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-~ "~ PAGE 8, WFDNLSDAY, AUGUST 14,1t974, WUIITBY FR[T PRESS Improving the Qual'ity of Lif e by Bill Newman MPP Ini using such a phrase as 'qu lity of lifo", a good nunii- ber of people consider it to ho a produict of' the journalists or academics imaginative mmnd. That is, the terni is too vague or fuzzy to receive serious consideration by those in business, goveroment or the professions requiîred to make the hiard econoii and social decisions in nmanaging our society. How cati ypu nieasure quality Mvien the basic thrust of economics is to measuro economic growth, inflation, etc., using such mieasuring techniques as consumer price index or the gross national product? On the other hiand, a growing nunîber of social scientists and econornists are working diligcntly to devise a meanis of measuring "quality of life" factors. This approach substantially changes the mnaking of public policy from a simple dolîars-and-cents decision basis to a highly complex process involving a vast number of social and erîvironmentaî factors previously uriknown ini the policy making process. For example, the Ontario Government has established agencies such as the Environniental Hearing Board to assess' the potential impact of landfill sites on the environnient or through the Environment Ministry uses sophisticated monitoring equipment to determine the level of air poIlu- tants from certain industries. Concern for the environment has led to stricter standards for the construction of septic tanks on recreationsl prop- orties in order to proteet our priceless lakes and streams. The list of social and environmental concernis grows even larger each year, making the public policy process in- creasingly more complex. Certainly there is a new orientation in values on both a personal and public basis. Whereas, in previous years, big- ger was regarded as botter insofar as economiîc growth was concerned the same unquestioning public attitudes are undergoing a major transition. In thoir place you now find a new focus on envirennien- taI concerns, the question ofthte deplofion of our natural rosources and the nooci to develop sound education'al and hcalth caro systcmis. These items moan a botter under- standing of' "quality of' lie". Within this contex t, grcater attention is being paid to our cultural rosourcos in the rural and nortliorr conimui- tics of' Ontario. Whilo îrany urban centors provide a groater va,,rioty of sour~ces of culture arid onitortainmont, tho public library ini iany rural comimunitios plays a vital rolo in in forrning and educating public opinion. Certainly 1 helievo that to ho thc case with the public libraries in Ontario South ridîig. Although rny figures f'or usage of mnaterils in tho Whitby and Pickering Public Libraries date from 1972, as examplos they do indicate public librarios to be very busy enterprises. Total circulation for 1972 for tlio Pickering Public Lib- rary arnouîitod to I15,882 transactions for material, evon though the total book volume is only 7,63 1. The Whitby Public Library contains 48,601 voIlmes hold, yet there wore 165,7 18 tranisactions for mnaterials. One of course must realize that public libraries possess sîmiply more than print miaterials. In f.act, our modern public libraries con tain a wide range of auidio-visual ma,,tçrial. The public libraries in Ontario South have access to items in other municipal libraries which forni the Central Ontario Regional Library System. Regional library systems throughiout Ontarioo have help- ed to strongthen the basic services which community public libraries provide. Recently, the Honourable James A.C. Auld, Colleges and IJnLversities Minister, announced changes in the regula- tion under the Public Libraries Act t~ he fprmof increased financial aid. For the 1974-75 fiscal, year icountyl atid: local, libraries on a per capita basîs w'ill Incréase, from, $ L135 toé $ f-50, providing a total $11 million in support fund. Regional libraries also improve their financial situation on a per capita basis as well as on a per square mile arrange- ment for the areas under their responsibility. For example, the increase will total $4 million based on the 45 cent per capita plus an increase from $2.50 to $3.00 for the distance covered. In total, about $16 million wîll be available to public libraries in the corning year. If you have not visited your public library recently, drop in and browse. Public libraries staffs perforrni a trem- eridously effective job in meeting the various information needs of people. Take advantage of these facilities and services offered. You imnprove your 'quality of' life" and thereby add îiimîneasuirably to your comimunity's quaI ity of' living. OU MID-SUMMER MONEY SAVER SPECIALS ~ LIMITED QUANTITY ON ALL ITEMS FROM AUG.l4th.-l7th. PHI1LLI PS' M ILK OF b MAGESIAPhillips Mïik of~ M agruesia 12 oz. I - 378C _ ri 'e.Bright - 1 Irush Side O TRUST COMPANY SINCE1 iSpring Shampoo LreD e Hand~î 5Mauiaer ___ 6vn Hand sîle n25 The Law and You Preventive Law Program Q. My, sixteen year old daughter has always,.wdnted to ho an ailine stewardess. Apparently'some weeks ago she answered an ad from "Internation Aviat ion Careers Schools" in Chicago.* Unknown to me a representative of' this school called on my home when my wife and I were away, and in our absence'our daughter signed a contract. This document declares that -the signer is over 18 years of age and calîs for the payment of nearly one thousand dollars in tuition! When 1 called the school at the Zenith number the representative lcft, thoy said that since my daughter had signed the, con tract that she was over I18, she would ho bound by it according to Illinois law. A. Bofore a contract can become legally binding in Ontario the person signing it must ho over 18 years of age. A declaration to the effect that one of the contracting parties has attained the age of mnajority, when in fact ho hasn't is of no effect whatsoever. The rule applies both in Ontario and Illinois. Even if it didn't, since the contract was signed in Ontario, Ontario law prevails. You daughter was incapable of signing of valid con- tract and the document she signed is of no consequence at ail. Inqidentally if you wished your daughter to take ,éoucrs ', the document she signed would ho a valid 'con-traci -,enforceable against International Car.- ? ers-Schole;,aIthough it cannot be enforced against her. Q. 1 think a nasty storekeeper miglit have ruined my credit rating. I bought a car froni him in a private sale, but I refused to pay unless ho made some repairs ho promised. Ho said to pay up or watch my credit rating go up in smoke. Is there any way 1 cani make sure ho doesn't do this? A. You should make a request in writing to ail local credit reporting agencies to know the contents of your credit file. Under Ontario's Consumer Reporting Act, the credit reporting agency must gîve you the information in the file at no cost. If thon the merchant has gotten the story into your credit file, tell the roporting agency your side of the story. If' they refuse to puit it in the file, contact the Registra r of C.onisumer Reporting Agencies ini Toronto. Fle cari listen i o boilh sides of the storv and mnake sure that the right one ends up in the files. Q. Five vears aowhien IBob aud 1 were majrried \VO drew Uip a' contràci to cover \vhaî wouild happen if wvo ever spliit Up. J t covered things like whoc got \what jîroperty. who rgot custody of the ciclidrn, and %vhiat sort of* paymients I wouild hc enititled to. I %vas jujst \von de ring if this was a val id con tract. A. Excopi possibly with respect to the division of prop- orty, the contract is of' no legal effect at aIl. Essen- tially what yoLI have donc is ontered into a separation agreement whiile you are still living togethier. Our law considors suchi contracts invalid because thecy are con trary to the nature of mnarriago. You certainly could not force the court to givo cus- tody of a child to one or another parent bx' a con- tract in any ovont. The courts must decide custody cases in the best interests of the child. Q. Wo lot a ncîghibour Uise our locker in the stororoomr o0 of our apartmient building to store a rather ratty old chair. Hoe said it had sentimental value, but evidently thaýt %wasn't enough cause he moved oum t a Nlt-nd left it -4flJ'-Si' QUESTIONS AND) A DN ' Rl) .\N EI -ýNSWES. 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