PAGE 4. MONDAY, DECEMBER 31,ý 1984, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, i The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitbý [Published every Wednesda. "~ ~ by M.B.M. Publishing S SA ~and Photography mnc. Publiher.Phone 668-611Il Pbshr-Managing Editor 1:11 Brock Street North, y s-:. ulu lur '.'-it.. . . es u enUis. ay MICHAEL KNELL Communlty Editor VALERIE COWEN Advertlslng Manager g, tnt. Second Class Mail Registration No. 5351 l984wa sa Weil, 1984 sa comlng rapidiy to à close and as we ref leot on the events of-the past 12 months we must corne to the conclusion that thîs has been a vi ntage year for the Town of Whitby. The iast few months have been exclting and hectic. Whltby has been on the worid stage at ieast twice. The first time was when a delegation of politîcai leaders from Japon chose Whitby as their only Canadian stop ln a North American tour of study concentrating on the worilngs of municipal If there was ne Ottawa in this intenseiy regional, blingual, multicultural country of ours, we wouid probabiy have to Invent one. I'm flot taiking about the Ottawa which se the seat of government, the country's capital, but the Ottawa which ls the cultural meeting place, perhaps the only melting pot, for East and West and French and English. The phrase which Hugh MacLennan chose for the titie of his famous nevel "Two Solitudes" has corne te have new meanIng for me ln Ottawa this timne. Canadians new live ln several solitudes, and at ieast two different countries. i was startled when i recently read that Michel Cote, the new MinIster of Consumer and Cor- porate Affairs, had. no Idea that somne Engiish- speaking Canadians have been reluctant te say the ieast, to accept mandatory metric conversion. i shouid not have been startied. The CBC sa net Radio-Canada. They, and we, march te different drummers. News te them 1le NOT news to us. Mr. Cote has been reading the Quebec press, watchlng Quebec televîsion, readlng Quebec books, holldayirfg In Quebec, and eating and breathing ln Quebec. He se a partner ln a Quebec City accounting f irm, a member of the organizlng body for the Quebec WIntpr Carnîval, the Quebec City Chamber 0f Commerce, and the Lac Saint- Joseph golf club. That ls HIS country. It ls net a country ln whIch English-speaking, anti-metric crusaders, like 8111 Domm for example, or English-speaklng anything, have had even the tiniest impact. The Ireny sa that 8111 Domm now f Inds himself Mr. Cote's parllamentary secretary. 1 suspect that Mr. Cote's circle sa not much narrower than that of a Toronto acceunitant, for example. The difference perhaps ls that the Toronto acceuntant would knew more about the East and the West. But he wouid knew no more about Quebec than Mr. Cote about Ontario, and perhaps a good deal lse. it may be the only common ground between Mr. Cote and his Toronto countsrpart se American Amerîcan music, American sports, Amerîcan television and Florîda. TIiat they share, but littie else, and the miracle le not that separatlsm flourlshed for a tme, but that It hasn't been suc- cessfui. Wer" have so much to be proud o f vintage year. government. The other, time was when our own Anne Ottenbrlte became the ftirst Canadian te wln an Olympic goid medal ln swlmmlng when she wen the 200-metre breaststroke. And to cap It off, she won the sîlver medal fer the 100-metre breast- stroke and a bronze as a member of our Indivîdual medley reiay team. When she came home, she was heraided by her fellow Whitbyites and received the Freedom of the Town - a rare honor. And'now she ls te be lnvested as a Member of the Ordèr of Canada, ene of the youngest recîpients of that honer. Durlng the year, Whitby experlenced one of the hlghest growth rates ln the Reglon of Durham. Net oniy have new peeple corne te cali our town home, but new business. has come creatlng new jobs for our neighbeurs and helping te ensure our future presperity. Anether major event ln Whitby this year was the dedication of -the cairn at the Camp 'X' site. Lieutenant-Governor John Black Aird presided over the ceremony which f lnaily gave the men and women who fought the secret war durIng Second Werld War public recognition for the achievemen- ts and sacrif ices. This was aie the year when Whitby residents decIded te play a major rois ln crime prevention by forming Neighbourhood Watch groups threugheut the town. Their effective ness se known as the Durham Reglonal Police Force has already credlted them wlth the arrest of at least two people ln cennection with a residentiai break and enter. This year was aie the time when the downtown merchants fl'nally struck a plan of action In'an ef- fort te, make downtown Whitby a more vital and communlty oriented place. :1 for 'Whitby- These are just some of the avents that made up Whitby's year. A lot of people have put ln a lot of hard work whlch wIll bear fruit In 1985 and the years beyend. As 1984 closes perhaps we should turn our thoughts for just a moment* te 1985. We can eniy hope that many of the goed things that happened ast year will continue next year. If avents of the ast few months are any Indication Whitby wili be the place te live, work and play In Durham Region as we head Into the next century. As the new year dawns, this newspaper would like te encourage the Town of Whitby, under the ieadership of Mayor Bob Attersiey te keep up the goed werk. The town has aiready toid us It won't be raising taxes for local purposes ln 1985 because of the success of 1984. We want te en- courage beth the Region of Durham and the Durham Be ard of Educatien te -foliow this exam- pie. Many econemic benefîts wlil finaily bear fruit next year. The new ,LIquor Board of Ontarlo wareheuse wiii open and the GO-ALRT uine wili be ail that nearer te completion. A new mining research and development company will begin eperatiens'and there are possiblilities of even more industrial and commercial development In the town. This has been a good year for Whitby. ln fact, It has probabiy boeon oflf the boat years we've had for quite somne time. We have had much te be reaily proud of. But thore ls stili 50 much left te do, and 1985 may provo to be the ysar of oppertunity when many of thone thInge got dons. This past ysar has beon a good iaunch te the new year that follows. We enly hope that It wIll prove te, be everythlng that It can be. Happy New Vear. Tell me, Bobby, just. what do you hope to do with ail these nb bons?