PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1978, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice of. the Cou nty Town Michael L Theonly, Whitb y newspaper independently owned and oper SERVING OVER 28,.000 READERSr ýan Burgess. Publisher-MaaogEio rated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. Çommunity Editor -Brian Wiflt9r Published every Wednesday ContrifAjting Editor -Jim Quil Production Manager -MarJe'Bugest Print & Promotional by M.B.M. Publishingl Manager -Robin LyotP and Photography iflÇ., Classif îed Ad Manager'*-S. ManDEcer Phone 668-6111 'CruanManager '*-*Srôn LyÃ"fA Mailing Permit No. 460 The Freeý Press Building, Member of the: vi 3 rock Street North, Botter Business Bureau of Toronto F.U. Uox 206. Whitby,. Ont. WhitbV Chamber o or Council will lose a humanitarian It'was with a deep sense of loss, and regret tht we heard Councillor Joy Thompson announce Monday night that she would not seek're-election this* fail. Councillor Thompson, or "Joy" as she is best known by many Whitby citizens, added somnething special and Important to our town council. Although we have not always agreed with everything she has dlone, she has contribut ed much throughout the past f ive years, not through a technical approach but through her humnanitarian approach. In our opnion, she Is one of the few concil lors who ran for political office because she honestly cared_ and thought she could contribute somnething, and she made her council work a fuil-time job. Councillor Thompson's concern for senior citizens and young people promptedher to run for council, and she has dlone much to bring the néeds of these segments of our population to the attention of council. Her constant striving f&r a bus system -for Whitby was basgd on her concern for the older people of the community who are. unable to provide their own transportation. Councillor Thompson's interest in young people goes back to the time before loined council, when she was actively involved with the Girl Guides. After joining council she became a volunteer- probation off i'cer, and expressed her views on how to help young off enders, at conferences ofthe Association of Municipalities of Ontario,. of which she was a member. Councillor Thompson.has also strlved to provide the town with more and better recreational facilities for young and old. On the social scene Councillor Thompson'founded and organized the Whitby Arts Bail, whlch since 1975, has been the social highlight éof Whitby. As Councillor Thompson has found out, municipal politics cani be a thankless and domnetImes cruel experience, the latest hurt being the way'some of her, remnarks were quoted in another newspaper. ln her statement Monday, Councillor Thompson said she hoped and bellevedi that she had left an Implant on the town and had dlone some good. Her fresh, honest and somnetimes emotional approach to the problems facedby the citizens of Whitby, will be missed, and her contributions have helped to shape the future of this town. We take this opportunity to express our thanks to Joy Thompson for her hard work and efforts on behaîf of Whitby as a local and regional councillor, and wish her the best for the future in her new career. Since the election of the Parti Quebecois government,. Canadians have become increasingly aware 0f the probleffhs facing Canadian unity. Although the public debate which has taken place duning the past two years has been a healthy exercise, many Canadians are now looking to governmnent to develop a positive program which wilI place Canada back on the road to national revival. And 1 use revival rather than survival, because it is my f irrn conviction that Canadians in al parts of Canada share a commitment and a willingness to ensure that our nation will continue to remain united, despite the challenge of the Parti Quebecois. Since Premier Robarts hosted the Confederation for Tomorrow Conference in 1967, Ontario has been in the forefront of the national debate. In recent years, Premier Davis lias played a leading role ini the federal-provincial discussions on national unity. In 1977, he established the Advisory Committee on Confederation, and introduced a positive plan of action at the Meeting of First Ministers last February-. In light of the recent draft legisiation introduced into Uic House of Commons by the federal governmnent, it is perhaps fitting to review the position that Ontario bas taken at recent prvnial federal meetings. Frty, Premier Davis lias urged that there are three areas of natloo. priorities for Canada. These are, ecoeiomlc Dear Sirs: I read with interest your recent editorial entitled "Lack of Proper Security Spolis What Couîd be a Good Prlsoner's Program" In this Article, you lmply that 'the "'screening process of the. Whi1tby J ai1 pertaining to the Tem- porary Absence Pro- gramme is less than adequate because of the actions of two inmates who allegedîy became involved in a further criminal offence while participating on a Comn- munity Work Pro ject, and a third lnmate who allegedly committed a criminal offence while on a weekend Temorary Absence pass You state- in you editorial that "Better methods for screening and tighter security and supervision are definitely required,. as the escapes last week prove." You conclude with the comment that "The lail authorities must develop a better means of controlllng the recovery, reform of the day-to-day practices of federalism and, constitutional change. The degree to which we are able to deal with these priorities will determine how successful we will be in resolving our national problems. ' Secondly, while Ontario belleves that the current Constitution (The British-North American Act) has served the country well, it also recognizes that there are a number of problems that must be remedied.. To this end, Ontario is willing to give careful consideration to any reasonable proposais for constitutional change. Thirdly, to be effective in resolving our constitutional problems and to be enduring, Ontario believes that constitu- tional change must be a product of federal and provincial consensus. It cannot be imposed by one of the partilers in Confederation. Comprehensive discussions' are needed to ensure that ail related aspects of the constitution can be considered before changes are implemented. Finaily, Ontario will judge proposais for change from the perspwstive of these fundaniental principles: the maintenance of responsible government democratic and parliamentary in form, with a retention of the substantive functions of the monarchy; the respect for the integrîty of the federal systeni, recognizing the two equal orders of accountable govern- ment each with its own responsibilities; an independent judîciary with the Supreme Court.of Canada as a court of the whole federation and selection of its members based' upon menit and compatible with the contiued independence of the judiciary; an economic union recognizing Canada as an indivisable economic, as weil as poliicai, entity; guaranteeing through the appropriate constitutional means Canada's two officiai languages, and federal-provincial consultation on behaif of ail Canadians in order to reconcile the differences between the two leveis of government throught new or reformed institutions for intergovernmental consultation and cooperation. The Goverument of Ontario and its people are comnmitted to making Confederation work. As your Member, 1 would like to hear your views and concerns about the future of our country and the position the Ontario Government bas taken in the national unity debate:, Address your comments to George Ashe, M.P.P. Durham West, 37 Station Plaza, Ajax, Ontario LIS 152. movements of prisoners when they are let out on Temporary Absences, and a better means of selection of who is to be let out."l it s regr#tfable' that you have' chosen to criticize the efforts of the staff 0 f the Whitby Jail without making any apparent effort to obtain a more balanced persepc- tive 0f the results of the Temporary Absence Programme of this particular institution. ln this regard, I am sure tha your readers and yourself wili be interested to learn that from April 1, 1977 until the present time, over 1250 sepa rate Temporary Absences have been successfully completed by inmates of the Whitby Jail. The Incidents mentioned in your editorial are the f irst such actions to have been aîlegedly commit- ted by inmates in this same time period and the first to occur in the more than eight months since Community Work Pro- grammes were initiated at this institution. May 1 suggest, therefore, that this is an excellent record of success and one that certaîiy does not imploy improper screening or supervision. The inferences created by the tone of your editor- !i are such as to establish an impossible standard for any correc- tional rehabilitative pro- gramme, namnely, a per- fect and total succeSs rate. The efforts Of bOth the staff and lnamtes of the Whltby Jail should be iudged not only by the three inmates Who vlolated the trust placed in thmr but also by the recognition that the vast majority of inmiates approved for Temporary Absence and Comimunity Work Programmes have not abused this prîvilege and, in the process, hav~e voluntarily contrIbuted mnany hours of f ree sevice to community projects In your locality. To do otherwise Is to unfairly criticize the efforts of the dedicated staff of the'WhitbY Jail who have the difficult task of evaluatiflg the necessary security and custody needs of inmnates while at the samne time carrying out an enviable record of Commrur'ity Work Projects. Equallys you have unfairly con- demiled the efforts of the vast majority of those inmates of this institution who have successfuly completed Temnporary Absences and have undertaken projects of value and worth to your commuflity. In conclusion, should you have any questions or concerns about the manner in which the Temporary Absence Pro- gramme or Community Work Projects are pro- cessed and carried out by the Whitby Jail, Super- intendefit F. GUI and hîs staff would be Most pleased to meet with you in order to interpret the programme and clarlfy any concernS you may hve. Vours truly, Sydney Sbom, Regional Pirectort Eastern Region, MINISTRY> 0F CORRECTIONAL SERVICES. Alleed ffencesfirst lin 8 mon ths