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10 EXCELLENCE AWARD IN CUSTOMER RELATIONS J FOBERT Home Newspaper of Halton Hi WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1981 McDermid presses Gray on woes By CHRIS AAGAARD Herald Staff Writer An inflexible government has met a stubborn company ra m wn Conservative MP John McDcrmld told reporters out side of the House of Commons Monday following his attempt lo have the federal govern justify the closure slated for the end of the month Mr McDermid rose in the House and demanded that industry trade and commerce minster Herb Gray explain how the shutdown ordered by Dow Jones position remains unchanged Dow Jones position regard the Impend ng closure of its Irwin Ltd subsldin remains the Georgetown firm president Dick Willis told The Herald Tuesday Maintaining its position of principle Dow Jones Mr Willis said has no intention of selling Irwin Dor soy as suggested in industry trade and commerce minister Herb Grays answers to questions from BramptonGeorgetown MP John McDcrmld in the House of Commons yesterday Tuesday has changed as far as the stance is concern ed Mr Willis explained and there is no change In Dow Jones position There Is still a feeling that Jones is correct in its legal stance and it shoitldn have to sell the company The parent company has unsuccessfully petitioned the Supreme Court of Canada against argument that Its purchase several years ago of HI chard D Irwin Ltd of Illinois should not Include the Georgetown subsidiary Dow Jones maintains that the sale was arranged between two American firms and dldn change things for the Canadian subs diary Mr Gray has that the Foreign Investment Review Act under which conducts its business does not act extra territorially HANDY FRIENDS AT CHRISTMASTIME Residents of the John Armstrong senior citizens apartments on Durham Street held their annual bazaar Saturday If you stopped by for tea or to around for some handiome gifts you probably ladles make the They are left to right Marie Grant Nellie and Margaret Caperautd holding some of many Interesting crafts available Herald photo by Dave The Holt on Region and Canada Safely Council have declared I to National Safe Driving Week noting that lite season of adverse driving conditions hut arrived Early and poor weather are too often Joined with the high spirits of thehollday season to produce tragedy the Councils say I la I ton region averaged accidents 1ST Injuries and facilities per month between January and November of 1980 I Jilt December those numbers rose to 147 accidents injuries and five fatalities FAIR LADY A KNOCKOUT The Georgetown District High School Music Theatre Club presented lis production of My Fair Lady last Thursday Friday and Saturday and once again delighted parents and visitors with another a loaf list of school musical successes The production was produced by Greg Casabon and musically directed by Ralph Uriel who scored ten previous GD1IS performances Here the servant chime In adding color to the story or the Cockney girl who was turned Into a duchess by a whimsical Henry Higglns Herald photo by Ha raid interests of Canada Twenty eight jobs are affected by the impending closure The Foreign Investment Review Agency an organization which seeks to prevent Canadian businesses from excessive foreign owner ship ruled recently that Dow Jones purchase several years ago of Richard Irwin Company of Illinois should not include the purchased Georgetown text book publishing subsidiary The decision disallowing the application does not force the closing of Irwin Mr Gray argued That is the decision of the foreign parent Dow Jones In the United States which so for declines sell the business to Its Canadl an employees or to any other Canadian company or to file a new application offering further benefit to Canada So the responsibility for this unfortunate event la solely In the hands of the foreign parent an attitude which I think all Canadians should deplore Mr McDermid and Mayor Pete have discussed the closing with FIRA officials and were told that the agency would consider another application allowing Dow Jones lo retain the Georgetown firm Continuing to press the mini for more Information Mr remarked that it seemed rather interesting that developer Bob Cam pea whom he described as a Libe ral friend was able to sell million worth of hotel Interests to a Hong Kong Investor without too much problem from Mr McDermid Indicated that the government may have brought pressure on to rule heavily against foreign- owned publishing Interests In Canada in order to protect Canadian publishers several yean ago And he asked whether or not the Ontario government had originally approved of Dow Jones In Georgetown Mr Gray maintained that provincial authorities were contacted regarding Dow Jones proposed purchase and took their advice Into con However he added the government determined that there was little benefit to Canadians in the takeover bid If the parent company of Irwin was serious about Its concerns for the workers It could have easily filed a new application offer ing further benefits to Canada or as I said make arrange ments to sell company to its employees or another Canadian company It chose not to do so and I m surprised that my honor able friend is accepting and supporting this deplorable conduct on the part of this foreign company Ten attend public meetin BRIAN Agent Mutual Life of Canada or Just five more donors can top off fund CLOWN BREAK firefighter Bill Lanthrope was one of several members of his detachment upasa clown to amuse youngsters at the Acton Santa Claus parade Saturday Surrounding as Chris and Steve Ma vro The parade is annually sponsored by the Acton Men organisation and featured eleven float entries this year Lots more parade photos Herald photo by Dave Quota moratorium rejected by minister Import quotas on foreign footwear were lifted In Canada yesterday concerns from spokesmen that the move will have serious ramifications on Canadian shoe Industry and large leather suppliers like Acton and Company tannery Declining leather sales at Bedrdmore a company spokesman told The Herald are attributable to a wary shoe industry awaiting the federal government decision on whether to lift tho quotas Imposed four years ago the were largely meant to protect Ihe Canadian shoe Industry from glut of foreign produced nan leather foot wear ore was forced to lay off 17a upper leather employees last week but the spokesman said that some workers have been returned to work this week Smith Stone studies effects of recession Management and workers at Smith and Stone In Georgetown will be meeting this week to discuss how the electrical component producer can weather the nation a current recession which has already forced layoff at two other Halton Hills plants Abltibi Price and