iIAm rn m Inirnr ivaR' W WE'TNESPQfAYVs 1WCEMBfR1 f14 1988r'~ ,vmu~Lb~A ~ w rp w VOICE 0F THE COUNTI TOWNL Maurîce Plfher Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontario Imc. Phone: 668-6111 Doug Anderson Publisher,- The Free Press Building 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Editor Peter Irvine Advertising Manager Alexandra Sîmnon Production Manager Sue Blanchard Circulation Manager The only Whltby newspaper Independently owned and operated by Whltby residents for Whltby resldents.. The Province has-once again proven*-that it speaks out of both sides' of its collective, bureaucratic mouth. At one point, the Minister of Health said that reforms in the Ontario health system would move health care toward community- orient ed services, rather than expensive use of institutions and hospitals. The Red Cross Homemaker Service is such a service, enabling chronically ili and disabled Get it together individuals to stay in their -homes and' out of ex pensive-t o- maint ain hospit ais. Yet Robert Nixon has not responded favorably to a, plea f rom the service for more f unding, and the service will be discontinued by June 1989 if not assisted financially. Is the Province really committed to funding community health initiatives? it seems that an invaluable community service is about to be .terminated, leavingits clients with no option but to enter hospitals and institutions, and leave the, psychologically and physically-preferable atmos- phere of their own homes. T'he Province should get its act together. Seniors and the disabled do not deserve to be left out in the cold with irresponsible cutbacks in services that are desperately needed. Fish aquarium approved at expense-of eniors To the Editor-. The Canadian Red Cross is $1 million in the red.i and like al other necessary and beneficial services of the là st decade, our infarnoýus politicians in the government of Ohtario are delet- ing subsidized home care for seniors beginning January 1989. But ironically,' our gratuitous, red-tie, liberally-minded legisla- ture has granted Etobicoke $18 million to erect a fish aquarium!! It is almost too ludicrous to believe that Peterson and his "pais" would deprive senior Canýadians of a service which helpsý them remain self- suffi- dient, self-resp ectin g iti zens with a little help from their friends,, namely Red Cross home- maker assistance, subsidized by the various regional govern- ments under the auspices of the Ontario government. This latest scam means the death of an independent life for many disabled elderly who relied on this service for banking, shop- ping, light housework, com- panonship and recognition or contributors in their "golden years" to Canadian society. The.y will now in their Ãast days be relegated to nursing homes of institution ali zation and routine waiting to meet their Maker. How is it Ontario granted in excess of $30 million to a super- fluous sports stadium - the Dome. If virile athletes canngt cope with the outdoor eléments, the should be playing chess in- doors. In any case, what.family of say, four, can afford $25 per ticket, $20 of refreshments and $20 in gas? Very few. Ontario refused the Whitby hospital a grant for an extension (Whîtby already-must go to the gériatrie ward of Wlhitby Psychi- atric Hospital). Ontario is housing and sub- sidizing more than 60,000 illegal immigrants because the1 wouldn't say "cno, you can't stay.' Ontario h as authorized three 10-foot opulent Christmas trees in the foyer of Oshawa's Michael Starr Revenue building at a cost of about $2,000. Ontario judiciary deleted The Lord's Prayer from the school curriculum to accommodate athe- ists and« ethnics but I, with oth-1 ers, under the jurisdiction of1 Sam Cuireatz, M.P.P., have peti-1 tions before the legisature W&ed-1 nesday,ý Dec. 7 for its reinstate- ment. Petitions now will be made to retain Red Cross home care. Is Ontario becoming a dictator- ship like red Russia, deleting our religion,' our revenue and our elderly retired sent into the retreat of institution alization, because Ontario bas chosen to house fish in a posh aquarium instead of seniors (who helped bring Ontario to its affluent sta- ture ) being maintained in their homey atmosphere because the Red Cross is in the red? put the politicians in glass fish tanks so the public can view them sink and sufer and they sit in judgment in their posh sur- roundings, thinking only of their bureaucratic budget and red tie image. We need Re d Cross ser- vices and many of us intend once again to petition for our much needed social services. But, supposedly these.wise and wonderful pblic servants in our provincial and. regional.spr visory capacities need beautiful surudings to function and the elderly mnay be cast off likeod furniture to decay like ship- wrecks in a sea of bureaucratic bungling! I arn seeing "red» and hope- fully if we bull our way (petition) through, Red Cross services will stili be a viable social vehicle running our social assistance to seniors and we servile underdogs of O ntario s c e a b r B lack -,Red Crosssupporter Oshawa.,, Support for arthritis society is appreciated. To the editor Bob Attersley, for proclaiining by Free Press -for helping us On behaîf of The Arthritis So- September as Arthritis Mônth teill our story te your readers 'à -iety and those who have arthri- and for fiying the Arthritis Flag te the members of the commun Lis, pleasé accept our appreciation at Whitby Town Hall. who so generously gave .. te g f'or your support during our 1988 If your home or business was hope. fund raising caxfpva]gf. not canvassed and you would like Thank you, too, te ail the vol- te support our worthwhile cause, Yours sinoerel unteers who worked so very hard pléase send your contribution te 'Josie Laarakke te raise the needed funds and to, the Arthritis Society at 58 Ross- Publicity Co-ordinal those ho sogenerously donated land Rd., W., Suite 5, Oshawa, a te the cause. As well, I want to Ont., LMG 2V5. aeiHud extend a special thanks to Mayer In clusing, thanks te the Whit- Campaign Chairmî B te à d nity give ers tnd ýert Lan A "wumpf" on sidewalk To the editoz-. I'm a senior who moved here in March, and I'm slowly finding my way around this Io vely tewn. My morning routine consiats of a half-hour of yoga, then a walk. My route- is south on Centre, east on St. John St., north on Bryon, west on Gilbert, and south on Centre te our building. At first I found myself puffing before Gilbert, this ,I overcamne. My time was 10 minutes, and thiii I have reduced te eight minutes. Now rm trying te better this, se you see my wa]k is brisk. .I didrxt get te seel the Santa parade on Saturday for as I was headeca Up Biyon, I suddenly teok a i wuxnpP fiat on my face. On the sidewalk, between 502 Byron and 504, there is a sidewalk block which is an inch higher than the other block. The hospital x-ray showed no break, but a bone bruise is just as painful and is badly swollen. This is a hazardous situation, and could prove costly te the Town if anyone should take a harrnful fali. I was fortunate, the next one might not be se lucky. I feel this should be deait with soon, as the snow will soon bide it. Thank you for taking time te read niy letter. I enjoy your paper. Ms. lJones Whitby P.S.: It was from the Wihitby Free Press that I first learned of the Courthouse 'Theatre Players and their 'Bed Before Breakà fast' play. It was a good belly laugh - equal te a dose of medicine. 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. Ail letters must be accornpanied by the name, address and phone number of the writer; however, on request, your name may be withheld fromn 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 LIN 5SI or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N. FAUJK ti, WklXrJJ 1 r-ICM elVicýoi Yi rimiirj6jm£% iL 14 qqýý i 4 0 P- - U.- - M. =.. Z. a- w b- 1