PAGE 6, IWHIY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUA.RY 16, 1991 Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontarioa mc. Phone: Maurice Piher 668-6111 Editor. Toronto Lino 427-1834 Alexandra Martin DogAnderson Production Manager 13 BokSte tNorth,' VOICE 0F THE COUNTY TOWNP.Bo26,Wiy Ot 2nd C"a Postal The only- Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by LP.' Bo QiN S 1 n. lgltW #DM351 L Whitby residents for Whitby residents. On Monday, Whltby council memnbers wero "1persua- was mado. ded" to tako a stop'backward tram a decision made *l"~The Town apted -for 'useér tees, tram whlch 'an provlously ta Impose user lees. rn i uoee Q lII estlmatod $76,000 wo 1uld :be ralsod [n a yoar, ovor an It was tho roasonable outcome af tho doclon that had IV AE.A. 'ea Increase ln taxes. But Rt was an ovorslght ta suddenly beon made suddonly and wlthaut Input tram the many Impô se tees wthaut. asklng affected groups'ta t lrst aitoctod by the pollcy. oppased ta thoetes, Insteaid delayod tho Imposition of comment an tho pollcy. Camlng just short af revor sing a decîslon that w~oud user tees tor a year and ordered that a tuil repart bo. Public cansultailon and a study afi the user-tee Impact Impose permit tees an sports teamis uslng bail diamionds madeoan the Impact af user tees - a repart that shauld may not change tho position afi1cauncli. But sparts and saccor fields, cauncil, ln -front ai about 350 people have beon prepared and studle'J before any decisian graups wIII now have thoir say an the mattor. Debate was frustrating sham eful., . by Edie Gomifle Round two of the Oshawa pound animal debate was, frustrating, arnusing -and shameful.' It was frustrating because the pro-research -side generally strayed from the issue, whether or flot the city of Oshawa should run a true shelter or a research supply facili , and the related.question of the nècessity, economics, and scientifié validity aof the use of pound animais. It was amusing, because under the influence of panic, pro-animal research speakers, with one or two exceptions, outdid each other. ini the use of emotional app)eals, especially ta aur fear of death and aur natural empathy for the sick. The fact, as the scientific literature proves, is that for economic, scientifie and ethical reasans, the research comxnunity itself bas spent the last 30 years gradually eliniinating the use of formner pet dags and cats. Today, shelter animais constitute less than one ver cent of the total number of animais used in bioniedicai research--a figure corra1borated by Dr. Kenyon an Nov. 5. They thus admnit that it is nonsense to, say that Oshawa's decisian endangers research. Their continued inflarnmatory statements about the imminent dermise aof research betray a lack of integrity. Equually shabby is their use of vuIneraIe citizens wha, have flot, studied the question and who then embarrass thleinselves publicly by discussing the benefits or need for animal research in general, when the issue la whether or nat this one per cent supply source is needed. How would the pro-animal research lobby explain ta these peaple--and ta the rest of us--that the world's largest biomedical research entity, the National Institutes aof Health, with its $8 billion annual budget and its 13 institutes, including the Heart, Lung and Blaod Institute, stapped using pound dogs in the 1970's? That the World Health Organization, the Council of Europe and the International Organization of Medical Science recommend against the- use ao' cmy pound animais? Why, I would like ta ask (a rhetorical question), does professor David Beord at the University aof Aberta 'no langer use any dogs, lot alone pound dogs, for research? 11i let scientific opinion speak for itself: "Domestic animais are typically of uncertain and diuerse health histories and s0 are flot appropriate for moat birth defecta research. " Mr. Dave. Younkin and Mr. Jerome J. Radwin. 1986 (April 10). March of Dimes research involving animais. Memorandum ta the March ai' Dimes Headquarters and Field Staff. "To make experimentai resuits obtained with animais as relevant to man as possible, the animais used shoudd be as similar as pssible in critical physiological and metabolie characteristics to a speciftc human population at risk, for example people with increased susceptibiliy to heart dlisease. " Dr. George L. Wolff, National Conter for Toxicologfical Research. 