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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-04-27, Page 2news Dennis Timbrell Lark*ow Sentinel, Wednesday, April 27, 19113—Page 2 Supports entrenchment of property rights *km page 1 that a goverment with that kind of philosophy is not likely to be put in power in this province. Premier William Davis announced in the legislature the following day that Ontario will support the inclusion of property rights in the charter of rights, If property rights are entrenched in the constitution, said Tim- brell, nothing could abridge an individual's property rights by reason of applying kw or accepting government assistance. Despite the opposition to the proposed farm tax rebate program in Huron County, one farmer at the meeting said he is in favour of the rebate and would like to receive more rebates front government. tar! Hayes of Kinloss Township said he wants a tax rebate for the tax charged on fuel used on the farm. Hayes estimates he pays $4,000 tax on fuel in a year and last,,,year, his income was only $3,000. The minister pointed out that there are three governments taking taxes on fuel; the producing province, the federal government and the provincial government. The provin- cial tax is rebated, said Timbrell, but the taxpayers of this province do not have the money to rebate all the tax on fuel charged by the other two governments. While Timbrell was asked to speak to the meeting to explain the farm tax rebate program, most questions asked during the question period did not refer to the tax proposal. Instead farmers took the opportun- ity to vent some of their frustration with high interest rates, low commodity pricesand foreign absentee ownership. Timbrell reminded the farmers it is the federal government and the Rank of Canada which sets the high interest rates and they are responsible for the economic policies of the country. The taxpayers of the province do not have the money for the provincial government of Ontario to lower interest rates for everybody and every business in the province to reasonable levels, he reason- ed. Timbrei1 also told the meeting the provincial government does not set the prices for commodities. His government is trying to help marketing boards with special assistance to sell their surpluses which resulted in such low prices last year. Unless farmers are willing to accept the principle that the government should be all powerful and direct and control everything, then they will have to accept that there are some things government cannot do, ob- served the minister. In reply to questions concerning farm credit assistance, Timbrell said he had hoped the federal government would provide more money through the Farm Credit Corp- oration (FCC) to assist farmers. In the budget announced last week, another $100 million was allocated to FCC for distress areas. This $100 million is only for distress eases and it only goes to rewrite existing debt load and will not be used for new mortgages. Timbrell explained that the Ontario government offers the Ontario Farm Assist- ance Program which has been extended to provide assistance to farmers. He, as minister, is working with the other provinces to establish a stabilization program for all producers not covered by existing market stabilization plans and Ontario plans a new program for beginning farmers in May. Wingh am hospital sets record 6 million budget By Henry ilea Following one of its best years ever, financially, the Wingham and district Hospital Hoard last week approved a record $6 million budget for the fiseal year 1983.84, The budget held few surprises and was approved almost without discussion by board members, -following the recommen- dation of the finance and audit Committee, Earlier in the meeting, board members had heard that the hospital appears to have finished 1982.83 with a record surplus, though the exact figures will not be confirmed until after the audit has been completed next month, Committee Chairman Robert Pike deserib- ed the budget as "relatively free of risks and without the urgency of some past years". The hospital already has been promised a 7,8 per cent inerease in its funding by the Ontario Health Ministry, he noted, and pay scales for the year have been imposed by the provincial restraint program. The only surprises could come if use of the hospital varied dramatically up or down, he said, and even in that case the hospital is covered. If use drops off, as it did during the past year, the hospital stands to chalk up a healthy surplus, while if it increases the board can apply to the ministry for supple- mentary funding. "In any event, there's very little risk involved in the budget". At the start of his msentation, Pike noted that the board is limited in what it can do in a budget since the purse strings are held by the Health Ministry, to the tune of some $5.2 million on a $6 million budget. "This budget is to demonstrate to the ministry that the funds available wilt cover expenses and maintain the level of service," he said, adding it will act as a spending guideline for hospital management and the board. Of the anticipated gross revenue of $6,007,103, almost 90 per cent comes directly from the Health Ministry to cover operating costs. Pike noted that the other components, which include interest on investments, private room differential fees and other revenues, are relatively minor and not subject to much fluctuation. Expenditures are set at $6,002,599, an increase of about eight per cent from last year. Payment of salaries, wages and benefits accounts for about 75 per cent of the spending. The hospital also expects to pay nut about $550,000 in working capital during the course of the year, with the bulk of this going toward the new emergency and outpatient wing. Tirnbre11 will announce program for beginning farmers •gymage 1 young farmers, will my boys have a chance to start over again?" "We haven't finalized the qualification criteria for the