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Page 6, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, December 18, 1996 The on/y Newspaper owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby resîdents! C I MEMBER 0F: Ontario Community Whitby Whitby Business Oshawa-Durham Home Chamber of Commerce in Action Bulders' Association The Whitby Free Press is distributed free to-99% of the homes in .Whitby, Brooklin, Ashbum & Myrtle as well as numerous public and commercial ouiets in Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Pickering & Port Perry. 28,500 COPIES DELIVER.ED WEEKLY MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE Canada $36 + GST Outside Canada $85 + GST ISSN#844-398X Published every Wednesday by 677209 Ontario Imc. 900 Hopkins St. /Box 206, Whitby, Ontario Li N 5S1 Phone: 668-6111 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pifher - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20% 4W recycled content using vegetable based inks. tu Ail written material, illustrations and advertislng contained herein is protecfed by co0pyright. Any reproduction by any means for commercial purposes wihout the express permission of the newspaper is prohibifed and is a violation of Canadian copyright faw. Reproduction for non-commercial distribution shoutd bear a credif fine to the Whitby Free Press. 400/ r ~ ..:~~7' .'~sa.p .'*1*p*fpeuu .nm% "Stili time to help .. r Unfinished business On January of this year, the Corporation of the Town 0f Whitby launched a M50,000 libel action against Steve Leahy and the Whitby Free Press. The action was in response to the Oct. 25, 1995 "Brooklin" column writen by Steve Leahy that, in part, referred to the rezoning of a property at the intersection at Baldwin and George streets. Three of Leahy's other Brooklin columns last fali commented on the planning process that resulted in the change in the zoning designation in the core of the village tram residential to mixed use. The zoning change was contemplated by the Officiai Plan that had been adopted a year before. However, most 0f the Brooklin residents Leahy spoke to said they knew nothing about it until it was too late. LeahVs opinion is that the planning process is complex and difficult and he urged Brooklin residents to pay more attention ta the process, to attend more meetings and get copies of the zoning documents. One column reported the view of one resident that a citizens' planning committea be formed so that the local residents would know when important things are about to happen. When Leahy and the publisher of The Free Press were notified by the Towns lawyer of the forthcoming libel action last December, they asked for a meeting to discuss the matter. The Town declined to meet and fiied a Statement of Claim at Ontario Court claiming damages of $500,000 in January. Legal praceedings have been ongoing since. Leahy and The Free Press firmly believe that the Town has not been libelled, but in an effort to resolve this matter before any fu rther legal expenses are incurred by Leahy, The Free Press, their insurers or the taxpayers of the Town 0f Whitby, Leahy has included a statement entitled 'Brooklin Zoning' as part of his regular Brooklin column on page 4 which we hope will resolve this issue.c Bus threats Tro the edîtor: Can we afford ta pravide sohool bus services for Ontauio's school children? This is the question schaol trustees are debating night now, as they prepare their 1997 budgets. But what they should be asking is this: can we affard flot 10*r For decades, school buses have been the safest and mast cost-effective way ta transport children ta and tram school. In today's saciety,, it's important for parents ta know their chikiren are safe on the way ta and from school. Simply put, the need for that rellable yellow school bus exists today mare than ever before. This fal, the provincial gaverfiment cut four par cent tram the student transportation budg et. A further six par cent cut has, been announced for 1997. The Ontario School Bus Association calculetes that tram 1991-92 ta the end of 1997, $130 million wiil have been cut tram Ontanlo's $600 million student transportation expenditure. This MI affect dazens of communities across Ontario. School boards must continue ta balance the goal of efficiency with the persanal safety and transportation needs of 816,000 Ontario chikiren wha ride school buses every school day. It is aur responsibility as parents, taxpayers and members of a communîty ta encourage and wark wvith aur school trustees ta ensure aur children get ta schoal safely. We can't affard nat ta. Richard Donaldson Executîva diractor Ontario School Bus Association Let. parents have a say Ta the editor: Copy af latter to Snobeien, Mnister Education and Training Re: Crombla Report The Durham Regior Parent Advisory Coun (DR PAC) was created by ti Durham Board of Educatlon June Of 1995. Its membe conslst 0f 21 parents electi by each af the sev municipalities ln Durha Region. The mandate of tf D RPAC Is to advlse &i Durham Board of Education, 1 serve as an organling body fc community consultation and t serve as a laison ta municp or area Parent groups, or t school community councils. Bath the Cromble Repai and the mlnistry's secondar schaol reform plan are C tremendous relevance ang interest ta ail of the parentt and the communlty at large il Durham Reglon. A largg number 0f the Indivîduals Wtt whomn DRPAC communicatE Nould greatly appreclate thE 'pportunlty ta respond ta the CrOmbie Repart as well as