RRj Davis dissolves parliament Winter election called:Durham West voters hit polis March 19 By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff On March 19, voters in Durham West will go to the polls to determine whether or not the government of Premier Bill Davis should continue in office. In Durham West, which consists of Whitby, Ajax and Pickering, the organizations of the three major parties appear prepared for the 44-day winter campaign. First off the mark was the New Democratic Party standard bearer, Hugh Peacock, who launched a stinging attack against the Progressive Conservative government's policies. Indicating that he was pleased with Davis' decision to focus the election on leadership and economic issues, the Whitby resident said that, "Under his (Davis') leadership through the decade of the seventies, Ontario has lost its pre- eminence as the strongest, most innovative and com- petitive of Canada's regional economies." "Our own Region of Durham has suffered severely from the erosion of its manufacturing base and the consequent loss of jobs," he continued. Peacock said that the loss of income from laid-off workers has resulted in lower sales for small business as well as higher water and sewer rates and property taxes. "The Davis regime has failed the primary respon- sibility of government which is to he an effective manager of the provincial economy," he added. Peacock accused the government's policies of being disruptive to the region and that Davis was making too many demands upon local government and not helping to pay for it. "I intend to campaign hard for a two-pronged ap- proach to solving our economic problems," he said. "First, a full share of the assembly and manufac- turing of Japanese and European world-technology and automobiles and parts for Ontario and our local economies. "Second, the enactment of job security legislation to protect pension rights, require longer notice of ter- mination, seyerance pay and adjustment assistance as retaining and relocation allowances." The Liberal Party's can- didate, Norman Wei was also critical of the incum- bent government. "Ontario has all the ingredients to be a strong province," Wei said. "We have natural resources in the north, an industrial base in the south, and best of all, millions of residents able and willing to work." Wei pointed out that On- tario is "second to none in areospace and transpor- tation. We lead the world in telecommunication. We have a world-wide reputation in the fields of construction and engineering. "So why are 300,000 people out of work in Ontario?" The Pickering resident laid the responsibilty for this squarely on the shoulde.rs " C S- - pue o-"7 Highway smas h-up Two men stand by and survey the damage incurred when a 1968 Ford owned by Henry Plouffe, of 5 Ingram Avenue in Toronto ran into the back of a Canadian Pacific Tran- sport truck while travelling westbound on Highway 401 last week. The truck driven by Bruce Johnson, of 119 Natal Avenue in Scar- borough, received $800 in damage while Plouf- fe's Ford was a total write off. Plouffe suffered a broken ankle and multiple leg ano face lacerations in the ac- cident. There has been no charge laid according to an OPP spokesman who said the in- vestigation is con- tinuing. -Free Press Staff Photo. the Davis government and criticized them for handling out "election goodies" prior to the election call. "The string of 'election goodies' that the conser- vative government handed out last week was nothing more than a cynical attempt to buy votes," Wei said. "Many of the election promises were found to be very similiar to promises made by the same gover- nment in the early 1970's. In other words, the conser- vatives have recycled old promises into new election goodies to buy votes. "This 37-year-old gover- nment has finally run out of new ideas," he continued. The incumbent Progressive Conservative MPP, George Ashe said that the party will make leader- rhip and "continued good government" the major thrust of their campaign. Ashe, who is expected to be formally nominated for a second term tomorrow, said that he hopes that the residents of Durham West "recognize the tireless effor- ts on their behalf by a hard working member on the government side of the house who has roots in the area." The former mayor of Pickering was first elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1977 when he defeated then incumbent NDP member Charles Godfrey. .He said that his party will seek a mandate to carry on "the excellent government that Ontario has been receiving and that we've already indicated the policies to carry on a strong Ontario." On the local scene, Ashe does not expect to see many issues crop up. "I frankly don't see any big issues" in Durham West he said. If re-elected, Ashe said that he will continue to press for the extension of the GO transit system and to upgrade health services in the riding by getting the unused floor of Whitby's Dr. J. O. Ruddy Hospital re- opened as weil as more facilities for the Ajax- Pickering hospital. The only other announced candidate at press time was Bill Leslie of Pickering who will be the Libertarian Par- ty's candidate. Leslie ran in 1977 and received 865 votes. He did not want to make any public comment at press time.