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• Total Market Coverage of Clarington from the Publishers of The Canadian Statesman * .*? Canadian Tire presents Automotive Rustproofing from $49.93 The new CJeen, fleer Odorhst Solution tor motil protection. | Hwy. 2, Bowmanville 623-5000 A James Publishing Community Newspaper Saturday, December 14, 1996 142nd Year Issue 50 Circulation: 20,550 28 Swear Allegiance at Ceremony A Royal Canadian Welcome A red-coated Mountie welcomes young Dejana Micanovic and her sister, Milana, to Canada after the two girls and their parents were declared Canadian citizens during a special citizenship court held on Tuesday at St. Stephen's High School in Bowmanville. Clarington Counting o For Faster Election Resu by Lorraine Manfredo Staff Reporter "I am a Canadian." Those are the proud words uttered by 28 new Canadians who swore allegiance in both official languages to Queen and country on Dec. 10th during a special citizenship citizenship ceremony held at St. Stephen's Secondary School in Bowmanville. Principal Mary-Catherine Kelly said she was honored her school could host the citizenship proceedings proceedings held in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of International Human Rights Day. The auditorium was filled with students as well as friends and relatives relatives of the new Canadians. In presiding over the affair, Judge Walter A. Borosa thanked the 28 for choosing Canada as their home from among over 200 other countries. "You honor your fellow citizens -- you enrich the country with your talents, your energies and the culture you bring to Canadian society." Judge Borosa noted that he himself himself took his own Canadian citizen- ship.in 1963, having come here as a refugee from Croatia in the former former Yugoslavia. It is not necessary to forget one's past as a. new Canadian, he assured the group. "We are two linguistic communities communities and a multitude of races and cultures living in harmony," he said. Each one of us is "free to fulfill fulfill our dreams and is given the opportunity to participate in the community." Tuesday's ceremony was also a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of International Human Rights Day. The day was so designated after World War Two to make a global statement about freedom, justice and peace. Judge Borosa pointed to Canada as a champion of human rights and noted that the constitution protects citizens and guarantees equality under the law, regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, color or disability. disability. He reminded everyone Canada was chosen as the world's number one country by the United Nations from among 186 member nations, based on education opportunities, access to health care and support for human rights. Canadian citizenship is a privilege privilege that native-born Canadians don't often appreciate until they travel abroad, he said. "I hope you will always be proud of your decision to become a Canadian citizen." Each of the 28 people repeated phrase-by-phrase after the judge a three-part oath made up of a pledge to the Crown of Canada Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, a pledge to obey Canadian laws, and pledge to fulfill duties as responsible responsible citizens. Clarington is investigating the use of automated vote-counting machines in the next election. On Monday night, councillors approved in principle the purchase of automatic vote tabulators. The tabulators would cost $85,685, if approved during budget budget deliberations. Clarington Municipal Clerk, Patti Barrie, explained to councillors councillors the cost would be more if the municipality wanted to purchase the tabulators outright instead of ' buying them in partnership with another municipality in a different province. A report from the clerk's office states, "Global Election Systems, Inc., a Canadian company based in Vancouver, offers a unique proposal proposal to address the Ontario and Canadian situation. Local municipalities municipalities in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario elect their councils in different calendar years. Global Election Systems, Inc., has devised a partnership plan between municipalities in different provinces." Independent Flyers Mi *A& P (Prices in effect Sun. Dec. 15 - Tues., Dec. 24, 1996) ** Canadian Tire $ (Prices in effect Sun. Dec. 15 - Sat. Dec. 21, 1996) WE 'Graham's IGA (Prices in effect Sun. Dec. 15 - Sat. Dec. 28, 1996) Hg *M&M Meats (Prices in effect while quantities last - Sale ends Jan. 4, 1997) Ganaraska News Big Type Phone Book (* Indicates partial distribution) For information about inserting flyers in Si$ Ctadngton/Courtice 3fafoepenbent, please contact our office at 623-3303. The partnership allows a municipality municipality of similar size to be matched in another province. Each partner would loan the other their voting equipment for the elections every three years. 1 "The municipalities are guaranteed guaranteed that the required number of vote tabulators necessary to conduct conduct the election will be available. Between elections, each municipality municipality retains its own equipment for use in by-elections, and public opinion polls. This plan cuts equipment costs in half," states the report. The system is accurate, secure, mobile, user friendly, cost effective, effective, speedy, and readily accepted by the voters, says the report. "Once polls have closed, election election results from each polling place are instantaneously transmitted transmitted over a standard telephone line to the election central computer by modem," says the clerk's report. The savings of such a system would be- about $24,000 when compared to the 1994 election costs. Barrie noted that if the municipality municipality wished to buy the system outright it would cost them double -- $171,370. There would be an annual maintenance maintenance fee of $1,145. Big Rhone Book Readers of The Independent are reminded that today's edition contains our 1996-97 Big Type Telephone and Postal Code Directory. The larger, easy-to- read numbers are a popular feature feature of this annual publication. We arc sure you will find it helpful. helpful. Plaza Goes Ahead Clarington councillors have agreed to allow the new Clarington Place Plaza to be built and occupied in phases. The plaza is located at the southeast corner of Green Road and Hwy. 2, south of the new Cineplex Odeon. It will contain a Zellers department store and a No Frills grocery store. There are to be other auxiliary stores too. The phased-in occupancy provision would enable the smaller retail units to be occupied once the department store's walls and roof were constructed. constructed. The old by-law said every unit had to be completed at the same time. HIGH ROLLERS -- Students from Bowmanville High School counted and rolled over 60,000 pennies after Mr. Weldon's homeroom class launched a penny drive at the school last month to aid The United Way. On Monday, Dec. 9th the total count was $650, with more pennies coming coming in. Penny drive organizers say the response far exceeded their expectations. expectations.