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Page 6, Whltbv Frâe Press, Wednesday, June 14, 1995l ~ àww The only Newspaper owned and operated by Whtby residents for Whitby resîdents! MEMBER 0F: CANADIAN ONTARIO COMMUNITY VRFDC OMMUNITY NEW$9PAPER CRUAIN NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION ISSN#0844-398X The Whitby Free Press is distributed free to 99% of the homes in Whitby, Brooklin, Ashburn & Myrtie as well as numerous public and commercial outlets in Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Pickering & Port Perry. 27,500 COPIES DELIVERED WEEKLY MAIL SUBSRIPTIONS AVAILABLE Canada $34 + GST - Outside Canada $80 + GSI Published every Wednesday. by 677209 Ontarioa mc. Box 206, 131 Brook St. N., Whitby, Ontario Li N 5S1 Phone: 668-6111 Out of town: 1-800-668-0322 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pif her - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20% recycled content using vegetable based inks. c Ail writen material, illustrations and advertising contained herein is protected by copyright. Any reproduction by any means for commercial purposes without the express permission of the newspaper is prohibited and is a violation of Canadian copyright law. Reproduction for non-commercial distribution should bear a credit line to the Whitby Free Press. moth ku'reditoI(r. A convict's apology to Whitby To the editor: 'My name las John Mather, and I owe the Whitby community an .pology- This apalagy is directed mainly ad those individuals on the receiviniq end of a chain of alcahal-induced robberies com- mnitted et three locations in the Whitby area -- Beckçer's Variety, Brock Street North; *Esso Gas Station on Highway #12, north of Taunton Road; Traveladge Motel on Champain Street -- and an attempted robbery Mi Damin's Pizza an Dundas Street East. I have had a grBet deal of trouble dealing wth the reaiity of the tsar that I caused yau aIl. I'm not a habituai criminel by any means. I arn a tather of five beautiful children and married to a glorsous and understending woman who knows who John Mather realy) is. This avent (or series of events> wes totaily out of my league, and 1 cari assure the vlctims and other Whitby residents thet this or eny other criminel disgrace will nover take place again. I'm weriting this letter tram Milîhaven Federai Pententiary in Kingston where 'm serving a term af twa years. I arn using this time wisely, participating in Alcoholics Anonymaus and other related programs ta deal with the underlying reasons why 1 would abuse alcohol ta the point of being involved in this tragedy. I consider it a tragedy thatI1 have made residents unsaf'e. I cari assure them that Durham Regianal Police have a reputatian for excellence, and in my current environment, you heer a great deai about them. Please feel sale, because from where 1see à -- you are. Just as I had dreanîed, I will be a cantributing resident upon my return. I amn a taiented heating mechanic and a truckç driver. I have a great deal- ta give back ta the community. I just asiç for your prayers and fargiveness, and I cari (wit h complote confidence), offer yau al assurance thatI1 will b. as much a part of the solution ta any problems in aur cammunity when 1 cari one day learn ta live with the tact that i was apart of the prablem. God bMess. John J. Mather Lost battie To the edltor: lsn't it obviaus that develapers can't b. beaten at their own gaine? Sa much of aur money and effort is being poured into this goin battIs, and we're not inimdaing them. The rules were made in their favour, we are guaranteed ta fail. . If Martin Luther King Jr. had played by "th. rules,* coloured Sple would still b. riding in the bkof the bus. The only way ta fi ht Rose Corp. is through gaad, 0 ashmoned civil disobedience. But how many of us lave Lydne Marsh enaugh ta go ta jail for chaining ourselves ta trees? Sonja DresseI WhItby A success To the edltor: Reently yau published a community news article informing yaur readers of aur 'Arthritis Adventure' held June 4. The event was a small success. 1 wish ta thank you for providing the Arthritis Society with the ful-page headline in the community news section. The simple placing of the article made a generous difference in the success of aur fundraiser. IlyasPatel Event co-ordinator -Vi MvA SS -int No right turn By Doug Anderson You're ail aware of the conventional wisdomn that last week's election represented a dramatic shift to the right (whatever that really means>. However, ail the pundits who said that also predicted a Liberal cakewalk only six weeks ago. Don't believe everything you see or hear in the media. Fundamental values change very slowly. What did happen was a dramatic reversai in the roles of the political parties. The Conservatives offered "revolution" and "change" while the NDP offered more of the same. n 1990, I was a caring compassionate social democrat who wanted change. I voted NDP and, at the time, was pleased that the NDP got elected. In 1995, 1 was still a caring compassionate social democrat who still wanted change. 