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SECTION TWO WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28,1990 Efc Cattair tait statesman 62 King Street West, Durham Region's Great Family Journal Established 136 years ago in 1854 Also Incorporating The Bowmanville News The Newcastle Independent The Orono News Second Class mail registration number 1561 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 416-623-3303 Fax 416-623-6161 cn John M. James Richard A. James Editor - Publisher Associate Publisher Peter Parrott Brian Purdy Donald Bishop Associate Editor Advertising Mgr. Plant Mgr. All layouts and composition of advertisements produced by the employees of James Publishing Company Limited are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Subscription Rates Six Months -- $11,00 One Year--$20.00 Foreign,-- $60.00 per yeat Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman, accepts advertising In Its columns on the understanding that It will not be liable for any error In the advertisement published hereunder unless a..proof of such advertisement Is requested In writing by the advertiser and returned to The Canadian Statesman business office duly signed by the advertiser and With such error or corrections plainly noted In writing thereon, and In that case It any error so noted )s not corrected by The Canadian Statesman its liability shall hot exceed such a portion of the entire coet of such advertisement as the space occupied by the noted error bears to the whole space occupied by such advertisement. Editorial Comment Big Brother has Your Number Maybe somebody can tell üs if we are being overly paranoid on this subject. subject. It's just possible that we're overreacting.. overreacting.. Nevertheless, it seems to us that the Town of Newcastle's scheme for numbering all rural dwellings is a little little high-handed. According to a resolution passed by our elected officials, all rural residents are supposed to have their homes adorned with proper street numbers by the end of this year. If they don't, they could have the numbers affixed by the municipality and be billed for the costs. Now, we ask you. Isn't this just a little on the arbitrary side? Or is it our imagination? We live in a sea of numbers already. We have our Social Insurance Numbers, Numbers, our OHIP numbers, our bank account account and credit card numbers. And then there are our personal banking machine numbers and our various account account numbers with various institutions institutions with which we do business. And now, the elected officials at the Town Hall want to nail numbers on every house in the municipality. Naturally, all urban residences are supposed to already have the required numbers. But, for rural residences, a rural route number on a mailbox has always sufficed. We are not cranky enough to suggest suggest that there are any ulterior motives motives behind, the proposed Town bylaw. bylaw. Actually, it's a good idea for rural residents to place their address numbers numbers on their property. As was explained at the latest meeting meeting where the topic was discussed, proper house numbers will speed police, police, firefighters and ambulance personnel personnel to their destinations. It's in the public's best interest to utilize the numbers. What angers us is the fact that local government wants to pass a by-law demanding demanding that this be done. And, to make matters worse, they will force the resident to display the number if he or she doesn't do so voluntarily. The by-law doesn't say what will happen to the citizen if he removes those numbers once they have been posted by the municipality. Perhaps he'll be tossed into a cage of lions or boiled in oil. Maybe we are wrong. But, it ap pears to us that this is a silly and petty petty by-law which isn't worth the effort required to set it in place. Look' at it this way: A rural resident may very well decide that he or she doesn't wish to post an address number. number. Perhaps, the resident wishes to live in maximum privacy and owns a home at the end of a long lane. This resident may collect mail at the local post office and, therefore, have no mailbox or sign to indicate where he or she lives. The resident may be a recluse recluse or anti-social or merely someone who wishes to avoid nuisance door-to- door calls by salesmen or canvassers. Or maybe this individual is simply eccentric. eccentric. Our point is this: In a free country, that citizen shouldn't be forced to display display a set of street numbers at the entrance entrance to his property if that citizen doesn't want to. Ninety five per cent of the citizens will comply with the suggestions, but those who do not should be left in peace. And the argument that residents should be forced to comply with this rule for their own safety is a feeble one at best. If the citizen is endangering his safety, he is harming no one except himself. If a Town Council were to continue on this course of action and pass bylaws bylaws to protect our safety, it would soon find itself passing by-laws forcing us to exercise, once a day or. to get eight hours of sleep or not to have second second helpings of chocolate cake. Clearly, there are some cases where government should mind its own business business and allow the citizen to live his or her life in freedom. ' We live in an over-regulated society and local