PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1977, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice ofthe Cou nty Town mi The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and op e SERVING OVER 28,000 READERS ke Burgess, Publisher-Managing Editor -rated by Whitby residents for Whitby resiclents. Community Editor Published every Wednesday Conitributing Editor Production Manager Print & Promotional by M.B.M. Publishingi Manager and Photograpby Ime. Classif ied Ad Manager Phone 668-6111l Circulation Manager Mailing Permit The Free Press Building, Member 121 Brock Street North, Better Business Bui P.O. Box 206. WIitby, Ont. Whitby Chamber c -Brian Winter -Jim Quail -Marie Burgess -Robin Lyonl -Marlefle Byron' -Sharon Lyonl t No. 460 rof the: ireau of Toronto ofComerce Region ' s future depends on your vote Tomorrow's provincial election is considered by some to be the election nobody wanted, or nobody needed, but it is an election whetlier we like it or not. Because it is an election we have the free choice of deciding vho wvil goverfi this province during the coining years. The major issue according to the candidates appears to be the gaining of miajority governînent by the Conservatives, or the nmaintenance of a rninority governmiient, which tthe New Dernocratie Party wotild like to see so it can do a littie armn twisting when it considers this necessary. TFhe other, and far greater issuie being totited arouind the province is unemiploymcnt and %%the provision of jobs, but this is a national and even international problemi. Ontario alone canna t hope to solve this problern dranmatically, whoever is ini power. In Durhani West there are four candidates to choose frorn: Pickering M-iyor George Aslîe for the Progressive Conservatives, '.ncunibent NDP mnember Dr. Charles Godfrey, Liberal candidate ioe Bugelli, and :ndel)efdelft Conservative Bill Leslie. Dr. Godfrey has two years of experience ini the legisiature behind him and has worked actively to try to bring regional matters, to the attention of the provincial government. Mr. Ashe, as Mayor of Pickering, has knowledge of the reion's problems from within regional counicil, and is qualified at that level to represent Durh.am West. Mr. Bugelli is a young man, relatively unknow'i, who is making. his second try to enter politics. He ran unsuccessfully in- the 1976 municipal election in Whitby. What he lacks in experience he makes up for with enthusiasm. Mr. Leslie represents -those opposed to big governiment, and while he complains a lot about what big governiment is doing to the taxpayer, he seems to offer no solutions to the problems which irk him so much. For Durham West voters the decision cornes down to party preference, and who will represent us the best in the legislature. These two factors will decide the election in this riding. With regional government coming under criticism, complaints about water and sewer bills, and a number of industries in Oshawa and Pickering closing or laying off employees, the kind of representation for the Durham Regional taxpayer at Queen's Park is the critical factor in this election in our local riding. With this as the deciding factor, it appears the race wil be between Dr. Godfrey and Mr. Ashe, with the other two candidates flot as closely in George Ashe clarifies hi"s posietion on LCBO wareho use for EDITOR'S NOTE The following is a reply by Durhamn West Progres- sive Conservative Candi- date George Ashe to an article which appeared in the Toronto Star June 1 , rcgarding statements by him abouit the LCBO warehousc ta be Iocated in Whitby. The article stated Mr. Ashe had charged that the provincial governmcnt mnay pay between $750,000 and $1 million more for the land in Whitby than for a com- parable site in Pickering. The article also states that Mr. Ashe in a letter ta Ontario Housing Mini- ster John Rhodes said sites in Pickering would be available at a reason- able mnarket price "and not an inflated price as now being paid in Whitby" Mr. Ashe is quated as having said the Pickering property could have been available at $1 5,000 ta $20 ,000 lcss per acre than is being paid for the Whitby sites. The following is Mr. Ashe's response ta this article: Dear Sir: Last night (June 1 st, 1977) the Toronto Star featured an article, based on an anonyrnaus source, concerning a letter I had written sometime ago ta the Flan. John Rhodes, Minister of Housing, as Mayor of the Town of Pickering. Althouigh, the facts given in that article are basically correct any reader's intcrpretation could be grossly incor- rect. Herc arc my corn- mients on somne of the omnitted facts and the circumnstanccs relatcd ta * that letter: i. The article - by omission - implies that it is a recent state- ment of my views. It is not. It was written on April 4th, while acting as Mayor of the Town of Pickcring and before 1 becamne a can- didate in thc present election. 2. It was written because, at that tirne, 1 was disappointed that the proposcd devclopmcent had not been assigned ta the Town. A reaction, I believe, that every resident of a municipality would expect of the head of his or her Cauncil under similar circum- stances. A copy of my letter' was placcd an filic with the Town Administrator and every member of the Town Council was made aware of it. 3. There was nothing secretive about the government's announc- ed plan to help the Region of Durham grow econamnica The L.C.B.0. _w, hanise is but anc ment in that whý programme of creati new assessme industry and jobs. knew of theprogranr as did every Counci in all mnunicipali and every citizen v~ has read the mn articles on the subjý However, 1 had wor' - as Mayor of Pic] ing - in every reaç. able way ta persu the Government 1 it should choose Pickering locat During the past rnany local Couir were attempting persuade the L.C.1 and the Governrr tiiat the warehc should be locatec their municipalil 1 believcd that a sît Pickering wouid mare economical t anc in other areas 1 said sa. 4. 1 stated in my h that I rccognized political realities oý decision. 'I realities include fact that all of Dur will benefit subý tially fram the warehouse - thr< taxation, employi and also that higher land cas, being paid ta Region for Re Whitby flly. awned land - not to 'are- any developer - and so -le- offsets what could have ýoe been a tax burden to ing the whole Region. nt, Viewed fromn my 1 position as Mayor, the ime region was a first place ilor winner and the Town tics of Pickering second vho because we ail benefit ýany when a desirable new ecet. development is located -kd anywhere in the ýker- Region. so-.I think that the most ade important . point to be tat made is that the situation ca emphasizes the extent of the effort .I made to yOflr bring a new industry ý1ear to the area. That it icil did fot core to Pickering 3..was a disappointment ta nent mie because my primary Duse responsibllity was then to 1in the residents of the Town tics. - in a period which is ce in now about a year old be and long before ,I han sought candidacy as the and Progressive Conservative Candidate. 1 have given my per- etter sonal comrnitment to 1the cvery'ane who is assisting ýf the me in this election and I Fhose give fita every citizen the of the Riding t hat I will ranwork just as tirelessly for *htam ail Durham West residents, stn- if elected, as I have for newh those in the -Town of mi-n Pickering. -the t. is the .gion George L. Ashe, Progressive Conservative Candidate, Durham West,