The Citizen, 1995-03-08, Page 4Go between
Letters
THE EDITOR,
Paul Martin's budget is a good
first step towards dealing with the
federal deficit. However, there are
several issues which remain
outstanding and must be addressed.
As the PC candidate for Huron, I
have had the opportunity of
reviewing the budget plan for the
Common Sense Revolution. It is
important to recognize certain
deficiencies in the federal budget:
In the first place, the Conimon
Sense Revolution has a plan to
eliminate provincial deficit, and not
just reduce it. Reducing the deficit
to three per cent of Gross Domestic
Product is not an appropriate goal.
The deficit should be zero. We
must balance the budget.
Secondly, the Common Sense
Revolution sets priorities. Health
care, law enforcement and
classroom education must be
protected. The federal budget does
not protect these important
priorities.
Thirdly, the federal budget does
not have a plan to stimulate the
economy. The common Sense
Revolution has a plan to cut taxes
to initiate growth.
I have been involved in a small
business for over 15 years. I
understand the importance of
bringing a business sense to our
provincial government. I also have
a family and understand that we
cannot simply "slash and burn"
programs. We must protect
education, health care and
opportunity.
Helen Johns
PC Candidate - Huron
THE EDITOR,
It is my understanding that the
fundraising program for the special
bus required for the Central Huron
Mobility Service Inc. (CHuMS) has
not yet reached its goal. Although
$40,300 has been raised, an
additional $14,700 is still required.
I have no connection with the
CHuMS board of directors, nor do I
have any personal need for this
service. It is my opinion however,
that the citizens of Huron County
have a right to access such a
provincially-funded transportation
network to recapture their fair share
of the provincial tax dollars being
taken from Huron County which
are used to fund this kind of service
elsewhere. I know that my own
parents and others of that genera-
tion need this kind of service today.
So do persons of all ages with
various kinds of physical
disabilities.
It's been my decision to "dig a
little deeper" and go back to
CHuMS with a second donation. to
help build the capital fund. I would
urge individuals, service clubs, and
other agencies which have agreed
to assist, to take the same approach.
The Central Huron Mobility
Service Inc. project is providing
our community with a proposed
service we cannot afford to lose.
Sincerely,
Paul Carroll
P.S. I think donations can be sent to
CHuMS, P.O. Box 458, Clinton,
Ontario NOM ILO.
THE EDITOR,
The Ontario 14 ederation of
Agriculture is gravely concerned
about the issue of farm safety in
Ontario, and as such, encourages
all rural communities,
organizations and farm families to
become involved in this year's
Farm Safety Week.
Avoidable farm accidents have
touched the lives of too.many OFA
Photo by Jeannette McNeil
families in the past year. The OFA
stands solidly behind the
tremendously important work that
is done by the Farm Safety
Association in its efforts to prevent
accidents on Ontario farms.
However, the Farm Safety
Association can not be alone in its
efforts to prevent tragedy on our
farms. Farm safety involves
everyone on the farm and in the
farm machinery and supply
business. It involves awareness
and common sense every waking
hour, 365 days a year.
Recognizing the special safety
concerns for farm families with
young children, the OFA strongly
supports this year's theme of rural
child safety. I encourage everyone
to think safe, both on and off the
farm.
Roger George,
OFA President
THE EDITOR,
Many people have been asking
how soon CHuMS will be able to
purchase their accessible bus. Our
goal is $55,000 and as of last
Friday, March 3 we reached
$40,464 thanks to the generosity of
many individuals, businesses and
service clubs.
The board of directors has been
out calling on businesses to expliin
our mission and solicit funds.
Anyone who has not been
contacted and would like a visit
from one of our board members,
please call me at 482-5666 or 1-
800-267-0535.
No matter what amount you are
able to contribute, you will become
a supporter of a service which can
make a real difference in the lives
of many people in your area. Over
200 persons have applied to
CHuMS and are waiting for the
service to begin.
Call us today and help put the
bus on the road.