government has no right to add to that burden. Council should, by all means, politely politely urge citizens to put these newfangled newfangled address numbers on their rural residences. And that's all it should do. If this regulation is eventually passed and enforced by Town Council, somebody with lots of time and money might want to fight the issue all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. necessary. For, it seems that some basic freedoms freedoms are at issue here. Or are we over-reacting? The Meech Lake Conundrum Over our span of several decades, we have found that, in most cases, deadlines_jiro in fact, deadly. And right now!""Prime Minister Brian Mulroney would probably agree because he's facing one on June 23rd of this year, And it's a beaut, chlled The Meech Lake Accord, threatening to tear this country apart at i the seams. Or, so the political moguls would have us believe, if it isn't passed on schedule. Frankly, we have come to the conclusion that we're being conned into approving n document that needs sonic overhauling before it is finalized, and the con has taken on the distinct form of blackmail - Pass it as it is or we might take our marbles and go home and you'll have to get along without us, because we're leaving. So there! Of course we are talking about the stance the Premier of Quebec is taking. Quite obviously, lie and his followers don't seem to appreciate that being a member of this prestigious private club wc call Canada is n distinct privilege for each of its members. Quebec is only one of the select members who make concessions and take on obligations that go with membership. You don't make demands when you arc invited to join the club, you accent the rules or stay out. Actually, Quebec has done just that by not being a part of the ceremony that brought Canada's constitution back from the United Kingdom. In the monntimo they have boon on the receiving end of any benefits that have como to this country and lmvc boon considered a member in everything but the legal sense. You could say thoy'vo even paid their duos, while still hesitating to sign up. Now, if they don't get accented as a Distinct Society they won't play: " It's Urn least you Anglos can do to make us leol at homo mid not threatened by your overpowering numbers. We emi t help it if wo want to continue speaking our language and preserving our culture. We like it that way and will go on our own if you don't give in to us." Just where are they going to go? They might try the United States, but we doubt very much if President Bush and his people would accept them as distinct. In fact, if they did some checking on the record of this new applicant for state status, they would learn what a pain in the neck they have been to the rest of Canada over history, demanding special consideration and privileges that no other province had. Wc doubt if they would get too far with the U.S. Surely, they've got more trouble than they need without taking on another cantankerous maverick that speaks an odd language. Prime Minister Mulroney may have gained some Brownie points with his unity appeal on television last week, but from what we've heard and seen since, his effort didn't solve the problem. Trouble is his credibility is at a low ebb, However, the period of time between now and that Juno 23rd deadline should be most interesting ns more frantic efforts arc made to find a workable, acceptable solution. Wc only hope this deadline passes without dear old Canada falling apart. Wo think it will survive and continue to prosper, preferably with (Quebec in the fold once they realize just how much they've got to lose by going on their own. Aller all, they arc not quite in n comparable oppressed position such ns is facing East Germany, Lithuania and the other communist bloc countries. Wo sincerely believe that once that deadline lms passed, tempers will cool and well go on to solvo other more pressing problems tlmn the Mooch Lake Accord. The present crisis is man made mid will lie solved before calamity strikes us. Wo'ro bolting on it, Consumers Veto Irradiated Food, DNA Group Says News Item: Servians Industries May Cost $100 Million Open Letter For Publication In Community Newspapers. Dear Editor: A recent opinion poll cited cited in the Toronto Star finds "significant levels of concern about irradiated foods". To our knowledge, though, there is no regular commercial commercial marketing of irradiated foods in Canada. If anyone knows otherwise, we'd appreciate appreciate being notified. Happily, the people of Florida have forced the abandonment of food irradiation irradiation plans in their state. In December, politicians in Mulberry voted to ban radiation radiation processing in their ' " ! Flo " ■ town, and the Florida Citrus Commission publicly rejected rejected irradiation of produce. The Canadian nuclear industry industry is trying to make Florida politicians change their minds, but that doesn't seem likely. We joined with consumers consumers worldwide who sent letters to Florida promising a boycott if irradiation plans went forward. This victory shows that citizens will not tolerate the likes of the US Department of Energy (the bomb-making agency), or Atomic Energy of Canada Limited influencing food policy. policy. (Food irradiation is a process of bombarding food with radiation to preserve it.) A worldwide movement has emerged