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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY,.NOVEMBER 2 1, 1979, WHITBY FREE PRESS i I Voice of the County Town' Michael Ian Br" ,Publisher.- Managing Editor flhe only Whltby newspaper Independently owned anid operated by Whitby residents for Wbltby residents. Published every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publlshing Sand Photography Inc. Phone 668-6111l Thbe Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206. Whltby, Ont. COnmun4tyEdItor Pro duotion Manaeffl Pglnt & Promot>n ClsalflodAd >< Adveftlslng MauNag Mailing Permil No 460 Member of the, Belter dusirness Bureau of Toronto Whiltb Chamiber of Commçrce Contro thel R"CýMP In the- midst 0f the MacDonald Royal Comn- mission, the Progressive Conservative Gover- nment of Canada is proposlnig to broaden the' powers of te A'oyal Canadian Mounited Police. by granting themn theauthprity to open flrst class, mail at theirdiscretioný. In a word, this is .preposterous. Instead of broadenihg the.power of the RCMP,,the gover- nment shouid, be puttlng tlghter controls on them. If the governme n.tsucceeds lin thîs action, the civil rights of al Canadians are seriously In' jeopardy. it is not the opeing 0f'the mail that ls *the prime concern, but that t he RCMP would have the power and authorlty to do 80. If the Interception and opening of mail is.in the. beat Intereste of Canadian national security or In the apprehension of a crimhinal, let the. RCMP show probable and reasonable. cause to a judge and obtain from.hima search warrant. The ,govern Ment Is the authority of Canada, flot the RCMP. Canadians do. nlot enjoy the1 written con- stitutional rlghts,0f ourAmerican cousins. Our civil rights are imbedded ln a thousand years 0f British common law, which -le even older than the U.S. Constitution. The government, during its'carnagnfràic tion promfised Canadilans a free and open.'gover- niment. If they grant this authorlty, the RCMP wiil be able to turn this country Into a police state, If such le evertheir desire. The rights of, people come before the rights 0f govemnment and before the rights of the RCMP. Despite the guaraintee,0f, civil rights ' n the ,United States, they have an all-powerfuilin- telligence agency commonly caiied the CIA. The government of Canada, should not turn the RCMP Into the Canadian version of the CIA. <There has aiready been evidence-0f RCMP wrongdoisig, we ehould hope.the government >wili not give them the powerto do more. The motto 0f the RCMP Is 'Maintien le Droit' which means 'Maintain the Right', that le their purpose is maintain the Queen's Peace and en- force, the law, not to be a spy or Intelligence gathering agency. The power to open our mail at their own discretion would certalnly give them the power to spy on the average Canadian who may'have flot commltted any crime. If you want your views I poublsed, write to:I The Editor *Whitby- Free Press P9O. Box, 206 7161*1 vLIN 5S1 r Th F 'ePresslooks a h aion eds 8at e t / a, oWio/e WE57e Co~-a'T)V~~/ letter to the. editor...,, He nry relates 'the s tory of. Whity 'srenegade priest Dear Sir: Last. week you men- tioned this controver- sial relîglous figure, in your revlew of a book on eariy Ontario houses., Before he' drops from sight again, may I offer a few remarks, with regard to this muiti-faceted, "characterl' who iived and. worked here abouts In pre- confederation days. He certaily muet have been an articulate and compelling missinarybecause it is said t hat he brought three new churches, to the,' Markham area before. he came to the Town of Whitbi-and a' final -resting place in the ceoar f St. Johns Anglican Church ini 1859 CONID ON PG. 6* *Robln Lyon *KerThmp»n i Il-- j: I. i'I ~ */ 'I v K . . dý xeoo-,à m