PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20,1987 Published every Wednesday DOUG ANDERSON By 677209 Ontario Inc. Publisher Phone: 668-6111 • uMAURICE PIFHER Editor rhe Free Press Building PETER IRVINE 131 Brock Street North Advertising Manager VOICE OF THE COUNTY TOWN P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. The onl iy ne spaper independently o% pieddad uperiti- lb Wlii by rei dIen, is for Mhit bi resident. Ignore the survey A survey was left at the office of The Free Press survey as a basis. businesses in downtown and at the iibrary. last week that concludes that 68 per cent of Twenty people do hot make a true represen- What wouid happen if a survey was doge in the Whitby residents would favor a bylaw to remove tation of 46,000 Whitby residents. proposed area for the byiaw? WouId the resuits adult entertainment parlors from the downtown Even removing chiidren from under the age of indicate opposition to the bylaw? And wiiI parior area. 18, the survey stili does not core close to being ownersdisputetheresuits? The survey, more properly titled a "pre-test sur- an accurate microcosm. Let us hope WIitby's counciliors do not base vey," involved 20 Whitby residents answering a Moreover, does Whitby have to foIiow the pat- their decisions on this pre-test survey. Coun- questionnaire. tern of more senior leveis of government which ciliors already have a fair indication, of how Whit- Ten of the iespondents were males while ten use polis and surveys? Questions remain as to by residents feel about the byiaw. And our coun- were females. Of the males, 5 favored the bylaw. survey influence on the 'free-thinking' voter. cillors wili be stating their opinions, based on the Of the females, 9 favored the bylaw. The authors of the pre-test survey, however, say wiii of their ward constituents, at the June The survey was done by a new consulting firm it is fairly accurate account of what wouid happen meetings. in town as an introductory-example of its work. To in a "true" survey. For a true survey, the least A january public meeting, drew over more than quote one of the authors, the issue of the strip number of people to be surveyed to be within an 200 people. Reaction then seemed to be split 50- parlors, "was hot." accuracy of 2.5 per cent, 95 per cent of the time, 50, but it'stoo difficuit to tell. We agree it's hot. But we have some concern wouid be 384. Sureiy a one-on-one reaction is better than that council could decide1on the issue usinq the The Whitby survey was carried out at various anythingasurveycouidnte. To the editor: Copy of letter to J.P. Grady in reply to his letter (Copy in April 8 Free Press). Dear Mr. Grady: I am pleased to learn that you are Leave to authorities To the editor: So the Town of Whitby is thinking about permits for garage sales, because cars are illegally parked and block fire routes. And they are going to study other municipalities to see what they do. Leave the illegal parking and blocked fire routes to the proper authority, and for what other municipalities do I can only give you this advice: I know for sure that in Moscow Leningrad, Belgrade, Prague, Warsaw and East Berlin you have to have a permit. Your problem is now solved. S. Drew Whitby opposed to the return of the death penaltyin Canada. New Democrat Members of Parliament share your views on this issue. We shall continue to argue against the death penalty in all stages of debate and vote again- st it. In so doing, we recognize a responsibility to exercise the moral responsibility which comes with public office and we reject the argument that we serve in Parliament simply to reflect public opinion polls. While the Prime Minister has in- dicated that he also is opposed to capital punishment, all Canadians must wonder why this issue is on the agenda of the Parliament of Canada, an agenda controlled by the Prime Minister. You should know that there is considerable pressure being put on members of all parties in the House of Commons by those who support the return of the death penalty. For this reason, it is very important that you exercise as much influence as possible on the Conservative government to stop this regressive measure. I thank you for your support in this important matter, Yours sincerely, Ed Broadbent To the editor: Re: Whitby Free Press issue dated May 13, 1987 - 'Licensed garage sales'). The proposal to license 'garage sales' (and presumably yard sales, street sales, etc.) should be closely monitored by the homeowners of Whitby. It will be seen by many as yet another attempt by our elected representatives to curtail the rights and freedoms of the already heavily taxed residents of this fair Town. And from whence comes this "crescendo" of complaints against garage sales? Could it be from elements of our bellyaching business community, eyeing perhaps the few bucks garage sales may generate? Or could it be a case of empire- building on the part of an entity hopeful of administering a licen- sing bureau? The suggestion that vehicles parked at such weekend fun- togethers create a hazard does not really appear valid when one con- siders other more 'official' sales and fundraising activities promoted from time to time by cer- tain downtowners. In any case, illegal parking is illegal parking wherever it occurs and would be subject to ticketing and/or other police action. Whatever the source, it would be almost certain that the proposal did not emanate from the ·wage- earning taxpayers of Whitby who, especially since the town mushroomed to its present population, form a very large segment of theelectorate. Perhaps now would be a good time for both our elected leaders and for those aspiring to snare more of the local commercial pie to review their commitments to the real Whitby and try a little humility and more understanding. Bernard H. Greening Whitby "There goes the neighborhood!" Broadbent shares opposition to death penalty By-law would curtail rights LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subject of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. Al 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 all letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box.ý206, Whitby, Ontario LiN 551 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N.* . .....................................