Harry Stemp May 07, 2009
Harry Stemp was born in Uxbridge in 1934. He started his career with the Uxbridge Times-Journal as an apprentice typesetter at age 14. He soon began writing sports for the Times-Journal and eventually owned 10 community newspapers in central Ontario including the Times-Journal. He started writing his award-winning Stemp’s Stew in 1965. The column came to an end shortly after he sold his newspaper chain in 1989, but was rejuvenated in 2006 when Harry became a regular contributor to The Cosmos.
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Ways to spend our taxes
As I write this it is “tax day” - April 30 - the deadline for filing your tax return for 2008. Not a pleasant time for Canadians but, unless you want major problems, it is the right thing to do.
Now take a look at the 'tax paid' line on your form and see how much you contributed to the running of this great land of ours. Don't forget to add all the other taxes you have paid through the year - sales tax, gas tax, just to name a couple. When you have the amount of your hard-earned dollars you sent to Ottawa, think about the news that broke the same day that some air-brained beaurocrats in Ottawa spent $15 million of our tax dollars over the past five years on bottled water. That's right. Sadly, it's not a joke.
Now take a calculator and divide the money you were taxed in to $15 million dollars and figure out how many average Canadians it took to pay for this hair-brained decision. As a taxpayer, if this shameful waste of our money doesn't make you mad as hell then you are a rarity. I thought how that money could have been better spent. Hospitals, environment and poverty issues, etc. And this during a time when independent labs and consumer groups confirmed that Canada's tap water is as good or better than many bottled brands - some which contain high levels of salt and other metals. And let's not forget the millions of plastic bottles that end up in landfill sites.
But such is life in the hallowed halls of our government. They live in a different world and money is no object because there is a bottomless pit known as the taxpayer.
It's always been that way and I have a sick feeling it will never change.
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For four days last week one of the busiest traffic arteries in Toronto was plugged as members of the ethnic Tamil community protested violence in Sri Lanka.
Taking a leisurely walk along University Avenue one day last week, I came across the protest and was flabbergasted how police could stand by and allow the closing of that street by a small group who had no parade permit.
Not only motorists and the public are inconvenienced, this is an area in which five major hospitals are located. So it also becomes a case of health care being jeopardized as traffic is impeded and ambulances blocked.
It was also noticed that some of the protesters waved flags of the Tamil Tigers, a listed terrorist organization, something that seemed to escape the organizers of the protesters.
One thought crossed my mind. Who pays for all this? While I was there I counted eleven police cruisers, two paddy wagons and a large police vehicle equipped with video cameras to record the event. Add to this the twenty police officers that continually patrolled the area monitoring the large crowd. This kind of police coverage doesn't come cheap and I can only assume the costs are placed squarely on the backs of the taxpayers.
Since this type of protest, as a rule, falls on deaf ears one would think they should be limited to one day so that law officials could go about doing what we expect of them, and that is to fight crime. However, these days, minorities enjoy every right imaginable with limited responsibility for their actions. We, the majority, also have rights. The right to be inconvenienced by the actions of a few and to pick up the tab for those actions.
Only in Canada you say - pity.
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This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Susie Sorabji Chapter of the IODE, and members are excited about a reception to be held in the council chambers at the Municipal Office.
The event will be held on May 14th and will run from 2 to 7 p.m. There will be displays covering the history of this important Uxbridge organization and members will be on hand to meet and greet guests.
At 7 p.m. a special presentation by Uxbridge Council will recognize the important contribution the IODE has made to community life over those 75 years. Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome to attend.
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One can only hope that election fever will not sweep our community following the announcement last week that former Mayor Gerri-Lynn O'Connor will again stand for office.
It is still close to two years before the next municipal election will be held. There are still many issues and important projects facing the present council who are elected to make decisions on behalf of residents up to that time.
Over many years of covering local councils in a number of municipalities, I have witnessed how easy it is for politicians to get swallowed up in petty politicking and backbiting amongst each other, instead of devoting their interests to problems and important projects facing our community. There will be plenty of time in late 2010 to campaign. Let's hope council members stay the course and put the concerns of residents above any personal gain.
