PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1987 e LA> VOICE OF THE COUNTI fTOWN Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontario Inc. Phone: 668.6111 Doug Andei son Publisher Maurice Pif her Editor Peter Irvine Advertising Manager Alexandra Simon Production Manager Linda Sternad Circulation Manager The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents Last week's meeting of the Tourist Association of Durham Region was generally positive and upbeat, as several tourist operators appeared ready to embrace a strategy designed to bring more tourist dollars into Durham Region. However, there was also applause when one in attendance reminded members that more accommodation has to be provided in the region before tourism investment can take place. Whitby is a good example of a Durham Region municipality ready to welcome accom- modation, in this case, hotel development. Three applications have been made to establish hotels in Whitby, and only recently, ad- ministrative committee members supported a hotel application by Glen Marquis in a prestige Ignoring policy industrial zone in Whitby. That motion of sup- port, to have been weighed by council last night (Tuesday), was made despite a recommen- dation opposing the location by the Town's planning department. It was obvious that Whitby's administrative committee members are also seeking to be ac- commodating. Noting, with some frustration, the lack of action over previous hotel proposals, councillor Joe Bugelli argued that opportunity should be given to potential developers. He argued most strongly in support of the.hotel proposal, even though zoning and the Sunray St./Consumers Dr. location are not suitable, according to planners. Also opposing that administrative committee support is Don Rogers, who has plans of his own for a hotel but in a zone already designated as suitable. A letter from his solicitors questions "whether the public's interests at large are being served or just those of a par- ticular landowner." Durham Region, including Whitby, needs ac- commodation but to ignore planning policies, as that letter states, to add another hotel proposal to the list is improper. Its not fair to other applicants who have previously been denied rezoning because of adherence to plan- ning policy. Administrative committee mem- bers have permitted zeal to supercede sound and fair decision-making. LETTERS FROM OUR READERS Food production is focus of World Food Day To the editor: October 16 is World Food Day. It is celebrated yearly in com- memoration of the founding, 42 years ago, of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Quebec City. Over 147 countries around the world commemorate World Food Day by reflecting on the importan- ce of global hunger and food problems. The Ontario World Food Day Co-Ordinating Committee is a coalition of voluntary and private sector organizations and gover- nment agencies, such as UNICEF, Red Cross and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. This year the Ontario World Food Day Co-Ordinating Committee wishes to focus on the future of food production technology and the role of the small-scale food producers. Canadians have an efficient food- producing industry and enough money to import vast volumes and varieities of food which are not produced in Canada. In contrast, many parts of the world suffers food shortages, black market prices and starvation. Civil wars rage because poor men and women are fighting for land reform and the right to produce food on their own acre of two. There is no simple answer to these problems. Canada is a relatively young nation with a stable government. It is a rich nation blessed with resources which are the envy of most other countries. Canada is highly in- dustrialized and new technology has been widely applied in farming. But many Canadian farmers today are in serious economic difficulty, The alderman replies To the editor: The letter to the editor from Vina K. O'Toole of Whitby entitled "Comments were disservice to the elderly" (Oct. 7, 1987) deserve some comment. First, the TV interview was on CHEX-TV in Peterborough and not CBC-TV. Incidentally, the inter- view only showed part of the com- ments and not all the 'positive' clips. Secondly, I was discussing the recent small quarterly increase in pension benefits and not "the proposed federal food tax on senior citizens' budgets." My comments were not "callous and mean-spiritecd aua not intended as a "great disservice to the thousands of elderly people who live at or near the poverty level all across this country." Further- more, I did not "demonstrate an in- credible degree of lack of infor- mation and empathy as well as monumental stupidity." My parents are elderly (father 86, mother 77) and still live in their own modest home in Oshawa. They still pay their share of taxes on a great many purchases and ser- vices. I visit them regularly and know firsthand how they manage. I hope I can do as well when I am their age. However, I do admit that the clever reporter asked a couple of tricky and tough questions that I answered without all the facts. For that I was wrong and I apologize. Alderman Ed Kolodzie City of Oshawa an easy fact to overlook in relation to the world's other agricultural problems. Many Canadian farmers in 1987 are worse off than they were in 1983, caught in a vicious cost-price squeeze, the result of a damaging grain trade war between the U.S. and the countries of the European Economic Community. U.S. and E.E.C. farmers are highly sub- sidized. Ironically, it is our largest and most productive farmers who are suffering the most. The Canadian government has developed programs to help keep them in production because it would be a major disaster if our main food production base is seriously eroded. We are not in danger of experiencing food shor- tages today, but it's not impossible in the future. Through increased awareness and efforts to address the situation, SEE PAGE 27 Anderson student: leave us alone To the editor: Re: 'Anderson's initiation day is very inappropriate, (Free Press, Oct. 7/87). Abolish initiation! You've got to be kidding! What's next? No prom because a few underaged graduates will be drinking? No Halloween because it's immature dressing up in funny costumes? It's obvious that the writer has blown the whole purpose of initiation out of proportion. Initiation is not meant to introduce students to the faculty, it's meant to introduce students to school spirit, something that isn't very high. Taking away initiation isn't going to make it any better, only worse. So what if it's immature and not a 'nice' thing to do. It's harmless. Makeup and apple sauce both wash off and don't try and convince me that it leaves mental scars of humiliation. Please, spare me the stress. I suggest the writer try looking at initiation from a different perspec- tive, that of ours, the students, the ones that this is meant for. I'm really sorry that your party days are over. Maybe you never had any, but don't try and ruin ours. Remember, it's our lives you wish to play with, not yours. Leave us alone. Bryce Cooper Student of ACVI Kinettes praised To the editor: I am 87 years old and would like to thank the women of the Kinsmen Club, the Kinettes, for their help in doing my house cleaning. Sincerely, Amelia Pringle. 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. All 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 206, Whitby, Ontario LIN 5S1 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. 77-77-2 77 --77. =7=777- The Free Press Building 131 Brock Street North. P.O. Box 206. Whitby. Ont.