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PAGE A6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, APRIL 16, 2003 www.durhamregion.com Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-in-CIlief Chris Bovie Managing Editor a Judi Bobbitt Regional Editor à Fred Eismont Director of Advertising I Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager I Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager 1 Lillian Hook Office Manager \ Barb Harrison Composing Manager Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 Œlj t Catmtrian ü>tates?man Phone 905-579-440C Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-440/ General Fax 905-579-2236 Newsroom Fax 905-579-1806 E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 April 16,2003 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. infodurhamregion.com EDITORIAL e-mail letters to newsroom!® (lurhamregion.com Speak up now if you really want ITER T he drive to get the International International Thermonuclear Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Reactor built in Durham has reached a crisis point. And, ironically, it would not be competing bids to host the project from France, Spain and Japan, which would scuttle the bid, it would be the non-participation non-participation of our own federal government. government. Hard as it seems to believe, believe, and in spite of exhaustive exhaustive efforts on the part of the Municipality of Clarington, the Region of Durham, and the Province of Ontario, there seems to be no federal backing backing of an ITER bid. Without it, the Durham dream could be dead. Members of the Iter Community Community Council have long spoken of the need for the feds to get fully behind the project and commit long-term funds. Canada's contribution to ITER as facility host will depend on the outcome of international international negotiations. The Province has already committed committed $300 million in cash over the 30-year time frame and a provincial document suggests it would be willing to fund more, up to half of whatever is required to win the bid. They're asking the feds to do the same. This project, which will include some 68,000 person- ' years of employ ment during a multi-year construction phase, is expected to generate $11.7 billion in spending in this country, including $9.4 billion of foreign investment, according to the provincial report. Other benefits for Canada of ITER are enormous. enormous. The brain gain of working on state-of-the-art energy research cannot be quantified. Combined with the rapidly expanding University University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Durham would be poised to be Canada's sci entific centre' and high-tech companies and the terrific jobs they bring, would be sure to follow. If we don't even try to land ITER, we're turning our back on making Durham and southern Ontario a world leader in energy and scientific scientific research. While ITER has long been an easy sell for a multitude of movers and shakers in Durham and Ontario, it has been a hard sell at the federal level. Durham MP Alex Shepherd Shepherd hasn't gotten the job done despite the obvious benefits benefits his riding would receive. Minister of Natural Resources Resources Herb Dhaliwal has not come out in full support of ITER and cabinet seems prepared to take a pass on the project if it must back it with dollars. The time for Canada to step up or step out has clearly arrived. A decision about where to site ITER could be merely months away and there will be no ITER in Durham without the money and support needed to make it happen. It is time for you to make your voice heard loud and clear. The postcard below this editorial is a way for you to tell Minister Dhaliwal that you want the federal government government to support the Durham site for ITER. Simply sign your name to the ballot and either fax it to our newsroom at : 905-579-1809 or mail it to: Metroland Durham Region Media Group, 865 Farewell St., Oshawa, Ont., L1H 7L5. We will make sure your messages messages get to the minister in Ottawa. You can also contact Alex Shepherd at his office to let him know you want ITER. Call 905-985-7569 or 1-800- 565-4105. Let's show the federal government government we support this progressive progressive project for Durham Region. ITER - Cleaner Energy for our Planet Fusion is a safe, clean energy source for the future. ITER technology will help develop fusion and lead the way to a secure enetgy supply for our children and grandchildren, lit' want you to know you have our support in your efforts to bring ITER to Canada. I the undersigned urge the federal government to expend all necessary effort in pursuing the acquisition of this worthwhile project. /I concerned member of the community. The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources c/o Metroland Durham Region Media Group 865 Farewell SI. Oshawa, Ont. L1H7L5 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR c-inail letters to newsroom@d iirliamrcgiou.com Column draws varied responses Re: 'Morals and ethics, not religion, define goodness,' column column by Lorie Blundon of April 4, 2003. To the editor: You say you were shocked and confused by the comrnent made by your daughter's 15- year-old friend, that if a person is not a Christian they will go to hell. You need not be if you understand understand a bit about Christian beliefs. This friend is concerned concerned about your daughter's eternal welfare. He is telling her what he believes to be the truth. Christianity is based on the belief that all people have sinned and that because God is totally good and righteous he cannot allow sin to go unpunished. unpunished. Because he loves us as his children, he sent his own perfect son, Jesus, to suffer in our place and to take the punishment punishment for the sins of all people people who will accept him as their saviour. Everyone is free to ac cept or reject this offer of forgiveness forgiveness for sins. This is not a dictatorship, as your letter said but it is a belief that this friend of your daughter holds. You do not believe it, and that is your choice. You believe that he is wrong because he doesn't agree with you. Does that mean he is wrong? You