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cýltzeisForums:eResidentsý have theirsa By Mke Kowalski Some came to complain, others to praise, but mostly they wero there out Of concern for their country's welfare. More than 200 people packed the Town council chaýmbers last Thursday for a meeting of the CitizensJ Forum on Canada7' Future., Thoy were not reluctent to express their opiios* nd i* few cases, offer solutions to Canada's problems. A variety of topies, ranging from Engish-French relations to the oconomy, were discussed dur- ing the three-hour session. O ne man even presented a design for a new flag to the commission. The commission is travelling acros Canada tofind out how Canadiens feel about their coun- 'he commission's findings, and posible recommendations, are to bepresented to the federal government by July 1. Tjirough public forums, writ- ton subiiions and a toll-free telephono lino, the commission ha eard the views of more than 200,000 people since January. As commissioner Susen Van De Velde told the meeting, the commission is unlike any other government-appoitedtask force. Van De Velde said the 12- member body does not usually travel as a group but indivi- dually to the chies, towns, roser- vations and even prisons, in Canada. «You are the show, w. just listen and record,» said the Manitoba farmer. etalha common coréofvalues shared by Dianne 's Bridai Canadiens and hopefully provide Canada with solutions to the problems we face."»- .While there are many' «com- mon themýs" surfacing at the forums, Van De Velde said one is predominanit. «Canadians don't know them- selves as 4 çounty they don't know their history, teir geogra- phy and vhatthe other gùys problems are.» She said that once the commis- sion's report is published, «It willl be up to you to pressure the politiciens to bring ýabout the chane yuwant.» Teeeting was an informai, relaxed affair which opened with a few observations from a panel composed of local newspaper col- unxnist Kay: Fisher and Bob Pal- mer, a teacher at Whitby's Tra- falgar Castle School. Fisher said Canadiens were essentially lapassive lot «who take things for ganted until they feel ýthratened » Palmer said Quebec and the other provinices are headed for «divorce unleas their differences are resolved,; «DivorcDe produces anger and hatred and! leavos'both people impoverished. I believe that will happeu if we spli p»si Pal~mer.liup'sd «We need ; to know the truth. E9nglish Canàdians need to know how gench: Canadiens feel and French Canadians need to feel not aIl English Canadiens are rich and uncering.» Palmer's reference tordivorce» was cited by several speakers. Whîtby- counci h or Tom Edwards was first up at the. microphone. Edwards said Canada's «cohe- sion and securlty» are threatened by "ignorance, malice and bigo- trC lun both Quebec and Ontario. He relayed the incident of a pson asling a clerk luina Whiby. book store if a certain Ublication was available in "The clerk said 'What for? This is Canada'," said Edwards, shak- inghi-head.. However Edwards said there le hope and cited this year's 23rd anniversary of the twinning ~arn'gement between Whitby and Longueuil, Quebec as an example of cooperation between CadioRossi of Whitby le «happy to have Quebec as one of 10 equal members of the femily.» «Bwut I if they want special sta- tue, maybe it'time they went off on their own.» Rossi also said Canada cannot afford ta ignore its uiounting deficit. SUSAN VAN DE VELDE, member of the commission for the Citizens' Forum on Canada's Future, talked to students at West Lynde public school before attending a Wbitby forum on April 11. «We wilI b. ike Brazil and Argentina if. we don't,» said Rossi. TelIing the audience ho was a Vrodut of the De pression "the. tIret one » Jim MeLjean of' Ajax laid the bîsme for Canada's cou- stitutional Woeu at the foot of the prime minister. "Wo're hear as a remîlt of Brian Mulronoy, ho did it, ho rolled the dico and go t enake eyes and eo ho created this com- mission,» said McLoean. Describina himeelf as a «retirod, naval veteren,» McLjean criticizoýd Mulronoy'e actions fol- lowing the receut Persien GuIf conflict. "Ho told hie MPs ta plaY Off -Couture CUSTOM MRATIONS- eqBrrdaWcowu 0 Bifismaids e MvotfIer's anéSpeciaf occasions Any custom made bridai l.. .*. gown ordered betwecn March 1lst & April 3th, 1991 . wiIl include a hcadpieoe and v'ci1 of thrnr choicc. No Alteration Charges on custom Made Orders COOOMEDe8 HERONGATE ORDO rrTYOURSELF ANYTIME: sapl rialgwn.BOARDING, GROOMING & T BOO L 13DdaS.E. tickory Trinig.BUaq 9PPOS GROOMING Whtby * 430 898 HWY 1 AT THICKSON RD. 700 ThicsnR.N SEibyeD 430-8985O9(U 4.6547Brooklîn 655-8573 the popularity of Canada'e role lu the war i.. imagine.that,» said Anrw.Buwalda of Wbitby eaid Canada needed an «anti- abortion law" end that privato "Chrietian" eschools should receive government fuuding. Saying ho had waited "26 years ta do thie,» Allan Black of Oshawa unveiled hie owu design for a new flag. Bluntkyredtmatrees ar f e nn coustnty ad manpeple an- elot ientifyanth his ymbeol 8 Black's lag rehtais themple sae ahie dopis one ountry leut who uds it oth 10ustars, rereetiuthe provusinceth10stonsa ri-oresba* thegroincf es old md-clo baclueo.rd gl andble clr yboiouu uThe andloritage sid Black., cltureVnn ertgeaidyalCana- dia' MoundIer offie, aid forn'oedblngualism was deérsroy ingce Candaad shousdesrpl- cedr withdaand«cèommonenea approach to-anguage.o sÜ aming inhto lanae o bt side for itherblemoVnnert aid anoinathty to seak Fenneh ofte n works againets unilingnah memewrs a the force. u «Amer fewheiliguarcece ca't go bc o me tlngloffNew Brnswio ck ecaue t's lNua arnnc Ontarioseifgts liga adsaids on n tem Butnhad ed tatFroch Canaiup ean ofiersat r nute iii their o rince(ore isplek ing Fhi renc) ibnmcenglirshe- sping ech)mpatriots.» j Whitby buspatiesmanBo Riharsn ic ied ren t o Rattmpdsy ol iticiesatremak-, mg tecotr y lto as atf secal mantecgoutyps. tsyspc Û&Dismtigofhecune.l noton tagndatwecoun'trygie ntem the rightdto tear Cnadai apar the sai gh oard Cann d InrtstadRichardson.sgese thea Reirdsprme mmister b.e taentohanrimettOtern locked in- the same room where the historic 1864- conférence took place and left there> until an acceptable solution is hammered out. Murray Sparks wanted to do away with liyphenated» Cana- dians. u'Tm insulted when' wo t alk about French and English Cana- diens, we'ro just Canadians, any- thing else is secbndary.» Sparks said most Quebocois do not want to separato from Can da. Tlyhaven't told us they do, only Brian Mulroney and a fow politicians have»" said $parks. Louis Langlois said ho had the experience of _growing, up. inia .mixed French-Enlih fam#Iy. CLAUDIO ROSSI of Whitby was one of about 200 people who gave their opinin about Canada at the C;itizens Forum onApil . There was a simaller turnout for. foruin hel April 13à . , 1 .1 ý , . < 1 ý , ,, , ý .., '.ý , ', - Id .- " I' ', - ý V . . ý.: L ý - . . . .ýý . ý 1 SER PAGE 23 -