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WHN~Y ~R~S 4~q~I~49E ~ PAGE SEVEN ONE LAST FENCE TO CROSS, Pence sitting is ot my strength - hence the general titie ofti ourn. Ofur years rve taken some pretty strong positions and I hope I've made people think. But the pressures of business and the necessity to churn out a thousand words every week are not always compatible. There were times, I'm sure, that it showed. -So, im retiring as a weekly columnist, and from now on, will only write when -the spirit bits me. Ail those politiciaus that I've abused so relentlessly can heave a sigh of relief - my barbs will be sporadic instead of weekly. Newspaper- writing was a new venture. for me and the experience has taught me a lot about myseif, about the "democratic" -foundations of our society and about the "power"' of the press, the "power"' ofthe people and the "power" of "city hall." I've discovered that virtually nothing disciplines the mind as much as having te, put your thoughts and opinions on paper for'everybody te, see. An idea phat has aeemed se* fundamental can appear quite triviàI on paper if not supported by facts and arguments - and that's the challenge of writing. SMany of my best columns have developed around simple motherhood subjects -which, once I had written down my thoughts in three short sentences, drew a blank. Then by thinking it through again, I may have even changed my mind. If people, and especially governments, spent more time thinking things through, we would aIl be a lot better off. Instead they react te new situations with old stereotypes ( ... if high interest rates beat inflati on ten years ago then they will again in 1990; ... people who are unemployed are lazy and don't want to work; . .. if it doesn't cost a lot of money it can't be any good.) Even when aIl the. stereotypical arguments are ripped to shreds, governmnents still close ranks around the original idea «such as the GST. Al the governments arguments about j Çaineês aboutý simplicity, about revenue neutral,,about good celonsumiera and small business have been buried long ao yet they're still pushing. Theoly thinga that were right *about the GST were the intent to create a broader base for the manufacturer's sales tax and te eliminate its unfair application to experts. If they had stuck te that intent and thought it through better, the conservatives would be in a lot btter shape than they are today. The last twenty years have seen the gradually widening gulf between governments and the people. The Meech lake impasse was not about the two solitudes of English and French Canadians. The two solitudes turned out to be governments, both federal and provincial, and the people. The gulf is frustrating te both ides - governiments are not responding te the needa of the people and. the governments don't know what the people want. People have become passive and reactive at the same time. They want governments to fulfili their expectationa, yet stoically accept rising taxes, and slower services. Their reaction, though, is silent - it is recorded in the polIs. No flag waving, no shouting, no picketing - that's aIl. done by fringe minorities - juat silent reaentment. I see the saine reaction as a newspaper coluniat. I know people are reading my column because of general comments I receiye but rarely do readers express their own opinions - eopxpect the media te carry the burden of public dissent. ytpis lack of non-media opinions allows politiciana te trviethe media's supposed negativism. Tuis community newspaper is every Whitby citizen's oppoxtunity to express themnselves. That little box that usually appears on the opposite page means what it says - We i welcome letters; moat of them gMt printed because we doh$'! get nearly enoughi. The press doçsn't have any power unlë s the people show their support ...Mnd i f we're out in left field we needto be teldasmuh Ontario has just embarked on a p>vncial election.i. Are there any issues? To look at the ho-u attitude of piost peoleon woldthink not, but wh are we having an e14n iht no if it isn't te avoid the booby-traps, the LiéaIs have acciderftally set, for themnselves a year from, now? What aboutthe* environmieital record- of ýtbis governument? When will- they face the arbage crisis face-on >What about educationl? What alot ,a systemn that increasingly fails te- meet the needs of employers yet :costs more and more? HU5SEIN rAMtLY REUNION J iNýEg 1990 BUCKLE FACTIORY PICNIC PARADE ON BROCK STEET SOUTH AUGUST 1912 Every summer, the buckle factory, located where the IGA plaza i. on Brock Street South, heîd a picnic for its employees at Heydenshore Park. The parade is meen here, looldng north from Coîhorne Street. The buckle faictory, wlich made brass buckles for hors. harness, operated in Whitby from 1888 to 1964. The factery buildings were demoihed in 1966. Ini its later years it was known as WVhitby Malleable Iron and Brase Company. Whitv Arddw. phoo 10 TZARS AGO from the WeMs ers 1980 edition of the li'RE8 " Two hundred land fifty students may have te walk to, echool this fail because of('a dispute between the WOMn of Whitby and Durham Board of Education over buses " For the £rotf time since 196 the Brooklin Redmen Lacrosse Club finished the regular esason in fr1 place in their league. " Whitbe W i4 town, Longueui, Quebec, recently participated in. a swim- meet with the Whitby IrquieSwim Club. " Whitby, Psyc1 latrie Hospital bas established a plannng and advisoey board taobtAain input from thil community about its redevelopment. 25 TZAIRS -AGO frein the Wednesday, Auguat 5,196W5 edition of the WITB Y WELY NW There was no paper today as the staff are on holiday. 125 TZARS AGO from the ThUrsda3, August.3,. 1865 0&#ton of the WHTYCBROMIC4 a The Auguat r'civic holidayMwil be celebr-ated, with pci tCTbW2onwt entertainmmently Freeman's Brass and Quadrille Band.Test is now Thickso's fint. * Residentsar complaining about the poor condition ~ the» board sidewalks on IrockL Street. e James Holden is offering.to ban up to $100,000 at seven- per cent interest. e J. B. Powell 4nd James Rowe have sent letters te The Chroinile denymng that they are on the planning èomxittee for anexcursion te Niagara Fais.