PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1985, WHITBY FREE PRESS hi tb Published every Wednesday r-X by M.B.M. Publishing Communlty 10 and Photography Inc. f-f zmpPhone 6X-611Il VALERIE COWEN I I I Advertlalng Manager wu J è IThe Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North. SeodCasMt Voice of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publlsher- Managing Editor P.O. Box 206. Whitby, Ont. The only Whitby newsp aper indepcndently owned and operated by Whitby Iresidents for WhiCby residentE. We're angry about the arrogant treatment we received at last Tories across this province are now on an ernotlonal high having elected a man they believe will continue their dynasty in Ontario for yet another 40 years. Weil, this newspaper is going to burst their bubble. Like many other (in fact, all other) newspapers across Ontarlo, this newspaper was most Interested In the leadership convention held In Toronto over the weekend. Like other newspapers, we dutifully filed for media ac- creditation so that the editor of the Whitby Free Press could gain entrance to the Toronto A weldy nws omn qt.y from. one of Canada's outst'=nding nems pesonaUltes THe BEST OF ANmtma a1r OR GLOBAL NE!WB One of the major problems facing this country Is regionalism, and the sense of alienation that is rampant in places like the West, the Maritimes, and Northern Ontario. By and large, the CBC is one of the best medicines we have for this illness, but now and then, even the CBC is a contributing factor. I was watching a hockey game on a recent Saturday night, in which the team that Harold Ballard demoralized was taking a drubbing from the Pittsburg Penguins. Midway through this rout, during a lull in what is laughingly referred to as play, a picture came on the screen of a sign in the stands, which read: "Pickle Lake Loves the Leafs," or words to that effect. One of the com- mentators, in all ill-considered moment, wondered aloud who had ever herad of Pickle Lake. I don't want to be too heavy-handed about this. It was the kind of remark that anyone can find himself making, without malice, in two hours of live broadcasting. But the effects of a crack life that on the population of Northwestern Ontario, already alienated, already resenting the fact that Southern Ontario doesn't know and doesn't care, could be enormous. Pickle Lake is where Canada is, the old Canada, the real Canada, the Canada that contains our roots. Pickle Lake is mentioned on CBC Radio every night of the week, in the weather forecast. It is one of the most northerly towns in Ontario, just off Highway 599. It is even farther north than Red Lake and Balmertown, which lie to the west. The air in Pickle Lake is cold and clear, and in a Pickle Lake winter you see hockey played, the old way. There is a price for living in Pickle Lake which you discover when you buy a head of let- tuce in mid-winter, or when you fill the tank of the pick-up with gasoline. And I'd be willing to bet that one reason Pickle Lake loves the Leafs is that Hockey Night in Canada is a popular way to spend Saturday evening there. We forget that this country was overwhelmingly rural until well into the 20th century. It wasn't until the census of 1931 that the people in urban cen- tres began to outnumber the country's rural residents, and that, only barely. What Pickle Lake represents is our past, and, in a sense, our future. If the Pickle Lakes ever disap- pear, I for one, won't want to live here. Saturday's leadership convention Colloseum where one of·the most important news or his situation or even want to talk to hlm. Great events of this decade was taking place. media relations. We hope this lsn't going to be a And that, was the beginning of our troubles. Af- party wide goverment attitude. ter placing a few telephone calls we finally As far as this newspaper is concerned, this Is reached the person responsible for ensuring that Just an example of the arrogance that 40 years ln media accreditation was properly given - an power can do to a political party. Because thîs onerous task at best. Having recelved the forms, newspaper Is a small weekly, operatlng ln the we dutifully filled them in and sent them back. A backwaters (ie. outslde of Metropolîtan Toronto) couple of weeks later, we were told that we could of Ontario, they don't seem ta thlnk that the Whlt- not send a representative to the convention. Well, by Free Press has the same right to caver the we telephoned our local representative who, to his news as does the Toronto Star or the C.B.C. or any credit, secured proper passes for us. other media organization. A second letter was dIspatched, congratulating AIl1this newspaper wanted to do was pravîde for us for being accepted as a bonafide member of its readers a littIe lnsight on what people from this the media. And then comes election day. The area were doing at the convention.-People from editor of the Free Press fought his way through Whitby and the riding of Durham West took a most the sea of humanity at the C.N.E. grounds to the active part in the leadership convention, hosting a media room only to be told by the director of press hospitality suite for Frank Miller and working on relations for the Ontario Progressive Conservative the floor ta baost his support. They took part in Party that he would not be accredited because he the Most important news event in this province for had missed the deadline. He pointed to a sign the ast 14 years, our readers deserved a chance ta saying that media representatives had to secure read about the local angle in this major news their badges before 9 p.m. last Friday. In all of the event. literature the party sent this newspaper this fact We're not the Toronto Star but that was no ex- was not brought out. cuse for the hostile and rude treatment received What really made the editor of this newspaper by this newspaper by media relations staff of the angry was the manner in which he was treated by P.C. Party. Perhaps what the party doesn't realize the party's media relations staff when he arrived at is that community newspapers such as ours have the centre. They were rude and arrogant. They a bigger impact on their readers than do the big would not take a moment to hear him out nor provincial dailies. If they ever bother to research would they take 30 seconds of their time to ex- the matter they would find that the continued cir- plain the situation. They then instructed, quite culatian of community weekles far outnumbers tersely, a member of the security staff to escort that of the Toronto Star. In fact the Whitby Free him out of the building. The guard subsequently Press circulates more papers n Durham Reglon, told the editor of the Free Press that he "had little and definitely a lot more in Whitby each Wed- or no choice" but to leave. nesday that the Toronto Star does. But the 'big The party's media staff seemed quite concer- city mentalty' seems ta daminate at least some ned that the editor of this newspaper was not a people in the party. It's almost like saying If you member of the Toronto Star. And because he live n Toronto we care, if you don't were not in- wasn't, they really did nmt seem ta care about h em terested in yu. patIie oenet tiue L- -Mm-mi