1 voted Conservative and arn glad that they got elected. n 1990, the NDP was the party that best represented change; in 1995, it was the Tories. In both elections we voted against the status quo which has come to mean bigger and bigger and more invasive government. The Tories would have us believe that Bob Rae did it ail to us but the truth is that virtually aIl the initiatives for which the NDP took the rap were begun under John Robarts and Bill Davis. In f act, we threw the Conservatives out in 1985 for much the same reasons that we threw Bob Rae out last week- too much government. For the last five years the NDP has continued a long tradition of enhancing the labour laws, raising minimum wages, improving welfare alîowances, etc. Just like the Liberals before themn and the Conservatives before them, they just weren't listening. And when we threw each successive government out, they preferred to think in terms of shifts to the left or right and complained how fickle we were. In f act, our values have changed very lttle. The bigger government got, the more dissatisfied we became. We have not become selfish and coîd-hearted as the pundits have declared - we still believe in the social safety net for those who need it. Beyond the satisfaction of our basic needs, we have always tended to vote for greater personal control of our lives. Medicare, hospital insurance, labour laws and welfare were al schemes that initially gave greater independence and control to individuals. But as they have developed, they have become more and more bureaucratic, oppressive and expensive. The original intents were ail positive and worthwhile and still enjoy our support, but we want to get rid of the baggage they've acquired through the years. We were ituitively aware of this years ago, but only in 1995 has a political party realized its potential as a vote-getter. I just hope that they know what we elected them for, rather than cloak themselves in conservative,, dogma. If we had had political accountability 20 years ago, we would not be where we are now. If politicians were forced to listen, and to act on our desires, then the dramatic change in last week's election wouîd, have occurred gradually over many years. Politicians have lost the art of representation and that is the real change that we are looking for. If the Conservatives can deliver the changes that. they have promised while recognizing that we are, indeed, a fundamentally caring and compassionate society, they can expect to be re-elected next time around. However, if they follow the path of dogmatic fiscal conservativism and slash and burn the social structures that dMine this country, they will be a one-term goverment. On the other hand, if they change the system and deliver the accountability we so fondly desire, then they just might start another dynasty. To the editor: Recently the Town of Whitby sent a crew ta repeir Townline Road (between Scugog and Whitby, north oft Ashburn>. Normelly they grade this gravel road several times a year ta fuIln the patholes. These develop and progressvely get worse each tirne it reins. The jake on the street is when it's graded we cari expc ramn and get prepared ta wash the mud of your car and your garage floor. I wonder what tex dollars are spent on this service? The recent week was exceptional. Someane had decided we don't have enaugh gravel on the road sa dump trucks are busy dumping more gravel. Over the gast five years aur road has grown ~igher and ta satisf y the h oeanr they add more gravel ta the end of dniveways ta eliminate the hilI creaied by the road. The next stop is ta gradie and pack theg ravel and send out the water truck ta create a muddy soft road. Got ready ta wesh your car ail week. Wonder whcl this greet service cost? Over the yeers we have been trying ta get the raad hard surfaced ta eliminate the mud and dust. We do nat expect pavement such as that in front of Gerry Emm's hous, bu tar and sml gravel, as on Ashbum lbad, would satisfy aur concerns. Over timne this shauld save tax dollars. We were once tald that the township af Scugag would not participate in the cost to* imprave the road, bu councillor Gerry Emm has tald me t hey will help deter -the costs ta Whitby. Wonder why we are sp:ending ail this rnoney on more gravel, ta raise the raad, it's already high enough? Emm has brought these concemns ta counciI's attention, but there is no ariswer ta what's going ta bu done and when? Next spring we wilI have the pleasure of raking from the ditch this new gravel deposited by the snaw pîow. Terry Burke Tomn Mud Road Ashbum rnioteedito.. Mudl roadl