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We Won'tcorne.apart WEMMTY FREE PRESS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1990. PAGE 25 Ther. have been occasions lately when one had -to wonder whether people reaily, honestly meant what they wre saying. In ail the discussions about our constitution and the proposed arnendments to it flhrough the Meecli Lake Accord, on. hears voices suggsting that the break-up of our country through Quebec's separation is an acceptable 'option for Canadians. Personally I just cannot believe that. Since it was first drafted three years agco, the Meech Lake Accord has been acting es a ligiitning rod- for a great many real and imagined giievances acros Canada. Much opposition centres on the accord's provision for "the recognition that Quebec constitutes within Canada a distinct society." I muet confes. to being puzzl.d at why this "distinct "oce te clause makes so many people so troubled. It does not giveQu;ebec any new powers. It sirnply recognizes, as did the British North Arnerica Act which created Canada, i 1867, that Quebec bas a différent language - and'thus a different culture - than the rest of the country. This distinctivenesa was established weil over 200 years ago. Britain'. Quebec Act cf .1774* rocogmzed the rights of French-sp.aking Canadians to their own language and religion. Anothier clause ini the same. part of the -accord- states: 'Nothing in thus section derogates fr-cm the powers, rights or privileges of Parliament or the. Goverriment of Canada, or of the. legilatures or goverrirent. cf the. provinces, including any powers, righta or privileges relating to anguag e"Sb,in fact, Quebec receives no powers differenittfrtose of the other provinces. If this leaves you wondering why So many are arguing so vehemently over the. "distinct society" provision - so arn IlAs on. Ottawa observer commented a couple of weeks ago: fume country could b. crackring Upover acase cf<mistaken identy. Last monith a national opiio.pol howed that while the was at beat lukewarm suppr for ti accord acros Canada, an amazing 53 per cent of tis interviewed admitted to knowing little or nothing about it. As I'see "it, approving the. M.ech Lake Accod and any parallel. agreements would mimply complet. the. procms for adopting our own constitution wiiicii started i the early 19809.. Quéec .was left out at that tirne, and did not sign the. agreement leading to the. Constutioâ Act i 1982. Obviously, if w. are t. hav, a national constitution, ail provinces must b. .ar.cran ta. Even Pierr Trudeau admitted on CMC"ILe Journal'.tiat everything inithe. accord iad previously been proposed by hum prior to the 198 constitution agreement.- In the.. spring of 1987, the. Prime Minister and the. 10 provincial premiers - eacii cfth.m .lected representatives of the. people - met at Meecii Lake, noirti cf Ottawa, and agr.ed on the. acecord througii whicii Quéec would become a fuil partner in the. Constitution. Over the. succe.ding three year the. Me.ch Lake Accord has become the. focus for i.satisfacton over a nuniber of important issues - everythinig frcm regional dispartities t. aboridinra1 riglits. While tihe accord bas nothing to, do witii Quebec?'s new language law for signe, it lias prov.d a handy whipping boy for many wiio are -angry about that regrettable legialation - legislation perrnittod under tii. "notwithstandingr clause in Section 33 of our 192 constitution. iàke thegrat majoity of Canadians, my ownfarnly wer. Immigrants. T.y came iiere i1817 isearcii of a botter 1f., ndlnu etenaly grateful that th.y did. I arn proud cf Canada- proud cfit traditions, and excited lby its future. I arn .qualy proudocf tii. linguistic duali1ty whichi i part cf the. unique istory, ii.ritage and culture of tlus coumtry. Puttingthis country- togetiier i 1867 took massive amounits of comrolmise, tolerance, and understanding. We've uolved otiier chalenges t. our umty minc. tiien. It i. extrernely difficult t. believe that any Canadians now are prepared t. let this country corne apart becaie cf a situation that can b. resolved witii more cf that tolerance and und.rstanding. That resolution can b. s.cured witiiout giving special powers te any province or group, if we all just think and act lk. Canadians. By Ciiris Bovie What's up, dec? Rabbits. Lots and lots of rabbits. Just in time for East.r, Day, Grandy lias started a unique business, known as Rent-a-Bunny. Not a concept originated by PlaLyboy entrepeneur Hugli Hefner Renit-a-Bunny istead Je a great way t. cefebrate Easter. Grandy, Who runs Crandview Rabbitry i Brooklin noted that cf aIl the rabbits purchased âuring Easter, many w#ere dis- carded quicklyafter. Having a rahbit duri ng the. holiday can b. a great experience. B ut for many the love affair can soon end. "Many people were calling me up want- inq t. &et rid of their rabbits. I investiga- ted and tound out through the Humane Soity that people were calling tiiere as well, " Grandy said. The Humran Society 'does net accept unwanted rabbits after« Easter, so the. idea of renting was berri. Custorners can now rent a rabbit and pay a refunidable deposit on tii. cage. After Easter, the client cari decide te, keep the rabbit or have it picked up. The, idea lis been se popular that Grandy has foundhimself devoting sl us tirne te tthe ventue - and with Easter approaciing, business i. iiopping. "This is a very big business,» lie notes. Grandy breeda seven varieties of rabbits, including Mini Lops, Reds and Neathiland Dwarfs. New Zealand 'ArlAnti@5e'plazme d for Ashburn The. April Antics Dance W-111 be iield Saturday, April 21, 8 p.m.: te 1 a.m., at tii. Thunderbird Golf Club, Asliburn. There will be a disc jockey, lunch and prizes at tii. dance sponsored by tii. Ashbumn Com- munity Centre. Tickets are $20 per couple (aged 19 and ever). ickets are available 'at the Aslibum General Store or at the, Whistle S tep, .Myrtle Station. Paper drive on Saturday Tiie Brooklin scout group- will hold a paper drive on Saturday, Newspapers--should b. at the. curb by 9:30 a.m. For special pick-up, caîl 655-3005. Entries wanted for Miss Broolin Spring Fair Entries are required for thie Miss Brooklin Spring Fair pageant, the, traditional opening of the annual fair to e bhleld this yearfrom May 31 te June 3. Tob. eligible as entrants, girls must b. aged 17 te 23, urnar- ried, a resident cf Canada for two years, and resident of Dur- hani Rgion for sixmontiis. Cash and prizes are awarded te the winner and runners-up. Last year year, Amber Frost was narned Mes. Brooklin Spring Fair. Entry forms and a brief resume cari b. sent te Gail Campbelll Rosewood Ct., Whitby,:LIN 6Y6. For more in- formation caîl Campbell at 666- 8218 or Kelly Squelcli at 579- 3285. Entry for-ms cari b. picked up at high scliools and at the. public libraries in Whitby and Brooklin. Closing date for entries is April 21. I ~If~ q t q q *4 .*. %~ ' La.'. ~ S *.~ ~ -.. B3Y Roua ste«eaM DurhamRn iding P m DAVE GRANDY, who operates Rent- Re* wMl bring bis rabbits- for a a-Bunny, will be at the Whitby Pub- liand[-on seminar to include care lic Library on Thursday this week. and grmooin advloe Rent your Easiter bunnies