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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY MARCH 5, 1980, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby U Published vrWensa -FrXby M.B.M. Publishing and Photography inc. Phone 668-611Il The Free Press Buildinî Voice of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor 131 Brock Street North, 'Ie only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. PO. Box 206, Whitby, 0 CommnhtyEdior Mii. nel Production IManager .Mai uigasa Print & Promotional Manager R ob Lyon Classifled Ad Advertisling Manager ·Karen ThOrnP i q BefI BiUsioss Bure'tu o01f1010 whftw chlifel 01 Conimrce Carnival's I problems can be solved For the second year in a row, the County Town Carnival is in the middle of what may turn out to be an ever widening public debate. This year, the problems being faced by the com- mittee are centered around money, specifically around the grants that it receives from the town. The County Town Carnival is Whitby's event of the year and it is a time when people from all over this diversified community get together and Just have fun. It would be a pity to lose it. The blame for the present financlal condition of the Carnival must rest with two sources, the com- mittee and Whitby Town Council. Council is justified in cutting its grant to the committee, however, it was too much, too soon and did not give the committee enough time to re- adjust Its programs and priorities. It would have been much more acceptable if the Council had turned around to the committee and said that the grant would be cut by 20 per cent a year over the two or three years. This action would have given the committee time to find new ways of raising revenue. Secondly, the council should not have raised the fees It charges the committee for the use of town- owned facilities for this year at least. Giving them that break, would have been better than nothing at all. Council should also have offered the committee the expert help that its staff could provide to assure the committee's financial stability. These steps might have helped the situation and assured the carnival of prosperity. As was stated previously, the council is not to be blamed entirely. The committee should have had the foresight to make itself financially self-sufficient. In these times of government restraint, the committee should have had the wisdom (two, even three, years ago) to perceive that something like this was going to happen. The service clubs and community organizations that participate in the County Town Carnival should be prepared to throw something into the pot to keep it going. It Is commonly acknowledged that the money raised by the County Town Carnival is re-invested in the community by these service clubs making Whitby a bettér place to live. However, it is evident that either these problems were not perceived or were ignored until it came to the point where it could be ignored no longer. Some people, including one local councillor, have said that the County Town Carnival should be run along the lines of the Brooklin Spring Fair. This is fine, however, there are many problems to be encountered. Firstly, the County Town Carnival is spread out all over the town, not located in one central area. The Carnival has many locations including Iroquois Park, Heydenshore Pavillion and even in Brooklin. Charging a general admission for the car- nival cannot be done, there are too many places for an admission to each to be charged. One idea that the committee might consider is the issueing of passports for the entire carnival. This is the practise of Oshawa's Fiesta Week committee and has proven successf ul. These cards allow the purchaser admission to all the pavillons, exhibits and other events sponsored by Fiesta Week. Secondly, the Brooklin Spring Fair is an agricultural fair and, therefore, is eligible for On- tario Government grants, which the County Town Carnival Is not. Admittedly, the Brooklin Spring Fair does not get a great deal of money f rom the government. The Brookiin Spring Fair is also smaller and more contained and it charges a levy to all the par- ticipants, usually as a percentage of the gross (or so it is understood). This still brings us back to the central issue. The County Town Carnival is a worthwhile project and should be maintained acknowledging the fact that some changes must be made. The people of Whitby benefl from it as do the service clubs and other community organizations who return the money that is raised to the com- munity through their own projects. Editor's Note: At the Operàtions Committee meeting held Monday night, it was decided to in- crease the grant to the County Town Council from $3,500 to $5,000. However, it is!believed that this does not change the overall situation substantially. Quebec has the right to leave Canada Open Cetter to the hydro-electric com- mission of the Town of Whitby... Dear Sirs: It has been brought to our attention that you are considering sending out the "People-to-People" pe- tition which the Ontario Federation for Canadian Unity is sponsoring, with your hydro bills. The Ontario Federation for Canadian Unity argues that this is a "non- political effort to keep Canada together." To believe that this is a truly non-political gesture is at best naive and at worst dishonest. We would like to point out to following political realities. The "People-to- People" petition is not the only petition or statement on the Quebec question that is being circulated in Canada. Indeed if it were there would be no reason to circulate it. In fact this petition is a clear statement on the political future of the Quebec nation. The hydro-electric commissions which support this petition are taking the tax- payers money and using it to defend a par- ticular political point of view. To remain politically neutral--as a public utility should-- you must not send out this petition. If you do decide to send it out, then you should give equal time to another point of view. We would be happy to sup- ply you with the necessary copies of our petition. The "People-to- People" petition is completely silent on Quebec's right to self- determination. In ef- fect, this silence denies Quebec the right to freely choose, as a nation, its own political future. The petition asks English- Canadians to support a stand which, in the present political situation, can only lead to the negation of the democratic rights of the Quebec nation. The political situation of which we speak is one in which there have been repeated statements to the effect that no negotiations what- soever should be con- ducted with the P.Q government following the referendum, regar- dless of the opinions expressed by the people of Quebec. Premier Davis has madq himself more thani clear on this question, and now his statements are being taken up by pity coun- cils across Ontario. By refusing to cooperate with the On- tario Federation for Canqdian Unity's initiative your city would be taking a stand that would really favour greater unity between the Quebec nation and Engi4sh Canada, since such unity can only be based on equality, and the elimination of privileges. We urge you again: Do not distribute the "People-to-People" pe- tition. Sincerely, The Toronto Commit- tee to Defend Quebec's Right to Self- Determination. g. int. 00on o No 4tiýý 1