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36 WATER ST., PORT PERRY, ONT. L9L1j2 Phone : 00%) 985.0% Fax : (905) 985-1410 Fomoriar sy Scugog Township council should be ashamed for the treatment it gave February 14 to chief librarian Suzanne White and library board chairman Jim Wills. In front of the il to pi the proposed 1994 budget for the Scugog 1 Memorial Library, Ms. White and Mr. Wills were subj ts and stat ts from some members of council that were rude and insulting. The suggestion, during a discussion on the Library's collection of videos that the Library is trying to "compete with local video stores," was especially uncalled for. It was more than just an insult as it questioned the p of Ms. White as a professional librarian and the judgement of Mr. Wills and all the volunteers who serve on the library board. For the record Scugog Library has about 600 videos, most of them dealing with "self-help" subjects. The Library's total collection of all materials (books, videos, references, periodicals, etc.) is 35,000, hardly an indication that it is trying to compete with local video stores. Sadly, while Ms. White and Mr. Wills were getting it in the neck from a couple of councillors, no other member of council rose to their defense or to demand that the remarks be withdrawn. This budget discussion, if it can be called that, took place in an open public meeting. The library board is asking for an inerease in its operating budget in 1994 of $46,649, or about 25 per Sent. Statistics from the Central Ontario Regional Library System show that Scugog i is the Jowest in terms of per capita | funding from the ipality. Even these figures were dismissed with disdain by a ber of il The money for the budget increase sought by the library will have to come from municipal taxes. In these tough fiscal times, or at any time for that matter, council has every right to pose ¥hugh questions. It also has the right to turn down any budget increase request. That is not the issue here. Nor is it the broader question of whether the Scugog Library is chronically under-funded, as the Board obviously thinks it is in asking for a 25 per cent increase this year. The issue is the shabby treatment handed out in a public forum to an employee of a valued community facility and the chairman of the board of that same facility. It is rare that We see a need to rap the knuckles of the local council, but\on this occasion, an apology i is in order, and a publie one gt that. Nice shot, Miriam Miriam Bedard is not exactly a household name in Canada. But she should be, and hopefully, in the next few months she will be. Bedard, from Quebec, beat the Scandinavians and Eastern Europeans at their own game at the Olympics last week, winning gold in 15 km. biathlon, a sport that combines cross country skiing and target shooting. this side of the Atlantic. But a sport it is and one of the most demanding. To cross country ski full out, then fire a rifle at groups of targets along the course requires athletic training and skill of the highest calibre. Until Miriam Bedard won her gold at Lillehammer, no Canadian had ever won gold in the biathlon. She has earned a rightful place as one of the finest athletes competing in any sport. Let us hope that here in Canada, this incredible feat is not quickly forgotten. advertising manager : Valerie Ellis advertising sales : Chris Hudson accounting : Sibylle Warren poy eternal optimist : Liz Drebit =~ & feature writer : Heather McCrae "Proud Canadians, proud to call Scugog Township home." Apology due It is not what one would call a high profile winter sport on @- published by Scugog Citizen Publishing Ltd. co-publishers : John B. McClelland, Valerie Ellis OCNA Meinber editor : John B. McClelland THE SCUGOG CITIZEN CCNA Member an i ly owned and op 4 + GONA weekly community newspaper, is distributed, free of charge, to over 12,000 homes and businesses CCNA Verified in and around Scugog Township. Circulation. Controlled Subscriptions sold outside Scugog Township. BALANCING THE BUDGET. Fingerprint proposal too costly and may be illegal To the Editor: On Thursday, February 18th in the Toronto media a Mr. Tony Silipo, Provincial Social Services Minister and Mr. Don Richardson, = Metropolitan Toronto's Welfare Department commissioner made some alarming"statements regarding Welfare ID cards for all. They propose especially Mr. Norm Gardner a North York Councilor, who is allegedly going to help decide the solution; "that everyone if they have no problems with the law won't mind being fingerprinted". Agreed most citizens shouldn't have problems. 'Where the problem comes in is that the service must have permanent filed record to compare to and this is not legal.. The stance is definitely against the Freedom of Information Act and the Canadian Constitution. If they decide to take a route of this nature then the provincial and federal governments will have to change laws. As (Acting ) General Manager of D.A,B. Spectros I wish to use your format to speak to the issue As recently as October of last year our Chairman met with senior officials of the Department of Health in Kingston. The discussion was a system which would legally address i! s they can partnership in and if so doing would earn upwards of $30 billions for their drained coffers. This does not even address the up the computer banks and system necessary to operate the illegal program. Say no to the format of estimated five th d jobs created or maintained. Our intent is to maintain offices in Port Perry if not in the region. Summarizing; if any system pursues a keeping on file of personal records such. as fingerprints or pictures to draw a match to when a client makes application for a benefit it is not legal. We adamantly refuse to allow such posturing when we know we have the answer. We further wish to make it known that if we as citizens think the present system is too costly wait till they try and start or pel keeping the Toronto Welfare and the provincial Social Services departments are proposing. We ask everyone. Can you afford this approach? Do you want governments to have on file personals that they intend on using to prove you honest and forthright? Sincerely, Gene Nolan, (Acting) General Manager, . D.A.B. Spectros Ltd.,(Alberta) Scugog Township. Hoop games foe ro "settling of the diffe for a prof to haskethall f+ hi, governing party in the Ontario Legislature today--a windfall favour to a few wealthy: Canadi is a very clear indication of the difference between the Bob Rae New democrats and that of the Harris Conservatives or the McLeod Liberals. the Pro Line sports lottery. This would have been a complete The Bob Rae New Democrats on the other, negotiated a very favourabl that will benefit cultural and social organizations throughout the province. That is the real difference: a for the Jaorle toscand of for the shames fon that a why the Bob Ree these other itulation to the d dsofa New Democrats should be concerns in Toronto. United States lled pri returned to office in the next We even wrote Mr. Richardson enterprise venture by the John election. The New D as a carbon copy letter addressed tove-David Peterson group. work for you, not just the to Mr. Tonks-Metropolitan This is what would Sd have wealthy few. Toronto Council Chairman. To had either the McLeod ~~ Yours truly, date there hasbeen noreply, ' Liberals or the Harris Roy Grierson, Scugog Rep., Our stance is a system that Conservatives been the Durham East NDP.