The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PAGE 16, WTBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAIWH 20, 1991 Brookn. Pofil Phone 668-61,11 To.justify GO bus service Go(vernment accused of slanting figures By o1.Kowalsld * The Ontaio government has been accused of skewing rider- a hip and cost flgures. te .ustify a new bus service planned for Dur- bain Region. A' commuter iobby group o0pposed te the- service. charges the governinent with using incor- rect information te win support for its bu roposai. In fact, -thfe group dlaims goyenient documents indicate that train service 'between Toronto and Peterborough, rejec- ted as teo costiy by Queen's Park, is cheaper than buses. If true, this« is contrary te the governmentls position, sînce the special, GO b us service was *announced iast fail. An Ontario Ministry of Trans- portation spokesman, however, refutes the charges ieveiied by the Toronte-Peterborough-H-ave- bock LUne Passenger Association. The spokesman said the governinent has not misused uta- tistica and suggests the associa- tion itself may be guilty of mis- readingiministry reporte. Association president Paul Pagnuelo recently -ébtained docu- ments ertaining te the bus ser- vice aeriling an application under Ontario's freedom of infor- mation legisiation.- Pagnuelo said the . association did not believe figures used to fuort ses.govermnent's case .--«We got some of the documents we wanted but not ail,» said foeematerial that was obtained is sufficient te prove the. government's decision in fawor of buses rather than trains is not warranted, said Pagnuelo. Later this year buses wil begin serving commutera living in northern Durham Region and Peterborough. The area has been without regular commuter service since early last year when the federal government axed the former VIA Rail passenger line beween Peterborough and Toronto. After rejeting replacement GO tran .srvce on the VIA tracks -as too costly and limited in scope, Ontario's New Demo- cratic Party government opted for buses. The ail-day service wili consist of four separate bus routes froin Peterborough and Port Perry te Durham. The government is currenýtIy negotiating with private carriers te podetuses and service. ~e province will pay $1.8 miinof the annual $2.5 million operatingexpenses. That works out te a. *6,761 subsidy for each of the 550 pas- sengers expected te use the ser- vice. As Pagnuelo notes, Trans r tation Minister Ed Phiipsr8 announcement Iast faîl projected an annuai *500,000 cost te operate the bus service, versus $2.2-$3.5 million for a single GO train. "TiMe initial cost was *500,000, what caused it te o te $1.9 million?" asks Pagnuelo. "If they're that wrong in their- numbers, how wrong are they on the train?» According te Pagnuelo, until Government has'py aten public meeting on bus service By >1k. Kowali Aithough no one attended in an «officiai» capacity, the Ontario govermnent was represented at a public meeting in Ashburn last December which discussed trans- portation policy.. However, a government empioyee sat quietly in the audience- taking notes while angry commuters biasted his su- periors at Queen's Park. The employee's presence was unkxiown to meeting organizers as they had been toid no repre- sentative was availabie to answer questions or defend the' government's record. This recent revelation came as a surprise to Paul Pagnuelo, p resident of the Toronto-Peter- borough-Havelock Line Pas- senger Association. The association sponsored the Dec. 12 meeting to discuss government plans or a new com-' muter bus service in Durham Reghç>n and Peterborough. (See separate story). The association, a lobby group Brooklin, Anderson 1 Wnchester. Palm Sunday, March 24th H.C. 8:30 àm. Blesslng of the Palma & H.C. 10:30 a.m. Nursery and Church School Incumbent The Rev. Frank Lee ALL WELCQ/VE Il fghting for GO train service through northern Durham te Peterborough, opposes the bus proposai. It invited seven New Democrat MPPs, including Drummond White (Durham Centre) -and Gord Mills (Durham East) te the meeting, as weil as someone from Transportation Minister Ed Philip's office. .According te Pagnuelo at the time, somelad revious commit- ménts, while others failed te confirm or deny their ettendance. But from documents obtained Pancakes for breakfast at Brooklin.church. *Pancake breakfast wiil be heid on Palm Sundaty, March 24, 9:30 a.m., at Brookli n United Church. Sunday achool students will sing following breakfast. Also on Palm Sunday, the senior choir will present e Can- tate, 'No Greater Love,' and the junior choir will 80s sing at morningworkship service. Maundy Thursday communion will b. on March 28, 7 pm. At Easter morning worship on March 31,-there wil b. music by the senior choir and e senior Sunday school 'surprise.'c Easter communion servce and f weicoming of new members wili be on April 7. ail welcome te al services. -> S BELL RANDALL Ses Representative Bus. (416) 668-8897 / Res. (416) 655-4207j ForplersonaI and profess;iona] qf a- .ui by the association under provin- cial freedom of information legis- lation, government officiels were fuliy informed of what trans- pired. A four-page repr on the. 