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Whitby Free Prees, Wednosday, December 20), 199M.page3 ICATHGLIC SCHOGL BOARD Uneertamty over extent of, cuts Why 1 stili believe in Santa Claus Sarah: It has come Io my atention that same aoyfurcaleagues In Grade 1 areUbeinning to express doubts di the existence of S. Nkichaas, akaSanta Claus. 1 find this most distressing and want ta put on paper for you the ramons why 1, your tather, st believe In Santa Claus. Sa let us In a logical and clear fashion deai wlth the objections ralsed by those 0f a more *skeptlcal mlndset. First, there is the Issue of the numerous Santa Clauses that one finds In the mails and atl the end 0f parades across the whole country. CIearly, not ail of them can b. the actual Santa Claus, so are tbey ail frauds and fakes? Notatdal: tIiey are each dolng the work of Santa Claus- and ChrlsMas, functioning as bis personal representatives. Many, many chîiren (and their parents) want ta se. Santa at this lime 0f year, and wlthout the help of these dedkuated, honourary elves sa many chlldren muid b. dlsappolnted. And thlnk how sad that would make S. Claus. But, lîke ail good supensors, Santa likes ta make surpnise visits and Inspections, so you can neyer b. really sure whether or not you are slttlng on the genulne article. Let us now move onto the issue of toys, speciflcally the Mie- sîze Barbie doîl that has been requested by yourself and your younger partner Elizabeth. When we ralsed the Issue 0f per capita costs ai sald items, you replied that the daîl was on your Est for Santa, and since Santa makes ail the tays hlmself Rt ýwîlll otcoest us anything. Good point. However, Santa has a clear understandlng 0f the type and arnount 0f tays that parents leel are appropriate for each given child and wouid neyer dispute parental choice In this matter. Further, there are a lot of chlldren In the warld, and Santa, lke aIl mommies and daddles, is fading more requests with a tlghter budget (the cost ai elves, reindeer and oCher materials keeps galng up). Sa the Tact that a life-slzed Earble willi nat Ns under the tree mearîs anly- that Santa has respected aur Wishes on this matter. I arn confident that what Santa does drap down the chimney wiil meet with ail aur approval. Next Issue: Why does Santa not go ta your lniend Trevors house? Anather excellent question. Trevor and his larnlly celebrate Haukkah. Durin af Myra and came'ber.aâround the endaofthe last century Sa Sarah, there yau %have it. The next time someone in the schaalyard questions whetber or flot tbere is a Santa Claus, yau can look them In the eye and say as 1 do, that Santa is as meal as Chnistmas itseif. Christopher White ls the rister of Westminster Urdfted Church. By Mark Reosor Cutbacks ln provincial funding forjunlarlndergarton could mean some $1.4 million les. per year for the Durham separato school board, says director Grant Andrews. But. les. money for JK 19 about Victime of crime will finally get more consideration in the justice systom once the Conservative government passezs its recently introduced Victims' Bil ofRPights, say Durham East MPP John R. OTojole. TPhe bill, introduced for flrst reading on Nov. 24, "deals with everything fromý making it easier for children ta testiIy in civil proceedings ta improving victime' nieeds" OToole says. The bill i. intended ta staike a balance between the rights of the accused and the rights and needs of victime., A victim i. broadly defined ta include anyone who suffers emotional or physioel harm, lues or damage ta property or economic harma as the result of an offence under the Criminal Code. The fàmilies of people who die as a result of a- crime are included as victime. The' legislation states that victime should b. treated with courtesy, compassion and respect, and it set. out a number of areas in which victims should b. able to access information about the criminal process. the only thing Andrews knows "for certain"' i. going ta happen because ho says the province "hasn't been very definitive ln exactly how the cuts are golng ta be applied_0 Mare specit¶ca -are expected This includes information about: serioes and remedies available ta a victixu; progrees Of investigations; charges laid or an explanation of why no charges were laid;. raie of victiïns in a prosecution; dates and location of significant court. proceedinga; outcome of trials and appeals; and right ta make a victixu impact statement in court. Th ,. legislation states that victims who ask should also be advised about the pending release date of thèir assailants. This will provide thexu with a greater sense of security and control over their situation. The legislation also makes it easier for victims ta sue their assailants for damages. 'The bill will make it clear that persans convicted of crimes are lhable ta victixs for any emotional distreas," OToole says. Moreover, anyone who i. the victim - of a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault, including a spouse, i. presumed to have suffered emotional distress. This means victixus won't have ta prove they suffered those damages in a trial. Such damages towards the end of Januaiy, "although we really wan't know the ful impact until sometime in March when they give us aur general legisiative grant.," ho says. 'W. know they're going to take are difficult ta establish- at a trial- and trauxnatic for victims when Changes to the provinoe's Evidence Act will inake it easier for children ta testify in civil proceedings. Children will be able to testiIy behind a one-way screen or through closed circuit television or videotape. $400 million out of education but we don't knaw how they're going to do that... haw they apply them will oertainly Impact how w. shape aur progrmas and aur budget." Truste.. will likely- watt for more specifles before deciding the future of junior Indergarten and other prograins, ho adds. Planning is continuing on capital projecta, including a 10-room addition ta'* relieve overcrowding at St. MattheW~ on Willowbrook Drive and a new sehool in Brooklin ta replace- St. Le. The St. Matthew. addition, which Andrews hope. will be ready by next fail, shouldn't b. affected because provincial funds have already been allocated and "ewe have more than enoughenrolment ta justifyr it with or without junior Indergarten." There' already an allocation for the new Brooklin school, too, which the board hopes ta have up and running by September, 1997. Applications are wanted The Multicultural Council of Oshawa/Durham i. accepting applications for pro)jects- that pramote. multiculturatlism and inter-group relations. The council recently approved eight joint venture projects of $1,000 each ta "ensure continuity emerges" fromn the Outreach Durham Region and Global Village '95 project. For more information, cal Carmen at 725-5360 or Day. at 723- 5418. Child- safety telemarketing The Durham Regional Police Association has entered, with TOI Canada, a telemarketing venture in.which businesses and residents will b. asked if. they wish ta donate o thei production of a Child Safety Handbook. Donor naines will appear in the handbook that the police association hopes ta offer free ta Dlurhamn Region children. For more information, cali 436-9494. SpCializingin... Sodel railroas, including starter sets - Siot car racing sets and accessorie s ~ - Plastic model kits of ail kinds- - Radio controi cars, boats and planes . .. - Doit, Houses - Rockets & Kites BEST SELECTUON 0F THOMAS THE TANK ENGINES Ou usoe seric an*ao isane ae - ee .ee-h ikoto hpigrte..byloer in ou fal. pe . as ek 1801 Dundas St. East, Whitby KMART PLAZA Next to Golden Grlddle 404-88881 New bih wi0 bnfit crime victims, says MPP OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED DECEMBEIR 23., 1995 ,P)JANUARY 2. 1996 due Io /lit, holid(i vs tind tilt, Io 900 lltel)À.111.% SI. (il DECENIBER 27'l'l-1 ISSUE dendlille Thurs. Dec. 21. 21)111 - NO ISSUE .JANUARY3RD JANUARY 10111 ISSUE - normal dendlilles in effect -