Whitby Free Press, 14 Feb 1990, p. 5

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WHf'Y FME PMES, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 199, PAGE 5 The Lone Star Saloon ii located at the main corner of Beaver, O)nt. InsJide, bhind the bat-wing doors, a piano tinkles; and voice baffle on ail sorts of gab. Grabbing with the best of them, Luca Letterpres blows the fosmn off a mug of nialty beer. 'Td be mighty disappointed," saya L;ucasý editor and proprietor of The Beaver Fiat Tail. "ery diaapponted," he repeats, taking a dieep sip. 'At what?' queries Erneét, the bartender, flnally. "Why if Townr Councili were ta have its way and declare this a un'ilingual town," Lucas replies. 'MLke they promised ta, do." The mani at Lucas' elbow straigltens u ntfl bis nçee bag nly partiy into the bawl of grog. "Henglesh's good en-nough for Bever Town Council, 'ta good 'nuif fer me," ho says. This vioce belonga ta Hector Hunk. 'Tut your snouùt back in the bucket," says Ernest the bartender. "It01 help preserve your opinions," Hector complies. Ivfle point beixg.. , ays Lucas, flot ral sure wbat the point reaily is, "the point being ..la '1'hie point being that this town can get along qte well on one language, and we don't need the province ta, tell us bow ta do things here." This third voice -. or i. it fourth? -- belongs te two huxidred anid ninety pounds of Big Autrey, auto insurance agent. "Spoken like a true Canadian' " says Lucas, pullig bis basebail cap down over bise yes and sloucbing as Iow as one who isfour foot ten can slouch. "rYeah, let me tell ya," says Autrey, "l mean, who won the battie of plains of Abrahami or whatever'it was. -Was that the right battie, Lucas?" 'l¶think that'the one." "Okay, weil., see we E lish shoulda took the Frnch right then and made them learn English. WVe'd had no problems now." WITH OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Ieea1 Canacliains,'eh? 'lue the English did, in freland how many hundreds years ago?" replies Lucas. "And te didnt even àaea a g1 g prbe,,, ta deal with." he "Tou mean send in the army? I think that'd do it" says Autrey. "Keep the little býuggers in place." Ernest the bartender, polihes glasses. "I amn sure tho6e are Iofty sentiments, lÇr, Autrey. 'Lofty sentimenta!" enot Lucas. Autrey leaxia forward an~ butta bis cigaret on the No Smoking sign. 'Tirat, i 9' no smoking zones," he says. "A comnittee plot.th'en French-only signa in Qbe. Another commue plot. French services in parts of Ontario..." "Axother commie plot?" asica Lucas. 'Right on!" s*ory when he heard it. - "Anid those changes in Eastern Europe? Tb. knocing dowýi of the Berlin Wall?" "Right! Another commue plot. Neyer trust those, grip,I alway~ say. You may fot live to regret it."f - rest- res ielves the glasses he. has juat dried and mopa 'the baý with bis cloth. "Let'i not get lest in Europe," he eays. "Les deal with this language staff right here." "Down with bilingualisml," lectures Hector. "Would you want yoiù, daughter te marry oneT' "One Kin, on. flag, one countryi" says Autrey, bis hand over hi, heart. - 'But two l igages,"l says Lucas. Ernest fixes hlm. a gaze, a drunlc made of draft beer and waber. "Say, aren't you suppoeed ta be covering that cuoncil meeting tanight?" Lucas chortles, the way h. does when he bas one sip too many. "Some things are better left unreported." A maxi burata through the bat-wing doors, clothes askew, bis eyes in panic. "They don. it!" h. yells. "They dons it!" "Beaver ia now an unilingual tawn7' asic. Autrey. 'That's right. But not the way you think.". "Whaddya mean7' asks Lucas, bis news sense peeldng out from, behind an evenings worth of draft Lieer. "Not the way we think." "Just wbat I saïd. Council got ail 80 riled up yellin' back In forth about bilingualism. and unilingual status and impending the Mch that they gotaimsedU. "WhatIre ya sayingr' "Beaver ia now officially a unilingual town. According to the by-law just passed. You'll have to pay yo)ur pripert tax in French dollars this year." But L uca was gene. Seber or not, he knew a good B@nding arbitration part of settiement By Trudie Zavadovies After striking for 18 days, Dur- hami Catholic secondarysho teachers are back in cliscaxid their contract disputes go ta voluntarybinding arbitration. Teachers ratifled the 'agree- ment late Monday affernoon and the Durham Region Roman Catholic Separate School Board ratifled it at a meeting Monday ngtand full classes begaxi Tehe La Tuesda.ee issues going ta, arbit- ration are the 1989-90 and 11990- 91 teacher salary grid, the 11989- 90 and 1990-91 principal daIary grid, anid the vice-principal, con- sultant, regional resouroe tea- cher, departrnent head and con- tinuing education allowances wbich shall be increaaed by the sanie peýrcentage as the on-grid teacher increase,. Chairman C4therine Tunney said at a' press conference after the vote that; "both parties agreed that arbiýration shahI be a three person pan-el ta consist of a chairman aged upon by the parties and oh. aide person nominated bye cpat. "Duringa the nediation sessions Of Feb.8 and9 1990, a large nuniber of items previously, in dispute were settled. Included in these were issues such as mai- muni clasa size, pupilteacher ratio, bereavement leave, leave for the cbief negotiator, pre- sident's leave and employee benefit"' Explaining why the board deci- ded t. go ta voluntary binding a-rbitration now, when it had been an option" before, Tunney said that many of the issues were resolve~4 «We wanted our studenta back. in achool. -' "We thoroughly exhausted the negotiation procesa. Al educa- tional issues were settled through negetiation and media- tion. We hvýe negotiated a pro- ceas for arbitration that will ensure that an arbitration panel will be set uP<'conssting of people withknowe eexperlence, and skill in the 1¶,ield of education collective. agreements. lI tbis way we feel we have done -1h. utmost ta, protect the interesta, of our ratepayers.» "Three weeka on strike maçes' both sides more willing to coin- prmie," said Blair Morris, aide t ofDurham i Se on ar QECTA. «W. haven't got an ag feent on salary; ,1ust a mehod for a greent. He said the ecesbto some'issues, but gained in others adding that the teachers will be glad to get back t. teachin. "Strikea are neyer worth any- thing - they are horrendous things,» aaid Morris, but added, «Yes -Fd do it again.»~ Tunuey said that a contract is suppsed to be settled within 60 day sof a cliairman being appoin- ted but sai4 it could take longer. A motion was also passed t. axnend thU achool calendar t., regain some of thie time lbat. Those amendmenta will b. voted on at the Board's next meeting. m

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