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:7- WIIITBY FREI~ PltESS~WEl>NKSl >AV AI < ;i 'S'! ~; i~; 1' \( I, PAGE SEVEN READING BETWEEN THE LINES Elections bring out the worst in politicians. The pressure to please everybody compounds immensely the double talk to which they are already addicted. Sensing the diversity of the people they need to-elect them, they invent high-sounding phrases which are designed, to' leave a positive impression with everybody but say very littie. Sure, issues are discussed but the specifics decrease rapidly in proportion to the number of votes that might be lost. Clean environment? - of course, who could oppose that? Better education for our children? - certainly. Better transportation in Durham? - extend GO Transit and widen Hwy 401 - you can't get elected by advocating traffic jams. More hospitals beds, better facilities? - who can afford to oppose good health care? ,.The challenge is to stake out a position that appears unique. Free trade is a prime example and the issue that provided the few sparks during the leaders' debatge last week. Ail politicians are in favor of increased trade provided its fair and equitable. They're also aware that in any trade agreement there will be in- dustries that corne out ahead and those that lose (politicians prefer not to talk about those - especially during an election). They also know that doing nothing in the face of increasing U.S. protec- tionism would be disastrous and that in any negotiations there is give as well as take. So when it cornes right down to it, they ail favor a trade arrangement which balances increased access to American markets in some sectors while minimizing the damage in others. But that's not what they say. Each party has gone to great lengths to carve out a position which appears distinctive from their opponents. The Conservatives say they are in favor of free trade... .period;, but when pressed they admit that certain conditions would have to be met. The NDP is against free trade but of course would encourage reduced trade barriers to gain greater access to new markets to increase employment. For their part, the Liberals won't commit thems elves; they say they will give seriou.s con- sideration to any deal that Ottawa works out and will support itonly if it meets certain conditions. The conditions for ail three parties are remarkably similar. The only difference between the three par- ties is the way they have chosen to define free trade. Education is another issue where the parties go to great lengths to define their differences. They bandy about a lot of numbers which mean very little to most of us voters (l don't reallv think they're meant to) and argue ad nauseam how they would educate our kids better. The fact is that apart from a few minor initiatives, the decisions are made by the immense bureaucracy in the Ministry of Education and they don't care a whit who gets elected because they run the show. Environmental issues and pollution are always good for some lively debatge. The subject is complex and diverse, but the politicians offer us simple sounding solutions so as not to confuse us. However, the "solutions" are simplistic rather than simple and invariably ignore a multitude of factors not the least of which is the "gnot in my backyard" mentality of most of us. There are more votes to be gained with vague answers than in dealing with the realities of balancing pollution against jobs, scîentific assurances of safety versus public concerns, or dlean beaches against billions of dollars worth of public works (governments long since dead and buried can be blamed for their lack of foresight). Environmentai issues are a tightrope and no matter what its political philosophy. the government has precious little leeway in dealing with them. Because the posturing on the major issues doesn't hold up under close scrutiny, elections are about appearan ces and perceptions. The Liberals want the people of Ontario to remember ail the good things they did in the iast two years - but please forget that it, was the NI)P that let them do it and to a large extent wrote the agenda. The Conservatives attack the Liberals for ail thc things they didn't do - but please don't look at the Tory record -of the previous forty years. The NI»> stresses its fight for ordinary Ontarians - but just who <>1 us is an ordinary Ontarian'? Are a wei-paid unionized college teacher and a restaurant waitress ait below minimum wage both ordinary people? It is how we react to these poitical images tha t w il1 determiîne the w i nner on Sept. 10. Elections are also a time when parties accuse catch othier of having hidden agendas. Tlhe truth is that. they ail have thenm, but they'd rather not talk about it. These agendas are based nol on [M>icy but rather on philosophy - socialist (or social demorrai or populist) for the NI>l>, capitalist <<r corporaîte orI conservai ive) for- the l>C's, somewhere in hetween for the Liierals. Parties Ioni'l lik e labels such as thu scand so don'! use theni, but whai ftle riexi gover- nrnent does alter the ec! i<>î has more Co<1Io wilih ihese philosophiral labls thaii any of the policies they flii heir brochures wilth. <overnirig is a ixerpeluail s('ries oif deviîsions5 l>eweeîi opi<sifig views aînd il wiII be the go verrnmieni pliîlosophy ral lier i hami lxîiwy thant wil dtvîiine wheher il sies wiili, forî exaiile. Ilie woi'kers ia [.iee il 01m A CONTEST FOR SUMMER STROLLERS AND SUN DAY DRIVERS SIponisored îl W lîiLî A I A< * fo enc-ouraige a ~ai r o'f'= id ir local i irciitt-iîîrail eritaL~' Each week though the summer. he Whitby Free Press will publish a picture of an architectural detail of a building somewhere in Whitby. A draw will be made from aIl the correct entries received by next Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. for a copy of "*Meet Me ait the Station." The correct answer along with a picture and description of the building in question xill be published in the next issue along with a nevv mystery detail. AUl eîtries will be enteî'ed hito a gr'and pi'ize drimw oit Sept. 26. 1987 If you, can identifv this picture, subnuit entry below' to the Whitbi' Free Press, 131 Brock St. N., Whitbi', LIN 5S1. WMinîier wiIl be selected iiext Tuesday at 10 a.mi. Tiui S1WIF"I.l< 'i WIN NEIR .John l.%edlauîid. 24 Queen St .. Brookliju TIIE BROOKLIN MILL 'aissels Roaîd A tamiliair landmiark to anyone w~ho knows Brookhin. this 3l'. story stoile and brick miii is the towns oldest industry. Replacîing a woodframe grist juil! o!' 184o that bisrned down. John and Robert Caimpbell iii 1848 sunk massive foui- dations into a c'edar swamup and layed up the miiil'*s 2 feet thick S'olid -brick walls. Despite a drauniatic crack which zappeared ini 1844. the flour miii was operated evei' sini'e. Until 1919 when thle water wvheel wzis disniantied and replaced by electriv drîven gristi ing nmachinîes. the milI was ruit by water tr-om a pond ini Xipoid's lflats. 1.,a mile aîway After' 137 yea's (of ser'vice. it is one of th' Lisit i'it'k floiî'milîs inil hu1operazt ion. and onue o!'ou,' fines! tihitut tural laindmiarks. Address P>honie No.___ -J