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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4,1985, PAGE 25 Whitby fire responses The following calls were responded to by the Whitby Fire Depar- tment during the seven day period from 8 a.m., Monday, Aug. 26 until 8 am., Monday Sept. 2, 1985. AUG.26 9:04 a.m. - 118 Wellington St. Medical aid. 9:14 a.m. - 1635 Dun- das St. E. Alarms ringing. 11:36 a.m. - 1116 Green St. Public assistance. 3:13 p.m. - 7 Rutledge St. Detector activated. 5:08 p.m. - il Eva Crt. Public assistance. 9:35 p.m. - 1010 Dun- das St. E. Medical aid. AUG. 27 12:44 p.m. - Hwy. 401, west of Lake Ridge Rd. Car fire. 2:30 p.m. - loRenfield Cres. Gas leaking from car. 4:41 p.m. - 3 Ward St. House fire, damage $40,000. 9:02 p.m. - Centre St. N. at CPR tracks. Assist CPR tanker. 9:26 p.m. - 14,Orman- dy Crt. Report of smoke. 10:08 p.m. - 901 Burns St. E. Motor vehicle ac- cident. 10:18 p.m. - Brock and Dundas Sts. Public assistance. AUG.28 12:46 a.m. - Centre St. N. at CPR tracks. Assist CPR tanker. 6:29 a.m. -225 Hickory St. Alarms ringing. 10:45 a.m. - 3 Ward St. Check previous fire. 11:39 a.m. - 1635 Dun- das St. E. Alarms ringing. 12:09 p.m. - Pringle Dr. and Crawforth St. Grass fire. 3:13 p.m. - 201 Brock St. S. Public assistance. AUG. 29 12:29 a.m. - Victoria St., east of Lake Ridge Rd. Motor vehicle ac- cident. 10:58 a.m. - 225 Hickory St. Alarms ringing. 1:54 p.m. - 1950 For- bese St. Alarms ringing. 6:59 p.m. Brock and Burns Sts. Assistance to police. 9:10 p.m. - Lake Ridge Rd., south of Myrtle Rd. Assistance to police. AUG.30 6:57 a.m. - Thickson Rd. and Dundas St. Motor vehicle accident. 5:27 p.m. - 15 Regency Cres. Resuscitator call. 5:55 p.m. - Stevens and Park Sts. Resuscitator call. 8:01 p.m. - 1613 Dun- das St. E. Medical aid. AUG.31 5:20 a.m. - 1635 Dun- das St. E. Alarms ringing. 7:37 a.m. - 850 Green St. Assistance to am- bulance service. 7:45 a.m. - Michael Blvd. and Carter Cres. Motor vehicle accident. 8:11 a.m. - 850 Green St. Assistance to am- bulance service. 9:54 a.m. - 15Regency Cres. Alarms ringing. 5:30 p.m. - Coronation and Rossland Rds. Grass fire. 8:58 p.m. - 210 Brock St. S. Check electrical problem. 9:52 p.m. - 100 White Oaks Crt. Alarms ringing. SEPT. I 2:02 p.m. - Con- sumers' Dr. and Hopkins St. Medical aid. SEPT. 2 7:53 p.m. - 110 Euclid St. Assistance to am- bulance service. 1l:34 p.m. - Brock and Trent Sts. Motor vehicle accident. Whitby firefighters donate $2,095 to Muscular Dystrophy With Jerry Lewis' annual Muscular Dystrophy Telethon just last weekend, the 1985 campaign to raise money to combat the disease is on. The Whitby Fire Department chipped in a generous $2,095 this year, all of which was raised through parades or private donations. Marty Goodkey, Ontario Campaign Chairman and Mike Nixon, Ontario regional director for the campaign (at left) are seen here accepting the cheque which was presented last week by Whitby firefighters Kim Crouch and Doug MacLean (at right, in shortsleeves). Free Press Staff Photo Report from Ashe ueen's Park won't be active i By THE HON. GEORGE ASHE, MPP (PC - Durham West) Ir-ay They call it LEAF - Liberal Economic Advisory Forum. It would appear to be about as exclusive as the Book of the Month Club, though somewhat more ex- pensive at $1,000 a copy. Alas, the new 'open' gover- nment of David Peterson appears to be about as ac- cessible as the Royal Suite at the King Edward hotel. Al it takes is money. In a letter to some 15,000 businessmen, Ontario Liberal Party president, Donald Smith, said in part: "At the request of Premier Peterson, I have been asked to invite you to join what will become a select group of Ontario Business leaders." The let- ter went on to describe the 'club' and offer a number of benefits, including: "Attending regularly scheduled meetings with Premier Peterson and his most senior colleagues." It might be interesting to attend the first meeting. Perhaps Maple Leaf Gardens would be the venue with all 15,000 members sitting there awe struck with their coffee cups on their knees. Maybe Bobby Rae could even serve the cream and sugar. There is nothing humorous about selling the ear of a premier and a government, however, it is a very serious matter. Once the message gets out that ac- cess to government is spelled with dollar signs, the biggest contributor invariably ends up with the loudest voice. Governments are elected to serve and listen to all of the people, not simply those with thousand-dollar bills, or hundred-dollar bills, or even one-dollar bills. The fact that this government wasn't elected by the people to do anything, really doesn't matter. By whatever means, they are the government and must be sensitive to nine million voices, not a poten- tial 15,000. Political fundraising is part and parcel of our democratic system of government. It presents con- stant challenges to all political parties, as well as individual candidates. However, there are some checks and balances which must be observed. There can be no hint - real or imagined - of any "future considerations" for any group or individual based on their financial contribution. In fact, to leave that impression would be a criminal offence, and I'm not suggesting for a moment David Peter- son or the Liberal Party did so. What they did do was to clearly offer preferential access to government by a particular focus group. The focus was $1,000. If the government wants input from businessmen and women, that's great. But to ask selected business people to kick in $1,000 to tell government what they should be doing, is incredible. I always thought that was the inalienable right of every man and woman in this province, without a price tag. Obviously, David Peterson disagrees. campaign Former premier Frank Miller's decision to resign the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conser- vative Party will probably not have a direct impact on George Ashe's career as Durham West MPP. In an interview last week, the 52-year old Tory frontbencher said he was surprised when Miller made his an- nouncement two weeks ago. At the time, Ashe was playing in a charity golf tournament in Brampton. Ashe was a strong Miller supporter during the latter's bid for the Tory party leadership earlier this year and doesn't believe he was as "right wing" as the press and the public painted him out to be. Miller, he said, was a "practical, realistic politician" who made decisions even though they were "philosophically foreign to his make-up." During the last leadership campaign, Ashe acted as a riding co-ordinator and fun- draiser for the Miller campaign. However, he doesn't think he'll be as active during this cam- paign. "I just don't expect to have that extremely ac- tive role," he said ad- ding that he has yet to decide who he will sup- port for the leadership. "lIl probably be sup- porting the person who has the best chance of winning the next elec- tion," Ashe said. "I would think that will be a great consideration."