~w~,~1ICl ~ ~7 TA iýfTA 1).1 Q 007 PAGE4 q WITBI5Y IRi'uPii b FfL eD ) VyJ2JIA'jYr 1 JIN 'Jil&x Io (e w' wliitby <VOICE 0F THE COUNTY T( Pubiished evory W.dnesdal By 677209 Ontario Imc. Phono: 668.8111 th. Fr.. Press- Building * 131 Brock Street North, )WN P.O. Box 206, Whltby, Ont. Publisher MAURICE PIFHER ,EdItor KEN«HATHAWAY Advertlslng Manager The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents Cor poraterealit Last weeK's announced closing of the Cadbury plant ln Whitby Is providlng Durham Region with a f lrsth4nd look at corporate reality. Not long atter the purchase of Cadbury by William Neilson 0o. came the announicemnent that the Whitby plant,. for economic reasons, would be shut down. The news came as a startling setback to a region which had *wtnessed at least modest industrial growth ln areas other than auto-making ln recent years. Durham regional chairman Gary Herrema says a shutdown wlll also hurt the region, if only because a cIosing hardly enhances the Image of a reglon seeking to lmpress potential investoirs. Herrema, who is contacting executive members of both companies to seek answers, has also pledged to support the Canadlan A uto Workers union and take part ln a planned trek to ParIlament Hill ln Ottawa by Cadbury-workers. He was jolned at Sunday's union-organlzed, meeting by Whitby councillors Tom Edwards and Joe Drumm, while local M PPs have also promnised support. Ontario riding MP Scott Fennell is another who regrets the loss of jobs resulting from the Cadbury closure but he's optimistic about new jobs for the workers. Fennell also apparently agrees with Neilson president David McMIIIan's explanation that com petiti ve reasons forced the closure of the Whitby Cadbury plant -'the demand for sugar products has gone down, making the chocolate industry more competitive. But Fennell's apparent deotsion not to go to'bat for an industry and Its workers ln his own rlding Is disheartening Uf not unusual, since.no less than his own party leader, Prime Mînister Brilan Mulroney, managed to locate a prison - and em- ployment - in his own rldlng ln Quebec. Nevertheless, the show of support by union and local political.,leaders Is encouraging. Wtremaîns to be seen whether they can overturn the decision to close, adecision that councllor has descrlbed as "corporate cannibalism". But as the Issue is unemployment, a prime concern of aIl Canadians, the effort is well worth It and a show of strength, even unity, that goes a long way toward redressing the "hurt" done to a region in the vital industrial sector. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Edcaion systemneeds drastie overhal raer pdc t ta ual l ofuie s id ut, To the Editor:. The report by Ontario Youth Commissioner Ken Dryden is a clear signal that there is something terribly wrong with the public schools, mnostly in the eight prinary grades where Most of the damage occurs. Our 13- grade system that fails to graduate over 70 per- cent of students must be judged a failure, and needs to be drastically overhauled. Surely, there is a bet- ter solution for Durham Region than the $100,000,000 forecast of capital expenditure over five years to per- petuate this archaic system, designed for my generation in the 1930's. You must knowi that the il-grade, plus free college, system has been operatitig suc- cessfully in Quebec for some 2D Years, and the "CEGEP's" opened for business about the same time as our community colleges. It is time for the goverument to moder- nize our education system, and it must start at the bottom. It is imperative that we stop wasting our young. They must ail complete high school by age 16, and have the incentive and opportunity to go on from there into the job preparation phase of their lives. What an opportunity for your writers to go to bat for our niost prized Possession, and natural resource - our children and, my six gran- dchildren. Just a few topics: Have teacher unions stifled creative ideas No GO maintenance facility To the editor: Dear Mr. Cook: I am responding to your letter which ap- peared in the December 3 issue of the Whitby Free Press regarding the alignment of the Go rail extension between Whitby and Oshawa. It is true that one op- tion being investigated would use the heaviiy trafficked CP Rail right- of-way north of High- way 401. But, also under review is the use of the CN Rail main line south of Highway 401 and it is conceivable Ahat other options might be found which would warrant consideration. It must be recoènized that, in looking at the options, the impact of the entire length of the alignînent must be taken into con- sideration. Such factors as the impacts through Oshawa itself as weil as consideration of the best routing to serve the commuting public must be factored into the equation at the same time as the concerns of you and your neighbors are considered. The protection of the rights of everyone affec- ted is assure d through the Environmental Assessment process which will publicly air the consideration process for each option and allow for public comment. We expect to go through this exercise this year. I can relieve your concern about the development of a train maintenance facility in your area. While the GO-ALRT development would have required the building of such a faciiity, the conven- tional train expansion is not envisioned as in- cluding a maintenance facility in the Oshawa/Whitby area. Yours truly, Gary Herrema Regional Chairman fromn our highly paid professionals? How many mickey- mouse courses have crept into the curriculum? Is school vandalism and poor discipline an expression of frustration? Who do the, school boards serve? What sort of mandate and respect do they have with a 10 percent elec- toral vote - are they un- derpaid and uffloved? What role should the federal gov't play with a '$5 billion annual con- tribution of our taxes? We need national standards, enabling students to cross provincial boundaries without loss of grades; Do old people, like parents, just resist change, or do they really care if school is more than baby-sitting? Society is such that 10 per cent wil succeed under the worst con- ditions, 10 per cent will fail with the best, and the remaining 80 per cent cannot be called average. Computer assisted teaching will allow individuals to proceed at their own making grades obsolete. A hundred years- ago, the littie , red schoolhouse produced our educated middle class; fifty years ago, the commercial, technical and collegiate high schools were al that the m fajority of students could aspire to, and they met the needs and those fortunate few who went to university. But time marches on, and now a third stage booster, our, coileges, must be harnessed if we are to survive in the 2lst century. Sincerely, J.D. Oldfield Whitby, Ont. Owen Sound homconm To the Editor: Ever live in Owen Sound? Ever miss Wt? We know that if you have ever lived here, you do miss it - and us. It's that beautiful a place and we're that nice a people. Now we ve found a good reason for you to "icorne back and again". We're in the middle of planning a giant party for July 24 - August 2, 198M. It's Owen Souiid's l3oth anniversary. We're Planning' reunions, parades, fireworks, a costume bail, tournaments, bingos' exhibits, imid- way rides - and almost anything else we can think of to organize bet- ween now and then.' We'ii be looking fôr you... The Homecomîng Committee P.S. Do you need billeting. Homeconung $87 Box 1136 Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 6K "Now I'llIfind out how they get the caramilk into the Caramilk bar"' LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subjeet of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. Ail letters must be accompanied by the name-, address and phone number of the writer; however, on request, your name may be withheld from publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit ail letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press,, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario LMN 5S1 or drop through our mailsiot at 131 Brock St. N. 1 ly