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WITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1988, PAGE 5 Indulge me, if you wilI, this column-before-Christmas, a few quips and pecks left over from throughout the year. (The rule for any newspaper. states that no one reads Christmas colunrns, since everyone keeps too busy being seasonally adjusted (insane).) (However, havinga, gotten this far, you obviously started shopping before Halloweêen, in which case you deserve everything you get. On the other hand, if you haven't started shopping yet, and are reading this column as a method of procrastination, then God~ Bless!) The indulgences: So auto insurance will increase by 40 per cent, eh? Because that way the auto insurance industry will be assured their 12 per cent profit margin. And along the way, the poorest drivers will- get the best deal out of the whole thing. And young female divers will be bit the hardest. Ironic, isn't it? We wouldn't want to rain on David Peterson's parade, but ail of tbis files right in the face of pledges made during the last previous provincial election. Let's run that by one more turne: during the election Bob Rae and the NDP urged that the governinent take over auto insu rance. It was the key to'the party's election carnpalgn." The insurance industry countered that they were losing money on auto insurance and predicted that consurners would not be happy with any governinent-run plan. David Peterson and the Liberals urged caution, promised to control increases until a full report was tabled and recommendations dealt with on a rational basis. Bingo! 40 per cent! Just remember that the insurers did receive a couple of interimi increase since the election, just to keep the wolf from the door, so to speak. Give a pause for a moment: WITH OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Left overs If the auto insurance business pr oves so lousy, why on earth didn't the industry offer to turn the whole mess over to Bob Rae in the first place? We will eventually end up, as we often do, with the worst of two worlds: a socialist ideal delivered by a governinent that owes its soul to private enterprise. You can bet we will end up paying big bucks for inferior service, and when people complain they1l be told to tell the politicians. In the meantime, the auto insurance industry will march on to new heights of prosperity -- with the government's help. Item the two: Politicians are lying, twisting, devious souls who avoid real issues and feed votera pap. Right? Like Robert Bourassa, twisting the constitution so he can appease a few radicals in Quebec. Why can't the French signs issue be solved rationally, using common sense? Good question. Trouble is, it ain't a rational issue; and Bourassa isn't twisting to deceive, he's twisting to survive. The point rve made before: if politicians are lying, twisting and devious -- and some are, no doubt -- the fault lies in us. Voters like people who lie, deceive, and twist. Otherwise, why would such people be elected and re-elected? Bourassa is responding not to a few radicals, but to the majority of French-speaking voters. Let's hope the backlash willIdkli the, Meech Lake accord, and we can find some other way around the problem of being a separate country on the North America continent. If we don't -- free trade or not -- then we'll be part and parcel of the United States. Indulgence #3: Count the benefits so far due to the free trade deal. Count the plant closings. Guess who's winning so far? And the deal isn't even final yet. The let-them-eat-cake award of the year: to Derek Nelson, from the Queen's Park bureau of Thomnson Newspapers LtI. for his ravings on the editorial page of many, many smail dailies in Ontario, not the least of which is the Oshawa Times. Nelson argues that rich people deserve ail their riches, and that sýcialists like Bob Rae have no right pointing out the contrast between the poverty and riches that Toronto offers. But thiànk of the society that Nelson's political philosophy would leave us. It's as though he had read Ayn Rand, despite the big words.. It neyer seems to dawn on Nelson and bis like that once we forget to care about disparities in our society, we soon will be able to do nothing. about them. Number 5: There must be a special place in heaven for owners of used car lots who refuse to shovel snow from sidewalks in front of their places of business. These are likely the sa"e people who set the full force of the law on senior citizens who also fail to shovel. And no. six: Merry Christmnas to you, dear reader. May your New Year be full of hope, light and promise. Mr Region could consider slower growth: Pickering councillor Slower growth in Durham RZegion was suggested by Picker- ing councillor D oug Dickerson at the Dec. 13 Region works com- mittee meeting. After the new committee was introduced to the various staff members of the Region works department, Dickerson com- nented that many of the Region's departinents were hav- ing some trouble keeping up with the growtli. "We are leading to our own demise. Housing, in this region, can be slowed down. We are getting more and more to the crisis situation," said Dickerson. Arrest made in 2-year-old robbery case An 18-year-old Toronto man has been arrested and charged *with a robbery at Suny's gas bar .more than two years ago. The man, wearing a skeleton mask and carrying what appeared to be a revolver, robbed the gas bar of a large amount of money., The robbery occurred on Sept. Bcueh a 6we h 27, 1986. Bcueh a 6we h robbery occurred, the man can- not be identified under the Young Offenders Act. Heh as been charged with rob- bery, wearing a disguise with intent to rob and possession of a dangerous weapon. He noticed that when he was on regional council, a landfill site was being discussed. "And you're still talking about it. 'Tou don't run a business like this and you can't run a govern- ment like this," he said. Oshawa councillor Linda Dionne asked for a special meet- ing so that works committee members, or ail regional council' members, can state their priori- ties for the coming year. 1~~~. W W$11,9795* 1989 MERCURY TOPAZ L 4 DR " Air conditioning " Automatic transaxle " AM/FM stereo cassette with digital cdock " Dual etectric remote control mirrors " Low-back reclining front bucket seats " Interval wipers " Power rack-and-pinion steering " Power brakes " Tinted glass " Electric rear window defroster " 2.3L HSC engine " Multi-port electronic fuel injection " Front wheel drive " 4-wheel independent suspension " Al-season steel belted radial tires " Styled steel wheels with trim rings *6 yrIlOO,OOO km power- train warranty *6. yr/160,OOO km corrosion perforation warranty Over 15 1989 Topaz vehicles pnced at $11,7953* *Freight and Federal Air Tax extra Clear coat paint slightly higher Rebate assigned to dealer Offer expires Dec. 31, 1988 9c6u .5So«c4 riqRYxhl "11rn FORDL i 668-5893 1120 DUNOAS ST E. WHITBY. ONTARIO 7-77-) i ý, ý. ý Ï4