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*i. WHLTY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989, PAGE 5 The outer door to Mayor Johnny Oannucks -office siains shut kerthunkl in exiger and in storms Lucas Letterpress. Is he ini?" Lucas asks Revengixig Angel, the only male secretary in town. "Telp> yourself," says the secretary. Lucas jerks open the door to the mayor's inner office. Mayor Johnny Cannuck stands behind his mahogany desk, looking through the open drapes at the town's open air skating rink. Over the' mayor's- shoulders Lucas can see local poiticians, skating around issues. 'Mvarvelous how they do that, isn't it?" muses the maýror. "Such grace, such charin." They're practiced ail their lives," replies Lucas. "Besides, they're not what I carne here about." Mayor Johnny Cannuck lifts an eyebrow. "It's your darned free trade poker stakes. That's what. You've sold nme dowxi the river. You've pulled the plug on me. in a ruined maxi." Mayor Johnny walked over on cat's feet, puts an avuncular arm on Lucas' shoulder. "There were bound to be winners anid losers, we knew that from day one," he says. "losers! This isn't losing! rve been betrayed!" Mayor Johnny chuckles. "Well, really. You've been against this poker game fromn the beginning, made fun of it in your paper. Did you really expect me to over-look that?" "Tou did this on purpose?" "id what?" replies the mayor angelically. "You know darned well what I rnean," replies Lucas. It's right here in blue and yellow. It's the results of that poker gaine you've been in with your Uncle Samn. Under that heading. 'Who newspaper people are. ' He jebs at the paper 'with a trembling hand. 'Now, now. Calm down. That clause doesn't aff;ect you at ail."# "Like grass ein't hayl" replies Lucas. It says right here that newspaper people have been to university and are learned and have degrees and can speil real WITH OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Journalist trade good. Do you deny it?" The mayor shakes bis head. 'What's more," continues Lucas, it says that real netwspaper people cen get traded back aâd forth beween here and Ewessofeh? without a by-your-leave. Do you deny that?" 'Well, no. But as I said, that don't matter you no neyer mmnd. No sir." "Then," rages Lucas, bis voice rising in pitch, "could you kindly explein how I shouldnit otter make no neyer mind?" Mayor Johnny sits, arching bis fingers, elbows propped on bis desk. "FIrst thing y ou have ta rememberP Lucas: when we played poker over free trade, we piayed taugh. Grnxbling ain't ail easy, you know. 'Wow what we did wes ta agree on who a journelist is, that's ail." Lucas waves a fist. "When a government decides who cen be a journalist, then freedoni of the press is gone. It aint. .." "0f course it ain't. The poker gaine ries say a journelist has been to university and can speil real good. Nobody would argue that wouldn't be good."i "Except maybe us journaliste. who ain't ever been to university." "Ah, now we have it. But what we're taUcing about are those journalists who might be traded. Say like Wayne Gretsky. Ail the rules say is that only journalists who have gone to university cen be traded.' Here the mayor huxides forward, whispering confidentieily. 'But Lucas, that's just for working stiffs. The rules say xiothing about who cen own a newspaper. You cen trade newspapers like bubble gum cards. "Anid you don't even have to be able to speel xior spit to own a newsp aper. And enyone who owns a paper cen tirade it. Ain't no raie agaixist it. You don't have to go to university. Lucas, this poker gaine was fought with you in mind. "This free trade poker gaine iay make you richi" Lucas scratches bis. head. He does that when perplexed. "Rich?" "l'rade haif The Fiat Tail for haif the New York TMmes, somnething like that. You'I1 have ta work out the details for yourself, of course. Woaidn't want no governient interference now, would we?" "Oh, of course xiot." "Tou capitaliste are a sly lot," says the mayor, shaking Luke's hend. Tretending to, ha against this poker gaine. Whexi after ail this rule about educated journalists is just a sop ta, keep your hired help at home." "But I don't have no hired help1 "Some day, Luke, some day. E; the meantime, keep plugging." Lucas leaves themayor's office by the side door. is hand stili stings from the franknxess of the parting handshake. He scratches bis head. "Rich, eh? rda neyer thought it. Now if I do seil ha]f The Flat Tail, and use the coltrl FROM PAGE 1 for the second half. In compari- son, Metro board offered its tea- chers a 4 p er cent raise for the full ear, Monks said. "ee staffing levels, heavier workloads and class sizes are the issues. Durhamn teachers have not fared as well in these areas," he said. "We have seen an acceleration in the number of credits students have to take (as mandated by the Province). In Durham, it is required that they take extra credits in Grade il and 12 (a board mandate). "The average (for Gr. il and 12 students) here is 7.65 credits No injuries after blowout on 401- A Toronto woman escaped un- harmed from a single car mishap on Hwy 401 ini Whitby Jan. 1 at about 10 p.m. There were no passengers. Christine RuIfs, 31, was driv- ing a Chevrolet when a rear tire blow-out occurred.. The car was damaged, according to Whitby OPP. Coats stolen after break-mn at store Two jackets are missing folow- ing a break-in.at Sketchley Cleaners at 1801 Dundas St. E. on the weekend. Police say a brick was thrown through a front glass door to gain entry. per year, with a 7.4 credit average in Ontario. We have ended up with larger class sizes because of this." However, Monks and other negotiators for the OSSTF were optimistic that a strike could be averted. "People are going to put in a lot of hours in t h e next few weeks to avoid a strike. We will High school teachers' strike possible after vote Il 1 - U- - -A -- y Q- anfq nn.l vnarenti The strike, if not averted, will commence at the beginning of exanis for most secondary stu- dents. Monks said that this was to place pressure on the negotia- tions in hopes of a quick resolu- tion. "This is the best chance we have to avoid a chance ta, maxim- ize pressure on both sides.» bswilih negotiations will have to approach the board for informa- tion. Teachers have been advised by the OSSTF not to discuss the issue with their students. "The board will have ta advise parents and students as they are responsible for education in Dur- ham," Monks concluded. îài a Li Â