The Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-12-03, Page 9Fisher makes comments
on Bill '1.6.On.yths, realities
by Barb Fisher
As studentsfrom the
counties of Bruce, 'Grey,
and Huron settle hack into..
• their routines again, 1
would like to take this
opportunity to address
some of the myths 's4tr-
rouriding Bill 160 that
have been circulating at
the many community'.
meetings these past couple
of weeks.. As well, I would
like to.draw your attention
to the very real and pro-
gressive changes ;Bill 160
will .bring to the class-
rooms,
In the bui'iding our plan
for change, we need til.
address the predominant
question that we hear con-
sistently from Ontar^ians
right across the province:,.' "
Are our. students obtaining
the quality education and
skills necessary to face the
challenges emerging in the
new economy? In an effort"
to ensure. that; Ontarlans `•
can confidently answer
resounding., "yes", we
committed tomaking the
necessary 'reforms to..
Ontario's education. '
We beli.,e•ve there is
more than enough money
in the system. Ontario.
already spends more per -
capita on education than
most jurisdictions in the
world. We alsoknow that
our teachersare among the
best in the world,
Thatis why our focus is.
on changing .the system.
We simply:. are not. getting.
enough•doilars and sup.-
pore
upsport into the classrooms
The need for reform,
ancihow to make it. hap-
,pen,
apspen,hasbeen widely ;dis-
cussed for decades. There
have been 24. separate
reviews; of the system
since 1950. That includes
two Royal Commissions,
10 commissions and com-
mittees, .2
om-mittees,..2fact-finding
reports; 2 :panels, and
innumerable meetings of
par.entsr and, educators'
by Pat Haipin
• Bruce county should•
lobby: for a share •of. gaso-
line taxes to:bolst.er i'ts• .
roads budget; according to
county engineer 'Brian."
inox
Knox': said county. 'road:
budgets have been. starved
by;grant cutbacks during;,
t:he 1990's.. At the same
time, the province is
w
highways #6, #4 and #86
'and giving the county a`
One-time `. grant for mainte-
nance of the extra 43.4km
of heavily -travelled roads..',
The•.'Who .Does What'
:committee reCornmended
the transferof provincial.
highways .along •.with
_dedicated fuel ,tax .to' fund
`finun;i;cipal' road , work,"
Knox reminded council
Based .On traffic counts;'
Knox, estimated county
roads will carry;'.' 950;000.
•
:vehicle kilometers a day in
1998.. He: said that train's-
later .to 1; million in gas.
tax: a year fOr the province,
none of whichis slated to. •:
be turned over to the conn
ty for road . rrrai•ntenance..
Un't.il now; a significant'
.portion ot.,the ,provincial.
grant to the county :ws
designated, for road work.
:.Knox ;'predicts that
w,i.thou:t More ;:funding,.;,
county roads•wil•1 `deterio-
rate:and,some single lane
bridge's' may have lo;a'd
posting; rediicti.ons, or'cic -:
sures. An" infor-
mal. survey. by .the high;
ways, department ..s.howed
Bruce already spends 30%,,
less per•:kilo•meter on;its•
c o -u n tyo'ad sy s_tem than.
do: nei ghbouring. counties,
•'We apoicagizefor not .'
being .able. .to . provide.,:.
Council„ with 'a. brighte.r.'.
picture;" Knox said.
Welfare numbers clown
by: Pat Hallp>t�
Welfare.nurinbers i -i
Bruce county are. down
significantly. from `a year
ago, and lower than' pro
;Jectiotai' for this year,. •
., Socwial Services con iritis- '
s�ioner Dick Verrips said;.
the trend, shows . a. healthy
' economy, but he cautions,
•that!layoffs and transfers
at the BNPD could change
that picture next year.
"tour •case.loads are int'
very good shape." Verrips
said.
The -. 'economy is.
healthyand .thriving, i•n:
l3ru .e.county. My caution.-
is -that We nave. °to sotnei
how try to measure the
impact of the BNPD
announcements."
Verrips said it's :too.
Soon' to < predict numbers,
but whatever jot: losses
:.there are at the BNPD.'� Will
have an effect. on . the
• county's welfare caseload
'and; job; placement sera:
vices. : He said
the newly •launched Bruce
county -Ontario Warks and
.Community'•E'ntplO'yrttent'
Resource centres .will
have a sok i.n dealing with •
any; increase in welfare
applications.
r .
across the province.
Following thousands of
consultations with parents,:
teachers, principals,
schools board representa-
tives and students; the
government introduced
Bill 160. This•Bil1 has a
s.traightforward'goal: to
ensure our students have
the: highest level ` of
••
achievement in Canada.
Bill.160' .snakes it clear;
"Dirt Students Come
First
For too..long, too many
education dollars were.
spent on bureaucracies
outside of the classrooms,•
and on needless overlap
and duplication between
boards: This resulted in
property tax increases that
grew, far' more quickly
than other costs. For
example, between 1985..
and. 1995, Ontario's stu
dent enrollment :increased
'by 1.6 percent while infla-
tion by about 40 percent.
• see Fisher. page .10
Lucknow Sentinel,Wednesday, December 3, 1997 - I age 9
Pat. Livingston (Centre), editor of The Lucknow •Sentinet, was presented
with The Royal Canadian Legion National Media award recently, by the
Lucknow. ,Legion Branch; 309. This award is presented to media who
have performed valuable service to the Legion.'in support of their work'
within the community; Grant Helm (left), pubic relations officer and Paul
Finlay, honors and awards chairman, had the honor of presenting the
award to at (Helm photo,
tuieeday; December 9, 1'997 fro • l 00 -till 6;40 pm at our new finishing
"9
`facility in Ashfield Township