PAGE 24, WII1TBY FREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5,1990 Phone 668-6111 PUBLIC -MEETING TO BE HELD IN ASHBURýN Commuter lobby group wants an-sweris By Mike Kowaluld A commuter lobby group is demanding Wo know why north- ern Durham Region and Peter- borough residents are not receiv- ing GO train service.rbouh The Toronto-Peterbruh Havelock Line Passenger Asso- ciation says the Ontario govern- ment owes commuters an explanation for last weekWs deci- sion Wo provide a new ail-day connecting bus service with eisting GO trains. The association says bus ser- vice has been rejected twice pre- viousiy by commuters and will not work. The association also disputes government figures which dlaim b uses will cost* less and cover a much larger ares than train ser- vice from Toronto Wo Peter- borough. The association is sponsoring a pub ic meeting at the Ashburn ommunity Centre next Wednes- day (Dec. 12) at 7 p.m,-tW discuss the government's decision. Association president Paul Pagnuelo said local New Demo- cratic Party MPPs and Ministry of Transportation officiais will be invited Wo the meeting. I. '«This is a sensitive issue we're owed more than a press re1ease,» said Pagnuelo. Afler months of fighting for GO train service Wo Peterboro gh on track formerly used by Vr Rail, Pagnuelo's group was devastated by last week's announcement by Transportation Minister Ed Phili. Philip told the legisiature that ail-day bus service will soon be established Wo serve a number of commuinit-ies, inciuding Peter- borough, Port Perry, Oshawa and Toronto. The government wili negotiate with private bus carriers Wo pro- vide the service and is hopeful it wiil be in p lace by February. Pagnuelo charges that the go vernment made its decision based on the number of potential users from the Peterborough area, instead of examining total ridership on the former VIA lins. (VIA service was discontinued by the federal government sar- lier this year. The passenger, association has fought for replacement service even inves- tigating the feanibifity of a pri- vate rail network for southern Ontario.) «TIhe main market was not Peterborouph but north Durham and Victoria County,» said Pag- nuelo. 'Mhe key problem is that they've misselI the point of who is Wo be served, this han been skewed tW Peterborough." He challenges the government Wo explain how it amrved at the figures used Wo defend the chea- per.cost of bus transportation. According Wo the ministry, commuter rail service between Peterborough and Toronto would have an annual cost of MON000 $14 000 per rider. The cost of a compréhensive bus system, serving more people over a broader area, is one- quarter that of a single GO train ($500, 000 per year versus $2.2 -$3.5 million), claims the minis- try. Barnrepairs to begin By Mlike Kowalski A Brooklin farm famiiy wil soon begin the job of rebuilding a barn crushed when a silo coi- iapsed on it last month. Susan Robinson, whose bus- band Roy and brother-in-iaw Bil oeaea daixyRfarm near Hwy. 7 is hojeful work will b. completed by Christmas. The Robinsons were planning Wo pick up a building permit for tejbfrom the Towin office last On the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 18, a, silo packed with 500 tonnes of corn, collapsed and fell on the barn, cruslung the roof and knocking out the.wails. In addition to suffening damnage Wo their ban, the Robin- sons lost two dozen cows which were kiiled in the mishap. Another four cows were severeiy injured and had W be destroyed t he foiiowing day. The purebred Hostein cattle had been insured for $1,000 each. Neither Robinson's brotheýr, nor their six empioyees, were in the barn at the time. 'Mhe only* thing salvagabie i. the cement foundation and the floor. The roof and wails have Wo be replaced,» said Susan. Although the Robinsons wil need another silo, Susan said a used or «replacement" silo will take the place of the old one. 'The cost of a new one is too, prohibitive,» said Sunan, explain- mng that a replacement silo is a glass-coated steel structure which previousiy 55W service on another farm. Susan said investigators from the faxnily's insurance company have not yet determined what Club holds ski program Just after the new year, the Optimist Club of Brooklin wili be running their third annuai instructional ski prograni. This par the program runs ten consecutive Sunday afternoons, commencing Jan. 6 and wrapping up Mardi 10. C oo kie exch ange 'Christmas Cookie Exchange' will b. held at* the Brook lin Branch library on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2:25 Wo 3 p.m. Participants can check out new recipe or Christmas cookies, from the collection ofcobos at the library. Paper drive 2nd Brooklin boy scouts wil hold a paper drive on Saturday, Dec. 8 in Brooklin. Newspapers shouid be at the cbby9:30 a.m. Aanthis year the program wiii b. held at Dagmar Si Resort in Ashburn. The si prograni is a 'learn-to-ski' experience for boys and girls aged 8 Wo 12 who havent had the opportunity Wo participate in this winter activity. Qua]ied instructors are on hand Wo teach and guide narticipats. Appcations can be picked up at Yhe Brooklin Bulletin, 76 Baldwin St. in Brooklin, or- at Ye Olde Fashion Christmas Store in Pearson Lanes, Whitby. Preference wili b. given Wo children of the Broollin/Whitby ares. Rapid response is reqired for prompt and equai considera- tion. A nominal registration fee is required upon acceptance into the program and space is Iimited Wo 20 participants. The deadlline for applications is Dec. 15. Participants are required Wo arrange their own transportation Wo Daginar and attend every session. For more information oeil 728-6209 (Rick or Marg). caused the 19-year-old silo tW give out. She estimated the cost of rebuiiding the barn at about $200,000. Insurance wiii cover a