Reproduction: Condom Controversy — Heats Up In CEGEP Washrooms

Mary farrell, a Dawson College transmitted diseases and unwanted

MONTREAL (CUP) — An entre- preneur’s dream of installing con- dom vending machines in CEGEP washrooms may never come true, if opposition to the plan continues to mount.

Jocelyn Morin, a former X-ray tech- nician, has been approaching col- leges throughout Quebec and is reported to have an exclusive con- tract with an American condom manufacturer, Nation Sanitary Lab. But education minister Claude Ryan said the plan is absurd and should be abandoned.

“As T understand it, there are places where these things can be procured by people who want them—there are pharmacies,” he said. “I’m not too familiar with this, but I can’t see these things being installed in colleges. It would be too ridiculous.”

Itidal Sadek, director of Dawson College’s campus, doubts condoms will be available there. ““We don’t sell anything in dispensers, not even sanitary napkins.”

“Tt’s basically a fear of vandalism and although condoms would be good for educational purposes, they’re not needed for emergencies. * just haven’t heard any convinc-

ing arguments.”

Tom Nowers, head of student ser- vices at Marianopolis College, says the potential for vandalism is too great.

“The minute you put money into a machine, you’ve got a problem,” he said. “I can understand both sides of the argument, though, of having birth control versus the implied

tacit approval of sexual activity.”

John Abbott College official Irena Fish agrees. “If you have them available, you could be seen to be promoting sexual promiscuity, but on the other hand, you’re also promoting health,” she said.

“The idea will have difficulty pass- ing here because of parental.and community reaction,” she said. But

health services worker, has no problems with condoms on campus. “Even the Department of Health is promoting the use of condoms. It should beup to the students. If they want them, they should be avail- able,” said Farrell.

Trois Rivieres College director Alain Lallier said Morin ap- proached him about the plan, and said he found merit to stopping

pregnancies. “We haven’t installed any machines yet, but we have set up a commitee to study the idea,” said Lallier. “The condom vending maching would have to be one aspect of a total educational cam- paign to make students more aware of their responsibilities.”

There were more than 40,000 teen- age pregnancies in Canada last year.

Fifth Annual Playwriting Competition

For the fifth consecutive year, Island Community Theatre is spon- soring the New Voices Playwriting Competition. “New Voices ’87” invites professional and non- professional writers, born or resi- dent on P.E.I., to submit original one-act plays for consideration by a panel of three judges.

The announcement follows the recent presentation of the New Voices Festival which featured plays by last year’s winning playwrights.

Wizard Business Products will

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again be offering the competition’s top prize, an All Electronic Typew- riter worth over $500. Cash awards by the Eastern graphic and Q93FM are made to the second and third place winners, With the recent interest created by ICT’s festival of the prize-winning plays from last year’s competition, the theatre company is anticipating even more entries this season.

Scripts will be accepted until Jan- uary 15th with the results to be announced at the end of February. A brochure with complete infor- mation on the competition, includ- ing rules and regulations, can be

obtained from Island Community Theatre, Inc., c/o UPEI, Charlotte-

town, C1A 4P3, or telephone 566-0321.

Highways Safer

The latest collision report from the province of Prince Edward Island Highway Safety Division, dated October 31, 1986, states that there have been 25 motor vehicle related deaths in Prince Edward Island so far this year, 8 less than for the same period last year, a decrease of 24%. Since the beginning of the year, there were 2500 collisions

of i Field and Stream Club CHARLOTTETOWN’S