HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1973-05-02, Page 2People power played a major role
in the decision of the Davis govern-
ment to back down from its intention
to apply a 7% sales tax on heat and
light.
Facing a revolt by his supporters
in the legislature and outspoken
criticism by members of his cabinet
coupled with wide public disapproval
of the measure, the premier had
,little alternative but to make the
best of a poor 'deal . It was another
humbling experience for the Big Blue
Machine and provided the name of an-
other minister to add to those who
in recent months had by their actions
indicated lack of judgment.
Provincial Treasurer John White's
decision to remove the energy tax
from his budget legislation, of
course, in no way affects his integ-
rity. It does however, reduce his
credibility in the eyes of the public
who cannot help but wonder how a
person charged with responsibility
for the fiscal affairS of the prov-
ince could' recommend a measure that
had within it inequities that bore
most heavily on those of lower in-
come and which would in the eyes of
municipal officials become an admin-
istrative nightmare for those charged
with its application. What made the
proposal even more astounding was
the indication that little or no con-
sideration had been given by the
premier or other ministers to impli-
cations it held in increased costs
for government controlled facilities
such 'as schools and hospitals. Des-
pite the hundreds of thousands of
dollars involved nobody either in
cabinet or in the vast Tory bureauc-
racy at Queen's Park appears to have
given this a thought.
As far as the government is con-
cerned the uproar on the energy tax
has blunted criticism of the 40% in-
crease in' the existing sales tax
which the budget also provided. As
a result little, consideration has
beer) given to the extravagances which
have contributed to the government's
desperate search for more revenue.
"Visiting nurses Association`? Could you. lining pitohot
of water' to 1\liedidal 116Spital?"
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There was no alternative
Sugar and Spice
By Bill Smiley
40.
People will put up.witli almost anything,
as long as they are left in peace. They'll
take an incredible amount of being puStied,
around without doing more than grumble.
But there comes a point when, all the
frustrations, the cheatings, the ullying,
merge under some catalyst and the great
public heart bells over with rage and
humiliation.
.When it does, heads roll. This is
just a little advanCe notice to some of
our. Various governments, so that any of
their mandarins who want to take to the
hills on the day of reckoning can get
their bags packed and pick out the par-
ticular hills they want to take to. .
In the French Revolution, the Bastille_
was the symbol of authority and repres-
sion. The people stormed it and took it.
The American Revoltition, or The War
of Independence, as our friends to the
south prefer, also began with a symbol -
chests of tea. A large number of these
were durnped into Boston harbour in a
protest that has resulted in the peculiar
way in which the people of 'Boston haVe
spoken ever since.
DV both cases, the revolutions were
produced by the same basic factor -
excessive taxation. In the case of the
French, the taxation produced extreme
poverty and hunger. With the Yanks, it
produced violent anger.
In the One case, the result was the
loss of a head for A. great Many people
who had the same qUaritity of brains
before the operation as they had after it.
In the other, the result Was the loss of
a halftOntinent Of incredible riChes.
Both events in hike*/ brought their
atiVantages, of course. Without the French
effOrt, which spawned Napoleon, we •
wouldn't have had the Napoleonic Wars
and the, Retreat from .MOSCOW, and where
would our history teachers
Without the ArneridatiRevOlutien, Wea.,
tern thritUre. would have been infinitely
poorer.. What Other nation would have
had the initiative and gumption to develop
trientinietitat achievements as
Hollywood and the hambutget?
You may think this excursion into:
history' has rid point. . the more titS-
cerhing readers of this column know that
Smiley is, getting somewhere, in his own
laborious way. And 'the Most discerning
readers are chuckling, tq'll bet he. just ' blade Otit'lliS interne tax.'"
The WWI' are right, Of course. And
'as I sat there, -SUrribtirided by, papers,` Wok: at heart when I teallted What
puny amount a year of hard' labour had
ooduned._ I had only one thought} 4,when is the great Canidian going
to start?"
Then came other thoughts. What
symbol shall we attack? Do they need
anyone to lead the attacks on the barri-
cades? Which of the dastards will I
personally gun down? •
I have news for those in power. I'm
not kidding. If you &nil get it with
bullets, you'll get it with ballots. You
can rub our faces in it only so long, and .
then the hand that robs the cradle, along
with everything else ',that can be robbed,
is going to be bitten. To ihe bone.
Our national Liberal party, supreme
in its power, arrogance and scorn, should
have learned a lesson. It is still bleeding.
In province after province, the people
have had their say, and have tossed out
the old guard. Ontario is one of the few
that have survived.
Here's a prediction. Check it later.
I've never been wrong. Premier William
Davis, the most unimpressive politician
I've ever heard", and that ranks from
.deputyre.eves up, is in for a big fat fall,
along with his party.
Why? It's obviouS, from the recent
Ontario budget. The party has lost touch
with reality. And that's death in politics.
An example? The 'tax on energy
soUreeS. It's not ,going to hurt me. I
can afford it.' Its not going to hurt
anybody except all those people who can
,already barely meet their fuel and elec-
tricity bills.
Tel the 1113thries, wack iton cigaret-
WS and liquor and fur coats and there'll
be some grumbling. But stick a tax on
light and heat, necessities in thiSC11Mate,
and you are accepting the political kisS,
of death. We. Shall not forget; at eleCtion
time.
It's 'the trieSt stupid single tax that I
have ever encountered, and that 18 'a big
statement.ee It hits the little guy, the
else who iS scrimping Make ends
meet.
elderly, those on Welfare', and everybody
gPitibOett My wife asked nie, as I
paced a hole in the rugy, grinding My teeth!
"What do, we get for All thia income tax
we pay?'' '
It was atypicalWOrtiari'S question, right
on the nose. 'Vet :the life &the, I couldn't
give her an answer that Made sense.
there's the Atined Forces‘"
,Protecting us against Iceland. '•gitqt, there
are the Salaties and dike§ and staff of
parliattiento" 146411d:fie more takeS.,
'And fuh) you know, welfare and di
icebreakers and uh, toyal commissions
'and :ilk well,, stuff like that.io
Auk harridacieSt MeS toniatideSt
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