program, so I'm not in a position to tell you tonight," replied Timbrell. "i cannot promise you tonight that the program will cover your sens,,,,,What- ever we introduce, there are going to be some people who will not qualify," The minister told the meeting he is disappointed the federal budget announced last week did not allocate more funds for the Farm Credit Corporation and encourage investors to put their money into agriculture through agri-bonds. Regarding the virtual abandonment of farmers in the budget, Timbrell said he had expected the federal government to use the legislation they pushed through Last year, permitting them to borrow money from international money markets where interest rates are lower than prevailing rates, to recycle money to the farm community through PCC. At the time they talked about doubling the amount of money in PCC which gets about $500 million from the federal treasury, said Timbrell. To date they have only been able to add about another $50 million. The minister also criticized the federal govern- ment for refusing to include a tax incentive encouraging investors to put their money into agriculture through agri-bonds, in last week's budget, Prom what he had seen of the federal budget at the time of the meeting, Timbrell predicted the 1983 Ontario budget will be very tight, Remarks made by Ontario's treasurer Frank Miller after the federal budget, indicate the treasurer is going to be in a very tight spot. Turn to page 5 • Miller estimates the federal budget will probably cost the Ontario government another $100 million in lost revenue, in addition to the several hundred million dollars lost in transfer payments. The treasurer is sitting with a deficit of $2.5 billion and we don't think it can be allowed to go much higher without endang- ering the province's triple A credit rating, Timbreil commented. The treasurer has already come up with money to match federal doliars for job :rection and there isn't much room for rutting programs, he added, Whelan supports bill C653 to mediate farmers debts By Stephanie Levesque In theory and in practise, the Hon, Eugene Whelan supports his fellow Liberal MP Ralph Fer;uson's con- troversial bill aha. Speaking to over 350 Liberal party supporters from the federal ridings of Perth and Huron -Bruce in Mitchell Apr. 21, the federal agriculture minister said his office has dealt with farmers facing financial difficulty on a steady basis for the past two years and this proposed bill will assist them. The bill, which is currently before the House of Com- mons agriculture standing committee, is the re- introduction of an act passed in the 1930s to assist not only farmers, but small businessmen in financial dif- ficulty. One aspect of the proposed bill that Mr. Whelan spoke of, is the point of mediation. He pointed to a system in Saskatchewan which has lending institutions giving three months' notice before foreclosures are made. The agriculture minister disagrees that passage of the bill will curtail the lending activities of the banks to farmers and small businessmen. The bill, said Mr. Whelan, does not say banks shall forgive loans, rather a court hearing is held where forgiveness or partial forgiveness of debt is considered. "I say that is not so wrong," commented Mr. Whelan. The federal MP also prais- ed the Liberal government's recently introduced 1983 budget. "it means concern for the people, small businesses, big business, construction and agriculture," said the cabinet minister. Paving the way before the president of the Liberal Par- ty of Canada Iona Cam- pagnola spoke, Mr. Whelan referred to his former cabinet colleague as a " peo- ple person". As Ms. Cam- pagnola did, Mr. Whelan praised the actions of his party's government. Commenting on the metric system, the agriculture minister said Canada depends on international trade and "all trading is done in metric". 'Caking a swipe at the Tory opposition, Mr. Whelan said it takes "43 Tories to run a gas station". Ile was referring to the British Imperial System -run Tas station owned by federal ory MPs in the Ottawa area. When he is asked about the gas station, Mr. Whelan says he is "looking for sterling" with which to pay for the gas. Promoting Canada and particularly the Liberal par- ty, Mr. Whelan said he and Ms. Campagnola are selling Liberalism. Campagnola speaks In Perth County to pro- mote the liberal party, former MP and cabinet minister Iona Campagnola did just that by emphasizing the past achievements of the federal Liberal government and praising its recently in- troduced budget. As one of the guest speakers at a $25 -a -plate fund-raising dinner in Mit- chell, along with agriculture minister Eugene Whelan, Ms. Campagnola wound up her day -long visit to the Perth riding, She referred to her visit as a "lovely day", during which time Ms. Campagnola spoke on women's issues at a lun- cheon at the Stratford Coun- try Club and talked with Perth County high school studerits at Northwestern Secondary School in Strat- ford. At the dinner, the presi- dent of the Liberal Party of Canada, Ms. Campagnola said Canadians like "our budget". "It's quiet out there because they like it," she said. The former cabinet minister didn't point to any budget specifics, but noted finance minister Marc Lalonde had consulted the party about the budget. "I can't remember any minister of finance doing that before," commented the party president. The former MP from Prince Rupert, P.C., said it was too bad about the photo, referring to the picture of the budget document taken by a Hamilton television station. "What's what happens when we have 19th century laws and 21st century technology," said Ms. Cam- pagnola. She cautioned against lum- ping the media together and blaming them all for the ac- tions taken, but also ques- tioned the ethics of the par- ticular photographer in question. Ms. Campagnola sug- gested the Liberal party has to utilize the media, because if it doesn't, the opposition Turn to page 56