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PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988 w ep wA VOICE OF THE COUNTY TOWN Pubi hed every Wednesday By 667209 Ontrioc. hne. 66-6111 Doug Anderson Publisher Maurice Plfher Editor Peter Irvine Advertising Manager Alexandra Simon Production Manager The only Whitby newspaper Independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. The no-shows Where were you, eligible Whitby voters, on Monday night? Unofficially, from a tally of votes cast for mayor (from the clerk's department), only 44 per cent of the eligible 36,000 voted in the election. Why the apathy when there is so much to be concerned about that affects every resident's present and future? The issues that residents complain about in council meetings between elections were on the table, and the electorate had the chance to select the best candidates to serve their needs and concerns. The effects of casting a vote municipally are more visible than with a vote for higher levels of government - municipal votes keep the quality of life constant or improve it close to home. Could we assume that 56 per cent of Whitby voters couldn't care less about how their community is run? We feel that the apathetic should remain silent until the next election - they have no right to complain. LASCO spill: We, the public, are in the dark To the editor, Regarding the PCB spill reported at Lake Ontario Steel Co. What a sad day for Whitby! I'm not sure what worries me most. Is it that LASCO is failing to prove to me that it is my good neighbor? Are they really able to build the environmentally safe berm that they claim they can? Or is it that the Mayor's office withheld the news of the spill for one week rather than disclose the information as soon as possible environmentally safe. Their recent publication was skillfully prepared with a note from the president and chief executive officer followed by articles with a diagram - all nicely packaged to assure me that they have done their homework and are abiding with the assurance that all the proper tests were being carried out to ensure public safety. I am convinced that we the public are really in the dark. LASCO needs their berm and is going to considerable lengths to convince me that it will be by all the rules. What, of course, we are really seeing is probably that barest of information. Let's face it, steel making is a dirty, ugly business. Look at the emissions from their plant, especially late at night when most of us are off in dreamland and couldn't care less. Occasionally you'll see (or smell) it during the day. Or take a walk along the beach and make your way past the small stream of smelly, soapy waste that flows into the lake from an old clay pipe at the west edge of LASCO Shouldn't put our cards on table yet. To the editor: Fundamental the the free trade controversy is the issue of what's best for Canada vs. what's politically expedient for the incumbent government. I remember almost 30 years ago when the Canadian aerospace industry - an innovative and competitive international leader - was sold out to the Americans by the venerable Diefenbaker Conservative government. Is history to repeat itself on a grander scale? While I am not opposed to the principle of free trade neither am I convinced that the deal negotiated by the current government gives our country the protection and guarantees essential to our best interests. Neither do I believe that the people have been given full disclosure of the potential negative aspects with which we may have to contend. How can a government which cannot control illegal immigrant entry truly be expected to stand up to our southern neighbor in the event of a disagreement? Past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Canadians, traditionally cautious, would do well not to put their cards on the table until they are sure of at least an equal competitive position. It would be prudent to fold now and await the next deal rather than play a losing hand. J.W. Eckardt Whitby property. Once you're past that you'll eventually find your way obstructed by a considerably larger stream that cascades to the water's edge from a gully cut through their property. Now it's revealed that LASCO is licenced to store PCB's but they can't even contain them within the designated area let alone ensure that they don't leak. As for the berm. Well, rIm sure it will conform to the basic present standards. rm sure it will be agreeable to look at. But what about the future? What about all the information and predictions that LASCO has but won't reveal to us. And what about our municipal officials? What a fine bunch who obviously wanted to keep this whole mess in the dark. Were we to be kept uninformed because they feel that we are unable to cope with this type of news? It appears that the Mayor has little appreciation of our need and right to be informed. I'm sorry Your Worship, but please don't ask me to believe that it took a week before you were able to.call a press conference. You might not have had all the facts and figures but at least the press could have been advised of what measures were being taken to ensure the town's safety. But what about us as members of the community. Perhaps we don't really care and want to remain in the dark. After all the less we know the safer we feel. Our government officials certainly hope we'll stay- that way. According to the local press, a Ministry of the Environment information officer recently stated that there are no PCB storage sites located in Whitby. If this report is accurate then the government obviously wants us to stay ignorant of the potential dangers around us. We are intelligent people. We want to know, we need to know. We also want to participate in maintaining a healthy community. Mr. Mayor, you as well as government and industrial officers must realize that. We will not tolerato deception. Please work for us and with us - not against us. Mark Roper Whitby, The free trade smoke screen To the Editor: I think the free trade issue is to some degree a convenient smoke screen for the politicians to avoid confronting other issues, such as housing. Even if John Turner wins, we will still probably get free trade, with a few very minor changes for appearance sake. It is obvious from the lobbying being done, that it is the business community that stand to benefit from free trade. The working class will have to compete with much lower American wages (many states have no minimum wage, most jobs have no benefits such as CPP, UIC, OHIP) and the worker may eventually find himself having to compete with Mexicans working for $5 a day!!! John Deboer Oshawa [Ed. Note: The above letter was received via modem. The Whitby Free Press now has a section on the Red Baron BBS for the receipt of letters and comments. If you have a computer and modem, you can reach this service at 668-2078.] LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subject of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. All letters must be accompanied by the name, address and phone number of the writer; however, on request, your name may be withheld from publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit all letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario LiN 5S1 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. 1 qq 9qNýý The Free PressBuilding 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont.