Hostile and cynical campaign

Victoria — I’m writing this column on R-Day
minus five, but by the time you read it, the unity
referendum will be history. These are the con-
Straints of a weekly deadline.

Since speculating on the outcome is rather
senseless under these circumstances I’d like to
make.a few observations regarding the referendum
campaign, :

Never in my more than 30 years in journalism
have I experienced anything even faintly resem-
bling the hostility and cynicism that took hold of
the country in these past six weeks,

As a political columnist I’m used to getting the
odd nasty letter from a disgruntled reader, but
what has been pouring in during the referendum
campaign is somewhat frightening. Just one
example:

“Well, you have shown us your colors, you
lying piece of slime. This is my country you are
playing with, and my tax dollars that are paying
your salary.”

“You mealy-mouthed socialist ... have no right
to spout your ideas in the paper because you have
‘a Cushy job and media coverage free.”

“You are a disgrace, but I guess the NDP are
very happy to have a socialist journalist working
for them. Shut your mouth if you can’t give some
truth or only the drivel you have written.” The
letter had no return address and the signature was
illegible.

Well, Sir, I respect your opinion and would
defend it without hesitation, albeit not with my
life. But I must say that your mother should have
washed out your mouth with soap a little more
often. Same goes for the chap who addressed me
with an expletive when he spotted the yes-button I
was sporting on my jacket.

When Joe Clark was in Victoria, I asked him
about the ugly mood of the country, and he
agreed, remembering all too well the first caller
on an open-line show who started out by. saying,
“Mr. Clark, I hate your guts.”

Bad economic times alone cannot account for
the explosive and vicious mood of the public in
practically every democratic country.

We've gone through worse times. The Great
Depression played infinitely greater havoc on

Canadians than the current economic slump.

There was no social service safety net in those
days. People literally starved, but they didn’t
attack their country’s institutions with the hostil-
ity that is so evident today.

When Canada was at war and her sons dying on
the battle field, leaving tens of thousands of
families in mourning, there was more respect for
the nation’s politicians and its institutions than
there is now.

It seems that people are no longer willing to
accept responsibility for anything. Whatever is
wrong in their eyes is someone else’s fault. And
politicians are the most convenient target.

I cannot think of a more sincere and honest
man in public life than Joe Clark, and it’s a very
sad commentary on our society when someone
says to his face, “I hate your guts.”

Asked during a press conference what he
thought the consequences of a no-vote might be,
Clark didn’t launch into a tirade of impending
economic doom, but offered a far more frighten-
ing scenario.

“I never thought the country would go out with
a bang, but I fear it could go out with a whimper,”
he said.

If the country rejects the accord, for whatever
reasons, Quebec separatists will interpret it as a
rejection of Quebec, he said. And if Quebec
leaves confederation, the rest of Canada will
probably just drift apart, and our children may
find themselves living in a different country.

As I write this, the yes-forces are still trailing
the no-vote, and I wonder what kind of a country
we will be facing on October 27. _

I_hope, perhaps against hope, that in the last
days of the campaign, voters will take another
long, hard look at the deal and consider the
possible consequences of saying no.

I also hope that we will have found out that
referendums are not for us. Canadians are ill-
equipped to use referendums as a political
decision-making tool.

This referendum brought out the worst in
people. Its hallmarks were hatred, bigotry and
nastiness. As a Canadian, somehow I feel
ashamed.

Review . Wednesday, October 28,1992 — AT

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SOME CHILDREN WILL be asking for coins
instead of candy this Halloween as UNICEF and
the Save the Children Fund of B.C. have
distributed containers so children in need can
benefit from our prosperity. Last year, over two
million Canadian children volunteered to “trick
or treat” for UNICEE raising almost $3.5 million
to fund projects in 127 developing countries, satd
Krista Kehl, UNICEF B.C. youth chairman. In its
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suffering from the effects of drought and war.
Please keep some loonies at the door, as well as
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HIGH ACADEMIC marks and outstanding
service to the community during high school
years is required by the Sidney Rotary Club
when considering its annual scholarship awards.
At a meeting Oct. 7, Stelly’s School graduate
Erin Barber was named the recipient of the
Gloria and Harry Tobin Award with $1,100.
Barber is studying at UVIc and plans to become a
teacher. Awarded the Special Award for Extra
Effort and Service worth $1,000 was Catherine
Hanan, a Parkland School grad now enrolled at
Carleton University in Ottawa. Citizen or Service
Awards of $850 were presented to Tanya Tower
of Stelly’s, who is studying linguistics at UVic to

be an interpreter, and Anna Coneys, a Claremont

grad at UVic’s arts and science program. The
Rotary’s academic scholarships went to Stelly’s
Jennifer Maritos, a UVic fine arts student,
Parkland’s Chris Carmichael, a UVic science
student, and Claremont’s David Juteau, a
business student at UVic. The Tobin award was
started in 1951 with a sum of only $100. Tobin
said last week that the service club waits until fall

to view all academic results and award deserving -

students who may not have received other scho-

andy

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larships. Meanwhile, the Saanich School Dis-
trict’s Arts in Education program got a boost
recently from the Vancouver Foundation. A
$3,000 donation will be used to “bring the
children of the district and the arts together.” The
district’s program is coordinated by consultant
Susan Reid.
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SMALL APPLIANCES, old television sets and
lawnmowers that require disposal can now be
hauled to the CRD’s Hartland Road landfill new
free drop off salvaging area, board chairman
Frank Leonard said recently. Opened Oct. 15, the
new facility is open to residential use only and
attempts will be made to recycle materials to
Goodwill Enterprises, Salvation Army and the
St. Vincent de Paul Society. Included in the
materials accepted are computers, radios, microw-
aves, Sewing machines, bicycles, garden tools,
kitchen utensils, clean textiles (clothing) and toys.
The salvaging area will be open during Hartland
operating hours, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. until 5
p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. It’s part of
an initiative to reduce landfilled waste by 50 per
cent by 1995, Leonard said.

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