IL~ PAGE O,âWHITY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAYJANUARY 18e1989".,,,,, 4CIA VOICE 0F THE COUNTY TOWN TeFe rs uligPouto aae The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by13BocStetoth SuBlcar Published every Wednesday t icto er By 677209 Ontario Inc. Eio Phone: 668-6111 PtrIvn Doug Anderson AdetsnMagr Publisher1 Alexandra Simon The Free Press Building Pouto aae The only W131 BrockpaStreetepNorthiSue Blanchard Whitby residents for Whitby residents. P..Bo' 0,UhtyOt Circulation Manager Durham Region secondary students' academic future may possibly be a gloomy one if the OSSTF and the Durham Board of Education do not resolve the matters of contention that prompted the teachers to vote in favor of strike action recently. The teachers are concerned about class size, understaffing and a better monetary and benefits package. The board said it is willing to match salary' levels of Metro Toronto boards, and will provide 20 additional classroom teachers in each of the next two years For the future of students Without taking sides, we hope that both parties will resolve their differences before a strike jeopardizes the students' school year and the academic record of those applying for entrance to university in the fall. It's time for the board and teachers to examine who they ultimately serve, and their raison d'etre. The students are at the center of the debate and stand to suffer the most if the people both who teach and administer their education do not resolve their differences. We hope that negotiations this week resolve the issues to the satisfaction of both parties. The students' future could depend on this. Opposed to transport and sale of tritium To the editor: Copy of letter to Ontario Preier David Peterson (Re: Tritiûm - Transportation and Sale I write to protest in the strongest terms the transport of deadly redioacti ve tritium through this (and any other) area, and to urge that the projected sale of tritium by Ontario Hydro be abandoned. (1) Transport: The dangers are obvious, the attempted rea- ssurances are inept and implausible, and public opposition is fast growing. The first loaded tritium trucks left the Pickering Station under a veil of secrecy and a police escort. The clandestine and underhanded measures taken to evade expressions of public concern are not only disquieting in themselves, but give credence to the fear in this community and beyond it. The legitimacy of this fear is further validated by David McArthur's report that ines- To the editor. I am writing with regard to Bill Swan's column published in the Whitby Free Press entitled: 'With Your Feet Up.' I'm a "clipper" (Bill would understand) - articles of interest, community information, and comic-strips such as "Mother Goose and Grim," "For Better or Worse", etc. Over the past few months I have added Bill's witty interpretations of situations and events to my well dressed refrigerator collection. His stories are extremely enjoyable to read, especially that of Jan. 4 where he describes an encounter between a woman and man at a gas bar. His comparison of the hood of the woman's "late model Japanese import resembling a new-born hippo trying to yawn," capably links the rates of infant mortality and genetic defect in the Picring area to tritium emissions from the- region's CANDU reactors. I'm sure you must be aware of this report, and the fact that all its supporting statistics derive from Ontario Government figures and Atomic Energy Control Board publications. Area residents can hardly take comfort from the news that the Darlington tritium recovery facility experienced its first tritium accident, one requirihg the evacuation of the facility, less than four weeks after start-up. (I hope you agree that "accident" is a more honest and accurate word than the misleading and evasive jargon-phrase "significant event"). There are recent and hopeful indications across the world of a long overdue recognition that we are facing a gigantic ecological crisis. Our future is at risk, and that of our children, and of the planet itself. All decisions affecting the ecology, such as the transportation of tritium and and the progressive humor referring to the inadequate design of the windshield washer fluid container, was amusing to my husband and I. Not only is my husband employed by a Japanese automobile company, he's actively involved in marketing. We had a good chuckle, as we most often do while reading Bill's work. I wish to express my respect to Bill for his abililty to maintain a great sense of humor. Of the few things in life that are inexpensive, reading and laughing are among them. Bill delivers these pleasures wonderfully well. Yours truly, Heather Whaley Whitby other deadly substances, must now be assessed in the light of this crisis. So also must the sale of tritium. (2) Sale: Tritium sold by this country to other countries will inevitably contribute to the production of nuclear weapons. Tritium production in the USA has stopped completely with the shutdown - due to serious safety problems - of the Savannah River tritium, production facility. Ontario Hydro has conceded that the ultimated use of exported tritium can be neither tracked nor controlled. However, we can hardly misconstrue the presence of major U.S. nuclear weapons researchers and manufacturers at a recent "tritium safe handling" course given in Toronto by the CFFTP (Canadian Fusion Fuels Tech- nology Project) --an organization set up by Ontario Hydro and Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. Protestations of innocence concerning the destination of exported tritium sound hollow in the light of this evidence, and much more. Let us now assert, Mr. Premier, that the lives of children, of future generations, are more important than immediate profit, and that the foolhardy use, transport, byproducts is no longer wortn even the slightest risk. And let us validate this assertion, not by evasions or soothing rea- ssurances, but by decisive action. We are no longer anticipating a crisis --we are experiencing one and it is well advanced. Babies are already being born who must Thanks fo To the editor: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mayor Attersley, members of council and all citizens of Whitby for the tribute to the Olympic athletes of Whitby on Nov. 30. I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but I greatly appreciate the beautiful plaque and picture and the honor bestowed upon me. To the editor: The board of directors of Big Sisters of Newcastle, Oshawa and Whitby and its staff and big and little sisters wish to thank the community for their wonderful support of the Christmas raffle --the art of friendship. approximately $5,000 was raised for the agency and its many programs. Special thanks are extended to the local artists and bear the damage of earlier and ongoing ignorance and stupidity, wilful blindness and greed. Not all of them survive. How much dare we risk when the stakes are this serious? Yours truly, Jeremy Hole RR 1, Locust Hill r tribute -i would also like to thank the Region of Durham for the trophy given in October. All the support shown to the Olympic athletes has been deeply felt and I hope that it will continue for the success of our future Olympian.s. Thanks again Christina McDonald Whitby. businesses who so generously donated their talents and made this project so successful. May we wish all residents of Newcastle, Oshawa and Whitby a happy and successful year in 1989. Yours truly, Carol Rhodes Executive director Big Sisters N.O.W. Column is a pleasure $5,000 raised in raffle 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 validreascn. The paper reserves the right to reject or edit all letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario LiN SS1 or drop through our mailslot at 131 Brock St. N.