ROXANNE REVELER News & Fetitures Editor iý'd"m ti " I i~>iii ;u Phone 6553637 I was always raised witb the premise that if you can't say anytbing nice about someone. ..don't say anything at aIll Likewise, I was always tdld not to speak il of the dead. I have always tried to live up to tbose adages passed on from the civilization in wbich we live, tbrough my parents. But Iately, in particular, of the deatb of Rene Levesque. While I must admit I am sorrowful at bis passing, as I would be for anyoie's, I cannot for the life of me condone wbat bas gone on during the past few weeks. Who was this man anyway? Certainly not one witb wbom the majority of Canadians were in sympatby. As a matter of fact, in' most countries of tbe worId, be would have been branded as a traitor at best. In more than a few be would have been imprisoned or killed for bis actions. He put bis heart and soul into breaking up this country. And althougb there are some that proclaim this as a great action, I cannot agree. Canada bas been one Dominion ... one country ... for almost forty years; since 1949 wben the last province, Newfoundland, came into the flock. For most of us, the province in wbicb we live bas been a part of Canada for 120 years. As an adopted Canadian, this is important to me. And anyone wbo attempts to break up any part of this land does not cvome off well in my good books. Such was Rene Levesque. Not content with the Liberal party he was a part of, he chose to secede and formed bis own Party Quebecois. Once be did this, be 'VIE WPOINT by Roxanne Reveler Hardly great was still not content. He wanted bis party, and the people ivting in the province of Quebec, to secede from Canada. He did bis utmost te make the lives of any English-speaking person in Quebec difficult, by making laws which in efl'ect made it almost impossible for anyone wbo did not speak French to function in 'his"' province. I found it understandable that tbe people of Quebec would feel a deep sorrow at bis passing. But I cannot understand tbe commente and gestures made on Levesque's part by the very "outsiders" he attempted aIl his life to undermine. I think flying the Canadian flag (of which he wanted no part) at half mast across the country was hypocritical. I think as absurd the words expressed such as "great Canadian" by both politicians and the media. Levesque had a history that unfolded to, show he was anything but a great Canadian. He was a conscientious objector duning World War II; he did not join the Canadian press corps, but rather went to the United States where he covered the events of the havoc from a safe distance; he worked bis political followers up into a frenzy, pushing ail the time to form bis own country ... the country of Quebec. If not for that extra 10 per cent of followers who saw reason and voted NO in the referendum, it could possibly be the country of Levesque by now. No, I am sorry, but I cannot think of Rene Levesque as a great Canadian. I cannot think of him as anything but a procrastinatoir, or a would-be dictator wbo wanteBd part of this country for bis own. With bis passing, and, the resignation of bis successor Daniel Marc Jobnson, I only hope that the Parti Quebecois, or at least what, it stood for in the past, is also, dead and gone. We have enough problemns witbin this land, as most countries do, and the last thing we need is a group of people bent on tearing it apart altogether. At least that's the way it looks to me. Otimists award two youths The Optimist Club of Brooklij presented awards to Janis Tripp and Ryan Harker for outstanding community service at the club's Youth Appreciation Week dinner Nov. 16 at St. Thomas' Anglican Churcb Hall in Brooklin. -Tripp and Harker were chosen for their involvement in Meadowcrest Public School's safety crossing guard program. Botb have been involved in the program for five years. The dinner was heMd in conjunction witb Optimist Youth Appreciation Week, held annually duing the second week in November to honor the positive contributions of young people to society. The 4,000 Optimist Clubs .. .... .. .. . .. .. .. ....... ..... Reflections of a G olden Age Bv BLM 1 I November is now with us _and fim not ready to face winter? There was a time wben I watcbed eagerly for the first snowflakes but now they just emphasize the fact that I'm not able to do al those wonderful things I used to do in the snow. Sure I can stili fashion a snowman witb some belp fromn the grandchildren but they must do ail the beavy pushing. This old granny gets out of breath and pufs like a steain engine. I stili love to hear the song Winter Wonderland, but Ilil sit in my chair and sing along, thank you. It's nice to know tbat tbere is a solid glass window to keep the cold drafts out. rTime surely does take its toîl on our bodies but our minds can still remember the tobogggan parties we held. The snowball figbts we engaged in and tbe great friends we sbared bot chocolate with as we cbattered in someone's warm kçitchen. The memories will keep us warmi and cozy now that our blood is getting thinner. Those folks mray be miles away or gone from us forever but we will neyer really lose tbem in our bearts. The year 1987 bas decimated the entertainment sector and so many of our old favorites passed away. Who can ever replace Danny Kaye, Fred Astaire, Ray Bolger, Jackie Gleason and so many others? The newer crop of dancers and comedians seem to need a person on whom tbey can bounce most of their puns and jokes. t bothers me to find that smut and viciousness make up the cornerstone of much comedy. 