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ADVERTISING 905-640-2612 Unified: 1-800-743-3353 Fax: 905-640-8778 The Sun-Tribune. published every Thursday and Saturday, is a division of the Metroiand Media Group Ltd. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. Metroland is comprised of 100 community publications across Ontario. The York Regan Newspaper Group also includes The Liberal, serving Richmond Hill and Thomhiil, Vaughan Citizen,1he Era-Banner (Newmadiet/Aurora), Markham Economist The Sun-Tribune welcomes your let- ters. All submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number. name and address The Sun’TYibune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edil for clar- ity and space. Letters to the Editor. The Sun-Tribune 6290 Main St. Stouflvlllo, 0N MA IG7 (iii-mm Sun. Georgina Advocate. York Region Business Times, North of the City. yorkregionmm and York Region Printing. Anvmmsmc ‘ I . mu Mm ' Re: Lack of electwn meetmgs Mike Banville L favours incumbents, letter to the ’"bMWW’mg-mm } editor by Randy Mole, Oct 21. dandrewsmgcom )masonflyrmg.com York Region Media Group community newspapers M04612 h: 9056408778 cnorman@yrmg. com Manager Dawna Andrews DISI'RIBUTION Circulation Supervisor Carolyn Norman EDITORIAL Editor Jim Mason jmasonerngXJm lETTERS POLICY PRODUCTION Manager Sherry Day DISTRIBUTION 905â€"640â€"2612 INTERACTIVE MEDIA Marketing 81 Advertising sday@yrmg.com EDITORIAL 1 For proof, we need only “look up, look way up", as one of my colleagues at CBC used to say. The ozone layer is no longer shrinking. Starting in the 19703, scientists observed a connection between our use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and a weakening of the ozone layer in the stratosphere. High above Earth. ultraviolet light breaks chlorine off the CFC molecule and chlorine is a potent scavenger of ozone. Stratospheric ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation, protecting us from the sun’s rays similar to a giant pair of sunglasses. As more of the chemicals were dumped into the air, they began to destroy the ozone layer, creating the potential for dramatic increases in skin cancers and damage to the phytoplankton that form the base of life. In September 1987, world lead- ers signed the Montreal protocol on CFCs were once used in products ranging from aerosol spray cans to refrigerators. Town can do more to help inform voters Rather than ofler halls free for debates, candidates are proâ€" vided with voters lists and a budget allowance. We are allowed to spend a specified amount on our cam- paigns and are solely respon- sible for funding through self or donations. There are too many people in this town and too lit- tle time to get to them all. I couldn’t agree more. As a candidate for mayor, I was shocked at the town’s lack of interest. I am fairly confident report- ers would be all over the debates had there been more than two. Debates should be weekly, nightly - get it flowing, get involved. The newspapers can only transfer their interpretation and may exclude valuable com- PUBLISHER Ian Prou NI 0 N LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ntemational leadership based on sound science can lead to great results. Ozone agreement shows progress possible ments or details of the candi- dates due to lack of space. Live debates are a must. Why do new'houses seem to mainly benefit the builders? They get their money and leave the ‘town with the problems that surface. So many people don’t even bother voting because they are not informed. Just as they are not provided a time to pate in town meetings. What a shame. ' People said they wanted change. Yet, I did not see much reaction. Their way of making their point is not to vote. This letter is too late for this round. However, I sure hope the town steps up to the plate and hears us. Spending on the new hockey arena and placing it so close to the other seems odd. Why is all the development crammed together? Bethesda Park? Why take away usable, convenient in-town parks and diamonds? CHRISTINE VLACHOS WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE Now, a report written and reviewed by 300 scientists from around the world concludes phasâ€" ing out production and consumpâ€" tion of ozone-depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol “has protected the stratospheric ozone layer from much higher levels of depletion”. substances that deplete the ozone layer. It’s not a complete turn-around, but it is good news. Scientists found with Faisal Moola David Suzuki PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot They also write the ozone layer outside the polar regions is proâ€" jected to recover to pre-1980 levels before the middle of this century. CFC manufacturers claimed the science on the dangers of CFCs was “rubbish” and phasing out CFCs would cost trillions of dollars and destroy the industry. global ozone and ozone in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are no lon- ger decreasing, but they are not yet increasing either. UN environment program execu- tive director Achim Steiner noted, without the agreement, atmospheric levels of ozoneâ€"depleting substances could have increased tenfold, lead- ing to “up to 20 million more cases of skin cancer and 130 million more cases of eye cataracts, not to speak of damage to human immune sys- tems, wildlife and agriculture”. Interestingly, the scientists and world leaders who worked to protect us from ozone depletion faced many of the same pressures those working to protect us from climate change now encounter. As Naomi Oreslies writes in her excellent book Merchants of Doubt, many of the same “experts” show Tribune David Suzuki writes an occasional column for meMRegionMaGprflnFaisdmdaisme mwmammmmmyisn devidsuzuki.org up in the campaigns industry has waged against the science regard- ing the impacts of tobacco, CFCs, acid rain and climate change. “Arguing which propellant to use was rather trivial to society,” Sher- wood Rowland says. “One could replace CFCs and still use existing technology. This is quite different from having fossil fuels as our pri- mary energy source for the whole world." Emma m Cw Debora Kelly In other words, the stakes are higher â€" for industry and socigty. 'In many cases, CFCs could be replaced by something as simple and non-polluting as compressed air. If we can succeed in tackling the ozone problem, despite attacks from industry, why is it so difficult to resolve an even greater threat to life on the planet, climate change? One of the scientists who won a Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1995 for his work on the ozone layer has an explanation. Busmnss MANAGE! Robert Lazurko Dmncmon. OPERATIONS Barry Black Duncron. REGIONAL Pnonucrs, Cmu'um, Tomw’s nouns Debra Weller Duncron. Amusmc, Durrumrnon Nicole Fletcher