w - The only Whîtby Newspaper owned and operated Iby Whîtby resîdents for Whitby resîdents! Publishedevery Wednesday by 677209 Ontario Imc. at 131 Brook St. N., Whitby, Ontario Il N 5S1 Phone 668-6111 Toronto Line 427-1834 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maunoe Pifher - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager 2nd Glass Postal Registration #05351 mko the ernm(or., Conformn to the Iaws To the Edîtar: Copy of letter to International Brotherhood of Electricai Workers, and ta MVIPP'for Durham Centre, Drummond White. To whomn it mai, concern: What le th s union dolng to proteot the electrician*(residential section)? Nothing. In Durham Region, there are numerous non-licensed ýpersans Pilot projeot To the Edîtor: Copy of loUter to Russ Wilde. Dear Mr. Wilde: This is written in response ta p, ur initiai letter of Dec. 19, 1989. aour letter of that date came to my attention in March 1992 thraugh your MVPP for Durham Centre, Drummond White. As you are undoubtedly aware, the requiremont for olecticians ta b. llcensed while performing electrical work on construction projects appears in the Trades Qualification Act (TQA) and the regulations pertaining to electricians. The responslbllity for admlnisterlng and enfarclng the TQA is with the Ministry pf Skills Dovelopment. H-owever, since the number of enforcement off icers is limitod in that ministry, the Ministry 0of Labour's Construction Heath and Safety Prograni has begun a pilot praject to enforce portions '0of t he TQA in the compulsory trades including electricians). This praject began in early 1992 and is restricted ta the, Eastern Ontario area that Includes Durham Region. As part of their workplace inspections, dosignated construction health and safety off icers are routinoly -roquirin workers to produce their certificates of qualification for the trades they are employed in. To date, thore have been a number of notices of violation issued, to both workers and employers, particularly -in the residential construction soctar. 9Athough the praject is in its early stages, there has been a significant amaunt of positive f eedback fram labour, praising the success of the project. It is anticipated that within the time framnes of the project mast, if not ail, contractor employers will b. fully aware of the Ministry ai Labours enforcement raIe ai the TQA. This will undaubtedly rosuit in an increase in the number oi apprentices registering in trades programs, and will also ensure that unlicensed workers are not undertaking work for which they are nat qualified. The, Ministry of Labour will continue ta work closely with the Ministry of Skçilis Development ta achieve the goal cf lndustry-wide camliacewith' the Trades Quaification Act. .Bob Mackenzie - -- Mînistel of Lmbour dolng electrical Installations. in Durham Region, there are numerous non-registered persans wvorklng for electrical contractors. Any firm' that would pay union rates and cannot compete ls, therefore, unemployed and maybe out af busIness. Why? In good times, the union did not giv"e a damn about us, the residentlal electriclans. Now times are tough, even for union contractors and employees. t2et off your butse now, see that ail electrical Installations are done by qualified workers (t a falr wage agreement). The Toronto Home Builders have taken over Durham Region, they have neyer agreed to any arrangement. The housing market le slow. Now ls the time to bring the tradesinto conformlty with the lak*our laws of Ontario and Durham Te Trade Qualification Act, pertaining ta electricians, clearly states that ail electnical constructioli projects b. done by licensed electricians. The labour laws state there should be one licensed electrician for every two registered apprentîces. Your first priority should be ta get the trade Into conformity with the Iaws, and back ta work and back on the construction sites. Unemployed, looklng for work, Rues Wilde Llcenssd electriclan Whltby To the Edîtor: Re: Social Houslng I am responding to the recently publlshed ltter (Free Press, May 6/92) from Charlie Norris, p resident af the Association cf Professional Social Workers (a rote which h. assumed when I*reslgned upon election -ta provincial parliament). I fully trust that in preparing future missives, he will be better informed prior ta writing.