the 3econdary schooi reform papei prior to the implementation ai legîsiation or policles ta give Offec t tathe Issues' and recommendatians outlined in àoth of these documents. We 3amestly request that mare me be aiiowed for revlew af nd Input Into these Issues. We do flot challenge the euggestion 'that our schoal iystem and our school boards n Ontarto have ta change ta neet the present and future 1eds 0f Our students but 1 do Jestion how quickly and in hat manner change is nplemented. lndMvduals mast tfected by the proposed langes absolutely must be cluded ln the decision- aklng process used ta avelop and Implement the commendations for change. fe are sure >vu wiil ag ree that udents, parents, educatars, 'stees and the community at rge I be abundantly more llng ta support a plan far iange if they have played a le in developing that plan. For these reasons we ,ngly Urge you ta take Wantage 0f a valuable 3ource. The 21 parents who rve as volunteers on the JO ai ro e ti a ni wl Inc mi de roc st lr Liq roIf stnc resi Ber DRPAC have the capacity ta lalse wlth flot only the trustees )hn and staff of the Durham Board Ofof Educatian but a Isthe 113 sohool ommunlty councils who, as y ou 1know, are tnd oemposed ofa combi naion of parents, teachers, principals, communlty members and iaî students. icl If you truly "want and need fi (Our) advice on the issues' iln outined In (the discussion 3rs paper on secondary schaol ed reform)« as clalýmed by you ln en 'your letter Included ln your lm discussion paper, and f you hehave any nterest ln receving ýethe response from the to communty ln Durham Region Casinos opposed by David Cromble and Steve Lowden, you wil seek the assistance of DRPAC and allow an apportunlty for us to consult wlth you. 1Içlok forward to receiving >vur response ta the concerns outlined heremn. Paul Nicholson Bulbs, spirit stolen. On Wednesciay nlght, Dec. 4.,1 had approdmaiely 80 ibulbs stolen tram one 0f my front To the editor: This latter is dIrectad mainly ta entertainmant businesses ln Durham Region, especdally In Whitby, such as restaurants and movie theatres. Beware 0f chalty casinos. Each 0f us has only so much discretionary incarna ta spend on entertainmant and If wa're spending it ai the casino we will flot hava much lat ovar for y0u. Sa if the application for The Hideaway ta bemmomana 0f the Ontario casinos Is passed by Whltby council, k vwll hurt y aur local business. Please nform council 0f yaur conoerns bafore it's too laie. At the last Whitby council meeting, f was clear the as a communîty and council we do nat respect or approve of thîs questlonable grab ai revenue by the provincial Tories, under the guise 0f supporting charities. Let's send themn the message that we dont want this in Whitby. Joey Buwalda Whftby WiII be missed The news thet the Whltby Free Press wfil suspend publication has me a ritte wred. One by one, we seemn ta be Iaslng a most essentli and Important service ta the communify. Rif s unfortunate that w. wVAU now be served by only one point 0f view in the prit media locaIly. Unlika aur mayar and ather Whtby coundîllors, I have nearbeen crifical 0f the Press. Vaur paper has been crificfzed for printlng letters ta the editor that, ln some casas, lnformed the public about the shanaflgans and conduct ln. whlch the politiclans lndulged theMsetves. Who naw will infarm the public? The mom unfortunate part of this whole situation is that many fine people I be ouf of work for some timne. This is compounded,ofourse, by the trne 0f year. Rf is neyer good ta lose your lob Mt Christmas trne. I somehow hava a feeling the paper wili be back. Many thanks ta the Publishe<, edifor, writers and ail other membars 0f the Whitby Fre Press staff for rnany years of fair, consistant, enjoyable readlng. Yau will be missed. MI1 we meet again. Jim Priast Whtby, replacad thase bulbs an Frlday, Dec. 6 and aitared my tImer ta keap my Christmas lights on until 3 a.m. i also leit my garage lights on ln hopos 0f discouraging any further thaft. After all, i have the Christmas spirit and 1 wasnt about ta let this misichievous prank get the best of me. On a check Just prior ta 3 arn., eve yhIng was s111li t and intact. vhekmng again at 8 a.m., gatting my morning paper, 1 was shocked ta find that not only did 1 have bulba stolen, everythlng was gona. Every set of lights had bean carefullytacen off 10 trees and bushes (16-20 sets 0f lights) and 1 had been vary klndly lei wlth extension card s lyng on the lawn ln their exact arginal location. The deed was dona meticubously as adl lghts *were secured ta the trees and no damiage ta my' trees had accrred. To be sure I wasnt alone, a check wlth my immedit neighbours revealed two ha I bs Ight sets tram ana tree each, and a despoet neighbour was, found searchlng the park for hîs stolen flaodiights. However, i was the anly ana ta hava my entre yard annihilated. We lma an the 'Insida' 0f aur homes. This is why you decorate the inside. Our- outdoar seasonal dispîsys are for aur friands, family, neighbours and passersby ta enjoy. We taka prida in aur homes and ln aur neighbourhood, and this year's Christmas dlsplay Is the best slnce wea ail movad In. My apologies that-my home n0W looks sa aut 0f place an our streat, void of any Christmas spirit lm rying ta get that spirit backlIntoMY heait, but I'm not sure If ft wll :orne back ta the yard. >Allen Arsenault 41, Soto St Wlilby Canadian Communlty Newspaper Association ýl < - i MW, bqwooto low Nol 1 w jtý To ti-ic ed i tor 1 1 TO the editor: To the edItor: