Ernestly ?!Ernestly ?!By ERNIE NEUFELD, Weyburn Review Associate Publisher
Anyone privileged to have shared living space with an infant knows that its cry does not necessarily signify a major crisis. Mainly, it is part of the little creature's survival mechanism. At any time of day or night, a gentle even fairly insistent cry from the crib signals parent (or sitter) that it's time to change a napkin and apply powder, or perhaps warm one of the many bottles of milk usually on standby. Ignore the warning at your peril because the gentle cry soon becomes louder and more persistent. "Not serious, guys, but I'm not happy, and it's easier to fix than to listen to me. Just don't be all day!"
Still neglected, or in special circumstances, there is the clamorous and dreaded howl of pain or outrage that is unmistakable: it signifies excessive and prevailing distress, terror or pain that demands immediate and urgent attention, and suitable, prudent and perhaps drastic remedy. "Help! Now!" Here the DL (designated listener) quickly realizes fortunately, in most instances that the matter may not to be put off until the next commercial, inning's-end or whatever.
Admittedly flawed, I nevertheless offer this analogy for the spontaneous outrage on the part of the Canadian public nationwide, and perhaps overriding political loyalties that recently forced the most abrupt about-face in Canadian political history. Just a few days earlier, the federal government had announced, despite strong rumblings of discontent in the hinterlands, that it intended to offer millions of dollars in relief annually to National Hockey League teams in financial distress because four of them operate in so-called smaller markets, and all have to overcome the inhibiting differential between U.S. and Canadian currencies. What ze heck! Zis is Canada, and what is Canada all about, if not hockey, eh?
In the top echelon of political circles the mutterings of unacceptance were labeled as "divided opinion," but anticipating support and cooperation from the four most populous provinces, all of which have NHL teams, the feds proceeded with the proposed plot. But when push came to shove, and the backlash from outraged taxpayers (voters) throughout the land became apparent, industry minister John Manley quickly got on the blower to Prime Minister Chretien (vacationing in Florida), and promptly announced that "this proposal is dead, and we will not be pursuing the issue any farther."
The affected provinces, which previously may have shown signs of cooperating with the handout, quickly distanced themselves from it, as public disapproval as immediate as the infant's bellow, was directed to politicians of every political stripe and every level of government. Thanks to e-mail and the more economical access to long-distance calls brought about by telephone industry competition, Canadians from coast to coast instantly and overwhelmingly made it clear they were not going to stand for tax dollars doled out to hockey millionaires, and would not wait until election day to voice their feelings. And it worked in a few short days!
Many of the protesters cited poverty, homelessness, emergency room crises in many urban hospitals, cutbacks in education, and distressed farmers, miners and fishermen, for their revulsion for the handout. And indeed, these did make the proposal all the more obscene. But I think that was only a part of it. As Judas Iscariot was told about 2000 years ago, the poor are always with us, and the premise may be extended to a concession that we live in a world well short of perfect, but that if life is to hold more meaning and promise than undivided concern for the bare necessities, there must always be leeway to address indulgences such as the arts and sports, even though they may not be absolutely essential to sustaining life.
But the NHL handout was just too much. After all, it is not as though hockey is something that can be enjoyed only through watching professionals play the game, and only six Canadian cities at present host NHL teams. And hockey players do not develop their skills through help from the pro leagues. For the most part, they are created by small-town Canada, where arenas are built and operated largely through local tax dollars, and skills are nurtured through the input of tens of thousands of volunteers contributing their time, effort, enthusiasm and expertise. Players are not trained through the generosity of clubs owned by millionaires and paying ridiculous salaries to create more millionaires.
Come to think of it, there was a time when junior hockey in Weyburn received at least a smidgen of major league assistance. Hence the name Red Wings. But that largess has long gone the way of the village smithy, and small towns everywhere have supported local hockey without anything of the kind.
In any event, as demonstrated last year as never before (in Ottawa and Seattle, on the question of unfettered international trade), the time has come when ordinary citizens are better able than ever before to make their opinions heard and felt in a manner that makes the politicians sit up and take notice. May this condition grow stronger to the betterment of the world we live in. "Helpless" infants aren't backward when they mean business. Neither ought we to be.
My address (also listed on the Review's Website) is ernestly@pathcom.com.
Box 400, 904 East Avenue
Weyburn, SK
S4H 2K4
Phone: (306) 842-7487
Fax: (306) 842-0282
E-mail: weyburn.review@sk.sympatico.ca
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Review (1987) Ltd.
