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____-- ~ -~ Page 6e Whîtby Free Press, Wednesday, June 22, 1994 The only Newspaper owned and operated by Whltby resîdents for Whltby residents! MEMBER 0F: ONTARIO COMMUNITY, NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER ASSOC IATION I~ CIRCULATIONS CNA DIVISION AUDIT BOARD ISSN#0844-398X 26,500 COPIES DELIVERED WEEKLY Published every Wednesday by 677209 Ontario mc. Box 206, 131 Brock St. N, Whltby, Ontario Li N 5Sl Phone: 668-6111 Toronto Line: 427-1834 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pither - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20% # recycled content using vegetable based inks. C Ail written material, illustrations and advertising contained herein is protected by copyright. Any reproduction by any mfeans for commercial purposes without the express permission of the niewspaper ls prohlblted and is a violation of Canadian copyright aw. Reproduction for non-commercial distribution should bear a credit line to th Witby Free Press. Toth dior. The health 'tacts' 'Responsible' coverage urged To the Editor: As a public health nurse, w. are concernied about inaccurate and mlsleadlng Information ln a recent latter ta the editor ('Ludicrous spending.* Fr. Press, June 1) about public heafth and the upcomlng hepatitis B immunization h:afier 20 years of explicit sex educatian, teen pregnancies and the number of sexually transmitted diseases has not increased. Fact: in Durham Regian, the rate of teen pregnancies and the number of sexally transmitted diseases has not increased. Myth: public health's sexual- ization of aur children. Fact: public health nurses promote healthy sexuality ta people of ail ages. Information about healthy sexuality does not cause adolescents ta came sexually active. Accurate information aîlows adolescents ta make informed decisians. Myth: -hepàtitis B immunization is being introduced ta salve a problem public health created. Fact: education about heathy sexuality daes not resuft in increased sexual activity. The hepatitis B immunizatian program is being introduced ta prevent hepatitis 8 and its possible ife threatening utoomes, such as cirrhosis af the liver and cancer. Myth: hepatitis B is blazing out of contrai. Fact: in Durham Region, cases of hepatitis B have nat increased relative ta the rest of the province. Myth: public heafth had students place condoms on their fingers and insert them in plastiac madels of a vagina. Fact: public health nurses in Durham Reg ion have neyer been involved in this activity. Myth: parents were told public health's goal for schools is ta have children comfortable with condoms, talking about sex on the playg round and for it ta b. dinner-time conversation. Fact: the heaîth department does not set goals for schoois. The ministry of education and school boards set educational goals for schoals. A primary focus of the health department is that children f eel comfortable enough ta talk about healthy sexuality with their parents rather than getting inaccurate information tram f riends. Myth: public health determines what aur children shauld and shauldn't know. Fact: the health department pravides information ta, the community based an current medical research. ln the schaol setting, curriculum based on Ministry af Education guidelînes determine what children study. Public health nurses are cancerned about teen pregnancies and the occurrence af sexually transmitted diseases. We have a responsibiiity ta pramate healthy sexuaiity ta alr chiidren and adolescents in Durham Region, including those who chaos. ta postpane sexual invoivement and t hase wha are sexually active. Jean Nesbltt, Judy Murray and Marion Megesî Public health nursing supervisors Durham Reglon Health Department Back in the closet Ta the EdItor: Congratulations ta Drummand White for his help in the defeat af the same sex legisiation. Athaugh Mr. White was nat there for the vote that actually killed that bill, he staod up and was counted as a no vote during the f irst reading. However, i i the pracess, Mr. White and the ather decent MPPs wha vatod no, have reaiiy upset gays and lesbians -- the one ta 1-1/2 per cent af the population that try ta force their anti-Christ ian, anti-family values down aur thraats. Thank God that Mr. White chose ta stand and b. count ed. Now that this issue has been deait with in a democratic manner, it must b. put back into the closet (for some it seems a very large closet) forever. By the way, Mr. White, keep comîng up with actions