PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1984, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitb Voice of County Town The only Whitby newspaper independently o y[ Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor wnednn an ..entp hv ,hî ims...a- - - .-. - . NTVIq" iauv ui-UICUUYvv.mtuj z saurnzin ir vvnuoy resfllents. ablished every Wednesday By M.B.M. PUBLISHING and Photography Inc. Phone 668-6111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. P.O. Box 206, Whltby, Ont. Reglatration No. 5351 MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor CONWAY DOBBS Advertising Manager Second Clas Mail Registration No. 535I Everyone should take an interest m the election Well, ail three major political parties have nominated their candidates to woo the hearts and minds of Whitby residents. In the five weeks remaining until Sept. 4 polling day, those of us living in Ontario Riding will be bombarded with campaign promises, slogans, literature and smiling faces thrusting out hands to be shaken while we're out doing our weekly grocery shopping. Then after ail the hoopla is over, we will go to the polis and place that 'X' on the ballot next to our favorite candidate's name. But until that time, the thing that should be up- per most in our minds should be the issues for we will have to decide which candidate is best qualified to deal with them as our federal representative. However, it seems to us that while the national issues of unemployment, interest rates, foreign investment and disarmament must be considered locally there are a few matters of pressing urgen- cy within our own riding. The issue that will receive the most attention from ail three candidates will be the now defunct Pickering Airport. The question remaining is what should be done with ail that land that was pur- chased by the federal government for. untold millions of dollars. Each candidate has his own idea of what should be done with it, but we're not sure which is the best. Another subject that will recelve much atten- tion is the Great Lakes. Until 18 months-ago, the federal government had a program whereby It par- tially funded municipal initiatives to clean-up the Great Lakes through the expansion and im- provement of local sanitary sewer service. Once again, ail three candidates have endorsed the notion of re-introducing the program in one form or another. Because this riding is almost evenly divided between urban and rural areas, the problems facing farmers and others in the agricultural in- dustry will receive much attention. On this sub- ject, each candidate and the party he represents (not one of the three saw fit to nominate a qualified women to stand for Parliament) will have a different perspective on the problem. While our neighbours living In the rural areas have the keenest interest in this matter, those living in the urban area should pay close attention to what is being said about Canada's agricultural industry because it affects the prices at the supermarket. All three candidates (including the Liberal party standard bearer) will probably ridicule and criticize the Canadian National Railways decision to scrap the Toronto-Peterborough-Havelock commuter train that used to run through Myrtle Station. Each will have different notions as to how the service is to be re-introduced and how to fund it. One of Whitby's largest employers is Lasco Steel and a recent American government decision to restrict imports of Canadian steel will have a definite impact oh those of us living and working in this riding. One candidate has already taken the Liberal government to task on this. subject (his comments are printed elsewhere in today's edition) and we are interested in hearing what the other two have to say on the subject. If the American decision will cost jobs in this riding, then whoever we send to Parliament should be equipped to deal with the problem. Most long term readers of the Whitby Free Press are aware that one issue near and dear to our heart is the funding of education. Post- secondary (that is, collége and university) education is primarily a federal responsibility and one of the three candidates has something to say about it. Those of us with families should be con- cerned about the rising cost of funding higher learning especially since it is at this level that specific job skills are taught. As adults, our children will need jobs and a way wili have to be found to ensure that they can aquire the skills they need at a reasonable and affordable cost. This publication would like to urge all of its readers to take more than a passing interest in this election campaign. Since all three candidates will be loudly proclaiming the worth of their respective party leaders we suggest that they be looked at as well. Put aside their sex appeal or television star qualities and look for some hidden truth in what they have to say. Remember that whoever we send to Parliament from Ontario Riding will help determine who for- ms the next government of Canada. Under the British North America Act the ruling party is charged with "the peace, order and good gover- nment" of Canada. That is a weighty respon- sibility but It does not solely lie with the politicians. That responsibility belongs to every citizen of Canada, and how we discharge our ultimate authority by casting our ballot, will determine whether or not that goal will be achieved. It will not be achieved by those who sit at home on election day. Those who care enough to vote will achieve it. There is too much to lose and sa much to gain but we all have to make an informed choice before we walk into the polling station. Pl'