The Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-11-29, Page 7w$010011, Ws Nor 29r-- 7
Hill Talk reviews new session
This month's Hill Talk finds the new
session of Parliament underway. I
would like to devote this column to
bringing you up-to-date on some of the
most recent happenings in Ottawa.
THRONE SPEECH
On the lith of October, His Excel-
lency the governor General and Mad-
ame Leger opened the fourth session of
the 30th Parliament with the reading of
the Speech from the Throne_ The
Speech emphasised the Government's
commitment to create a leaner. more
efficient administration. It incorporated
many elements drawn from Cabinet
proposals for reallocation and restraint
unveiled in August and September, to
cut spending and boost the economy.
The proposals include:
- Legislation to ensure that public
service pension benefits are in line with
the level of employee contributions;
- Legislation to require that public
service compensation not lead that of
the private .sector,
- Conversion of the Post Office into a
Crown Corporation, to increase efficien-
cy;
- Changes to the Unemployment
Insurance Program to cut costs, remove
disincentives to work, and to divert U.I.
funds to job creation;
- A $200 per child tax credit for low -
and middle - income families, introduc-
ed last week by Finance Minister Jean
Chretien and Minister of National
Health and Welfare, Monique Begin;
- An increase in the Guaranteed Income
Supplement of S20 per household, also
introduced last week by the Minister of
National Health and Welfare.
In additon, the Speech noted that:
- Negotiations are underway with
Alberta to defer the 51.00 per barrel
increase in oil prices scheduled for,
- Plans are also being developed to
create more youth employment and
divert more funds to manpower train-
ing;
- Funds wills be reallocated for major
capital ptojects in manufacturing, ener-
gy
nsgy and transportation.
Another principal focus of' the Throne
Speeeh was the need for the renewal of
the Canadian Federation. Since the
problems of national unity and the
economy are inseparable, the Govern-
ment is particularly anxious to push
forward with its program of constitu-
tional reform and repatriation.
Public involvement in the process of
Government was highlighted in the
Speech. Among the proposals put
forward were:
- Continued consultations with busi-
ness, labour, private interest groups
and other levels of government
- Legislation to increase public access
to government documents;
- A Parliamentary review of govern-
ment evaluations of major programs;
- and legislation to create a federal
Ombudsman:
CONSTITUTIONAL REPORT
I would also like to mention the
Interim Report of the Committee on the
Constitution. Wide ranging recommen-
dations were in the report presented to
Parliament on October 10.
Since its first meeting on August 15
the joint Commons -Senate committee
has held 34 meetings and reviewed 400
submissions from citizens, h has
examined representatives of provincial
and territorial governments as well as
expert witnesses.
The Committee's report identifies
areas of broad agreement or concern
including: reconstitution of the Com-
mittee; the preamble and aims of the
federation; the Canadian Charter of
Rights and Freedoms; the Monarchy;
and the courts and Parliament itself.
BOND YIELD BOOST TO 9.5%
The new issue of Canada Savings
Bonds. (CSB) available as of November
1, will yield 9.5% interest instead ,of the
8,9% ars previously announced. The
increase was ptompted by the upward
shift in interest rates throughout the
economy and will maintain the attract-
iveness
ttiractiveness of CSB s relative to other
investments.
CONSUMER PACE INDEX
��y
Inflation stopped dead lmonth.
ariaag to a Statistics Canada report.
The All -items Glummer Price bidet for
Canada decreased by 0.2% horn 177.8
in August to 117.,5 in September, the
first monthly decline in this index since
September 1971. ,On a twelve-month
basis, this translates into a 2.4' , annual
deflation of prices. The twelve-month
rise between September 1977 and
September 1978 stood at 8.6%, down
from the. 9.4% registered the previous
month.
RENEWAL OF APPOINT
On October 4, the Prime Minister
announced the appointments and re-
newal of appointments of 26 Parliamen-
tary Secretaries_ I am pleased to say
that my own position as Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Communi-
cations has been renewed for a period of
one year.
In this role, 1 have an opportunity to
speak at functions across the country on
behalf of the Minister, the Honourable
Jeanne Sauvae„ and to take an active role
in the Department of Communications.
During the past year, 1 have faund that
the carrying omit of my duties has been a
very rewarding experience and look
forward to the year to comae, "
KAIDIAVIK
F"malty, I would hire to include a few
words about the Katimavrlc Program.
which I am proud to say includes some
area residents in its numbers. As you
may know. KatimayilL is a private,
non-profit organization funded by the
Federal Government and for which the
Minister of National Defence is respon-
sible.
This year, some 1,400 young Canad-
iauns are bivalved in this volunteer
service program. 1.287 of whoa are
participants between 17 and 22 years
old. These participants were selected
according to a system which gives equal
chance to all applicants according to
specific criteria to provide a selection
representative of the Canadian reality
(geographically. economically) lig uisttic
ally= socially and demographically).
The selected volunteers are grouped
in teams of 33 and distributed in 39
communities from coast to coast. In
each of these, the Katimavik partici-
pants
artitepants work in ptojects useful to the
communities: environmental clean-up,
Park development, Restoration of hist-
orical sites, etc_ Most Of these projects
were organized at• the request of the
host communities and all were develop-
ed with the full participation of local
committees. Under no circumstances
were these projects to cut down the
level of local employment.
Every three months (three times
during the program), each team moves
to another project, in a different part of
the country, and continues the work
started by a preceding team. One of the
3 projects is in a Frech-speaking
community and, throughout the pro-
gram, learning the second language is a
Those taking part in the program
from the Bruce -Grey area include
Katherine Ellis and James Hunter, both
of Tiverton. Susan Brooks of Lucknow
and Mary Campbell of Toberrory. To
these young people, I would Lice to
express my sincere congratulations for
taking part in this worthwhile venture.
Any young person wishing to .fund out
more about the program may do so by
contacting Kattamavrik, Ontario Regional
Office, 323 Chapel St.. Ottawa, Ontario
KIN 7Z2 or by contacting my office in
Chesley (363-39003)_
Criticize Residential Tenancies Act
TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor:
O Canada. Our home and native land.
Sound familiar' Well, not for long, if the
current trend continues.
In the Lucknow arena, we have made a
practice of playing our National Anthem
before the opening face-off in hockey games
at all age levels., A couple of years ago we
found the record difficult to locate, but were
given a slightly scratched platter, from
CKNX to whom we were grateful. Since
that time we have kept a constant watch for a
replacement, either record or tape, and have
not been able to find one.
The Goderich branch of a retail music
chain, both tapes and records, checked with
their "traveller", only to find that they did
not carry the requested music, nor could
they have it recorded for us!
The hockey season rolled around and we
were forced to start the season without the
music.
Today we are pleased to announce that our
hockey players and fans alike, will again
hear the familiar strains of our National
Anthem at the commencement of future
games. Only two days after hearing of our
problem, Gordon Cayley presented us with
the elusive music played by. you guessed it,
our own L}rcknow Concert Band.
So lookout, opposition, our players have
one more reason to stand up proud. Several
are members of this band, of whom all are
justly proud.
To the Lucknow Concert Band leader and
members - Thank You.
Arena Management.
The Residential.Tenancies Act has been
given approval in principle and has now
been sent to committee for study. This
legislation, which would permit the
eviction of tenants for breaking a land-
lord's "house rules", has comae under
strong criticisra since its introduction on
October 30th. At present, Iandlords must
obtain a court order to evict a tenant,but
under the new bill a landlord can establish
"house rules". and if they are broken, can
apply ' to the new Residential Tenancies
Queen's Park....
CONTINUED FROM P. 6
ment spending will be held to an increase
sof six per cent, down from a whopping 25%
four years ago. In a tough cost-cutting
statement. Miller said Ontario will receive
about 5400 million less than it had
expected from Ottawa.