'meeting was prepere.4y John Vaclavek of t he zministry's Toronto area coordinating 'offi c for David Ferguson, office mana- gereport is a factuel account Of what teok Place et meeting and drawa ne conclusions. Accord!ng;0ePagniuelo, the in- cident saU"or îtself. «They didn't have the. gute te do it up front, 50 th¶y came in through tiie back door," said Pag- nuelo. Ferguson was not evaileble for comment. Ministry spokean, Frank Donofrie was -not eware of the. report and preferred not te com- ment. Neither White, nor Milîs were available for comment. April programs are announced The. Brooklin branch library is o>ffering programs and activities in April Toddler Time, for 2-year-old chidren, will be iield Tuesdeys Efromn 10 te 10:30 e.m., After Schooi Reading Time for children aged 5 te 8, will be Ëîeld L'hursdays from 3: 15 te, 4 p.m. Sleepytumn orchldren aged 3 to 5pwilibe held* Thursdeys from 6:30 te, 7:15 p.m. A 'Special Eveningr,' for chul- Iren aged 8 te, 12, willffbe held on W'ednesday, April 24, 6:30 te 7:30 p.m. Cail 655-3191 for more infor- îation about registration. .The. Brooklin Liibrary Chul- [ren's Club, for ciiildren aged 4 nld ove;, meets on Saturdas8 Philip's Nov. 26 statement government records projecteA daily GO train ridership on the Peterborough-Toronto route te, be ap rimate 400passenes. announcement, te 400 figure «mysjteriouslye» became 200, said Pagn*uelo. To back his argumient Pag- nuelo points te a minisatiy docu- ment of Oct. 26, one month before Philip's- announcement which forecaste a daily «éne-wýyý ridership of 400. people from Peterboro h. Blut anotheIr report, this one dated Nov. 27, projects sinqle GO train service in the eter- borough-Toronto, corridor teo be between 17$ te 225 passengers. «Tus figure would include both work and non-wo;rk travel,» states the report. Pagnuelo contends that in- stead of 200 passengers produc- ing annual revenue of $M70,000, the true fi~ei 400 passengers producing 1.1 millioni. So instead of the annual, sub- sidy being between $1.6-$2.9 mil- lion, it wouid drop te $1.1-$2.4 million or $2,650-$5,900 per pas- senger. ýrs.now cheaper per' pas- senger on the trai than the per passenger subsidyfor the bus,» said Pagnuelo. He aiso stresses that one of the bus1 routes will only take pas- sengers as far as the WYhitby GO train terminal. «It ignores tii. subsidy that is also required per passenger te, tae th.mi the second leg of the. trip from. Whitby te Toronte,» seid Pagnuelo. «Converseiy, the. $1.1-$2.4 mil- lion adjusted. subsidy for the train gets pepeallthe way t Toronte." Pagnuelo finda it. «strange» that Canadian Pacific has quoted the mini*stry a minimum coat of $2.2 million te run a, train te Peterborough. In 1988, it. only cost VIA Ontarjo9 president at liorticultural, Meetin Brooklin Horticultural Society will hold their next mneeting on Wednesdey, March 27, 8 p.m., at Brooklin United Church. The. tepic will be Dephiniums.' Guest speaker is ~urt Card, president of the )ntario Horticultural Usocation.a ¶rhere will aso be a1ake sl. f AUl welcome. S mki prize for youthg At the recent wrap-up banquet o the -Brooklin Optiînist Club's P luth ski programn, Ryan (I itsimos,7, sn of B -nInd ehor's ensas'ar o hec $755,000 te, operate seven days a week and for -a longer distance, Toronte te Havelock, saidîPag- nuelo. «Something's rotton in Den- mark, either they're (province) not good negotiators or' someone's getting hosed,» said- Pagnuelo. Ministry of Transportation spokesman Frank Donofrio said t he projected number of pas- sengers who would use train service i. based on VIA stetistica and GO. train experience else- where. He said the. 400 figure is the daily number -of *6tripa3» as opposed to,-sselgers. u "It co u d b 2 0 p e M Iý b ut 0 0 triWp ,» explained Donofrio. However, this woôuId alsooeppiy te the bus soenario, 550 daiiy SEE PAGE 17 Defence critic at NDP etn New Democractic Party federai defence critic John Brewin will b. 8us spakrat ,the annuel generel meeting f the' Durhiam Federai NDP Rding %ation te be heid on Sundey, March 24. The. meeting begins et 2 p.m. et tiie Botelia Co-op Hall in Port Peri IPfr itraBC, Committe. -and Fitness and Amateur Sports Sub-Coimijttee. A former president of the British Columbia NDP, Brewin also served as directer 'of the Canadian- Centre for Arme Control and Disarmament Groupý and was a member of the board 7if directors of Canada Worid Youth. A lawyer by profession,, Brewin aiso was deputy chair of the RBC. Justice Development Commission and served with CIDA, as lewyer to the government of Tanzanie. -An élection wili aiseb. held et this meeting for the Durhamn riding executive. In addition, lelegates will b. chosen for the federal NDP convention te b.ý held in Halifax in June. Anyone interested is invited te attend. For more information, cail D85-3377, 983-6094 or 623-6377. NDP FUNDRAISER Durhiam area, New Democrats %re hosting their ninth annuel mn% esr, Moie Meet Our >tara," on Saturday, 'April 16 in lshawa. This fundraiaing dinner and lance will begin at 6 p.m. et the leneral Sikoraki Hall, 1551 itevenson Rd. N., Oshawa. *AUlaree MPPs, including Alian Durham East), Drummond Vhit (Dniiem Cntr), im I