The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 8

Page 8, The Citizen, Ottawa, Wednesday, November 3, 1982 TQtizen Paddy Sherman Publisher Howard Gaul Russell Mills Published by the proprietor, Southern et 1 101 Baxter Road. Box 5020, Ottawa, Ont. K2C 3M4 Established 1843 General Manager Editor William MicPberson Nelson Skuce Associate Editor Managing Editor Election '82: Aldermen litics, or challenger Bill Zlepnig, who Next Monday, area voters will face the formidable task of choosing from among the hundreds who wish to serve on local councils and school boards for the next three years. In an attempt to offer some A diabolical law against kissing Citizen Forum children brainwashed to spy on their parents and other emotional cripples to help decimate Iran's 36-million-strong population their war- and dissention-torn economy may not be able to support much longer? Sadly, that last conjecture seems to be the most plausible one. For unlike in politically based' dictatorships where pretended ignorance may help the little guy escape from involvement, a theocracy outlawing sex has the perfect stranglehold on the lives of its entire population.

Because how does a man deny the existence of his own sexual urges with which Allah Himself endowed him? And if, in despair, he were to deny them, how does he escape being branded a sexual freak and being tortured and killed on that account. Indeed, the new law promises a future of power and proud notoriety to practiced informers such as the monster mother who already denouncd her son's theoretical opposition to the Khomeini regime, asking for his execution; or the secret lecher who recently reported a young girl, unawarely swimming in her family's pool, for his own "unholy sexual arousal," resulting in her imprisonment, torture and eventual execution. Here, in Canada, where the state has never had any business in the bedrooms of the nation, we may not be able to grasp the total horror of that situation. Still, I believe that even it has a silver lining. For, in direct proportion to the growth of sick-minded coercion and to people's mounting despair of ever living a normal life again, there must be approaching the day when the thumb-screw will have taken its last run and the noose will have strangled its last victim; the day when the little guys of Iran will rise to send their torturers to the deepest, the seventh, level of Islamic hell which, as any good Moslem knows, is reserved for the hypocrites of all Eva Bedard is an Otta- wa ireeiance wrner.

join irClthe debate. Citizen Forum thrives on controversy. Typewritten submissions of up to 600 words are welcome. Make sure to include a recent photograph. Sorry, but unused articles cannot be returned, although excerpts may be used as letters to the editor.

quisition allowed its heretics the options of conversion) claim they govern in the name of Allah, the Benevolent and Merciful. So much for the ethical hurdles this theocratic insanity will find impossible to cross. Now, for the pragmatic stumbling blocks. How do Iran's rulers expect to enforce the new law? Will they post at railway and air terminals, hospitals, funeral parlors, and graduation and other public ceremonies goon quartets of security police empowered to make instant pyschological decisions as to which goodbye, get-well or celebratory kiss contains the required amount of sexual desire to qualify the kisser for the lethal 100 lashes? Will they install hidden television cameras in each and every one of Iran's estimated seven million family homes, behind every park bench, in every movie house, on every lone beach, in every desert, mountain and private automobile? Or have they decided to rely entirely on the co-operation of informers, perjurers, wants to taxe a oroad-axe to social and cultural spending. Britannia: Marlene Catterall's integrity, exem plified by her courageous support for tne Foulin non-proht housing develop ment, is too rare a quality in politics to lose.

Canterbury: We suggest voters choose between Susan Snider, who wants the city to place its priorities on hard services like sidewalks and police protection, and Sig Schmidt, a former chairman of the Board of Trade's municipal aitairs committee. Capital: Incumbent Howard Smith has often been indecisive at council and unavailable to constituents. But chal lenger Dave Hagerman's leftism is out of tune with the times and David Brasset, former leader of the National Party of Canada, is an unknown quantity. We can offer voters sympathy, but no guidance. Carleton: Toddy Kehoe has been an outspoken and popular member of council for four terms, but may be losing some of her drive.

Barbara Lajeunesse might bring more vigor to the job, but lacks Kehoe broad ex perience. Either would do a competent job. Queensboro: Incumbent Terry Denison is not the flashiest politician around, but he works well behind the scenes and is part of the moderate middle that promotes compromise rather than con frontation. Dalhousie: In another ward, Board of Trade president Warren Ralph would be an attractive choice, but he seems out of his element in Dalhousie. Rolf Hase- nack, a genuine spokesman for the disadvantaged, is far more representa tive of a ward that includes many of the region poorest residents.

Elmdale: Graham Bird's intelligence, drive and commitment to economic devel opment have earned him re-election. Overbrook-Forbes: The time has come for voters to retire Rheal Robert. Fern Casey, who has been active in community associations and volunteer work, offers a credible alternative. Richmond: Two capable candidates are battling to succeed retiring veteran Don Reid: Jacquelin Holzman, who has served as chairman of the Royal Ottawa Hospital board and has the backing of several prominent Conservatives, and Bob Chiarelli, a lawyer with strong Liberal Party connections. Riverside: Incumbent Jim Durrell faces only token opposition.

