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Liberal leader Dr. Stuart Smith could pretty well go back to his practiée for all we care, but his party has some fine candidates and solid platform planks. Needham and Labbett have their good points, but, in our view don't quite match up. q l It's likely the Tories will mile the roost once more following the election, and so it's tempting to want to send a government member to Queen's Park in the form of Labbett as opposed to an opposition member in the form of Epp. Whatever, it’s admittedly not an easy decision one way or the other. Tbry premier Bill Davis appears to be the best person to oc- cupy the head honeho's office, but some of his party's policies and attitudes leave a little to be desired. Michael Cassidy of the NDP is an entirely ineffective motiva- tor of humankind, but the party has merit in the principles of many of its policies, if not always their practicality, and candida- tes with sincere conviction. _ So, what to do? _ Rather than just pin the tail on the donkey when entering the polling booth tomorrow, we urge the Waterloo North electorate to make a balanced and reasoned choice. It's almost six of one, half dozen of the other in deciding who to support in tomorrttw's provincial election. ' Party affiliation and leaders aside, it appears Herb Epp is the most qualified, albeit imperfect, candidate to represent the rid- ing at Queen's Park. ’But we deserve the representation) vote for and with a man like Epp, this riding will at least have a member who is keen, able and willing he keep Bill Davis and the Tories on their toes. On the eve of President Reagan's visit to Ottawa last week, the House of Commons spent a day debating the Canadian Govem- ment's response to the civil war in El Sal- vador. While the Prime Minister has termed American military aid to the Junta in El Sal- vador, "a mistake," Canada has taken no political initiatives to bring about the pos- sibility of a diplomatic solution to the ongo- ing strife. In the debate, I joined my colleagues in the opposition in urging the Prime Minister and Secretary of State, Hon. Mark MacGuigan. to take the opportunity of the Reagan visit to seek the beginnings to a tton-military solu- tion to the El Savador situation. After the President and his officials had left Ottawa, Mr. MacGuigan announced that he had explained to Secretary of State, Gen, Alexander Haig, that Canada could not sup- port the increase of $25 million in American aid to the Junta. He stated that both Govem- ments were agreed that a non-military solu- tion was their mutual goal. This accond reached with the Americans was consistent with the net result of the Rea. gan visit: high hopes often repeated, but pre- cious little in the way of concrete ac- A difficult choice WALTER McLEAN published every Wednesday by Fairway Plus. a division of Kitchener-Waterloo Record Ltd.. owner midway Rd. S.. Kitchener. Ont. - m to Interim like. u Km. St "rtt,Waurtttethrt..tehHb8- got-ho have $.01. tn. 'a1'g'i,tt,%'S'J's'gglt.e, “v to mocha “Ewin- W m a year II Calm "I a year Ill Una“ Sula all Fm: Counties complishment. The simple fact remains ma} in the last year and a half, the death toll in El Salvador has reached the horrifying total of 13,000. There have been few arrests or prosecutions. Mr. MacGuigan, at a press conference with Secretary Haig, stated that neither country wanted either the extreme 'right- wing para-military' nor the ‘leftist guerillas' to emerge victorious. How can anyone emer- ge victorious when the common people - the peasants and labourers - have been slaught- ered in such numbers? Where is the expression of will of the Cana- dian Government? Canada signed a United Nations Resolution in December of 1980 which, in part, "urges the Salvadorean Go- vernment to take the necessary steps to en- sure full respect for human rights and fun- damental freedoms in that country; and calls - Governments to refrain from the sup- ply of arms and other military assistance in the current circumstances." As long as the Canadian Government stops short of actively working to find a non-mili- tary solution, it does nothing to bring an end to the situation which Ambassador White de- scribes. established 1854 El Salvador strife must end INSTEAD OF A SECRET BALLOT. CHIS YEAR YOU JUST HAVE TO HUM YOUR FAVOURITE. VARTY “new: AND weu. 3:sz you DOWN . In my speech during the debate on El Sal- vador, I read from a letter sent to the Prime Minister by the Canadian Council of Churches. It reminded Mr. Trudeau that, "Precisely because we are not a 'super- power,' we are in an excellent position to align ourselves with other nations to work together for the protection of the rights of people who are used, oppressed and some- times murdered. We sincerely hope, sir, that Canada will continue to play a leading roloin the struggle for a world where fundamental human rights take precedence over national security and balances of power" The letter warsigned by leaders of the Anglican Church, the Baptist Convention. Christian Church (Disciples), the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church, the Reformed Church in America, the Religious Society of Friends, the United Church of Can- ada, and the Presbyterian Church in Canada. I have received many letters and telephone calls from Waterloo constituents underlining the need for Canada to return to its tradi- tional position, as a defender of human rights, in its relations with other Govem- merits. I told the House of Commons that "I Pf 'Ptu-c-itucy) $TATIOM The El Salvadorean Junta must be made aware that the large majority of the peoples of the world condemn their atrocious inhu- manity. Far from taking a positive stand on his stated interest in a North-South Dialogue, Prime Minister Trudeau made the following disinterested statement to the press at the end of lairt week: "Quite frankly, if one side is going to send in arms I can't get overly in- censed that the other side is going to say 'Please help and give us arms too.' ., It is not nearly enough for the Canadian Govemment to say that it is in favour of a non-military solution to the problems in El Salvador. I proposed that Canada, together with Mexico, Venezuela, West Germany, France and other concerned nations es- tablish an international mechanism that can ensure the El Salvadoreans will be allowed to find their own solution to their problems. A non-military solution requires the ending of arms shipments to both sides, and tech- nical assistance to help the impoverished people build a future with some hope. Wish to be with those who think it is impor- tant that Canada light a candle. rather than curse the darkness of our world." -