to educate consumers consumers about the hazards of this technology. Companies and grocery chains that market irradiate foods will suffer grave financial financial consequences. The Canadian Canadian Green Consumer Guide, prepared by the Pollution Pollution Probe Foundation, indicates indicates that 75% of Canadians Canadians are opposed to food Reader Says New Name Is Justified Dear Editor: Congratulations on your excellent Editorial Comments Comments entitled "Time for a Change" which appeared in the March 7 issue of The Canadian Canadian Statesman. „ . From the timethe Région of Durham was created and "The Town of Newcastle" with its present territorial boundaries was implemented, implemented, two major issues surfaced: surfaced: 1. A substantial amount of confusion became evident by new residents entering this area; by out-of-town truckers malting deliveries; by visiting business representatives; representatives; and by tourists and visitors coming to this area. 2. Many long-time and loyal residents of Bowmanville Bowmanville expressed displeasure and outright anger about the choice of name. (It would be difficult to fault them for feeling that way.) Unfortunately, neither the confusion nor the passionate passionate feelings are likely to disappear. Agreeing completely with your Editorial Comments, changing the name from "Town of Newcastle" to a neutral name such ns "District "District of Pine Ridge" should accommodate all the peoples in nil the, towns, hamlets and villages, ns well ns in the rural sector. The confusion confusion would diminish and eventually disappear. Last, but not least, members of Council could support and actively pursue such a change without jeopardizing their political future. In anticipation of the projected projected rate of growth in this geographical area under consideration, it would seem prudent to resolve this issue ns swiftly ns good policy, debate debate and procedure will allow. allow. Fred Eymnn R.R. 3 Bowmanville. irradiation. In the United Kingdom, where the process has been banned, 93% of people oppose it. The Canadian Medical Association, The British Medical Association, and the International ' Organization of Consumer Unions have expressed serious reservations reservations about irradiating foods. The Canadian government's government's Standing Committee on Consumer and Corporate Affairs has called for a moratorium moratorium on the process until more is known about it. The. nuclear industry says food irradiation is safe. But this is comparable to cigarette manufacturers telling telling us that smoking is good for our health! The submission submission of public health standards standards to the profit-driven needs of the nuclear industry industry is unconscionable. Dr. Walter Burnstein, President of Food and Water, Water, Inc., who testified at the Mulberry meetings said: "the 'experts' brought us Chernobyl, Bhopal, tne contamination contamination at the Department Department of Energy weapons facilities, facilities, and Afar. It is time we listened to the people who will be damaged by the promises of these 'experts'. To their credit, several companies have already issued issued statements that they will not market irradiated foods. Among them are the Quaker Oats Company (U.S.) and H J. Heinz Company. Company. When a Canadian A&P store tried to test- market irradiated potatoes, negative customer reaction forced them to stop. West Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden have banned food irradiation, as have the states of Maine, New Jersey, and New York. Consumers' power is at the cash register. It has now been made perfectly cleàr that we will not set a place for the nuclear industry at our dinner tables. Yours truly, Anne Hansen, Irene Kock Nuclear Awareness Project, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. North York High School Invites'Cradi To its 25th Anniversary INDUSTRY• COMIM* SOON TO AST&£TN<MW Town Faces Bigger Issues than Name Woes Dear Editor: Please try to find space in your "letters to the Editor" section to publish the following following reunion letter. Feel free to edit down if necessary. Thanks for helping spread the word. > Attention graduates of George S. Henry! Your fellow fellow classmates are trying to spread the word about the North York High School's 25th anniversary reunion. Slated for Saturday, May 12 from 7 p.m. to midnight, the event promises to combine combine nostalgic memories with the fun of reacquaintances. reacquaintances. Wonder what the class 'brain 1 is doing now? Would you like to know if your old math teacher is still cracking cracking the whip? Wonder if the school 'beauty' is still beautiful? beautiful? Come to the school for the reunion and find out. The informal event will feature displays of memorabilia, memorabilia, reunion sweatshirts, mood music, food and opportunities opportunities to renew old friendships. friendships. Cost is $10 per person •• bring your spouse or friend. For more information, contact the school at 445- 3440 (41G) or the undersigned undersigned at 41G-737-0894. Mnrncy (Gattingcr) Robinson Class of'72, Reunion Committee, George S. Henry Academy North York, Ontario 165 Spalding Avenue, Downsview, Ontario February 14,1989. To the Editor: My subscription to the Statesman has just been renewed renewed for another year - thanks to my sister Hazel Crago who renews it each year