by ROD JERRED The Oshawa-Whitby Social Planning Coutncil.'criticized the Onta io Government for their misuse of arable farm- land in the Durham Region, in a brief presented to the provincial cabinet in Oshawa last Wednesday. The group also recom- mended establishing a com- pulsory consumer education course in elementary schools and asked for provincial fund- ing of local volunteer social planning groups. In her opening statement, Mrs. Roberta Adamson said she was surprised to learn that her group would only be allowed ten minutes to pre- sent three different briefs. To this Eric Winkler, chairman of cabinet's man- agenent board, replied, "We don't want to inhibit anyone but due to the number of briefs, the time allotnent was necessary." LAND USE In its brief to the cabinet, the group called the govern- ments urbanization plans and agriculture policies "Victor- ian and completely out of touch with the people." Miss Anne Wanstall, con- sumer. columnist, ' termed Premier William Davis' speech from the throne, expressing concern over retaining good farmland for agricultural pur- poses, as nothing more than idle comment. Miss Wanstall backed this COLRHAM' ~A#~V~ ~ PAGE 6, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1976, WHITBY FREE PRESS that people feel should be. We also feel that It is too complex a subject to be in- troduced in elementary schools." The minister indicated that there were 25,000 stu- dents enrolled iii the grade nine option course last year and thought this was an early enough time to teach It. the North Pickering Com- munity Development, for new city sites in the Haldi- mand-Norfolk areas and the proposed international air- port in Pickering. "Unless the government changes its agricultural polic- ies now, Ontario will have to import 60 per cent of its food requirenents", she said. CONSUMER EDUCATION Mrs. Nancy Chamberlain, Executive Director ofOshawa and District Credit Counsel- ling Service, stated in her brief that since consumer education is so important, it should be made a compulsory subject in Ontario schools. "Most of the people who come in for credit counselling on the average have only grade. 10 education," she said. "For this reason, we suggest a consumer education course be introduced in elementary school levels." Mrs. Chamberlain added that most people coming out of secondary schools today don't know how to buy a car, take out a loan, read an advertisement properly or know their rights as consum- ers. Thomas Wells, Minister of Education, replied, "There is not enough space to make every subject compulsory, Open House and Fashion Show emphasize Canada's Conversion to the Metric System. Sunday & Monday Feb 23 Noon to 9 Feb2410to10 -- v Christmas Seal Campaign Reached its 1974 Goal statement by citing the pro- vincial governnien 's purchase of prime agricultural land for Gov't Criticized Farmland Misused 23, 29 and October 2 and 6. Mrs. W.A. Boagey will be chairman of the September program and anyone inter- ested in attending is asked to contact the TB-RD office at 723-3151 to register. A physical conditioning course for asthmatic children will be starting at the Civic Auditorium in Oshawa on March 29. Any person inter- ested in having their child participate in this program is asked to contact the Associa- tion office or their family doctor for an application form. The next meeting of the Board will be held on April 14 at 6:30. Mr. Wells added that the government would be best to follow its policy of develop- ing a comprehensive course and letting the schools adapt it for themselves. CORE FUNDING Mrs. Adarnson, in lier brief concerning the need for core funding for volunteer social planning groups, said that a community can tackle its problerms best through help from within tie area, but that tiese groups need government funding in order to operate. "'There's no use writing minutes of meetings if there's no paper to recopy then on, let alone a machine to repro- duce thern", she said. Minister of Community and Social Services, Rene Brunelle, advised Mrs. Adam- son that there arc funds available for special con- munity research groups. In closing, Mrs. Adamson said that the Oshawa-Whitby Social Planning Group anxi- ously awaits the govern- ment's green paper on community participation and hopes that it will propose core funding for special plan- ning councils. The Christmas Seal Cam- paign reached its. goal for 1974. 