yourself are judging judging the faith and belief of your daughter's friend just as you accuse accuse others of judging you. Sharon Thompson Courtice To the editor: Yes, there is something that guarantees entry into Heaven, and that is the acceptance of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, as Lord and Saviour. While the media does tend to concentrate on the perverse activities activities of some members of the clergy, or wars raged in the name of God, that does not mean He sanctions these actions. actions. A person could kill a large number of people, then claim they did it in the name of Lorie Blundon, but does that mean you approved of it? Many people believe in the religion of evolution, an idea that has no basis in the scientific method of observation and repeatable ex periments. Believing aliens put us here only moves the evolution evolution problem further away. The origin of this awesomely complex complex universe can only be explained explained by special creation. Ron Suddard Courtice To the editor: I would like to add my endorsement endorsement to Lorrie Blundon's article. Religion has ceased to be an effective tool for the advancement advancement of peace in the world. No matter how righteous its original intent, organized religion religion has become a major hindrance hindrance to creating an atmosphere atmosphere of respect, love, equality and understanding. It is at its most corrupt when used to garner garner power and riches or to rally one group of people against another another for political advancement. It is not religion that should be a part of our bequest to the future, future, but human values which are a prerequisite for harmony between individuals and nations: nations: respect for self and others, others, honesty and integrity in both personal and business dealings. Marilyn Jones Courtice OPINION e-mail letters to ncwsroom@durliamrcgion.eom Funding for UOIT an investment, not a gift S hould regional taxpayers contribute to Durham's new university? That is the $ 10-million question you can bet is buzzing through politicians' email boxes across Durham this week following a report from the Region's Region's finance commissioner commissioner recommending recommending against the idea. No one can blame beleaguered Jim Clapp, Durham's head numbers guy, for trying to pul the kibosh on the idea of contributing one tenth of the $ 100 million the new university university must raise from the community. community. Mr. Clapp might he feeling a little possessive of the pile of gold and the AAA credit rating he has been charged with guarding following a year of special requests that have nothing to do with everyday business at the regional regional government level, from retroactive pension payouts payouts to hospital funding. In his report, Mr, Clapp points out grants to universities universities are not a mandated ser vice of regional government. True. And there is a darn good argument to be made for sticking to the business you are mandated to do, especially when one of them is building roads we arc in dire need of. But if ever there was an exception to the rule, the University University of Ontario Institute Institute of Technology (UOIT), the first university to be opened in this province in 40 years, lias got to be it. This isn't a decision to be made at the finance staff level. This is a political decision decision to be made by the people we elected to look at the bigger bigger picture and to know when it is prudent to bend the rules. As UOIT president Gary Polonsky says, this is the biggest thing to hit Durham since Colonel Sam. And he is right. It is a privilege a lot of other communities would give a whole year's roads budget to get a taste of. The university will give hack to the taxpayers who invest in it in so many ways. This isn't a gift; it is an investment. According to Mr. Polonsky, Polonsky, the cost to regional property property taxpayers would be $14.67 per household a year for five years. A quick calculation brings that out to $73.35 per family. Well, if your child goes to UOIT instead of travelling to university in Toronto by public public transit, you will get that investment back in about a week. If they go to UOIT instead instead of living in residence somewhere, that investment will be repaid in the first few days of their post-secondary career. Not all our children will go to UOIT of course. But everyone everyone benefits from the billions of dollars of economic spinoff spinoff a university will bring, especially especially the big important research research university UOIT aspires aspires to he. By the time we finish contributing our $10 million, chances arc the Region's Region's coffers, and its taxpayers, taxpayers, will have seen that much hack as a direct result of UOIT. There are a lot of things regional regional politicians should say no to, The most important dream to become a reality in Durham in a hundred years is not one of them. Jacquie Mclnnes Staff Writer CLICK AND SAj^ Today's question: Should Durham Region contribute $10 million to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's $100 million community campaign? □ Yes □ No Cast your vote online at infodurhamregi com Last week's question: Do you feel safe in Durham now that police stats show violent crime is declining? □ No 50% □ Yes 50% Votes cast: 78 HAVE YOUR SAY Question Should regional taxpayers give $10 million to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology? Graham Bursey "It's a good idea, keeping students around and making improvements improvements to the education system." Brian Stichbury "Yes, they need the money. It's a good investment." Joe Kollarik "They can use the money to create some good courses." Ed Hooper "It's a good idea to h^ve IJ^I^ acijc Cnitiitiimt Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bow- manville Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Press Council. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. advertisement. Credit for advertisement advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the Canadian Statesman is copyrighted. copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction reproduction is prohibited. Jiocna I-I-him ««itaai nnuwit