portion of the cost. Fire damages Brookln home About $100,000 damage resul- ted from a fire in a Brooklin home last week. Overheated pipes emanating from a fireplace are biamed for causing the fire which damaged the Price St. house owned by Frederick Joily last Thursday AZlthough the owner was un- harmed, two Whitby firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze. Fire Chief Ed Cronch said that whiie the basement experienced significant damage and the upper floors sr.oke damage, the house will stili be inhabitable once repairs are nmade. Wheels to Meals Dec. 12 TÉhe next Wheels Wo Meals in the Brooklin-Ashburn-Myrtle area will b. a Christmas lun- cheon on'Wednesday, Dec. 12, noon. Cost is $5 per person. Those attending are asked Wo bring a non-perihable food item for the food hamper. To reserve a seat, cali 655- 4276,655-4284 or 655-3187. Atist te hold open house W.H. Bruckmann, wildlife pho- tographer,' will hold an open house on Saturday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. Wo 4 p.m, at 9 George St., Brooklin. For more information cail 655- 8934. ,1 .Itý % Pagnuelo points out that in 1988, the total operating cost of seven-day VIA service from Havelock Wo Toronto was $1.64 million. After subtracting revenues, the annual net loss Wo operate the service wan $850,000, said Pag- nuelo. «What's happened between 1988 and now Wo make the costs 50 high7' hie anka. Pagnuelo said two attempta Wo replace the rail service with buses «failed miserably" in the past. The first occurred in 1982 when the VIA route was oni- ginaiiy eliminated by the former e deral Liberal govenment. The second attempt was made when the former provincial Liberal government asked pni- vate bus 'carriers W provide a shuttie service Wo the Whitby GO Train station. Bus service from Lindsay through Port Perry was cancelled within weeks and service from Peterborough Wo Whitby was stopped in September both due topoor response, said L5'agnueio. During a meeting last month between the association and'Phi- lip, the minister was told "in no uncertain term," that people did not want buses, said Pagnuelo. "It upsets me Wo think that the decision had already been made bR thetime of the meeting with Pagnuelo said several people have told him they would not use buses, even i f th e service wan free. «Anyone knows that given a choice between. taking a bus and driving, people will drive." He said that those who do take the bus will eventually grow tired of transferring from bus Wo train and look elsewhere. «They'l sither drive Wo Whitby or ail t he way (into Toronto).» Alexis Là arson, a spokesman for the minister, said the "options are stili open" for future rail service. She said buses were chosen at this time because it will prove to be more «cot-effective" than trains. Larson added that pant studies have shown that about 'hAif ai SE.E PAGE 34 Long way to go. By %«s SteveSo Durham M GAII isn't usuaily what you nirght oeil an attention-grb~ (3enerally when it's mentioned on newscaots you can sée. mot peoeeyes sart to glaze. GAITs been in the news fairly often recently, and no doubt well hear more within the next few days. It wiilb. very iportant news for ail of us. Hlie moot other, you have littie or no idea what GAIT ie ail about, Ill try to give a brief explanation. GATT, the General Agreement on Tarifae and Trade, bas been around fur 43 years and bas improved signiificantly our Canadian standard cf living and lifestyle. As tariffs and other trade restrictions were slashed lby more than 75 per cent, new international markets opened up for Canadian products, and goods from all over the world became available in our stores. T'rade i. vital to Canada - one in three paycheques depend on our being able to seii wheat, paper and moter cars to foreign buyers. We export one-third of moot thinge we produce. Trade is even more important to farmersý, as one-haif. of ail our agricultural produce must be sold to other countries. The reason i. that we are a big country with a small opulation. Japan and the U.S., by comparison,, because they have so many people to buy their products at home, only have to export about 10 to 15 per cent of their production. With GAT1's creation back in 1947, world trade rules were tranisformed. I the afterinath of World War Il everyone wanted Wo keep away from the myriad of trade walsa that heiped plunge the worid into deep depression during the 1930s. At first only 23 nations participated - now there are alnxost 100. About every 10 years they get together to discuss what more can be done to liberalize trade. The current ta]ks - cailed the Uruguay Round because thatIs where they began - are now underway at Brusseis, Belgium. Everyone agrees that opening up markets i. an excellent ides. But the details can be troublesome. This time they're focusing on agriculture, a particularly sticky issue. Indeed, some observers believe an agricultural agreement is essential if the whole GATr system is to survive. On opposing sides are the European Community with its 12 member nations, and Canada, the U.S. and -,most other countries that export farm products. The non-Europeaus want major cuts Wo the hefly subsidies with. which the EC boisters its farmers. Canad'. position reflecta the rea]ities of our own agriculture. Trade liberalization is sought over a 1-year period, with maintenance' of our supply-management systems and agreement Wo stop using heath and sanitation iaws as fIde trade barriers. There's a long way Wo go, and so far neither saie han offered Wo conoede much. One might ponder that, as there now is a 155 per cent EC tariff on prine Canadian wheat, what would happn if we imposed a similar levy on imported European autos. ]Pm stili optimistic a deal can be reached. The alternative would have Wo be very bad news for Canada and the rest of our world.