at birthday time. I always always enjoy getting the paper. It keeps me in touch with friends and relatives from that beautiful area of Canada which in my heart will always be home. All issues issues I enjoy but the Christmas Christmas Edition is a treasure - the stories, recipes even the ads are so attractive and 'Christmasy'. Many years ago, when I was in my teens, I wrote a news column for the Statesman Statesman for the little rural Com- - munity of 'Lakeshore' (This. rural community existed with the little red school house (Lakeshore S.S. No 2) as the focal point, bringing the people together. Lake-, shore ceased to exist with the abandonment of rural schools). I was very pleased that I could write the news then, for my mother was able to receive 'The Statesman' free. This was great! I believe the subscription rate at that time was $2.00 per year and money was scarce in the thirties. When I moved to Toronto to finish high school, mother continued writing the news for some time. Recently, in the paper there seems to have been much publicity generated about the name of the "Area" Region. "Town" is a misnomer for an area of land. It could be correctly called Region of - or District of - Borough of. As far ns I am concerned there exists the Town of Bowmanville and the Village of Newcastle and this Aren, Regional Government Government can't change the existence existence of these or their his- toiy. To call the area, the Town of Bowmanville is just ns incorrect ns to call it the 'Town' of Newcastle. That there is this additional level of government, with all the extra taxes it, incurs is, I would think, something of more significance than a name. The suggestion of a vote on the name - more taxes! taxes! I think the controversy could be settled amicably by replacing the word 'Town' with an appropriate and correct correct term, (How about State of-)? What I bcliovo should bo of greater worry for the area is being included in G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area). This inclusion being foisted upon you with the ensuing problems problems - low cost housing, metro metro garbage, extra traffic, water and sewage problems - and extra cost on your tax bill. Important Problems - to really be concerned about!! 1. Darlington Nuclear Station - danger of accidents - no safe way has yet been devised for disposing of Nuclear Nuclear waste. 2. Garbage Dump for Metro Metro - the proposed expansion of Newtonville dump by Laidlaw (50% owner of Tri- del Company that bought Peterson family business). No environmental assess ment has ever been done on it. 3. Acres of good farmland being used for houses, etc. (e.g. S.W. of the area the beautiful scenic farm that is now the site of G.M. Office Building). 4. F.T.A. Canadian jobs disappearing. Newcastle Box Factory is closing in April I understand. Generations Generations of village and area residents residents have worked there - and they make a fine product. product. 5. Worst problem of all - the G.S.T. (Great letter in by Anna Blake in last week's paper - also Wylma Allin's, D.S. Scotts and most of the letters I enjoy.) Do not wony too much about confusion - no area is free of it. I live in Downsview Downsview - this is my postal address, address, my MPP represents Downsview Riding, my MP York Centre, - formerly paid my realty taxes to the Borough Borough of North York, now called the 'City of North York and also pay taxes to Metro Toronto. I didn't sent this letter at time of writing. When I saw an article in "The Star" saying saying name change was turned down I thought the issue was dead, and my discussion re name was no longer relevant. relevant. I was very surprised to see last week's paper still devoted to the subject. Thank you again for the Bowmanville Statesman! Yours sincerely, Maurice Coulter (Powell). Let's Apply Pressure for Base Line Health Study Dear Mr. James: RE: Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Although the Town of Newcastle (Council) and Ontario Ontario Hydro have not met "at the table" in the form of the Hydro Liaison Committee since early 1989, it is clear that opting to play a heavier hand has benetitted this community. It has been proven that the serious issues issues of fire protection (both in the community and at the nuclear power plant) and building permit fees deserve the intensity of legalistic and political negotiations. It has been interesting to observe observe the political decisionmaking decisionmaking process being directed directed by technical discussion as opposed to the other kinds of forces, (i.e. public concern) which generally motivates such intensity. Financial compensation for such a major major project which has some proven and many potential negative impacts, requires a tough negotiating approach. Finally, Council is n force to bo reckoned with! However, ns I review the events of the past few years, my recollection is that the "break-up" of the Hydro Liaison Liaison Committee was a direct direct result of the difficulties in some camps with the public's public's demand for an adequate Baseline Health Study. Although Although all parties declared agreement that the Baseline Health Study is required, it quickly became apparent that no government agency was willing to foot the bill for it. Although a committee has now been established to address this matter, it ap- E ears that its mandate has een subject