PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1976, WHITBY FREE PRESS whit by Voice of the Cou nty Town M The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operai SERVING OVER 28,000 READERS ike Burgess, Publisher-Managing Editor ted by Whitby residents for Wiitby residen Assistant Editor- - Blake Purdy Published every Wednesday Community Editor - Brian Winter Contributing Editor - Jim Qu.U Production Manager - M.arje Burgess M.B.M. Publishing Display Advertising Manager - by M M ulsi Robin Lyon and Photography Inc. Classified Ad Manager M Marlene Byroni Circulation Manager - Sharon Lyon Box 206, Whitby. The Free Press Building 1 Mailing Permit No. 460 121 Brock Street North, P Whitby., Ontario 1 Phone6861. t Congratulations all for a great election The Free Press would like this week to congratu- late everyone who made Monday's civic election such a success. We congratulate all of the candidates who were successful in their efforts to be elected or re-elected to Whitby Council, Duriam Region Council, The Durham Region Board of Education or the Durham Region Roman, Catholic Separate School Board. Equally deserving of plaudits are the candidates who, despite their valiant efforts, fell short of winning seats on the aforementioned bodies. Some of the unsuccessful contendors must still be mumbling "So close and yet so far" in their sleep. To both the successful and the unsuccessful candidates, we say "Congratulations and thank you" for making the election such an exciting one and for running, for the mQst part, strong and clean campaigns. The people who worked with the candidates are also worthy of praise for the same reason. Just one tip for the candidates and their workers: with all the door-knocking, hand shaking, leaflet distributing and sign assembling and, we hope, disassembling which has been done during the past month, there are bound to be some broken, bloodied and blistered hands out there; soak them in warm water. To get back on the track, we also congratulate Returning Officer Bill Wallace and everyone who helped him for running such a smooth and efficient election. Our last but heartiest pat on the back goes out to the voters. The fact that almost 50 per cent of the people eligible to cast ballots turned out to the polls is once again, proof positive that the citizens of Whitby do indeed care about this town and how it is run. As a result, this commun- ity will always be a great place in which to live. Norm Cafik M.P. says: New safeguards ensurefairness in immigration Dear Sir: Re: The Government's Immigration Bill • On November 24, 1976, the Government intro- duced a Bill in the House of Commons that will affect all the citizens of Canada. I would like, therefore, to take this opportunity to tell you about the new legislation and to make some of its provisions clear to you. The Bill, proposing changes in Canada's immigration laws, is the culmination of three years of hard work on To the Editor: On behalf of the One Parent Family Association I would like to convey my deepest thanks for the part you played in helping to make our dance on November 20th a complete success. The advertising proved so successful, that much to our disappointment we actually had to turn the part of all interested segments of society. It reflects widespread con- sultations with the Provinces, with concerned organizations and with members of the public. It incorporates the major- ity of recommendations of the Special Joint Com- mittee of Parliament on Immigration Policy which conducted an extensive program of hearings from coast to coast and sub- mitted to Parliament last November an important and valuable report repre- senting the views of people down at the door. So once again I would like to thank you and let you know your help would be very much appreciated in the future. Yours sincerely, Deborah Campbell, One Parent Family Association, Publicity Director, 204 Centre St. N., Oshawa. members from all parties in the House and from Senators. The Bill explicitly affirms, for the first tine, the fundamental objec- tives of Canadian immi- gration law; family reuni- fication, non-discrimina- tion, concern forrefugees, and the promotion of Canada'seconomic, social, demographic and cultural goals. The new Act will remove inequities that exist in present law and will provide a modern, flexible framework for the future development of immigration poiicy. The current prohibited classes defined in existing law are harsh and out of tune with ' modern Canadian values. The new Act replaces them with new inadmissible classes defined in accor- dance with objective criteria reflecting current attitudes and knowledge. The present Act gives vague and undefined powers to the Govern- ment to make regulations but it is silent aboift such important -matters as refugees. The Bil expresses, for the first time fully in the law, Canada's obligations to refugees under the United Nations Convention and specifically provides for their admission. Under the new Act, future immigration levels are made a matter for open decision and public announcement in advance by the Government. We want to plan our immi- gration intakes over the years to come in such a way that Canadians will know what to expect, rather than being subject- ed to explosive increases and their attendant social and economic strains, followed by restrictions that result in disappoint- ment and hardshjp to prospective immigrants and their relatives in Canada. A statutory basis for encouraging a wider distribution of im- migrants geographically is also provided for under the new Act. The new Act will rein- force our commitment to the principle of family reunion. The present sponsored class, for example, will be replaced by a family class which will be expanded to in- clude the parents of Canadian citizens, no matter what their age. In regulations made under the new Act, the existing points for the nominated class will be preserved and those rela- tives now eligible will receive the same level of preference they enjoy under the present regulations. The new Act will con- tain essential measures to protect Canada against terrorists and organized crime and it replaces open ended regulation making powers by specific and circumscribed authority. New safeguards to-ensure maximum fairness in immigration proceedings strengthen traditions of equity in these matters. This 13ill provides a modern, legal foundation for one of our most im- portant social and economic programs. I am confident that all Canadians will welcome this new legislation. Norm Cafik, MP, Ontario Riding Bible Society walkathon surpasses its fund goal Dear Sirs: The Canadian Bible Society Whitby Branch would like to thank all the people that helped in any way with the 1976 walk & bikeathon. The final figures are in and we are happy to say our goal was ,surpassed. Our goal was $3,500 and we received a total of $3,638.94. This money is for 1,4000 Pujabi, Brahui, Kohli Gospels forPakistan. Thank you again, Secretary, Mrs. Shirley Wallis4 138 Thickson Rd. N., Whitby. M - . I "DD You /N T//E PIEo/A/T ?" One Parent Families express their thanks Àdopu ý 4.3al.-