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The Citizen, 1993-09-15, Page 11Gabardine,Corduroy, Coloured Denim, Poly Prints Sizes 10 to 20 regular; Sizes 8 to 18 petite Josephine Street Winghwn 357-2822 Vie' 7444444 901,4,u4 11111111010001100110000001100.00110100 kir NSL=ES THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1993. PAGE 11. Reform Party opens headquarters in Goderich The 1993 federal election must be used to change the direction of Canada's economic merry-go- round. So stated Huron-Bruce Reform Party candidate Len Lobb during his address to 175 supporters at the official opening of his campaign headquarters in Goderich, Sept. 6. Mr. Lobb outlined the foundation of a campaign which would be ded- icated to positive change for the economy of the riding. He identified the source of the economic problem as the "absolute Continued from page 1 regarding affairs on Parliament Hill, he feels the government under Campbell has made some progress and positive change. Since her successful bid for the party leadership, Campbell has downsized cabinet, cutting 11 senior ministers and 70 deputy ministers from cabinet. "There's a new perspective to government, a new openness." Minister of International Trade Tom Hockin was also in attendance for the nomination night. Hockin, representative for London West, has farmed in Huron County and has family roots in the Kincardine area. As he took to the stage, he clutched Cardiff by the hand and raised it in the air. Going into the election, the Conservatives are a unified party, despite what many predicted would be a divisive leadership battle in June. "Huron-Bruce has one of the two people running agriculture in Canada. Murray understands farming business and exporting. He is serving the country well," he said, rallying support behind the local candidate, and Parliamentary Secretary to Agriculture Minister Charlie Mayer. Hockin used the opportunity to address some election concerns he has with rival parties. "I went to the office of a Reform candidate recently. There were no papers on his desk, and I thought if you saw my desk, well . . . the candidate said he only gets two kinds of communications. One he agrees with, so it must be redundant and he throws it in the garbage; and one he disagrees with so he throws it in the garbage. "Deficit reduction is our idea," he continued, attacking the main size of our federal government and its determination to accumulate debt on your behalf." Since 1984, he says, federal revenues from income taxes and excise and sales taxes have increased by nearly twice the rate of economic growth. "Defensive" business strategies, he said, have led to high unemploy- ment and its inherent drain on taxpayers. "However, our govern- ments of the day do have a solu- tion — higher taxes and new taxes," said Mr. Lobb. In the name of survival honest Reform platform. "When we took over from Pierre Trudeau, the annual deficit was at nine per cent. It is now at four and a half per cent. No new taxes is our idea. The federal government actually cut taxes, but nobody knows that because as soon as we did, Bob Rae moved in and raised his taxes. "The Reform Party says they are more responsive. They are so certain that they are right, to talk to them is not responsive. If you want to talk to someone who will listen, talk to Murray. Hockin then went after New Democrat leader Audrey McLaughlin. "I respect her. she has been clear: get rid of the GST, Free Trade, NAFTA, anything unpopular." The Liberals, he said, are "more dangerous". They give the impression they are the alternative to the Conservatives. But look at the provinces. In Ontario, they were bigger spenders than Bob Rae. The economy in Ontario was booming. "The other problem is they won't tell you what they'll do. In 1974, Robert Stanfield said wage and price controls were needed. Trudeau said he'd never bring in wage and price controls. He won the election and six weeks later brought them in. In 1980, Trudeau said no gas taxes, then he did it. They don't do what they say they will do. GST — won't tell you, Free Trade — won't tell you, NAFTA — won't tell you, Deficit — won't tell you." Hockin says the Conservatives stand for deficit reduction. "But we haven't heard a proposal from the Liberals, the NDP or the Bloc Quebecois. We have bit the bullet and decreased spending. We are opening ourselves to a new Canada. The International Trade minister citizens are becoming criminals taking billions of dollars of tax rev- enue underground, he said. "And so our economic merry-go- round turns. The need for tax rev- enue causing higher tax rates, reducing consumers' spendable income, causing employee layoffs and refuelling the need for more tax revenue to meet UIC and welfare commitment. Where does it stop?" he asked. "Let's stop digging and start building." Mr. Lobb noted that the Reform Party is concerned by "Canada's went on to say Campbell stands for the future, while the policies of Liberal leader Jean Chretien and NDP leader McLaughlin are old politics. "We asked Canadians one month ago, 'who do you trust?'. Fifty per cent said Kim Campbell, nine per cent said Audrey McLaughlin, and 18 per cent said Jean Chretien." deepening debt-hole". "This issue is paramount to our future." The Party solution he says lies in a "0 in 3" deficit reduction program, which is based on principle. The first is leadership by exam- ple, says Mr. Lobb. Visible reduc- tions must be made by those at the "top of government". "In order to reduce costs we have to reduce the number of functions that our feder- al government performs," he said. Duplication of services and administrative red tape must be eliminated and pension plans for MPs must be brought into line with those in the private sector, Mr. Lobb said. He proposed a 25 percent reduc- tion in subsidies to crown corpora- tions and that the federal cabinet be maintained at 24 ministers or less. These savings would amount to $5.7 billion over three years, he said. The second principle of the pro- gram involves the cutting of subsi- dies to business or special interests, which amounts to $4.3 billion over three years. The final principle, Mr. Lobb said, is that without significant reform and reduction of federal transfer payments to individuals and provinces the federal budget cannot be balanced. "This is the area where Canadi- ans need to indicate their priori- ties," he said. In order to protect the programs that are important others The Huron-Bruce New Demo- crats were busy last week moving into a campaign office at 60 West Street, Goderich in anticipation of the announcement of a fall federal election. The Official Opening was held at noon on Saturday, Sept. 1 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and an open house afterward, just days after Prime Minister Kim Campbell called an election for Oct. 25. Campaign workers had moved in the furniture, and posters of Audrey McLaughlin and a copy of the Jobs will need to be eliminated, he said. "To place some numbers into perspective UIC is currently absorbing $19.4 billion per year and growing. Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement together account for $20 billion and as a comparison the interest on the federal debt consumes $40 billion and is growing," said Mr. Lobb. "Opportunities to save from federal transfers to UIC, OAS, CAP and provincial equalization payments total $9 billion over thred years." Mr. Lobb says that with a pro- jected revenue growth of $16.5 bil- lion added to the dollars saved by the "0 in 3" program the amount saved is $35.5 billion equal to the federal deficit for 1992. In conclusion Mr. Lobb stressed that the economy must be renewed. "More jobs, better jobs and long- term jobs will only come from businesses that are less taxed, less interfered with and growing because they are profitable and have customers with incomes to spend." The "social safety nets" that are "uniquely Canadian" must continue to protect the quality of life, he said. "Yet, these same programs must also be protected by a unani- mous commitment to reduce gov- ernment's waste and spending." "A continuation of the ways of the governments that we have had for the past 20 years won't work," said Mr. Lobb. Plan summary are posted in the large south facing windows across from the town hall. Prior to the official opening campaign workers met at 9:30 a.m. for a campaign orientation session. Huron-Bruce NDP candidate Tony McQuail provided infor- mation on the "Strategy for a Full Employment Economy" and Jobs Plan to the public in attendance. Mr. McQuail was in Blyth last Monday to talk to voters and introduce himself. Getting ready Mary Jane Pearson was at work getting Murray Cardiff's campaign headquarters ready last week, following his nomination as federal PC candidate, Sept 8 and the announcement of the federal election. Hockin says Liberals dangerous McQuail opens office on West St.