1985 (Aug. 20). Letter ta Dr. Michael A. Giannolli. '..ft will probably be necessary, ta phase out the sig«nificant use of dogs if a major battle ouer t/he use of animais for research is ta be auoidecL Our faculty has begun &ta moue toward the replacement of the dog by the Yucatan miniature pig. These animais are in many ways superior to the dog for purposes of research... We plan. at this uniuersity ta moue rapid(y toward a breeding unit ta supply our large animal needs and feel that ti can be done for a third of t/w cost of breeding dogs .... in fact, a high standard of animal care and phasing ouat th use o dogs should resuit 'in a mucl hig/wr standard of research. e Drs. J.C. Russell, & D.C. Secard. 1985. "Holy Dogs and the laboratory: Same Canadian Experiencos with animal research." Perspectives in Biloey and Mediine. 28(3):p. 374-381.> 'T)ogs :speciflcally 'bred 'for reseazrch should be t/w modela af claoioe for those types of studies in which. deflned genetic, enuironmen *tal, and /walth stat uses are néeessary.." Canadian Council an Animal Care. 1984. Guide to the car. and use ao' expeimental animah Is(o. 2). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: C.C.A.C. p. 65-82. Lastly, John HapIns, aiso the continent's flrs teaching hospital, bas used commercial swine, ta replace dogs in several surgical research project.. The ovidence is thore. bflme an you for fudging the issue. Bravo té those coundillors who realized that no. new information was gie y'ho -pro-research lobby last Monday, Jân. 7. 'Opinions expressed are those of t/w .... .... author.... .-- ----.- -- To the. editorm R:« "Fox criticizes nais. ffidtrir a Mlantid', Jan. 9, Mr. Fox is the councllor for east ward and consequently lis my coundilor. I have approached Mr. Fox an numerous occasions about- the recurrent nuisance caused by the neighbouring commercial estab- lishmnent, but ta na avail. .How unfortunate, ta bear that Mr. Fox 'naw bas a similar problem in bis neighbourhood. It is understandable that Mr. Fox is se concernied about, the seaedi'charge'from the Îènew Atanic Pckagng «plant especially when, the same plant is the source ai'ý a 'particuiarly unpleasant noise that can be heard in bhis neigbbourlhood. I niay be a- toucb, cynical but I cannot h elp feel that if the Atlantic pi an t wau in- my neihbohod, r. oxwould not b. s cocernd aouteither -the Whltby k~JJ~W~JJ~LdJ.Idflg8 hopeit~sno4 ai i Citizens' ou By Renée Soen Ontario riding MI> On Nov. 1, 1990, the federal government announoed' the creation of a citizen? forum on Canadals future to'encourage dialogue with and amnong Canadians, and to croate a new consensus about Canada and aur future. 'fie forum will-provide the goverrnment with a summary ai' its findings byJuly 1, 1991 and tbe results wili be mnade availabie toail Canadans. 1The forum, chaired by CRTC chairman Keith Spicer and aided by il other Canadians serving on an adviseiy group, began its hearings in Eastern Canada- in early Januaiy. The forum's mandate is to give ail Canadians an opportunity, ta discuss the values and cbaracteristics fundamentai ta Canada's weil-being. The forum will aise, ask Canadians what they think are the major challenges Canada faces in the comaing decade. Meetings will be hol in each province as the forum makes its way across the country. Public debates wiil b. held, and written briefs wiil aise b. selicited on specific aspects aof the public dialogue. I believe that it is ai' vital importance ta aur future that Canadians malce an effort ta, express their opini.ons. The citizens' forum wants ta knowl hat hopes and reams do Canadians share? How can we reduce the borniera that oiat among us? What do we value moot about aur country? I ,encourage you ta take the firat stop by calling 1-800-66MOUM toîl free. You can aise contact the forum at: Citizens' Forum on Canada's Future, P.O. Box 1991, Station B, Ottawa, Ont. KlP 1A2. While there is no denying that Canadians have experienced sanie disappinting setbacks. in aur quest to reaffirm national unity, I1beleve the citizens' forum will assert tbat this country is far too important te us ail and must supersede any I feelings which may' recently bave been created. The values that Canadians hold dear still exist and the concept ai' a truly united M AL