THE EDITOR, Sir:
OUR COUNTRY is in crisis. Government has to deal with poor educational facilities, lack of jobs and training opportunities, inadequate national security. As citizens, it is the business of all of us.
I am a small farmer. I employ on an occasional and daily basis a number of workers including six males and two females.
The six males are unable to read. Of the females, one is literate and the other is not. Within a radius of four miles are four schools three all-age and one junior high.
The six males are without the support of a father or know not of their fathers. These young men hardly attended school.
Mother was unable to influence or control them, whereas the girls enjoyed some measure of control or influence by mother. These young men were exposed to the influence of undesirables in the community.
The consequence is predictable. We urge that fathers should be compelled to be registered and in consequence obliged to support their children. The issue should not only be debated but placed on the Statute books with immediate effect.
A recent publication in the daily newspapers highlighted the recruitment of male workers to Canada farms, 70 per cent of whom were unable to read. I would hazard a guess the majority of these illiterate males hadn't the guidance or influence of a father.
We advocate most strongly the compulsory registration of all fathers and the recruitment of all boys over the age of 17 in the army, where a code of discipline and skills training should be applied.
The cost of this exercise may be challenging but will be less costly than the waste and negative consequence the current situation imposes on society.
I am, etc.,
A.S. BYFIELD
Boscobel, St. Mary
