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PAGE 2, WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1982, WHITBY FREE PRESS After 1,400 Monday night meetings Doc McEwen Bev McEwen hs been without her hus- band's company every Monday night for tbe last 1,400 Monday nights. But next Monday night, he wil be home and for him it wil be almost the first time in 28years. For the first time in al those years, his at- tendance will not be required at a meeting of Whitby Town Council or one of its two standing committees. Last Tuesday night, 240 friends, co-workers and business associates said a fond fareweil to Forbes McEwen who retired as the Town of Whitby's director of spe- cial projects. When he was first brought onto the town's staff in 1954, Whitby had a population of 6,000 people - today it has a population of about 37,000. McEwen came on staff as deputy clerk- treasurer and in later years served as the town's welfare officer, planning officer and treasurer. He held the post of treasurer for 13 years after being ap- pointed in 1966. Since he left that post, he has become the town's director of spe- cial projects. At his retirement din- ner, 'Doc' as he is affec- tionately known, left with his friends a few words of sage advice, a little humor and a few predictions about the future. "I've been writing this speech for 28 years," he started off saying that when he fir- st took on the job-of secretary to the plan- ning board, he received the huge sum of $300 a year. The job of welfare of- ficer paid half that. McEwen told his audience that mostly, he has worked for councils that have worked as a team for the betterment of the community. "We have had good councils, some have been better than others," he said, "but they were good coun- cils." * In fact, ail five living ex-mayors of Whitby were in attendance at the dinner to honor McEwen. They are: Stan Martin, Oliver Mowat, Harry Jermyn, Desmond Newman and Jim Gartshore. It was the first time that all five of these men have been in attendance at the same meeting. McEwen also said that town staff do not work primarily for the politicians. "We work first for the ,,citizen and then coun- cil," he said adding that "Staff generally takes the long term view and council conditions it to the current situation." McEwen told bis au- dience that during his tenure, the town has ac- complished a number of things including the con- struction of the Ash Creek enclosure, the establishment of the marina and the tourist information centre. The town's industrial base has grown considerably and pointed out the recent additions of American Can Canada Limited and Sony .of Canada Limited. Having recounted the past, McEwen went on to make some predic- tions. "I have gained con- siderable experience and you've paid for it and paid for it well," he said adding that be- cause of that he wanted to leave with his audien- ce some of his thoughts. Because of the high cost of construction, servicing and mort- gages, McEwen believes that there will soon be a trend towards smaller houses on smaller lots. Most of today's new homes "are beyond the reach of the average wage earner,"he said. The region's exclusive authority over indus- trial promotion is not working, McEwen told his audience, "This exclusive authority does not work because regional coun- cillors are elected on a local basis," he said ad- ding that they want the plants. to be built, and the job to be provided for people in their own area. "They went the politi- cal credit and the jobs in their own area." McEwen also predict- ed that re-assessment is coming, probably as early as next year and will be a hot political issue for council to con- tend with. "Assessment will be an issue in 1985," he said referring to that year's municipal election. Then he spent some tinme delling on his favorite subject. "Port Whitby is the challenge of the 1980's," McEwen said adding that it is not only the bir- thplacé of the Town of Whitby but of the Region of Durham as well. In its beginnings, the Port was the trading centre for what is now known as Durham Region with its busy harbor shipping grain and other agriculture products. "Port Whitby has ser- CONT'D ON PG. 3 Fennell says.... New budget worse than November's OTTAWA -'The new budget has told invest- ors in Canada and around the world that the federal -overn- ment's anti-business at- titude will continue, ac- cording to Ontario Rid- ing MP Scott Fennell. He made the statement in reaction to Finance Minister Allan MacEachen's second budget in seven inonths. "His first one was a disaster and this one was even worse," Fen- nell said in a statement released Monday by his office adding that Mac- Eaichen has introduced no new major policy changes. "The Canadian econo- my is now experiencing what the Liberal and socialist thinkers have always wanted," the Tory public works critic said. "For years they have been saying that business corporations make too many profits and that government should tax them more and interfere with them more. "Today we are seeing what happens when businesses don't make profits. One and a quar- ter million Canadians are unemployed, infla- tion is raging and the only people who don't have to worry about losing their jobs are government em- ployees." Fennell said the budget was just a "pre- lude to wage and price controls that would allow the government to gain more power and make my constituents pay for Ottawa's econo- mic mistakes." r -j