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PAGE 4,WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1979, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Volce of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess,1 Ihe only Whitby newspaper indepehdently owned and operated by Whit Publisher - Managing Editor by residents for Whitby residents. Published every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography Inc. Phone 668-111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box<tO6, Whitby, Ont. Community Editot -Brian Winter Contributing Editor -Jim Quail Production Manager -Marj Burgess Print &rPromotional Lyon Manager RbnLo Classified Ad -Leesa Menard Maillng Permit No 460 Member of the: Better Business Bureau of Toronto Whitby Chamber of Commerce Our volunteers are the backbone of community A tip of the hat goes out to the Whitby Jaycees and Jaycettes for the tremendous effort they put forth in the organization and operation of our annual winter carnival. Only too often we fail to appreciate the efforts made by non-profit organizations, which isn't very surprising because even volunteers often fail to appreciate other vol.unteers. Never-the-less, despite the often time-consuming, and thankless demands made on volunteers, Whitby residents continue to meet the challenge wifh the only reward belng the personal sense of achievement derived from doing a good deed for one's fellow man. Those who have never given*of themselves (for free). obviously don't really understand what life is ail about. Through the efforts of volunteers our lives, especially our environmental development, are touched in many ways. Just to give some obvious examples, think about the Scouting movement, Block Parents, the Humane Society, sports organizations and the list goes on and on. Often non-profit groups pick-up where the municipa- lity leaves off....such as park development, sports etc. If the municipality had to fill all these gaps, our taxes would esculate dramatically, so it's doubtful if we would have aIl these 'extras' if we didn't have all these dedicated people to provide them. We just can't imagine, for example, what all the kids would do wto presently play in the minor hockey leagues if there was no minor hockey organization...and the same thing applies to the soccer, baseball etc., etc. Yet ironically these unselfish volunteers seem to receive little recognifionfrom their peers. In reviewing the last few elections for example, almost without exception the candidates with the most community involvement wound up losing and the candidates with the least wound up winning. Could it be that apathy breeds apathy? Do people only care when the issue affects their pocket book directly (i.e. sewer and water bills, sewer hook-up charges etc.)? To those who DO care, and you know who you are, we take our hats off to you. You are indeed not only the backbone of THIS community, but the backbone of our WHOLE society and without you life would certainly not be the same. More food service comments Last week on our edit- orial page we printed comments by Ontario Riding MP Norm Cafik and Ontario Minister of Agriculture Bill Newman regarding Ontario's new health regulations and their relationship to the serving of food by com- munity groups. The folloWing is an open letter on this subject written to Ontario Health Minister Dennis Timbrell by Oshawa MPP Mike Breaugh: OPEN LETTER The Honourable Dennis Timbrell The Minister of Health 10th Floor Hepburn Block Queen's Park Dear Dennis, Local community groups in the - Durham Reg ion have been notified that they cannot comply with Regulations of the Public Heaith Act in the provision of meals even on an occasional. basis. This notice, given by Dr. J.E. Watt,. Director of Environmental Health for the Durham Regional Health Unit, means the end of church suppers and community events that are important to residents in this region. According to press re- ports, they have been advised that food pre- pared at home and served at such places as churches or community halls is contrary to the Public Health Act. The traditions of rural Ontario are too valuable to fall prey to the pres- sures of big government. Please accept my as- surances thaf these meals are not only deli- cious; but they are prepared and served by the best and most con- scientious cooks in Ontario. *While appreciating you concerns about my health, may I respect- fully ask you to keep your fingers out of these pies. Yours truly, Mike Breaugh Mpp Oshawa New Democratic Party. people; the responsibility for the current situation rests clearly with Pierre Trudeau, his.Cabinet Ministers and his ineffec- tive but grandiose Liberal government. Scott Fennell Federal Progressive Conservative Candidate For Ontario Riding Port Dover announces 1979 school reunion My Dear Sir: Port Dover is celebra- ting its centennial year, One of the biggest events is the School Reunion to be held on Saturday, June 30, 1979. In order to make this a truly successful reunion, we are attempting to lo- cate all former students and staff who attended school in Port Dover. The School Reunion will be during the holiday season, and at a time when many of these people will be visiting in the area. We hope ftoreach them about this exciting event with your assis- tance. If you could find space in your publication to make mention of this, It would be greatly appreciated. Thanking you for your courtesy, I remain, Yours very truly (Mrs. Stuart) Bridget Brown, Chairman Centennial School Reunion Committee 225 Main Street Port Dover, Ontario Suggestion for record breakers Dear Sir: The Rev. David Mallory of Ajax and his rock 'n' roll records smashing assistants would have done better had they distributed the records to varlous secret police agencies through- out the world to soothe their victims during tor- ture sessions! Yours truly, AI Living 205-409 Centre St. S. Whitby, Ont. Letters Box 206, Whithy Dear Sir: What does the Auditor General, a non-political official who reports to Parliament, say about how your tax dollars are spent? Only once a year when the Auditor General tables his report are we allowed a glimpse of the workings of government. A glimpse? Yes, 740 pages of prose and figures only provides a glimpse. The Auditor General cannot citicize the effectiveness of government programs-- but he can comment on economy and efficiency. This glimpse is enough to strike terror into the hard-working taxpayers of Canada. The Auditor General starts his report with "'I am concerned and trou- bled by the cumulative effect of what my staff has observed in regular audit programs and in the special major govern-- ment-wide studies during the last several years. There is in my opinion wide-spread lack of due regard for economy and efficiency in the opera- tions of the government, and inadequate attention to determining whether programs costing many millions of dollars are accomplishing what Par- liament intends." This is the language -- not of the official opposition -- but the reserved, careful statement of Canada's leading chartered ac- countant on how your tax dollars are being managed. Put intothe language of ordinary Çanadians, the Audifor General is telling us that the present gov- ernment doesn't care a hoot for economy or effi- ciency or whether we taxpayers get value for our dollars. The civil ser- vant who is a big spender gets promoted and no one gets medals for being frugal. The incentives are upside down. Waste is encouraged. But are we to blame our civil servants? The Audi- for General says their mandate was "unclear" and "their training inadequate." Well then, who is it an indictment of? The Auditor General blames the system for putting more emphasis on spending than saving but as citizens, blaming the system is of liffle help. Surely the Ministers and Government are ac- countable for the waste and inefficiency that has existed during the last ten years of Liberal management. In 1968 when Trudeau- mania swept the nafion expenditures were $11,259 million. In 1977 they were $42,882 million. Give away programs, eledtion goodies, lack of regard for economy and effi- ciency, have left Cana- dians with assets of $40 billion and liabilities of $80 billion. This year we will only collect $30 bill- ion in taxes but we will spend $43 billion. This is the road to inflation, a devalued dollar, unem- ployment and eventual bankruptcy. What the Auditor General cannot say, because legislation does notallow him to be politi- cal, is that the present government has not managed the economy, has not insisted that'its civil servants be frugal and that waste must cease. The priorities are set at the top. Don't blame the little Lack of regard for economy exists says Auditor General