St. George's: Nancy Smith has worked hard during her first term on council and is opposed by two candidates who lack credibility. Wellington: During his four terms on council, Joe Cassey has steadily moved toward the centre of the political spectrum. His experience and flexibility are worth retaining. opens wider ney it needs in the financial market and intends to repay its debt out of profits over the next seven years.

That is a normal business practice, and one made viable by the recent declines in interest rates. Judging by the growing popularity of Petro-Canada with consumers, the profits should be there. In the first three quarters of 1982, PetroCan sales in Ontario rose 19 per cent, while other oil companies suffered an average six per cent decline. In Quebec, where the industry on average suffered a 14 per cent sales decline, Petro-Canada showed a six per. cent jump.

But there are valid caveats about the takeover. Takeovers do not create new jobs, and takeovers of the retail side of oil companies do not create more energy supplies. Petro-Canada's takeover raises another concern competition will be reduced by the elimination of one firm in the retail end of the business. And, since Petro-Canada is a child of government, it has a protected status unavailable to private-sector companies subje.1 to combines law. Petro-Canada was supposed to provide the government with a window on the oil industry.

We hope it doesn't become a trapdoor under it guidance, The Citizen has checked through the candidates to find those who in its opinion are particularly worthy of consideration. Today's editorial, one of a series, looks at candidates for alderman on Ottawa city council. When Ottawa's outgoing council was elected in 1980, many hoped it would more accurately reflect community opinion than its left-leaning predecessor. Despite a few rocky moments, to a large extent those hopes have been realized. The last election saw an influx of talent onto city council, with eight rookie aldermen winning election.

Inevitably, some time was lost while the newcomers re-invented the wheel, but council functioned more smoothly as aldermen settled into their new roles. In part, the council worked because all points of view were represented by aldermen who had the respect of their colleagues. Council moved away from polarization toward a more moderate approach to municipal issues. Not everything was though. The working relationship was often an uneasy one, particularly when a group of conservative aldermen called a private meeting before the 1982 budget deliberations.

Because council was more moderate, it rejected ideas that its predecessor probably would have endorsed: the proposal to operate a summer camp for the poor, for instance, and the Centre Town traffic plan. There have been positive accom plishments, as well: council held city tax increases below the rate of inflation, conducted a comprehensive audit of the city's building branch and launched a new industrial park at Walkley and Conroy roads. With all but two incumbents seek ing re-election, chances are good that an experienced council will be return ed to consolidate the gains made during the past two years. In considering the aldermanic choices facing voters in this election, The Citizen has not attempted to se lect a single candidate for every avail able position. Rather, we suggest that the following candidates deserve par ticular consideration: Alta Vista: Incumbent Greg MacDougall, a medical doctor, is smart, personable and hardworking.

He has quickly earned a reputation as one of coun cil's most effective members. By-Rideau: Incumbent Marc Laviolette has emphasized ward concerns to the de triment of city-wide issues. A broader perspective would make him a more valuable member of council. His lone opponent, realtor Pierre Labelle, seems energetic and well-informed. Either one is acceptable.

Billings: We cannot recommend either in cumbent Brian Bourns" who has been too long in the hothouse world of po The oil window There is a marked difference be tween Petro-Canada's acquisition last week of some of the assets of British Petroleum and its earlier takeover of Petrofina. In the Petrofina case, the national oil company paid a premium price ($1.4 billion) at a time when every one, including bankers and investors, believed energy prices would continue to skyrocket. Actually, the public paid the price at the pump, through the Canadian ownership charge. It's a price that's still being paid, only now its for the Dome bail-out. PetroCan is not paying what could be called a premium price for BP.

In deed, the purchase of BP's refining and marketing operations makes good business sense. Without BP's service stations and refineries, at a cost of $347.5 million, etro-Canada could not attract enough customers to achieve the re-. tail sales it wanted. Like any corpora tion, government or private, the people's oil company wants to make money which it cannot do without sufficient market exposure. Most industry analysts have con cluded that the price paid by the national oil company was fair to both the.

buyer and the seller. Petro-Canada will borrow the mo terms for hearing loss By Eva Bedard According to a Citizen news item, Iran's Islamic legislators have outlawed, among other "moral offences," kissing for sexual pleasure. Under the new law, sexual-offence kissing could be proved by the testimony of four male witnesses, and first offenders will be given 100 lashes which, as anyone familiar with the principle and administration of that medieval punishment knows, is tantamount to the death penalty. On the subject of kissing, as a life-long woman and people lover to whom hugging and kissing is a motherhood issue, I feel I am eminently qualified to say my piece about the implications, the possible effects, and the certain repercussions of that diabolical legislation. It is an insane law because it tampers with human nature by outlawing the most elementary manifestation of a basic, physical human need: sex (the others are food, drink and shelter) the equivalent of forbidding a starving man to look for food.