like this and you will get very seriaus consideration for my vote in the next elect ion. Edwln (Ted) Greenfield WhItby To the Editor: R. Buffett confirms candidacy for local nomination, Free Press,. June 15. A local Tory nominse is hoping the next provincial election will not recelve responsible media coverage. Former Whitby councillor Lynda Buffett, who is aiso president of the Prgesv Conservative riding asoiain in Durham Centre, said, *1 think i's onlya race between the two (opposition) part ies ...1 don't think the NDP stands a chance." Perhaps she is unaware of a Canadian Radio-television and Telecom munications Commission ruling. They- stated in October, 1992 that fringe parties weren't given equal air time in the 1990 Ontario election. The environmentalist Green Party hailed the decision as showing 'collusion' between the television networks (Global, CBC How about tarring, feathering? To the Editor: I suppose it would be polit ically very incorrect ta suggest that those lovable young offenders who robbed the Dckie De. vendor in Whitby shauld b. tarred and f esthered. Oh. for the good aid days, when you could blaze their names acrass your front page and stop a few horses before they got out af the gage. John Stotte Whitby "It's a shamne you have to fight for lt." and CFTO) and the three main political parties. "Had they not canspired ta keep the alternative patesoff the debates, it may h ave had an eftect on the elect ion," Green Party adviser Greg Vezina said. "Who is ta say the leader of the Family Coalition Party or- the Freedomn Party of Ontario might not have captured theý public's imagination if he had been able ta participate in the debae?" The commission said its guidelines were breached when "leaders af registered parties not in the debate were not provided with some type af accommodating time." Gardon Wilson, former leader of the Liberals in British Columbia (with no ML-As), proved Vezina's case. He won 15 seats after fighting ta join the TV debate. Likewise, Mel Hurtig of the National Party g ained a sizeable margin in the federal election after fig hting and getting caverage. The C BC was embarrassed during the '93 election when f looded with calîs from viewers of Global who watched the alternative parties debate. They confused stations and thariked the CBC for providing the forum. t's a shame yau have ta fight for it. The media should b. knocking doors down (as with Paul Bernardo or bocating the Stones in Toronto) ta provide the electarate with f ull and accurate information. i's imperative. True democracy The Whitby Free Press welcomes, letters ta die editor on any subjeot of conS oer tour readers. Letters should be bniet and ta the point - rarely more than 300 words. AIl letters must be accompanied by the name, address and telephone number of the writer. However, on request, your name may be withheld f rom publication if we agree there is a valid reason. The newspaper reserves thee nght to reject or edit ail letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Li N 5S1. or drop through our mail slot at 131 Brock St. N. demands an informed and responsible public. B uf.tt also hopes Brian Mulroney and Kim~ Campbell don't influence provincial attitudes.1 Furth.rmor., she may not reaiize the FCP now has 72 ridings organized. If we join forces with the Reform Party, need I1 peulate on patential PC jamage? Finally, she lIIýely expects the media ta favour the opposition parties. Sh. mught b. correct on this point. However, if mIa I s presented accurately, disappoint- ment might rule. The media? Accurate? l'm dreaming. Brian Chiasso President FamIIy Coalition Party Much unresolved about DBIA To the Editor: At the Whitby council meeting af June 13 aur council approvedi the 1994 budget for the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA). There were f ive deputat ions ta counicil outIining the concerns of the downtown business community. These deputants made it very clear that by passing this budget, council wouîd b. lgnorn the needs and rights of the bsness community. ht appears that anly cauncillor Dennis Fox was wiîling ta hear bath sides af the issue. I wouîd like ta cammend councillor Fox for realizing that this issue is not resalved by virtue of passing this budgt. Tlhere are niany unanswered questions and unresolved items surrounding this issue. ht seems that this council has given the business community no choice but ta investigage other avenues in an attempt to resolve these issues. Pat Perklns Whltby Ps To the editor..., c Ncf A