* He states thore Is a lack af permanent, affordable and adequate houslng, and that a Srog ram which advocates such o using 'should not b. reviewed. Bath hese assumptians standin dramatic contrast to the reality that any sensible and well-lnformed citizen can easily perceive. ln the mîdst af the recession, aur government has been abI. ta construct more affardable and decent housing in our regin than over before. On May 8,0I officiated in the openlng ai Dryden He'g hts, aDurham Rogion Non- Prait Hausing Pro ject, funded by aur province. ln J uly, Cormack Station wiIl open, an the board of which SOME 350 pet owners, including Susan Roske, whose dog Brandy i. getting an ijection from veterinarian Jennifer Troughton, took advantage of a rabies vaccination clinie held b~y the South Durham Veterinary Association Iast wveek at Tro-' quois Park arena. Photo byMark RemorWltb7 Fr.. P Joan Skelton- whose program he defends, s9Ks.TJiere are three co-op projecW~in varlous stages of construction. Several other non-profit housing pirojects are. being constructed in my riding. These projeots are ail at or-,below budget and are excellent, addition to our community, 1 would invite, anyone to check t hem out.-', As. mentioned in our, recent, throne 'speech, there 'will' b. chane forthcomlng to allow for easier additions of basement apartments. This wiIl also promote affordable and accessible housi. This Is an amendment that the Durham Reglon Access- to Permanent Houslng Projeot has long and fervently advocated. I have no difficufty ln statlng tha the pragram whlch he mentioned has been reviewed. For the flrst time, aur province has to review prograns and ensure ,that funded programs are as effective as possible ln meeting goals that fit with the needs of our community as a whole. In very tight financial times, these reviews are the only respansible way ta go. Our government and aur tax base cannot be looked upon as a bottomless trou gh. .Locally, func n h as recently been given for women and disadvantaged programs to advocate housing and to help their clients secure lodging. The Access to Permanent Housing project does not itself provide the services that he mentions. Similar to those that recently securéd fundlng; It Is a program that advoéates forsuch services and. which helpa the, homeless n contacting resources. 1 have alsa Iobbied on behaf aof the Reglonai Access ta Permanent Housing project.11 :There is no, question" of the' value af such progrms as the Durham, Regian Access' ta Permanent Housing projet.On the other hand, it shouldbented that the goals that this prrar have long been advacatingL'for, many years are now bing attained. In times such as these, 1 would encourage my friend ta put his energies Into the suPort- of essential public aMsocial services. 1 found iR odd ta hear Mr. WfithiYour supporti cancer canbe fl~ beaten.1 WLmJ Please giVe Norris' reference »ta that statoment. I was there, and he, most certainly, was not. At -this point ln time, the numeraus Acces ta Permanent Hoesing Prajects are being revlewed. I' understand that thoy wlll mast Iikely b.e refunded. 1 daubt that there MIlb. an outpouring ai conratreulations f upon that announcement. SAllow me ta close by stating that I welcome the sunggstians' and advlce that Mr. Nords' and. ather lnvolved professionals might have. No decisians regarding the services hui aur ommuntynee:' should'b. taken -easily or wthout, full consultation. , Ik is also, somewhat refreshing ta respondta' someone whose. complaint is that aur gavernment. is not doling enough in securinig social services, ad a time when basic educational, medical and social services are under seemingly constant attack. Drummond Whlte, MPP Durham Contre Where are our, priorities? To the Edtor: The Ministry of Cammunity and Sacial Services is going out ai business, k reaily is. Just take a loak araund in your community; you may have ta search a little because the clients of MCSS service usually have ittle political clout. They are the children,- the developmentally challenged, the kids in trouble, the yaung persans wfth mental health prablemeÉ. The Mlnistry of Cammunity and Socialý Services is systematicwl downslzing and closlng the 1arer developmfentally .handicape centres that remain: Edgar, Huranla, Darcy Place, Muakoka Conter and more. At the same time, Mffl is underfundling ,.and- reducing payments ta transfer payment agencies in yaur cammunity. adolescent services, Whitby Psychiatric Hlospital, Childreres Aid Society, Young Services. Tel me where aur priarities are. Toit me w. really car. for the kids. Our public services, thase remaining, we cannot afford ta losethem. Joan Gatos- OPSEU executIve board moember MPP defends government in itiatives