The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-08-04, Page 3Reform Partytargets deficit reduction by Cameron J. Wood Zero in three. That's the latest political slogan, this time rising from the six-year= old Reform Party of Canada. As a federal election possibility looms larger with each passing day, the Reform Party has already taken their campaign on the road, tar- geting deficit reduction as their main platform. At a Huron -Bruce Constituency meeting held, in Lucknow Last Thursday, local candidate Len Lobb outlined the Reform plan to cut $19 billion from federal overspending and called for a balanced budget by 1997 to a small but attentive audience. Lobb explained the Reform plan i5 founded on a three - pronged attack at the $35.5 billion annual deficit. "You don't have to tell anyone about the magnitude of the debt and deficit in Canada," Lobbsaid. "You can sense the rising panic among bankers and investors. I hear about it everywhere 1 go." The Reform plan, according to Lobb and party publication "Look at the national debt hole Canada is in", won't actually reduce the $450 billion debt in three years, but will simply produce a balanced federal budget, based on a projected annual revenue growth in Canada of three and half per cent, or $16.5 billion. The first stage is the reformation of government operations, structure and programs. "Start with people at the 'top' of the government, who must be the first to makesignificant and visible sacrifices. Reduce the number of .functions performed by the federal government. Reduce duplication and administrative red tape. Eliminate unnecessary government intrusions into the daily lives of individuals' and businesses. A. function performed by the public or private sector should,be based on who can do the best job most cost- effectively." The Reform Party proposes' to fulfill this mandate in a variety of methods: maintaining federal spen- ding at current levels for high priority functions; reforming . the pension plans for MPs and introducing a plan cdmparable with those in. the private sector payable at age 65 not when they leave office; eliminate excessive travel; cut budgets of institutions at the top of government by • 15 per cent -- including the Governor -General's Office, the House of Commons. the Senate, the Privy Council and the Prime Minister's Office. In addition, their plan calls or the elimination of federal funding for multiculturalism, eventually disban- ding the Department of Multicul- turalism and assigning • respon- sibilities to other ministries to save $21 million; eliminating funding of official languages policy to save $360 • million. Subsidies to Crown corporations, such as the CBC, the National Film Board and Via Rail would be cut by 25 per cent to reduce spending by $1.2 billion, The second stage of the Zero in Three plan calls for the reduction or elimination of government subsidies to special interest lobby groups and business. "A dollar left in the hands of an. investor, lender or taxpayer is more productive than that dollar left in the hands of a° bureaucrat, politician, or lobbyist," Lobb said. By enforcing such cuts, and reducing tax concessions to busines- ses, the federal government can reclaim $4.3 billion. Lobb explained the. third stage of their deficit reduction plan would involve the reforming of the federal/provincial transfer payments, and transfer payment to individuals. Part of this involves the preser- . vation of federal funding for health care and advanced education; while reducing equalization payments and refocusing on the poorest provinces. Unemployment Insurance is also a factor in the third stage, with the party stating they want to make the program a "genuine insurance program which compensates for temporary job loss: Give employees and employers more control over premiums and benefits." This, ac- cording to Lobb, can result in a $4 billion saving.