October
      29,
      1996
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It
      istime
      for
      our
      seasonal
     
     
      update
      on
      the
      affairs
      of
      the
     
     
      nation.
      Wehereat
      Sacred
      Cows
     
     
      firmly
      believe
      that
      there
      is
     
     
      nothing
      like
      seeing
      everyone
     
     
      else’s
      problems
      to
      make
      one
     
     
      forget
      their
      own.
     
    

    
     
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
      has
     
     
      announced
      a
      provincial
      election
     
     
      to
      be
      held
      sometime
      after
      its
     
     
      politicians
      finish
      their
      speeches.
     
     
      For
      a
      few
      weeks
      at
      least,
     
     
      Islanders
      will
      once
      more
     
     
      become
      the
      center
      of
      our
     
     
      leader’s
      attention.
     
    

    
     
      A
      young
      man
      showed
      up
     
     
      at
      my
      door
      yesterday
      telling
      me
     
     
      he
      wasa
      politician;
      and,
      thinking
     
     
      it
      was
      a
      brilliant
      costume,
      I
     
     
      gave
      him
      some
      candy
      and
      a
      few
     
     
      pennies
      for
      UNICEF.
      Now
      I
     
     
      can
      not
      get
      rid
      of
      him.
     
    

    
     
      Transportation
      unions
      in
     
     
      Toronto
      are
      having
      a
      city-wide
     
     
      strike
      to
      protest
      the
      spending
     
     
      cuts
      made
      by
      the
      Harris
     
     
      government.
      By
      stopping
     
     
      Torontonians,
      who
      depend
      on
     
     
      buses
      and
      subways,
      from
     
     
      reaching
      their
      $7.00-an-hour
     
     
      Jobs,
      they
      hope
      to
      add
      pressure
     
     
      to
      highly-paid
      politicians
      who
     
     
      rely
      on
      chauffeur
      driven
      cars
      to
     
     
      get
      to
      work.
      This
      is
      considered
     
     
      sound
      pubic[sic]
      (Ed.
      Note
      I
     
     
      think
      Peter
      meant
      Public,
      but
     
     
      either
      works.)
      policy?
     
    

    
     
      In
      an
      effort
      to
      improve
     
     
      inter-provincial
      relations,
      the
     
     
      Quebec
      government
      has
      laid
      its
     
     
      18th
      charge
      in
      connection
      to
     
     
      last
      year’s
      Montreal
      rally.
      It
     
     
      seems
      that
      certain
      travel
     
     
      companies
      leased
      buses
      and
     
     
      planes
      without
      the
      costs
     
     
      showing
      up
      in
      the
      ‘No’
     
     
      committees
      budget.
      This
      is
      a
     
     
      direct
      violation
      of
      section
      4,
     
     
      subsection
      (b),
      article
      29
      of
      the
     
     
      referendum
      law,
      entitled
      “Mind
     
     
      your
      own
      business,
      Mr.
      English-
     
     
      speaking
      pig.”
      I
      am
      joking.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      There
      are
      no
      such
      laws
      in
     
     
      existence.
     
    

    
     
      Meanwhile,
      an
     
     
      association
      of
      Anglophone
     
     
      Quebecois
      are
      taking
      the
     
     
      provincial
      government
      to
      court
     
     
      )in
      order
      to
      get
      access
      to
      some
     
     
      89,000
      ballots
      that
      were
      rejected
     
     
      during
      the
      vote.
      They
      believe
     
     
      that
      many
      of
      these
      ballots
      were
     
     
      in
      fact
      legitimate
      and
      that
      by
     
     
      showing
      them
      to
      the
      rest
      of
      the
     
     
      country,
      we
      will
      come
      to
      realize
     
     
      that
      some
      of
      the
      French-
     
     
      speaking,
      separatist
      volunteers
     
     
      who
      monitored
      the
      vote
      may
     
     
      have
      had
      ulterior
      motives.
      This
     
     
      is
      considered
      a
      news
      flash.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Federal
      Liberals,
      in
     
     
      a
      report
      made
      by
      their
      own
     
     
      party,
      have
      given
      themselves
      a
     
     
      grade
      of
      B+
      in
      “promise
     
     
      keeping”.
      Out
      of
      174
      promises
     
     
      made
      at
      election
      time,
      they
      have
     
     
      managed
      to
      keep
      153.
      Two
     
     
      major
      promises
      not
      kept
      include
     
     
      scrapping
      the
      GST
      and
      a
     
     
      promise
      made
      by
      Mr.
      Chretien
     
     
      that
      he
      would
      learn
      to
      speak
     
     
      either
      one
      of
      Canada’s
      official
     
     
      languages.
      While
      addressing
      a
     
     
      Liberal
      youth
      rally,
      Chretien
     
     
      announced
      “...any
      student
     
     
      getting
      78%
      in
      their
      grades
     
     
      would
      be
      considered
      quite
      a
     
     
      good
      student.”
      In
      celebration
     
     
      of
      their
      outstanding
     
     
      achievement,
      Parliament
      has
     
     
      passed
      a
      law
      requiring
      all
     
     
      politicians
      to
      live
      on
      macaroni
     
     
      and
      cheese
      and
      to
      pay
      $3,000
     
     
      a
      year
      to
      Canadian
      universities.
     
