The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

WHMTY FREE, PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18,1989, PAG 7. PAGE SE YEN CANADA - THE DISTINCT SOCIIETY Yes, there will ho life after Meech Lake. The dire predictions that are emanating firom the mouths of politicians neod not concern us.* Considermng that the Meech Lake Accord was bammered togother in just a couple of days, it seems strange that the Prime Ministor or any of the other premiders would maintain so steadfastly that absolutely nothing can bo cbanged. Their fear, of course, is tbat the wbole thing will corne unravelled under dloser scrutiny. Sometbing that is se fragile that it dare not be changed in any way is hardly worth hanging your constitutional bat on. Constitutions are the backbone of every country - a spineless constitution will resuit in a spineless country. The principle controversy ý(in case you've .missed it) surrounds the concept of a distinct society in Quebec. Hardly anyone would disagree that Quebec is different - but its distinctiueness is not that it's Frencb, it's because it's a centuries.old French culture that bas survived and adapted in a predominantly Englisb North Anierica. Its distinctiue- ness is that it's part of Canada. The survival of that French culture was guaranteed by the British in 1759 after the F'rench defeat on the Plains of Abraham and was reaffirmed in tbe British North Arnerica Act of 1867 and the Canadian Constitution Act of 1981 wbicb Queboc refused to sign. It is the accommodation tbat eista between two founding races that makes Canada a distinct society. Quebec is trying to change that vision to make it, Queboc, a separately distinct society and a unilingual French one in the process. That is not, as some politicians want us to believe, a reaffirmation of the bistoric position of Quebec in Canada. It is instead a move to change the rules. It's not that the French bave done badly under the old rules. Two hundred and thirty years after the Plains of Abrahami, F'ronch-Canadians are more populous and more powerful than tbey have ever been - their culture is alive and vibrant and something that ail Canadians take pride in. In the last thirty years, French-Canadians bave gone gangbusters in the business world of Quebec and the rest of Canada. The language of business in Quebec is French, not because the law says se but because monoy talks. And English-Canadians have listenod. A lot more of tbemn have learned French - by choice. Every English-speaking national party leader in the last tbirty years bas made the effort to ban and to speak French. Most parts of English Canada now have French schools and French language -radio and telovision. Apart from a few vocal rednocks, English Canadians have tried bard to accommodate les Que becois. And in response Quobec bas put up barriers against us, including their own Englisb minority. Quebec, net the rest of Canada is betraying the spirit of Confédération. The problern witb Meecb Lake, is that it~s a political deal by eleven politicians representing geograpbical entities. Linguistic and cultural matters are not dofined nor contained within neat geographical areas. Minorities, scattered acros the country from coast to coast, have survived for more than a hundred years and are part of a cultural mosaic that makes us a distinct society. The problenis of Meecb Lake are not Sonate reform or veto powers, or new provinces or native rights - these are purely peripheral issues. Canada's constitutional 'crisis' la bow to deal witb cultural and linguistic minorities, and will only ho solved by addressing that issue directly. The way out of the Meecb Lake morasa is to.. recognize that linguistic and cultural rights need to ho defined and protocted on a level above the petty rogiona]ismn of the provinces. Perhaps an intermediate level of government - one each for Englisb, French, native Canadians, and new Canadians - each autonomous on matters of education, communication, and culture from coast to coast. This would ho a drastic departure from the 1867 model of confederation. It would require a lot more than a weekend get together down by the lake. The provinces, bowever, are unlikely to agree to part with the substantial power base that education and culture represents. Quoboc, especially, would lose its spocial status as tbe protector of French culture. It is a deep affont to Canadians that a select club of eleven men will decide the future of Canada, especially wben sucb matters were nover part of their mandate. Canada's ~= u~ ~ i WR1TBY'S FIRS BOY SCOUT TROOP, AT C.P.IL TRACKS, 1916 Wihitby's first Boy Scouts made their appearance in 1916. The first church-associated Scout Troop was established at Al 5aint;W Anglican Church in 1920. The uniformis worn by the boys have changed littie in 70 years. Whltby Ardilws photo 10 YEARS AGO from the Wednesday, October 17, 1979 edition of the WHITBY FREE PRESS " The Ontario Regiment will be given the Freedom of the Region of Durhanm at a ceremony in front of the Court House on Oct. 21. " Policing is the biggest regional issue, says Councillor Gerry Emm. *The Free Press survey resuits so far indicate 144 people want a municipal bus system and only one is opposed. *Burnf' Presbyterian Church in Ashburn will celebrato its 130th annivorsary on Oct. 21. 25 TEARS AGO from the Thursday, October 15, 1964 edition of the WHITBy WEEIKLY NEWS *Ontario County has offered to lease the old Court House on Centre Street to the Town of WVhitby for 99 years at one dollar a year. " Renovation of the Court House as a community centre in rocommended as Whitby's 1967 Centennial project. " Rev. G. Rozeman is re-elected as chairman of the Whitby Ministerial Association. " A "concerned teacher" bas written to the Woekly News opposing high school initiations. 75 VEARS ADO from the Thursday, October 15, 1914 edition of the WHITY GAZETTE AND CHRONICLE " The Italian stabbed on Oct. 3 has died and ail work on the sewers by bis fellow countrymen bas ceasod for a week. " Harry Malcolm bas won several prizes at the Canadian National Exhibition for his ducks. " Grocer William Meeker is selling six bars of soap for 25 cents and a rich red salinon for 18 cents. " David Burns of Brooklin bas signed up 100 new members for the South Ontario Agricultural Society.