- - --. "There is a pattern of spending beyond our means..,chronic overspending by the Liberal and Conservative governments; com' bined with the total provincial and municipal debts, has led to a $750 billion debt hole," Lobb said. If this is not brought under control by the year 2000, 40 cents from every tax dollar will got just to paying the Lucknow FEED MILL• INC Lucknow 528-3000 interest on the debt. "Essential services cannot con- tinue to be funded if the debt con- tinues to grow," he said. "These are the hard choices that need to be made." . Lobb also said there 'was a direct connection between the debt and deficit and unemployment. "Ask the real investors in Canada why they are cutting back, or leaving Canada, or won't .invest in Canada and they will all say the same thing: Canada's governments spend too much, owe too much and tax too much." Lobb said the answer was for the government to restore consumer and investor confidence by bringing federal spending under control' and living within our own means. With $300 billion owed to foreign lenders, the international market is waiting for some sign of stability within the nation. "Now is the time to do something about the federal deficit and not just waffle on it," Lobb said. "Our citizens' involvement 'needs to be greater than the traditional three per cent voter turnout. Demand alter- natives, get the facts and par- ticipate." Trivia How many frames -- or pictures -- per second are transmitted over American television? 30. Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Sunflowers" was sold at auction for $39.9 million in „1987. How much did that come to per sunflower? $2.66 million. There are 15 sunflowers in the painting. What did 5 -and - 10 cent -store magnate F.W. Woolworth call the chain of stores he opened ill England in 1909? "Three -and -Sixpence" stores. What baseball era ended• in 1894 with the retirement of infielder Jeremiah Denny, who' had played with the Indianapolis Hoosiers and Louisville Colonels? The era of bare-handed fielding. Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, August 4, 1993 - Page 3 MONEY SAVING COUPON S1 OO • off MQPk/iiJPiR5 - 6ATfFAV' Reg. bated with this., I ,iiIv May nut Ix cun)biiwd with any othi r oiler. 1-800-465-1780 moaor0 , ODERICH . LYMOUTH • 32-1-7383 L HRYSLER LTD. CFIA(RS In Stock ON .SALE . Gliders/ -'LSA•lf 269. ' and NOW!!! ' li r/1r , , ,i,....1.1 -' ,,,..,... ...... Wing 'Chairs from 299, • Recliners - :t -if a ik .}.. from _ s•179, (r ,- Swivel Rockers hum $169. Limited TiOffer Illusfrations Not Exactty As Shown OLD FACTORY FURNITURE 226 Queen St. S. DURHAM . • 369-3589 Open 6 Days A week — Fri. Night til 9. Poaching is a crime! Countless teilci aninl;fls ale being killed of captured illegal ly in Ciitiacia. Poaching, ititltit ht' stopped. Call 1-800-5639453 10 find 0111110\V Vhll tan help AlirA Canadian. Wildlife Ito Federation WINTEE t'ISIINGS, WANTED PAUL .'INN ?h:4'' ,'Ai,r+! N:,NN .rte PALMERSTON ST. - 4 bedroom brick. Targe landscaped lot. walkout basement. garage shows well • 12 ACRES - borders on 9 Mile River near Lucknow mixed bush. building site $39 000 KINLOSS 3 bedroom bungalow on 4 acre treed lot overlooking Dimes creek Secluded setting '105.000. 150 ACRE DAIRY - 38 ties. 3.5110S. excellent 4 bedroom brick house. treed setting 200 ACRES. - Ashfield. 180 work able 3 bedroom home. beef & hog barns shed 3 BEDROOM bungalow. family roon, addition. oil heat, 82 1;2 x 132' lot S66.000 ASHFIELD - 1 8 acres, superb 15,33 sq ft bungalow, basement, family room 24' x 48' shop ASHFIELD - 2,400 sq"ft. bungalow. 4 bedrooms. unfinished basement. workshop, 2 car.garage, fenced yard with pond. TURNBERRY -' 99 acres, 4 bdrm. brick, 55 x 45 barn, 85 workable, • $139,000. ' N. DELHI - 1 yr. ad bu.pgalow....3 bedrooms, 2 car garage, 1' acre lot. $52,000 - 3 bedroom 11,! storey with carport, new windows, priced tp sell. COMPLETELY RENOVATED 2 bdrm. bungalow close to downtown $64,000.' u t r' Sources omen lactation trov feed CANNING ST. 1-800-265-3006 LUCKNOW ONTG MERY ?caw (4/ 4z-4/tea/celiac _awe zedeftemo woad eae to. exa",14 dte ciactece ,c40,-- rewteut awe cofitatecaeteed, 'fia&vreafte, Zecitadat agot a/wad Art exec u y e.4& acrd �e Ga euted a& a ne- w e (met ciatestGed cee4- toGa teita 1,` a,c, we& rGGot at 6o,t4 R as geftwat Ile ozoteliteruz ,tewee,teo exat 51a.aff.4, daxweee (cee4tootea, utitec% 4ed, j'att ez 9evritaa deotafatitated col et a t%e kedemeds i t 1948, .coguomed.