Acton tannery A major supplier of household Hems such as sockets and wall plates as well as a parts producer for appliance manufacturers Smith and Stone s business has dropped correspondingly with new housing starts The closure Cent on page A3 Asked during Monday a of Commons question period whether the quotas removal would harm the foot wear Industry federal fltry trade and commerce minister Kerb Gray said that the shoe trade would still be protected by tariffs and the country evaluation laws Mr Gray rejected that the government con a moratorium on the footwear quota decision and told a New Democratic MP calling for guarantees that no jobs will be lost that the nation footwear consumption Is dropping The per capita footwear consumption In Canada since 1972 has declined from four pairs to about three pairs Mr Gray argued adding that production methods and consumer tastes have also changed He maintained that the purpose of lifting the quotas is the shoe industry Herald Special Only five more namespace donors arc needed to fulfill Hills Arts Councils pledge to the cultural centre building fund With less than a month to go before the rug hangings drive ends the Arts Council is only shy of the pledge It made a year ago on behalf of all arts related organizations Thus far the unique fund raising campaign sponsored by the Georgetown Rug Hookers which will hook the hang has brought fa The remainder of the pledge was collected through a variety of special fund raising activities which included the Georgetown Choral Sotletys Culture Awareness Now campaign the University Women Club historical house tour Georgetown Public Library staff cookbook and children coloring book publl cations the Arts Councils historical wall mural and the Old Tyme Music Hall and the balance from Georgetown Little Theatres independent seat pjaques campaign Our goal has always been to complete the building fund pledge this year said Arts Council president Elizabeth Shore The cutoff date of Dec 31 was also selected so that donors could take advantage of the charitable donations provision for Income tax purposes This section was not affected by the recent federal budget Full details of the scheme whereby donors names or those thoy wish to remember will be hooked Into two rug hangings to hang In perpetuity In the new John Elliott Theatre can be from either Mrs ShoroalB77ei60or from John Roe 2324 Most recent name space purchasers are Mason Bra Is by Harris Stuart and Dorothy Young Lindsay Ann Black Pat and Tom Beer Pi Valley Square Dancers Glen Williams Public School Holy Cross CWL Cncc the final list of names has been determined George town Rug Hookers will begin work on the two hangings Meanwhile town officials led by Mayor Pete ore still deciding the best place to locate the scat plaques on the seats In he John Elliott Theatre A Georgetown Little Theatre spokesman explained that the original plan was to affix them to the backs of the scats a location which Is not as visible as planned because of the excellent seat All plaques have been engraved according to donors requests he said adding that the exact location of individual plaques has been determined via random tion except In those Instances where donors specifically requested multiple family plaques be located together A complete listing of plaques and their locations In the theatre will be available Tour of lights set for Dec 16 Dec has been chosen as tho date for the third annual senior citizens tour of Georgetown home Christmas decorations Again Georgetown will be lining up special buses to pick area seniors up at several locations take them on a neighborhood tour of the outdoor lights and then treat hem to coffee and donuts and a singsong at St Andrew United Church The choir from the Mountninview Road church a police escort and Santa Claus himself will all be helping out for an eventful and entertaining excursion Stay tuned to The Herald for more Information about pick up locations and other details Individuals and groups interested In 1 run the show are invited lo call Kinsman Bob Malcolmson at Report on town hall rekindles hot debate MAGGIE HANNAH Herald Special Public interest in the fate of Acton s 99year old own hall was conspicuous by Its absence lost Wednesday at a public meeting to examine results of a consultant a report on the building Only 10 residents showed up for the meeting lo hear IB councillors town staff memb ers and consultants make their presentation and field questions Of the 10 residents seven have been closely associated with either the town hall restoration committee or the committee which has battled to raise funds for the buildings restoration over the past five years Results of a survey on the hull and whether people would use it if it were restored for use as a facility showed per cent favored the use while per cent did not Sometimes survoya are pretty close on a question like this Helen McDonald a researcher for Con sultan is said But usually they re weighted at least a little In favor one way or the other This Is such an even split It unbelievable Continued on page A3 Abibiti rehires 22 laid off employees Twenty two of the IBS employees laid off at Abill In Georgetown over the last two weeks have returned to work In plant finishing section Plant manager George said the company hopes to order more cmplo ccs back to work next week and Is expected to know today Wednesday how many more can return A seasonal slump In the fine paper market products which Include household wallpaper forced the plant to lay off most of Its staff recently Meanwulle officials and members of the United Paper Workers Inter national Union which repre sents most of the mill work crs are expected discuss the mills uncertain future this month Because of major paper producing plants coating their own product the need for specialized fine paper plant has dwindled Mr said that prospects for more employ returning to work look promising but added that thecompanyls playing It by ear as to how many POOLING THEIR WISHES It was a special weekend for kids who lake part In the swfro sessions at the Georgetown District High School pool when Santa dropped by for their Christmas party The parly marks the end of the family asthma program sponsored by the Lung Association since September Twelve families and 20 children participated In the fall program which allowed participant to work with a physiotherapist in the gym and the pool relaxing techniques and breathing exercises and generally coping better with their asthma GreetlngSanlawereHeatherandAusonMtcewan Doug and HeatherAnn Dutchburn Chris and Andrew Julie and Stephen Holmes Jane and Cindy Baker Nancy Sharp and Jenny Howe ind Nicole and Michelle The service Is provided free of charge thanks to Christmas Seals director Joyce Armour said Crete Seosl the physiotherapist Herald photo