16,990 persons in the Durham Region donated a total of $62,312 to the cam- paign. Mrs. A. G. Hiltz, co- chairman of the Christmas Seal campaign, said, although the goal was not increased from the previous year, she was pleased that, in spite of the uncertain economy, the goal was reached. Mrs. E.A. Collins, execu- tive director, reported that, at the semi-annual meeting of the Ontario TB & RD Assoc- iation held in Toronto Janu- ary 31 and Februaryl, they were advised the increase in the cost of Christmas Seals for the next campaign is ex- pected to be 20 per cent as compared to three to 10 per cent this year. Mrs. Collins announced that a Regional Conference will be held at the Granite Club, Toronto on April 5, and ail nembers of the assoc- iation are invited to attend. Registratipn fomis will be mailed. Social0 Planning Council Annual Meeting The Social Planning Council of Oshawa-Whitby will hold its Annual General Meeting at the Oshawa Cath- olic High School, March 4th at 7:30 p.m. Dean Henry Fischer of Faith Lutheran Church will moderate a panel coisisting of four experts - Mr. Walter Beath, Regional Chairman; Miss Anne Wan- stall, consuimer colum nist; Mr: Peter Hannam, Chairman of tie Resources Comnnittee of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture; and Dr. Mofeed Michael, Director of Planning for Durham Region. The topic will be "Seeds of Self- Destruction - Land Misuse in Durhai 1975". The public is invited to attend the panel discussion which starts at 8:30 p.m. Anyone interested in joining the Council nay call Mrs. Mountford at 725- 4774. money will help expedité the production of housing in the region". In addition to their value from an engineering view point, these study grants will also provide the needed sup- port for the official plan being prepared by the town of Ajax, and proposed secon- dary plan studies in the town of Pickering. Humane Society Report The Whitby Humane Soci- ety collected $1,909 in im- pounding fees for the year 1974. During the year 215 dogs were impounded and 261 were abandoned by their owners. Of these 210 were either claimed by owners or adopted while 105 dogs were humanely destroyed. An additional 331 cats were sheltered and 63 other animals were assisted. The centre received 1830 calls for assistance and 24 emergency calls were an- swered after 9 p.m. Since last November when a system of fining owners $20 for harbouring an unlic- ensed dog and/or allowing a dog to run loose, a total of 15 tickets have been issued. We Create Coiffures Hair styling, permanents are determined by facial features. Each clip we take, curl we make is designed to make you lo-vely. EVERY WEDNESDAY IS SENIOR CITIZEN DAY SHAMPOO & SET ONLY $$250 VALLEY COIFFURES MICHAEL BLVD. PLAZA 668-5250 Housing Study Receives Grant The Regional Municipality of Durham will receive a housing study grant of $28,500 to undertake prelim- inary engineering studies in the Ajax-Pickering service area. The announcement was made by Housing Minister Donald R. Irvine. The grant is being made as part of the Ontario Housing Action Program (OHAP) which is designed to speed the creation of new residen- tial development in all its phases through partnership with municipalities and pri- vate industry. The study is expected to be completed by May 1, 1975. In addition to deter- mining an expanded sewer system for Ajax, the study will propose a water system serving both Ajax and a por- tion of neighbouring Picker- ing. This new grant is an extension of one made last fall for similar engineering studies now underway in the Whitby -Oshawa -Newcastle ( Darlington ), Newcastle (Bowmanville), and Newcas- tle (Newcastle Village) service areas. That grant was for $62.500. These studies will deter- mine and plot the municipal services required in large areas being proposed for housing projects under OHAP. With- in the town of Ajax, OHAP is discussing developments with lithe owners if 500 acres. "The response of your council and staff to OHAP is very encouraging", Mr. Irvine wrote. "I trust that the grant Mrs. R.V. Sheffield, chair- man of the health education committee, reported that 89 persons registered for the Smoking Withdrawal Course and persons from Oshawa, Ashburn, Bay Ridges, Picker- ,ing, Bowmanville, Port Perry, Ajax and Whitby attended. Twenty-seven persons who attended the last session ex- pressed an interest in joining the GASP programme. (Group Against Smokers' Pollution) which will be start- ing in May. The next smoking with- drawal course will be held at the Blue Flame Room in Whitby and the dates are September 15, 16, 17, 22 This year Durham College's &% - -- l