    

    
     
      It
      seems
      that
      foreign
     
     
      Affairs
      has
      been
      spending
      as
     
     
      much
      money
      on
      promoting
     
     
      Quebec
      artists
      abroad
      as
      it
      has
     
     
      on
      artists
      from
      the
      rest
      of
     
     
      Canada.
      This
      includes
      an
     
     
      avowed
      separatist
      who
      received
     
     
      about
      $900
      a
      day
      to
      display
      his
     
     
      works
      at
      Charlottetown’s
     
     
      “Confederation”
      Centre
      of
      the
     
     
      Arts
      this
      summer.
      Mr.
     
     
      Axworthy
      has
      promised
      to
     
     
      investigate
      the
      matter.
      Bookies
     
     
      in
      Las
      Vegasare
      giving
      78%
     
     
      odds
      of
      him
      actually
      doing
      so.
     
    

    
     
      Dogs
      will
      bark,
      and
      fleas
     
     
      will
      bite.
      Lucien
      Bouchard
      will
     
     
      students
      to
      protestrising
      tuition
     
     
      costs.
      Canadians
      will
      search
     
     
      for
      a
      national
      identity
      and
     
     
      Vancouver
      will
      continue
      to
      have
     
     
      more
      sushi
      restaurants
      than
     
     
      downtown
      Tokyo.
      I
      have
      to
      go
     
     
      now.
      There
      is
      a
      politician
      atmy
     
     
      door
      looking
      for
      some
      candy.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Opinion/Editorial
      @*
      The
      Panther
      Prints
     
    
   
   
    
     
      LETTER
      TO
      ED
     
     
      Dear
      Editor:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      just
      want
      to
      take
      the
      time
      to
      tell
      all
      students
      about
      the
     
     
      great
      service
      for
      all
      their
      bikes
      at
      Smooth
      Cycle.
      As
      you
      know
     
     
      Smooth
      Cycle
      is
      located
      on
      the
      corner
      of
      Prince
      and
      Kent
     
     
      streets
      here
      intown.
      They
      have
      only
      been
      in
      business
      for
      about
     
     
      a
      year
      now.
      With
      the
      great
      service
      at
      great
      rates
      they
      should
     
     
      be
      assured
      of
      a
      bright
      future
      in
      business.
      When
      ever
      I
      go
      in
      the
     
     
      shop
      people
      are
      always
      dropping
      in
      to
      say
      hi
      to
      the
      owners
      of
     
     
      Smooth
      Cycle.
      This
      is
      an
      example
      of
      how
      their
      customers
     
     
      appreciate
      honesty
      and
      reliability
      in
      today,s
      fast
      paced
      economy.
     
    

    
     
      Recently
      I
      bought
      a
      new
      bike
      from
      Smooth
      Cycle
      and
     
     
      couldn't
      believe
      how
      well
      they
      treat
      their
      customers.
      When
     
     
      ever
      you
      buy
      a
      bike
      from
      them,
      they
      will
      service
      your
      new
      bike
     
     
      for
      free
      for
      the
      next
      three
      years.
      I
      did
      not
      even
      have
      to
      buy
      a
     
     
      bike
      they
      had
      in
      stock,
      they
      special
      ordered
      a
      bike
      in
      from
      British
     
     
      Columbia.
      They
      even
      take
      your
      name
      and
      address
      to
      put
      on
     
     
      their
      mailing
      list
      for
      their
      own
      news
      letter.
      If
      your
      new
      bike
      for
     
     
      some
      reason
      is
      not
      quite
      perfect
      when
      it
      arrives,
      they
      will
      make
     
     
      it
      right
      with
      the
      manufacturer
      in
      a
      very
      prompt
      efficient
      manner.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      If
      you
      were
      thinking
      of
      buying
      a
      new
      bike
      or
      getting
      work
     
     
      done
      on
      your
      old
      bike,
      these
      people
      at
      Smooth
      Cycle
      will
      take
     
     
      care
      of
      your
      needs
      in
      a
      very
      professional
      manner.
      They
      are
     
     
      certified
      bicycle
      technicians
      and
      reallyknow
      their
      stuff.
      They
     
     
      also
      have
      a
      nice
      selection
      of
      biking
      attire.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      David
      Bradley
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ed.
      Note:
     
    

    
     
      Letters
      to
      the
      editor
      are
      not
      edited
      for
      content,
      grammer,
      or
     
     
      anything
      else.
      For
      legal
      reasons
      all
      letters
      must
      be
      signed,
     
     
      and
      include
      a
      phone
      number.
      Mr.
      Bradley’s
      letter
      and
      all
     
     
      other
      letters
      received
      by
      the
      Panther
      Prints
      do
      not
      in
      any
     
     
      way
      express
      the
      feelings
      of
      the
      Panther
      Prints
      Staff,
      and
      we
     
     
      do
      not
      endorse
      Smooth
      Cycle
      in
      any
      way.
      Deadlines
      for
     
     
      submissions
      are
      Thursdays
      at
      5:00pm.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      had
      been
      in
      the
      same
      class
     
    
   
   
    
     
      since
      first
      grade.
      These
     
     
      people
      did
      not
      have
      the
     
     
      opportunity
      to
      interact
     
     
      with
      different
      people.
     