Mr. Miller also said that former
treasurer Darcy McKeough's commitment
to balance Ontario's 51,5 billion debt by
1981 will be pushed back to 1984„ because
revenues have not lived up to expectations.
Existing government programs will be held
to a five per cent increase, but fixed debts„
such as payments to the public debt, will
grow by 12.9%.
LOOKING BACK
Mrs. Ewen MacKenzie, 90, is a
patient in Wingham Hospital, with a
fractured hip: She suffered the injury
last Wednesday in a fall, as she went to
answer the door. A pin has been put in
her hip and despite her age - she will be
91 next March - she has withstood the
ordeal very well.
Commission, which can tell the tenant to
move out. This bill also extends rent
controls on the majority of rental units at
least until the end of 19'9 and changes the
rent review system_
Health Minister Tiimbrell has announced
that capital budgets for hospitals have
been pared from last spring's approved
5115 rnallion to S98 million for 1978,79,; and
next year's total is unlikely to be more than
this year"s, according to the Minister. On
the average, operating budgets for the
coming year cannot be increased by more
than 4.5% and "a much harder look at the
whole system"" will be needed to achieve
even this, he said, warning the hospitals
not to budget for deficits which "is a
`short-sighted practice that quid lead to
serious consequences". Any hospital run-
ning a deficit will find it will have to foot
the bill.
In connection with the deaths of 22
Hamilton foundry workers, who died from
lung cancer, the 54 -mister of Labour has
described the actions of medical officials in
his ministry and the Workmen's Compen-
sation Board as "careless". The Minister
stated that he had met officials from his
Ministry's occupational health and safety
division and the WCB and learned that the
investigation was not carried out because
of a breakdown in communications_ He
continued. "In reviewing the correspond-
ence I must say...the breakdown in com-
munications is difficult to understand:
Nevertheless, this misunderstanding did
arise and was not brought to my attention
until I commenced my investigation_" This
so-called breakdown in communications
had lea to a further delay in the WCB's
decision on the 22 claims for compensation
made by the widows and families of the
foundry workers who have already been
waiting for mere than a year for a decision.
In July 1977, the board received a copy of a
ten-year study by Dominion Foundries and
Steel Ltd. which discovered that foundry
workers over 45 years of age are four and a,
half times as likely to contract lung cancer
than workers in other parts of the plant.
Dofasco officials have pointed out that
these Lung cancers may be the result of
operations and processes in the foundry
twenty years ago that no longer apply.
Dr. 'illiam McCracken, executive direc-
tor of medical services for the WCB. said
in an interview that he sent the study to the
Labour Ministry's occupational health and
safety division with a request for a detailed
evaluation, and asked for an analysis to
determine whether any other studies show
an increased incidence of lung cancer in
foundry workers elsewhere in the world.
The extent of the Ministry's involvement
was to send a list of occupational health
studies in foundries, to Dr. McCracken last
June. However. Dr. McCracken was under
the impression that the ministry was
continuing a detailed investigation and
held off doing anything about the claims
before the board until the probe was
completed,
Eddie Sargent. MPP (Grey -Bruce).
introduced this week a Private Members
Bill which, if adopted, would have estab-
lished a new system for hydro rates. The
bill proposed a low rate for pensioners and
people earning low incomes, as well as for
people who use little hydro. It would end
the discounts for indgstry and big users of
electricity. The Government blocked the
bill on a vote. Using the Toronto rates as an
example. Mr. Sargent said that the first 50
kilowatt hours in a billing period cost 7c
each; the next 200 kilowatt hours cost 3.4
cents each, and after that 2.6 cents each.
Essentially the proposed bill would turn
this system around so that the more
electricity one uses the higher rate one
would pay. This reverses the present
system of giving lower rates for higher use,
which is self defeating in terms of
conservation and preservation of our
resources, as well as in terms of doing
something about the size of the generating
program 'we must have in the province.
Presently, the Government is in the
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