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Ai AGF ASA A IEEE 1 » . ", FR RITLOR A The First Step It is fair to say that Canada heaved a collective sigh of relief last week after the final votes were counted in the Quebec referendum and the people of that province indicated quite clearly that they do not want the Parti Quebecois' brand of sovereignty association. Those who support federalism were in a jubiliant mood. And well they should have been. Although polls taken in the final week before the vote showed the non side slightly ahead, few thought the final results would be so conclusive. While there is a sense of relief in the country, there is also the feeling that the next couple of years are going to be rocky ones as we get on with the job of constitutional reform and a new brand of federalism better suited to the needs of Canada in the 1980's. Although the vote in Quebec last week was certainly a milestone in the history of this country, it was at the same time just a first step in a process which hopefully will bring about a renewed sense of pride for all Canadians. It is one thing to sit down at the conference table and negotiate changes in the letter of the Canadjan constitution. It is quite something else again for Canadians in all parts of the country to accept and support the spirit of change, and find a renewed meaning of it. In the past few years, this country has been drifting hither and yon, lacking, it seems, a sense of direction. We have seen the forces of separation at work in the province of Quebec where they have been highly visible and easily defined. More recently, feelings of alienation and resent- ment have surfaced in western Canada, based almost entirely on economic concerns such as resource control, prices and ownership, freight rates, and the need to diversify the industrial base in that part of the country. For an outsider looking in, Canada surely must be the most perplexing and enigmatic nation on the face of the earth. We appear to be so blessed, yet our failure to resolve internal problems and differences has led us dangerously close to the edge of disinte- gration. The vote in Quebec may have cleared the air and given us a more precise picture of where we stand vis a vis that province, but by no means is this country out of the woods. While our federal and provincial leaders go about the sticky business of negotiation and compromise to give us a new legal framework, the people of this country must shoulder their responsibilities as well. A revamped constitution won't be worth the paper it is written on unless there is a corresponding change in the way all Canadians act and think about "their country. RRS RCI ASR A SE ER IEA A CP A SHAS Se CR BA Ei SA has a WALTON RR LE RR TG a oe STR TP BREE Ae SUN EER. editorial poge STILL THERE School Violence Despite denials from school officials, there were reports last week that at one large high school in east end. Toronto, a "riot-squad" of seven teachers has been set up to 'escort' unwelcome visitors and other young rowdies from school property. We would like to think that this is an isolated example, but somehow it seems in keeping with a society that is drifting towards violence, almost as a way of life. It is sad to think that even the halls of learning in our public education system have become the scene for violence, and that teachers, hired to educate, have come to the conclusion that the situation is serious enough for them to take the matter "into - their own hands" to rid the schools of outside trouble-makers. Surely, there are other methods of dealing with this problem through the regular law enforcement agencies such as the police and the courts. It is sadly ironic that this situation has come to light when there is a clamour from certain factions within society who are claiming that the police have too much power, and that there should be stricter controls on this power. If the halls of the schools aren't safe, what about the streets and playgrounds? 'You supply the answers. role, and work through the United Nations, bill QUESTION TIME Headlines are not reassuring these days, to say the least. By the time this appears in print, they may be terrifying. The American debacle over the hostages has ended, and who knows what violent and world-shaking stunt the CIA and the U.S. military will try next. There is no more dangerous time for our society on earth than one in which the Americans are embroiled in foreign affairs and, at the same time, there is a presidential election in the offing. This has been proved, over and over again. The incumbent president, if he wants another term in office, and he nearly always does, is tempted, especially if it is going to be a close race, into perilous ventures from which he will emerge as a hero and waltz into office. President Jimmy Carter showed, for a long period, admirable restraint as the lawless Iranians twisted the tiger's tail. But, as the election loomed, and the situa- tion remained stagnant, he came under smiley more and more pressure from the "hawks" among his advisers, and from the mood of his people, to "do something." He gave in, with the resulting fiasco in Iran. A completely bollixed rescue sortie. The hostages, target of the attempt, scatter- ed. American soldiers killed in action for the first time in his regime. At .the White House, the moderate Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance, resigned because he was against the somewhat strident mission. And a new, harsh, hard- nosed voice for Carter, as No. 1 man on foreign policy, Zbigniew Brzezinski, who doesn't believe in the soft-shoe shuffle, but in hob-nailed boofs. Another arrogant idiot like Henry Kissinger, the late, unlamented mouth for Richard Nixon. Lord help us all. Behind all the pious expressions of grief for the dead men, and the lukewarm sym- pathy of America's international "friends" lie a lot of unanswered questions. Why didn't Carter wait another three weeks, until the date many of his allies had agreed to apply heavy sanctions on Iran? How could a nation with the greatest technology in the world, a nation that put a man on the moon, so abysmally foul up a rescue operation similar to the one carried out successfully by tiny Israel at Entebbe? Why did they leave their dead behind, to be ignominiously displayed before the world's television cameras by the savages masquerading as holy men, of Iran? Surely you take your dead with you. Those are just a few of the questions the headlines force one to ask, unless one is a booby, and trust the leaders of nations. Let's leave the Yanks alone with their troubles, and have a look closer to home. More questions pop up. If Canada really sympathizes with the American position on Iran and the hostages, as our leaders indicate, why don't we do something about it? Whatever the Shah did, and his was obviously a corrupt and brutal reign, his successors are no better. They have hanged hundreds after kangaroo trials,, persecuted racial and religious minorities, and' surren- dered the principles of justice and mercy into the hands of a narrow, religiously fanatic old man. Why doesn't Canada kick out all Iran- ians, stop trading with them, seize any assets they have in this country, refuse them entry visas, and keep it up until the hostages are released and a stable and civilized government is restored to Iran? Why doesn't Canada, internationally known as a peace-maker, go back to that the Commonwealth, and the other great powers, to bring Iran into line? ~ If we deplore Russia's invasion of Afghanistan, which we claim we do, why don't we do something besides deplore? Because we might lose some wheat sales; that's why. : We make a feeble gesture by talking our athletes into staying away from the Olympic Games, poor devils. But we go right on planning to host Russian hockey teams in hy 'great' Canada Cup series. : Of course, that paradox is simply enough explained. Olympic athletes don't make money, they cost money. And they aren't very well organized, and don't have much clout. On the other hand, Russian hockey teams fill arenas, bring in big television revenues, and the N.H.L. is well organized and carries a lot of clout. Maybe I sound like a hawk in this column. I'm not. I'm a school teacher. Perhaps because of that, I realize that, as there must be order in a classroom, there must be order, and a semblance of civiliza- tion, in the structure of nations. There are times when I'm ashamed of my country. We are not without guts and imagination, as Ambassador Ken Taylor's high jinks in Iran proved. But time and again it has been proved that Canada will never take strong measures, whatever the provocation, if it's going to cost us a few bucks in trade. <4 $