     
      They
      went
      through
      most
     
     
      of
      their
      schooling
      with
      the
     
     
      same
      25
      people,
      no
     
     
      wonder
      by
      the
      time
      they
     
     
      got
      to
      grade
      nine
      they
      were
     
     
      ready
      to
      drop
      out-they
     
     
      were
      sick
      of
      seeing
      the
     
     
      same
      people
      and
      sick
      of
     
     
      having
      one
      teacher
      for
      all
     
     
      eight
      of
      their
      courses.
     
    

    
     
      Perhaps
      when
      Laura
     
     
      Ingills
      Wilder
      went
      to
     
     
      school
      one
      room
      was
     
     
      enough.
      In
      today's
      society
     
     
      it
      seems
      inadequate.
     
     
      Parents
      complain
      that
     
     
      their
      kids
      are
      spending
      too
     
     
      much
      time
      in
      front
      of
      the
     
     
      tv
      or
      computer.
      Perhaps
      if
     
     
      those
      kids
      had
      the
     
     
      opportunity
      to
      enjoy
      the
     
     
      company
      of
      people
      with
     
     
      other
      interests
      and
     
     
      hobbies
      they
      would
      get
     
     
      involved
      and
      get
      out
      of
      the
     
     
      house.
     
    

    
     
      We
      all
      know
      that
      the
     
     
      government
      has
      limited
     
     
      funds,
      (they
      can
      get
      more
     
     
      money-but
      that
      would
     
     
      mean
      an
      increase
      in
      taxes),
     
     
      and
      they
      do
      the
      best
      they
     
     
      can
      to
      distribute
      that
     
     
      money
      so
      that
      everyone
     
    
   
   
    
     
      >
      |
      ray
      a
      gets
      a
      piece
      of
      the
      pie.
      If
     
     
      EDI
      e
      ORIAL<2::
      government
      could
     
    
   
   
    
     
      According
      to
      the
      Saturday
      The
      school
      boards
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      edition
      of
      the
      Guardian,
     
     
      education
      is
      surfacing
      as
     
     
      one
      of
      the
      major
      issues
      in
     
     
      the
      upcoming
      election.
     
     
      But,
      let
      me
      be
      the
      first
      to
     
     
      inform
      you
      that
      it's
      not
     
     
      post-secondary
      education
     
     
      they
      are
      concerned
      about.
     
     
      Apparently
      the
      school
     
     
      boards
      on
      PEI
      think
      an
     
     
      election
      would
      be
      a
      good
     
     
      time
      to
      squeeze
      promises
     
     
      out
      of
      the
      government,
     
     
      promises
      to
      not
      cut
      their
     
     
      precious
      little
      one
      room
     
     
      school
      houses.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      want
      to
      keep
      open
      the
     
     
      schools
      that
      have
      less
     
     
      than
      400
      students
      in
     
     
      attendance.
      Why?
     
     
      Coming
      from
      a
      school
     
     
      with
      a_
      student
      body
      of
     
     
      over
      1000
      did
      not
      hinder
     
     
      my
      educational
     
     
      experience.
      It
      made
      it
     
     
      better.
      The
      more
      students,
     
     
      the
      more
      opinions
      and
      the
     
     
      more
      ideas
      you
      were
     
     
      presented
      with.
      What
      did
     
     
      hinder
      my
      educational
     
     
      experience
      was
      attending
     
     
      a
      school
      composed
      of
     
     
      grades
      1-9,
      most
      of
      whom
     
    
   
   
    
     
      close
      down
      a
      few
      of
      the
     
     
      smaller
      schools
      they
     
     
      could
      put
      more
      money
      into
     
     
      the
      larger
      schools.
      More
     
     
      money
      could
      mean
      more
     
     
      programs,
      more
      teachers,
     
     
      better
      books,
      and
      better
     
     
      facilities.
      Maybe
      even
     
     
      more
      computers’
      so
     
     
      students
      in
      a
      computer
     
     
      class
      could
      each
      have
      their
     
     
      own
      instead
      of
      having
      to
     
     
      share.
      Perhaps
      the
      parents
     
     
      in
      favour
      of
      these
      one
     
     
      room
      schools
      should
      take
     
     
      their
      heads
      out
      of
      the
     
     
      clouds
      and
      think
      about
     
     
      what
      is
      best
      for
      everyone-
     
     
      not
      just
      their
      families.