WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER.14, 1987, PAGE 5 The 'Free trade' pact between Canada and.United States is either the best thing or the worse thing that has ever happened to Canada. (Take your pick.) You can also take your pick of experts. For every view, some expert somewhere can back up that claim. (You know the definition of an expert? Aw, come on; you learned this in Grade 10. 'X' is an unknown quantity; a 'spurt' is a drip under pressure.) Recently a challenge by a very young journalist) requested someone define what exactly is meant by 'Cultural Sovereignty.' The phrase may have been coined by a bureaucrat who did not want it known she/he made a living counting paper clips. But that someone could publicly ask for such a definition shows the battle may be half lost. We have assurances that the free trade deal will not af- fect cultural matters. In a pig's sty. I would not like to be lumped together with réac- tionaries -heaven forbid! -but by the time we find out what this deal will do to our own 'Cultural sovereignty', much damage may have been done. First, let us try to define cultural sovereignty. Cultural Sovereignty means picking up a school text book and not seeing an American Flag; of learning about Thanksgiving, and hearing about the Pilgrims only as a tradition of a foreign country. Cultural Sovereignty means picking up a magic book for children and not having Mickey Mouse explain how to fold a dollar bill so George Washington turns upside down; of turning on the radio and hearing hit songs by Canadian ar- tists; of picking up a news magazine and reading about world events from a Canadian perspective. Cultural sovereignty means havng canadians control the distribution of Canadian books and movies and recor- ds; having Canadian magazines displayed prominently in supermarkets and convenience stores from coast to coast; having television movies made in Toronto or Whit- WITH OUR FEET UP bw 1Hi11 Swan Defining sovereignty by or Oshawa and having Toronto or Whitby or Oshawa appear as Toronto, Whitby or Oshawa. Cultural sovereignty means having most of our main sources of information produced by Canadians, for Canadians; cultural sovereignty, means recognizing that United States of America, although populated largely by our cousins, is still a foreign country. Many of our young people cannot remember when we did not have serious Canadian artists dominating Canadian radio. Perhaps they can be forgiven, then, for not realizing that Canadian artists do not march from garrets or garages as complete professionals. They grow as part of a domestic culture. Before government regulation dictated Canadian content on radio stations, most of the music heard throughout the land was American. I've said it before: radio stations fought Canadian content regulations in the sixties, arguing that there were not enough Canadian musicians to fill the time requirements. What happened, of course, was that the Canadian musicians came out of the garages and garrets and filled the void, creating a few international stars along the way. The secret there lay in the fact that many performers became stars in Canada first, and then took the world by storm Our film industry still lacks this drive. At best our film makers are producing American movies and television shows for American audiences. We need a movie which is first a hit in Canada, and then works for the rest of the world. The first movie aimed at the American market which shows the CN Tower in the Toronto skyline will be a sign that we have come into our own. What does ail this have to do with free trade? Little -or everything. While nothing in the deal says specifically that our cultural sovereignty has been traded away, we may have something worse. If we open our borders to American publications, giving them the same postal rates as Canadians enjoy, we stand to lose. American publications of ail kinds come pouring in, for pennies, swamping Canadian products. Can't Canadian authors grab part of the American market? Perhaps. If Canadian writers, musicians, ar- tists, are developing their talents here at home to help us ail find out what it means to be Canadian, we may export Canadian culture. But if we look on culture as we do on widgets, we are doomed. At best, we will have Canadian artists producing American works for the American market. If this free trade deal brings us to that point, we are al] the losers. Grant approved for repainting of former library building A designated property grant has been recommended for Peter Tselios, owner of the former Whit- by library on Dundas St. W.. for repainting of the building. Administrative commit tee ap- proved the grant last week for repainting ôf the windows and other wood trim to the original paint color. An analysis has to be made to determine the original color before work can begin, according to requirements of the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. The former library building has been designated as a heritage 1~ building and so is eligihle for the grant. Under the progran. Tselios will be reimbursed by the Town' for 50 per cent of the cost of t he pi.> lt'cl up tfo$3.001) The estirnated cost of the repain tng is $7.100. so the Town's share will be $3.()() 0,The Town is. in turn. Another addition planned by All Saints Anglican Church Whitby's administrative commit tee has recommended council aip proval of an addition to All Saints Anglican Church. The addition will provide space for a lounge/meeting room. offices. Sunday school. nursery and spare sacristy. The new wing will join the ad dit ion const ructed in the I950is Council was to decide on the commit tee recommendation Tuesday night. EWING POOLS & SPAS ac FALL SALE SPAS ROM $2,500 'oH BOOK SPRING INSTALLATION NOW MAY 21st. /88 DATE AVAILABI NO R A Featuring DURHAM j 16x32 Rectangle REGIONS -LARGEST INGROUND INCLUDES: POOL INSTALLER S14Gauge steel walls •Hardbottom LE • bullnose coping • 30 mil liner , (OVER 1200 • skimmer • main drain • jacuzzi INSTALLED) • filter and pump • 6 ft. diving board • ladder • maintenance kit • vacuum kit • chemicals PLUS: * 3 ft. wide cement deck * solar blanket and winter cover * COMPLETERESODDING * all sales taxes included W $105400 reinbursed ly the minstry for the cost of the grant as well as another 10 per cent for a administration costs. CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF WHITBY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT - PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE THE ARTS AND CULTURAL NEEDS OF WHITBY RESIDENTS (CENTENNIAL BUILDING FEASIBILITY STUDY) PURPOSE OF MEETING: The purpose of the meeting is to provide the opportunity for residen- ts of the Town of Whitby to discuss the existng and future Arts and Cultural Needs of the Community. Public discussion will focus on the feasibility of the Centennial Building in the Town of Whitby being used as a potential site. DATE: October 22,1987 TIME: 7:00 P.M. LOCATION: Council Chambers, Town of Whitby, Municipal Building 575 Rossland Road East, Whitby. Ontario. The Staff of the Parks and Recreation Department encourage residentr of the Town of Whitby to get involved and attend the Public Meeting. All information received from the public will be used to assist the Town in planning for the future. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. 668-5803 Ext 292.