0f course, this could be tbe new wave of open and free thinking. Personally I don't like it. Remember the great old musicals at the movies? We came out singing the songs and trying to do the intricate dances. We neyer succeeded. t was fun, tbough. At the moment winter bas stayed its hand and we are in the midst of a sporadic Indian summer. Wouldn't it be nice if it stuck around unti spring? Well, we must not be selfisb and deprive alI the youngsters of the chance te, build some memories to carry into tbeir older years. Most of those young people seem to forget many times, that we really were young once and that everytbing they try we probably did. They are sbocked wben told of the efforts we put forth to excel in any sport. Guess they tbink we were born witb grey hair and wrinkles. You know, it's fun to take them back a bit, once in a while. Try it sometime. Youll find you're the most popular person at any party if you start to regale tbem with the antics of your group at some given time or place. Think back - I'm sure you11 remember a few choîce events. Show pictures of yourself and others you knew. They may laugh at the clothes and the hairstyles but it will give tbem a new perspective on who grandma and grandpa are. tbis special recognition of youth. "Optimist Youth Appreciation Week reminds the public of youth's - many positive accomplishments and spotlights young people's importance as tomorrow's leaders," said Brian Wick, president of the Optimist club of Brooklin. Chartered only recently, the Optimist Club of Brooklin bas 45 members and meets every first and third Monday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Anglican Church hall in Brooklin. LETTER Coluimi reaction FROM PAGE 6 tarnished. 1 would be very in- terested if she would reply in her column, backing up her statements with something more than just her hollow opinions. PiîpHlo Whitby More research To the editor: 1 am writing in reference to Mabel M . McCabe's ignorant ar- ticle which was published in the Wednesday, Oct. 21, Firee Press. As you put it Mabel. 1, along with six of my work companiolis. were lucky enough to have read Rachef Carson's novel "Silent Spring! However, we did flot consider our- selves lucky. We did not understafld three-foUrths of the book. 1 wonder if you did. Mabel? Are you an expert on pesticides and insecticides? Well. 1. for one. do not think you are. How can you compare cyanide to water? Have you ever had the pleasure of drinking cyanide? 1 agree with your argument that people should be more aware of the dangers of insecticides, but just because your grandchildrefl may happen to get more colds and rashes than you did when you were a child. you can't blame it on chemicals. I also -very much doubt that our whole nation witl turn into a giant "Love Canal.'- Your article. Mabel. is very opinionated and you don't have facts to back up your opinions. 1 have a one-word suggestion for you, Mabel M. Me- Cabe, and that is "Research." Sincerely. C. Blake Oshawa RALPH MOWBRAY'S youngest great grandchild Ern was on hand last Saturday to wish him a happy 9Oth bir- thday. Ralph 111 turns 90 memibers gatbered at the Queen St. home of Ralph E. Mowbray last Saturday to belp him, celebrate bis 9th birthday. Born at the family homestead in Kinsale on Nov. 14, 1897, Ralpb was the youngest clMld of Ralph R. Mowbray and Victoria A. Nutting. lfis elder siblings were Frank, Roy, Adelaide, Louella and Gladys. The Mowbray family bave a long bistory in the Kinsale area. Lt was Ralph's grandfather, also named Ralpb, who settled in the vicinity in 1833. In 1847, he purcbasedl the propertY at lot 6, con. 3 and built the farm for bis son Ralph R. t was in tbis home that Balpb E. was born 90 years ago, the home that bis son Milton and family still live in today. Ralpb E. attended Kinsale public Scbool and Whitby Igh Scboul and then returned to the until 1943. He was a member of Pickering Township council from 1930 until 1940 and reeve of Pickering during 1938 and 1939. Ralpb married Janet Whitehead and tbey had tbree cbildren: Jean, wbo married Robert Arniour and afler bis deatb Bruce Fountain; Milton, who married Gwen McFaulds; and Phyllis who became Mrs. John Thomson. Aiter the passing of bis first wife, Ral-pb narried the former Maude Boyce in 1974. He has been marnied te bis present wife Adelia (Dick) since 1985. He bas lived -in the Brooklin area for most of the time since 1961. The grandfather of il and great-grandfather os six bas been active as a Freemason for many years. He is a past master of Mount Zion Lo)dge, Brooklin and past district deputy grand master for Ontario district. r L- 1 WIIfl?13Y FREE, PRESS.,WEDNESDAY, NOVEM13ER 18, 1987. PAGE. 19 - . 1 Am