to adjustment. Until recently, it was my understanding understanding that the Baseline Baseline Health Study Committee, Committee, was to research all possible possible parameters, requirements, requirements, agencies etc. for the Baseline Health Study, submit submit these to the appropriate agency (Ministry of Health), and then the study would be undertaken. Simple! However, However, the committee is now referred referred to as the "Pre" Baseline Baseline Health Study Committee, which can be interpreted interpreted ns having a mandate mandate to investigate the "need" for the Baseline Health Study. Again, we nil agree that the study is required. required. Why the review? As previously mentioned, intense political and legalistic legalistic negotiations appear to have been successful in addressing addressing matters of financial impact on this community. One would think such intense, intense, hardball strategies would be applied to ensuring adequate health and safety protection for tho nuclear workers and the residents (children) of this communi ty. Setting up a committee is an excellent first step. Commitment Commitment to public health and safety requires followup followup and regular monitoring. It seems peculiar that financial financial compensation has been the object of primary concern concern - not impact on the health and safety of the residents residents (children) of this community. community. This issue appears to have been dropped from the political/legalistic agenda. agenda. Finally, there has been a glaring absence of public interest interest in the emergency evacuation plan for the Darlington Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. One might equate such lack of interest with a perceived confidence in the ^powers-that-be" (unlikely); or , with the "ostrich-in-the- sand-syndrome" (possible). But, after some thought and considerable general discussion, discussion, the so-called lack of interest interest is n statement of public public disbelief, disregard, and distrust in the (unrealistic) plan. The general appearance appearance of apathy had caused me considerable puzzlement, puzzlement, and some grief. However, However, the reality is that should there be an accident at tho nuclear plant, the attitude attitude is "every man for himself himself and his family, and RUN!" Your truly, (Mrs.) Helen MacDonald now to lcnrn about tho In my next life 1 want to bo reincarnated as a mechanic. That way, when something something goes wrong with my vehicle I will know what to do to fix it and won't have to bo humiliated when n member of tho opposite opposite sox helps to make tho car go again. Last week, yours truly lmd to ho at n mooting in Whitby by 10 a.m. I loft in plenty of time, started my car and was preparing to put it in drive when it stalled. No problem, 1 mused, and turned the key again. It started for n second then stalled. Tho machine Lends to be temperamental, so I wasn't too concerned. By tho fifth or sixth time of starting and stalling stalling I was getting a little fod up. Especially when I realized it was break time at the Statesman and a small audience was watching and most likely amused at my futile efforts. efforts. Out I get, slam the door and enter my office again to phono my mechanic. mechanic. "Could bo anything," ho says and suggests I lot it sit for half an hour and try again. For fifteen minutes I stomp my foot and com plain about stupid machines machines to anyone who will liston and decide that I have to try it again. Tho engine turns over only to sputter off again. Back into the office again. I tell my talc that it still won't start and find myself escorted back out into tho parking lot to attempt attempt tho impossible once again, I poi) open the hood, while the members of tho opposite sox remove tho lid from that filter thing. There was tho problem: problem: tho car was Hooded. If. alter it kept stalling tho first, second and third times 1 had kept my mouth shut and waited until it was unlloodcd no ono would have known that I don't know all there is to know about cars. Instead, I admitted the unadmitoblo: I'm a girl when it conies to cars. It was no easy task to admit it, either. When I owned my Firebird I knew tho answers answers to all tho questions members of the other sox would ask mo: "How many cylinders, how big is tho engine?" and I succeeded succeeded in making them think I know what I was talking about, Willi this ear, I just lmd to say it was fuel in jection and people didn't ask me anything else. Until last week when "Did you touch tho gas pedal?" was asked. Well, maybe I did but I can't remember. Strike one for the idiot. "You aren't supposed to touch the pedal with fuel injection cars." I knew that. Strike two for tho idiot. "You Hooded it." Strike three. The nightmare I've avoided with dread for the past five years had finally happened. I had become n woman driver. No matter what I do operation of cars or no matter how well I drive, I'm stuck with the stigma of being a woman driver. Tho worst part about this is that there are a number of men that I know who don't know that much about cars cither. cither. What they do instead is pretend they know what Ihoy'ro doing. And it works. Maybe next time, when something goes wrong, I'll start saying "I tried that." or "I thought that was the problem." And, by tho way, I really did think my car was Hooded.