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Letters to the editor must contain the writer‘s full name, signature, address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers are used only for verification purâ€" poses and will not be published. Names will not be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. condense or reject any contribution for brevity or legal purposes. Letters may be submitted by fax to $86â€"9383 or hy email to editorialia waterloochronicle.ca or by mail or delivered to Waterloo Chromiâ€" cle, 279 Weber St. N. Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H& COPYRIGHT The contents of this newspaper are proâ€" tected by copyright and may be used only for personal nonâ€"commercial purposes All other rights are reserved and commerâ€" cial use is prohibited. To make any use of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyâ€" right. For further information contact Andrea Bailey, Editor, Waterloo Chroniâ€" cle, 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 LETTERS POLICY ONTARIO PRESS COUNCIL The Waterloo Chronicle is a member of The Ontario Press Council, which considâ€" ers complaints against member newspaâ€" pers. Any complaint about news, opinâ€" 1ons advertising or conduct should first be taken to the newspaper. Unresolved comâ€" plaints can be brought to: Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1706, Toronto, ON., MSB 1J3 The Waterloo Chromicle is published each Wednesday by Metroland West, a subâ€" sidiary of Torstar Corporation z EDHORIAL === Indrea BAMl T EDHOR e 3 edueniaha w . Jennifer ORN 7 REPORTER 2 mkVBRON Canadian Publications Marl Publication Agreement Num 400504 78 International Standard Serial Number ASSN OK32â€" 3410 CIRCULATION (319) AN6â€"2#I on CLASSIFIED Audifed Cirowl COMPOSING Millie MARTIN Eric HABICH (51%) N95â€"52 400 Bill PIHURA ext. 228 Apthura(arwaterloochronicle ca Carly GIBBS exr 222 cgibbsia waterloochrontcle ca ; _ WATERLOO : CHRONICLE ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Norma CYCA ext 223 ncvcaia waterloochronicle ca Gerre MATTICE Eu 230 RETAIL SALES MANAGER sulesia:waterloochronicle ca Jennifer ORMSION REPORTER eur 20¢ Boh VRBANAC SPORTS EDITOR ew 220 sportsia waterloachronicle ca ADYERTISING Indrea BAILL \ EDHOR ear 27 No OLIVER GROUP PLBLISHER Piasnc WAIDENDORt AS80OCIATE PLBLISHER editoriah a waterfonchromice MAIL OR IN PERSON 279 Weher St N., Suite 20 Waterloo. Ontarin NZJ 3H8 FAX 886â€"9381 EMAIl maba waterloochrem 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20 Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 886â€"2830 Fax: 886â€"9383 ww w.waterloochronicle.ca lhications Mirl Sale greement Number So far the region is going the right way. If any level of government trust of its constituents, rater major decision. 1 indle in i rernnantiia td s Keeping a process like this one open practice all municipalities should keep. Wpuc 0d oaleko Questions like what type of system should be chosen, where the system should run and how much taxpayers should be willing to spend on it, should be tackled at the workshop. Regardless, this is t}{e”l;i‘n_d“oâ€"fvp‘r.c;}ggl t.hat will shape the face of the region for generations ahead. 1 No on t en Pe es And it should, considering the cost could ultimately sit at upwards of $100 to $160 million a kilometre in capital costs just to set up the infrastructure of an underground system, should a subway model be chosen. opefully those who have publicly cheered and Hjeered the Region of Waterloo‘s plan to introduce a rapid transit system to the municipality have signed up for tomorrow night‘s workshop on the subject in Kitchener. f The Region of Waterloo is attempting to cover its bases in terms of public consultation on this project. Eqi ai 14 1 F Region is trying to _ _ make rapid transit i process fair and open â€" ‘"It‘s important to communicate this informaâ€" “bmwm‘n‘flMWhl" e";m n§' us B added more iment wants to earn the faith and . ratepayers must be part of every about the rapid transit issue and honest is a VIEWPOINT The view was breathtakâ€" ing, and it wasn‘t difficult to see why Staebler chose the home she did. We sat in her back living room, which overlooked the beautiful lake, hidden by trees just outside west Waterloo. With a real one running around my feet and dozens of others made of glass, porcelain and ceramic lookâ€" ing my way, it wasn‘t hard to figure out what made this lady smile. But there was one thing I learned quickly after Staeâ€" bler welcomed me at the front door: she absolutely loved cats. Young and somewhat ignorant at the time, I had little idea what Staebler had accomplished, where she came from and what strugâ€" gles she faced. That woman was Edna Staebler. book series â€" books that were responsible for bringâ€" ing mouthâ€"watering Menâ€" nonite cuisine to kitchens across the country. The editor of the New Hamburg Independent, where I was working that summer, asked me to write a large feature story on the woman behind the Food That Really Schmecks cookâ€" Feeling like 1 was in a maze, I finally saw a small mailbox at the end of a driveway with the name I was looking for: Staebler. Il's been more than seven years since I nearly got lost travelling the thin rural roads around Sunfish Lake, in search of the small cotâ€" tage one of Canada‘s literary icons called home. She talked about what felt like everything with me that day â€" professional sucâ€" For the next twoâ€"andâ€"aâ€" half hours I sat there, in awe of her literary accomplishâ€" ments and humbled by her candor with a rookie reporter I couldn‘t have said it bet ter myself. "How about we just start at the beginning?" she asked. Having _ interviewed many people in her lifetime, she knew all the tricks of the trade. She saw right through Edna was too smart for my tactics. 1 fumbled my way through some initial quesâ€" tions, hoping she‘d fill in the rest of the blanks. Again, knowing little about the writer, I feared offending her with basic questions. "Where should I start?" I thoygh@ to myself. "So, what would you like to know?" she asked, settling into her chair with a blanket across her lap. it Ns _ Writing her story w privilege, and receiving itive feedback from F was a gift 1 will always c ish. "I talked so much on this day â€" for over an hour. 1 was amazed at your ability to sort things out. "Since I met you that day I‘ve been reading all your pieces in the paper." I always wished I could have had another opportuâ€" nity to sit with Edna. Though it seemed she shared a lifetime of memoâ€" ries with me that day at her cottage, I‘m sure it was just a drop in a large bucket of her experiences. From the note she mailed me a few weeks later, I must have done something right. Driving back to my office that day, I was a little overâ€" whelmed by the amount of information she‘d given me. How would 1 â€" a young girl just starting out in this field â€" ever do a story on Edna Staebler justice. I figured that was the least I could do for someone who had just provided me with great insight into her soul, as well as a lifetime of inspiration. "Make sure you can see my (Order of Canada) pin in the picture you take," she instructed, as I set up my camera for a photo of the proud woman. But one subject made her especially glow â€" the honâ€" our of being given the Order of Canada in 1996. cess, personal tidbits, right down to the colour of an umbrella she took to an interview for a writing job with Macleans magazine. posâ€" dna herâ€"