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COPY 65¢ (61¢+ 4¢ GsT) 32 Pages Teachers tell Tories: We won't back down By Rik Davie Port Perry Star Teachers from across Durham Region filled the Oshawa Civic Arena last Thursday to show solidarity in the face of proposed changes to educa- tion in Ontario. They gathered to signal to the Tory government that they intend to fight proposed cuts to education as laid out in Bill 160 with a no-nonsense slogan: "We won't back down". The teachers and their association leaders are furious over the Harris governments proposed education changes. They say Bill 160 would see up to $1 billion slashed from educa- tion spending, and worry about rec- ommendations that preparation time be cut. Speculation of massive job cuts are another focal point of teachers' anger. Education minister John Snobelen confirmed the teachers' main fears when he announced in Toronto -- at the same time the rally was under way in Oshawa -- that at least 4,400 Se jobs would be lost in Ontario. Mr. Snobelen went further, saying that "there are too many teachers in Ontario schools now." Paul Inksetter, vice-president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, told the Star Bill 160 is seriously flawed. "Mr. Snobelen says he wants to Bad drivers face 'zero tolerance' You're not getting away with reckless driving in this township. That's the attitude Durham Police officers are taking during a campaign to stop aggressive driving. Throughout the campaign officers all over Ontario will be improve education in Ontario schools; well, you can't improve education by cutting the number of educators. That makes sense to no one," he said. "The education minister says he wants to put limits on class size, but we don't yet know what he means by limits," Mr. Inksetter added. "We want to send a clear message to the minister that Ontario teachers will not just sit back while he dismantles the system." Among the local teachers at the rally was Rick DeJong, principal of R. H. Cornish Public School in Port Perry. "Mr. Snobelen needs to know that he will have potentially 130,000 peo- ple very angry over (cuts in educa- tion). These changes will affect all of Turn to Page 17 Food bank to launch apnual Organizers at Scugog's food bank are once again turning to the com- munity for donations during their annual Fall Food Drive. As another holiday rolls around this weekend, Operation Scugog co- ordinator Ann Wanninkhof says that it's time to get out and help those who are in need. "This is our annual fall Thanksgiving drive; we're calling it "Time To Share" this year," she said. "It follows up our September drive, and it is something we do all the time." Mrs. Wanninkhof said that even with ongoing support from the com- munity, the food bank feels the strain of demand from clients. "Right now we are still in a time of need, although the provincial drive helped us out a lot. Thanksgiving is fast approaching and the food bank needs supplies," she said, pointing out that the annual autumn drive has been held for close to 20 years. "This time of year -- Thanksgiving Turn to Page 17 = Election fever heats up The municipal election heated up late last In Ward 2 Richard Drew stepped up to bat- week and yesterday, when a total of six hope- tle incumbent Ken Carruthers, and separate fuls filed for the Nov. 10 vote. school trustee incumbent Kathy LeFort filed For a few weeks it looked like Jeff Brown her papers last Wednesday. was going to the polls uncontested but that all And, as of yesterday, Uxbridge's John | changed last week when Wendy Davis, Jim Coughlin stepped in to run against Mrs. ' McMillen and Nick Palladino all threw their ILeFort and Jason Williamson will go against hats into the ring for the Ward 3 seat. Bobbie Drew for the public school trustee seat. taking a zero tolerance stand against drivers who endanger the lives of other motorists with their careless ways. | Sgt. Ken Hudson, a Durham Regional Police officer with Port's 26 Division, says that while the Turn to Page 19