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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-10-11, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1989. Taxing self-improvement One of the profound changes the federal government’s new goods and services tax (GST) will bring about has been almost ignored by the Canadian media. Part of the reason, perhaps, is that it seems a little self-serving for the newspapers, magazines of the country to blast the government for hitting publishers with the tax when they have been (sales) tax free before. The government’s proposal to include the GST on books, newspapers, magazines and other learning materials profoundly changes what had been a long-standing policy taken for granted by Canadian governments: thatfeeding the mind, like feeding the body, should be something that is as available to all people, regardless of income and as such should be tax free. Education, whether formally through schools or self-education by reading books and keeping informed through newspapers, magazines and books, was something the government sought to promote under the old policy. The feeling was that a society that was bettereducated would be more self-sufficient and productive as well as better citizens. That philosophy has changed with the new tax, just at a time when information is becoming the key to competing in the modern world. Now all forms of educations materials will become a little more expensive. Hardest hit will likely be books. Increased costs of printing and paper have in recent years sent the cost of books sky-rocketing so that even a modest hard cover book can cost $20. With the extra nine per cent GST, the cost of reading books will be even farther out of many people’s budget. Newspapers and magazines will, at least for the reader, be hit less hard since they sell for less and the nine per cent won’t seem such a big increase. Inside the organizations that produce the publications, however, the impact will be huge. Because reading materials had been tax exempt, there had been no tax on the materials used in production of the publications. Now, like everyone else, newspapers and magazines will have to pay GST on everything that goes into the product and charge GST for every classified ad, every subscription and every display ad in the paper. Managers can’t even guess what adverse effect this may have on revenues and bookkeeping costs. While the change in government policy is painful, and perhaps even life-threatening to some small publishing businesses, it is the change in philosophy that is saddest. There was a time when the object was to help those on the bottom of society discover ways to better themselves and make their way to, if not the top, at least a comfortable middle ground. Now the policy seems tobe to protect the interests of those at the top by keeping their taxes as low as possible and making the poor people pay a greater share of the tax burden. Having it both ways fhe current competition between Brussels and Wingham to see which community can snag the new Huronview North home for the aged highlights the awkward position that exists between towns and their surrounding neighbours. The main argument in the Wingham-Turnberry presentation to Huron County Council is that facilities like the Wingham and District Hospital are close at hand in case needed by residents, particularly in the kind of bad weather the northern part of the county is famous for. These, Wingham supporters say, are more important than a pleasant view. It’salegitimateargumentbutforthe residents of Brussels, Morris and Grey who helped through their tax dollars and their donations to build and support that hospital it hurts to see their own support being turned against their own communities. When it comes time to build a new addition on a hospital or tobuy an expensive new piece of equipment, the towns approach the surrounding townships and villages to help support “our’ ’ hospital. When it comes time to compete for a new service like Huronview North, however, suddenly it isn’t “our” hospital anymore. In trying to get the Huronview North facility, Wingham is entitled to use any argument it can. The arguments seem to come down, however, to the eternal right of the big to get bigger at the expense of their neighbours. Tax dollars go to support services in the towns as regional service centres to the surrounding countryside. Because the towns then have more population and more services, they then get the next publicly funded goodie and grow some more and it’s a vicious circle tne smaller communities can’t hope to crack. They are, with their tax dollars, supporting sending their growth to neighbouring towns. With the support of the Huronview site selection committee and the provincial government’s Ministry of Community and Social Services, Brussels may have just broken the circle unless Wingham’s arguments convince county councillors to change the committee’s decision. If Wingham wins its argument it may be difficult for Brussels, Morris and Grey people to be quite so generous the next time some fundraisers come along raising money for ‘ ‘ our’ ’ facilities. Play time Mabel’s Grill There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel 's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering So­ ciety. MONDAY: Hank Stokes read a story in the newspaper this morn­ ing about a meeting in Scarborough to protest the new federal goods and services tax where somebody said Canadians are too much like sheep for not starting a tax revolt over the issue. “What do you expect us to be like?” Hank said. “The politicians have been pulling the wool over our eyes for years.” “One thing sure,” Tim O’Grady said, “we sheep are going to get fleeced.” TUESDAY: Julia Flint was chuck­ ling over results of a survey in the paper where people were asked if they knew who some prominent people were. “Imagine,” she said, “somebody thought Michel Trem­ blay played left wing for the Quebec Nordique?” “Well who does he play for?” Billie Bean wondered. “Is he the new winger Pittsburgh got to play with Mario Lemieux?” Julia disgustedly replied that Tremblay was one of Canada’s foremost playwrights. “Let’s see if you can be as stupid on some of the other names,” she said. “How about Glenn Gould?” “Sounds like a high priced laywer or stock broker,” Ward Black said. “He’s a famous Cana­ dian pianist,” Julia said with some consternation. “Who is Karen Kain,” she asked next. “I’m catching on to this,” Tim said. “I figure it’s got to be something to do with the arts. Wasn’t there a movie one time called the Kain Mutiny?” “One last chance,” Julia said. “Georgia O’Keefe.” All the men answered at once. “That’s easy: he invented O’Keefe beer.” And that, Julia said, tells you all you need to know about Canadian culture. THURSDAY: With the papers fill­ ed with stories about the cuts to VIA Rail this morning Tim said he found it hard to get all worked up. “I haven’t seen a passenger train for years so why should I care?” he wondered. “That’s what the MPs said too,” Hank said. “They only travel by air now. Did you notice that the only people who really use the train got the biggest cuts, the people down in the Maritimes? The Tories figured they couldn’t lose any more votes than they’ve already lost down there.” Billie figures that this cutting of subsidies to the railroads might be a good first step. “Next we cut subsidies to the airports and then we put toll booths on all the roads and then we take away the free airline passes the MPs get and we can keep them all penned up in Ottawa for years. They’ll get so Continued on page 5 P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $19.OO/yr. ($40.00 Foreign). Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Advertising Manager, DaveWilliams Production Manager, Jill Roulston Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968