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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1982, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice of the County Town Michael Ian Burgest The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whi Pub sPis 9, Publisher. -Managing EdltorL_ tby residents for Whitby residents. blished every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography Inc. Phone 668-6111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor ELIZABETH NOZDRYN Advertising Manager Second Class Mail Registiation Nô. 5351 If the P.A.W. committee and the O.H.S. can't settle their differences, they shouldn't do business It would appear that relations between the On- tario Humane Society and the Pickering, Ajax and Whitby animal control committee (or P.A.W. committee) are strained to say the least. This great difference of opinion seems to be based on two separate issues. Firstly, North Ward Councillor Ross Batten, our representative on the P.A.W. committee, has charged that the O.H.S. Is not living up to its contractual agreements. He said that recent lay-offs at the Thickson Road North animal control shelter has resulted in shortages that reduce the required level of ser- vice. Batten points out that reports received by the town from the society show that only two war- dens were on duty during the specified times when the contract calis for three. However, O.H.S. executive vice-president Tom Hughes maintains that the level of service has not I haven't heard much discussion of it, but knowing my fellow Canadians and our shared passion for navel-gazing, I'm sure that the recent pronouncements of arn American historian, Robin Winks, have not gone unread or un- naticed. Professor Wink's thesis, a 26-page spread published recently in a scholarly publication called the WILSON QUARTERLY, is that Canada could make it as a nation if we would only accept that our identity is not having one. Or at least, that's the way Canadian Press paraphrased his article. I have not yet been able to get a copy of it. The good professor says that our lack of na- tional identity is something else we can feel superior about, if we put our minds to it. If all that seems am- biguous, he suggests, that's appropriate too, because arn- biguity is also part of this country's character. Professor Winks says that we're even ambiguous about our sense of superiority, and adds: "Part of the Canadian character (is) a tension between putting oneself down and everyone else down." Enough Professor. That's beginning to smart a little. You prompt me to admit something I'd rather shut up about. My wife and I set off for England just about two months ago, at a time when Alexander Haig was still playing mediator in the Falklands dispute, and the British leadership, at least, was beginning to suggest that he stop trying to be even-handed and start acting like an ally. So, before we left, my wife and i donned discreet little maple leaf lapel pins, so that the Brits wouldn't take us for mediators, but Canadians. We were meeting two Cana- dian friends in London after they'd come around the world from the other direction so we took a couple of lapel pins for them as well. We neëdn't have bothered. In my view, the British, like Mom, have always like the Yanks best. In the British view, America is the excitirng new country that supplies a lot of good television, but we're acold, somewhat boring colonial outpost that tends to be forgot- ten between wars. (No offense, U.K. We love you anyway.) I'd decided to get rid of the lapel pins even before I'd heard Professor Wink's thesis. And he's right. We don't need lapel pins, or cohesion, or a common language. Because much as I lové the U.K. and a lot of other parts of the world, one of the best parts of any trip l've ever taken is getting home again. . . despite Rene Levesque, Ottawa's suicidal economic policies, and ner- vy American professors who try to explain this glorious mess of ours in 26 pages. That's not news, but that too is reality. been affected, that staffing levels are up toï par and that he is fulfilling the obligations laid out in the contract "in every respect." in fact, Hughes also claims that the reports were in error due to a clerical mishap. While this is an important issue, this publica- tion does not believe that it is the primary cause of the friction between the P.A.W. committee and the humane.society. There seems to be a grave conflict of personali- ties at work in this situation. To put it bluntly, it seems as though Batten and Hughes simply don't get along. In last week's edition of this newspaper, Batten accused Hughes of seeking every possible loop- hole in the contract and Hughes accused Batten of not being able to read and understand the reports filed by the society. Hughes has also gone as far as to claim that the P.A.W. committee Is openIy hostile to him person- ally and if anything should be reviewed, it is the make-up of the committee. After having spoken to two other members of the committee, it would appear as though this conflict Iles not only with Hughes and Batten, but between Hughes and every other committee member. Batten has said that when the new contract was drawn up between the society and the three muni- cipalities earlier this year, it had been hoped that the problems had been resolved. But, sadly, this is not the case. The que3tion then becomes: "What should be done about it?" Our north ward councillor has indicated strongly to the Free Press that it would not take much for him to recommend that the municipali- ties Invoke the contract's "escape clause" and literally fire the humane society. It would then be possible for Whitby, Ajax and, Plckering to seek alternative methods of animal control. However, they are reluctant to do this because they have admitted that the staff of the Thickson Road North animal shelter are doing a'"top notch" job. It should also be pointed out, in all fairness, that the Ontario Humane Society Is suffering a few problems of its own. Firstly, a second study of its management affairs is being conducted by the Ministry of the Solicitor General (Ontario). Secondly, Hughes points out that falling donations are simply adding to its financial worries. Like the rest of the Canadian economy, they are also hurting in this time of tight money and uncertainty. Locally, Hughes claims that the local shelter wili run up a substantial deficit this year and while he declined to give us specific figures, another publication quoted him as saying it would be as high as $50,000. In this newspaper's opinion, the following steps should be taken as quickly as possible (perhaps they are already being done): the P.A.W. commit- tee should do a study of the local shelter's finan- cial status; personality conflicts should be laid aside, as difficult as that, might be; and, if the O.H.S. is not living up to its contractual agree- ments, it should be made to do so and if that is not possible considering their financial status then the municipalities should seek feasible alterna- tives. This is a delicate issue, but It should be remem- bered that the P.A.W. committee exists to protect the Interests of the taxpayers who are footing the bill to a large extent. Whitby alone contributes more than $50,000 to the cost of running the animal control service locally as well as owning and maintaining the shelter jointly with Ajax and Pickering. When it comes right down to it, this is the issue. Are we getting our money's worth? If not, Batten and his dolleagues from Ajax and Pickering Must seek reasonable alternatives. This is not a call to abandon the humane society, but a respectful request to resoive the problems.