It is an evil law because, by encouraging spies' invasions of people's privacy (since, henceforth, no passionate clinches are likely to be enacted in public), it panders to the basest human instincts of hatred, greed, envy, revenge and the craving to destroy one's better. It is a hypocritical law, not only because it pretends to be based on the tenets of the only orthodox religion whose promise of Paradise consists of endless sensual and sexual delights, but also because its very legislators must break their own law every day if they are to live by Allah's commandment of keeping their four allotted wives and countless allotted concubines equally happy. For, and this, is yet another point the same human mind will find impossible to accept, the rulers of this most blood-thirsty theocracy in history (even the Spanish In- The proper With reference to the front page story by Mr. Bob Marleau in The Citizen of Oct. 27 concerning the murder charge against Jean Mane Pare, I must take exception to a phrase used by Mr.

Marleau in the concluding paragraph of his article. In that paragraph, Mr. Marleau des cribes Mr. and Mrs. Pare as "deaf mutes." I would hope that most people would agree that the term "deaf and dumb" is not only inaccurate but also derogatory to the thousands of individuals who suffer from hearing loss.

Similarly, the term "deaf mutes" is equally distasteful to the deaf communi ty. The proper term is "deaf or "hard of hearing," depending on the degree of hearing loss. In recent years, there has been a tre mendous improvement in the understanding and acceptance of disabled people by the community at large. Much of this is as a result of an enlightened public through in- creased exposure of disabled persons and their abilities. However, old traditions and misconceptions die hard and the continued use of inappropriate terms by the press can only continue misunderstanding and confusion.

The Citizen has a long history of being very supportive of the efforts of disabled people to educate this community and for that we are thankful. This may appear to be a minute complaint; however, the cumulative effect of such presentations can be damaging in the long term. Thomas A. Hay Regional Director The Canadian Hearing Society Ottawa Foppish attire As COIintleu more nennle are twina thrown out of work and are forced nn tn UIC and welfare rolls, it is irritating to discover that federal public officials like Supply and Services' Frederick Inni are rfevnt. ing their energies to the cause of foppish omce aiure wizen, uct -nest dressed males Ottawa instead of pub-Ik service.

One wonders how the iobless and nonr are expected react to a public display of manded that I do exactly that dump everything, regardless of area or potential future use, as quickly as possible, seemingly without thought of what that would do to land values around the province. The NDP position, for the record, is totally opposite to this, favoring not only retention of land but also expansion of the acquisition program. The Citizen's support, albeit late, is appreciated. Claude F. Bennett Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing MPP Ottawa South Speeding drivers Re: The Citizen's recent survey of cyclists and the Oct.

4 letter from R. Webber-Taylor, which says The apparent total disregard of the rules by cyclists is making the roads very perilous to drive. It seems most cyclists are totally ignorant of the fact that all rules apply to them." Excuse me, even though there may be some validity to the statement, let's clean up our own backyard first. I don't have a bicycle, but I dare you to look closely, for example, at how fast traffic flows eastbound on the Parkway every morning (Monday-Friday). I try to maintain a speed limit of 69 kmh, but there never seems to be anyone behind me.

So one morning I drove with the flow of traffic to determine the speeds being maintained by the average driver. I had to drive at 100 kmh in order to pass some cars (others were going as fast or faster). This fact holds true each and every weekday morning. It also applies to every road the majority of drivers exceed the speed limit (including bus driven). I have yet to see the police (RCMP-parkway) distributing speeding tickets.

Perhaps if this was done, we would soon find out how very few motorists obey the laws of the road. How often we condemn others before we condemn ourselves. Jack Bowerman i Aylmer, Que. Letters affluence on the part of a manager in the federal government, raising concerns over the suitability of polyester vs. wocl suits above issues that might be more pe.

tinent unemployment, high interest rate, and general economic decline. Perhaps Frederick Innis would be well advised to devote a greater part of his time worrying about clothing the poor than making public postulations about the virtus of being a stylish dresser. Kevin Murphy Ottawa Land banking The Citizen's editorial of Oct 5 concerning the holdings of the Ontario Land Corporation (OCL) was surprisingly logical. Ontario has acquired, over the past two decades, tracts of land acrosf the province for future development. Undr current market conditions, the econom'; climate, and lack of population growth, some of these holdings are not usable by the province, which the editorial ponied out It did omit the 'act, though, that other land holdings br been very successful in their development.

For example, the large suburban Toronto community of Malvern was built on a provincial land bank; the Alta Vista subdivision of Riverview Park, currently under construction, is a former OLC property, as is the planned Borden Farm community 'in Nepean, where construction will commence soon. These last two developments are and will be providing thousands of man-years of labor in our area, something of which I am personally very proud. Finally, I accept fully the editorial's view that the taxpayer deserves the best return on hisher investment, and that, under no circumstances, should I hold a "fire sale" to dump all the land as quickly as possible. In fact, that is why I made that specific statement in the legislature four days before the editorial appeared. I was responding to 'Liberal leader Peterson, who de-- 'i.