extended to the poorest in our global communiâ€" ty doesn‘t seem like it‘s abating, if the deluge of private donations to the Canadian Red Cross and other groups is any indication. And that‘s a hopeful sign for the long recovery ahead for that part of the world most directly affected by this cataclysm. It‘s a recovery that won‘t be measured in months but in years as countries like Thailand and Sri Lanka try to get back on their feet. The hope is that the world comâ€" munity‘s outpouring of concern we are each playing, assess the conâ€" sequences of these roles. and empathize with one another. No one ever got far in a world full of people by thinking of one person alone. I‘m asking students to take some time to critically think, feel and act how they even manage to leave their houses each day. The City of Waterloo failed to protect its citizens from exposure to financial disaster in the RIM Park scandal. Nor did it protect its citiâ€" zens in their questionable, abortive hiring of a CAO. Now they want to get tough and "protect" its citizens from a group of elderty, financially strapped, healthâ€" challenged, and lifeâ€"choice mobileâ€" home dwellers who, at present, J emphasize this) are not contravenâ€" ing any law. Their present law simâ€" ply does not adequately deal with the situation. Assistant town planner (Joel) Cotter made his slick, nauseous, bureaucratic, audio visual presentaâ€" tion of thesgme old hat informaâ€" tion that the city has been putting forth as their cover up and excuse for what they are really doing. Therefore, it is time to once again present the facts in a clear fashion: "Principal" is unenforceable. No authority can force anyone to buy or rent another dwelling, especially when they cannot afford such. No time period is stated to demonstrate recreational rather than residential use, although the industry generally accepts two months‘ absence, which is in agree ment with the proposed city regula The present law states that "the units (mobile homes) cannot be used as principal. permanent or full time residence." COMMENT NICL] won‘t simply dry up when someâ€" thing else grabs our attention, but that there will be a real commitment to improving the lot of the lesser nations around the world. And while the goodwill of the world community was wasted by the U.S. adventure into Iraq, perâ€" haps the scale of this hurnanitarian mission will make more people on our small blue planet realize how interconnected we are, and how we are responsible for the least among us. That‘s the way the world came together after the tragedy of Sept. 11. 2001. That‘s why 2005 could be a beaâ€" con for the global community lookâ€" ing for something to spark our joint march into the new millerynium that was stalled by the terror of 2001. Canadians and others are provâ€" ing that borders are just invisible boundaries when disaster strikes. with regards to a problem that is not going to go away on its own. "If all pulled in one direction, the world would keel over". tions The law does not state that the absence period must be continuâ€" ous. Many residents are or can be absent for two months, but not continuously due to work, medical reasons or financial considerations. Green Acre Park was outside Waterloo when the present occuâ€" pancy pattern was established. The city is trying to force new rules on residents who are already legally established under the preâ€" sent law. It is almost impossible for resiâ€" dents to rent a place for 60 days:; especially in winter. If forced out, many residents will have to be supported by welfare at taxpayers‘ expense; whereas, they now are able to support themselves and receive lots of help from a supâ€" portive community. I appeal to citizens to "get mad" about this paranoid, bullying. bureaucratic waste of your tax dolâ€" lars putting these people out of their dwellings. Get on the phone to your repreâ€" sentative and demand (don‘t ask) that this stops. Tell them to "grand father" these people for at least 10 years in which time the problem will solve itself Jennifer Steele Waterlno Donald Fraser Waterloc Federal The year 2005 will be a big one for the federal Liberals and Conservatives. The Liberals have a leadership review scheduled in Ottawa for the first weekend in March. The Conservatives have their first policy convention as a new party set for Montreal in mid March. For the Liberals, the leadership review can be a tricky exerâ€" cise since it‘s a given Prime Minister Paul Martin will receive the majority of the votes; but the question is, how much support is enough support? Anything less than 70 per cent for a sitting prime minister could be troublesome, but don‘t expect that to happen this March. After scraping through the last election, the Liberals realize the importance of continuity, and you can expect a solid endorsement of the prime minister‘s leadership that will help maintain unity for the next federal election. The Conservatives have a challenge of a different sort. Opposition leader Stephen Harper is going to have to work mighty hard to maintain the middle ground and not let too many extreme views dominate the policy convention. He will need to take several pages out of the U.S. Republiâ€" cans‘ playbook and keep the friNGCS | mmaaaamomoomaag j within his party happy, but definitely . M@i@® o Pn out of the limelight. _ _ _‘ Sn OXRE If the convention is dominated by the former Reform Party members, he could lose any ground made in Ontario in the 2004 election and lose the next election before it‘s even called. Don‘t expect this to happen either. Political parties like governing, and will do what they can to obtain and maintain power. Both the Liberals and Conservaâ€" tives will emerge as stronger parties this spring and set the stage for a comâ€" petitive election, likely in 2006. Provincial Proportional representation is coming to a province near you. Prince Edward Island will be the first to introduce a form of proportional representation with their next provincial elections in 2006. British Columbia will soon follow will a modified form of proportional representation, thenâ€"Quebec and possibly Saskatchewan. In Ontario, Attorney General Michael Bryant has started the process of "democratic renewal". After all, the provinces have adopted proportional represenâ€" tation. Alberta will be the last, the federal government will folâ€" low the rest of Canada, and by 2020 we will have various forms of proportional representation in all provincial legislatures and in the House of Commons. The Libs have already set the date for the next provincial election, Oct. 4, 2007, and subsequent elections to follow every four years. My bet is the 2011 provincial election in Ontario will include some form of proportional representation. Municipal _ The City of Waterloo will get through another budget year and bring in a tax increase around 6.45 per cent. Almost 4.5 per cent of the increase is for negotiated wage and benefit increases for staff; two per cent is for shoring up some reserve funds; and the balance is to pay for a proposal to develop an inâ€"house legal team. Political predictions and prognostications The increase to wages, etc. has to be paid for, and the city has little wiggle room with respect to their budget on this front. I do, however, get a little unasy when governments raise taxes to shore up reserve funds. Many reserve funds generate their own incomne; plus, contriâ€" butions to reserve funds are already built into the tax levy. If the city needs more money for an existing reserve fund, something has gone awry somewhere. Ditto for the legal department. Eliminate our existing legal fees of $600,000 paid to an outside fiem, and replace it with an internal legal department costing approximately $350,000, We should save money, right? Maybe it‘s me, or the new math, but these numbers don‘t add up. With a little pencil sharpening, the city could shave anyâ€" where between .5 and one per cent off the tax increase. Hopefully council will do just that before the budget is passed Fomail your sean@seanstrickland.com qln'\nnns:'rumnu'ms SEAN STRICKLAND to