Beverley A. Brown
Chair, Fundraising Committee.
c • • amen eNA
P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152,
BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont
NOM 1HO NOG 1H0
Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114
FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021
Publisher, Keith Roulston
Editor, Bonnie Gropp
Sales Representatives,
Jeannette McNeil and Julie Mitchell
The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing
Company Inc.
Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $23.00/year ($21.50 plus $1.50
G.S.T.) for local; $33.00/year ($30.85 plus $2.15 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in
Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels);
$62.00/year for U.S.A. and 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.
Publications Mail Registration No. 6968
The North Huron
PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1995.
The buck stops here
Government in Canada has become a new version of the trickle-
down theory: governments at the top start cutting back on their
programs and the problems trickle down to the lowest level of
government, the municipal-
ities, school boards and
hospital boards.
The federal government, for
instance, has announced it is
going to hand over running of
some of its programs to the provinces, but will reduce the amount of
money each province gets to run those programs. Many of those
programs, however, are actually run at the community level. When the
feds cut education support, the province will cut its assistance to school
boards and universities. The real problem will be passed down to the
laps of administrators at a very local level. Yet this is the level that has
the least power to tax. Municipalities have only one form of tax in
Canada: a tax on property. The federal government and provinces have
the greatest arsenal of available tax options.
Then there are the levers the senior governments have to shape
policy. While Federal Finance Minister Paul Martin wants to hand
health care over to the provinces, he wants to maintain national
standards. While the province has been handing over more of the
financial burden of education, social services and roads to municipal
levels, it still insists on setting the rules. It brings in Pay Equity and the
bureaucratic mess that results costs municipalities more of their
precious resources. Now it's talking about Employment Equity and a
whole new costly mess lies around the corner. The province cuts grants
to school boards, then tells them they must institute costly new
programs like junior kindergarten.
It's very handy for the senior governments to pass down their
problems to local levels, but it doesn't really solve a problem, just gets
them off the hook. There are very definite limits to what local property
taxpayers can support. It may be ultimately the best for everyone if
more programs are administered locally where we have more control
over abuses, but unless senior governments also trickle down more
revenue resources as well, we're going to end up taking a lot of cuts in
systems we'd rather remain strong. — KR
So much for equality
When it comes to the inequality of cuts to the provinces under the
federal budget, someone on TV pointed out the other day, Bob Rae
sounds like anything but a socialist.
The basic premise of socialists is that the rich should help pay for
the problems of the poor. Such has been the case in provincial
equalization payments over the years. Ontario, British Columbia and
Alberta have been asked to help fund the poorer provinces. But the
budget cuts have hit harder at Ontario, Mr. Rae says, than at any other
province. Ontario, he claims, is no longer the fat-cat province that it
may have once been. The recession hit harder here than in any other
part of the country. Ontario can't afford to carry a heavier and heavier
burden from the provinces that have weaker economies.
Ironically, Mr. Rae sounds exactly like the middle-class taxpayers
who have threatened a tax revolt if their burden was made harder
through tax' increases in the federal budget. Mr. Rae has criticized
Finance Minister Paul Martin for cutting programs that we all have
grown to count on: support for medicare and education, for instance.
Instead of cutting, he suggests, other ways of taxation should have been
found. Yet when it comes to sharing the burden of evening out the
economy of the country, Mr. Rae pleads we're paying too much in
Ontario.
There certainly is some unfairness in the budget. There certainly is a
temptation to hit Ontario the hardest in a federal budget: that's where
the money is and the rest of the country loves to see Ontario hurt. But
realistically, life in Ontario is still a long way ahead of life in provinces
like New Brunswick or Newfoundland. At its worst, the recession
didn't throw as many people out of work here as are regularly out of
work in Newfoundland.
It may be that Mr. Rae is adopting a desperate old-time political
ploy of running against the federal government. He's got to pull a
rabbit out of the hat somewhere if his unpopular government is to get
re-elected and it's worked many a time before for premiers in all parts
of Canada.
But it's destructive turning Canadians in one region of Canada
against another. If governments would stop looking to easy scapegoats
by blaming all our problems on Ottawa, or Ontario, or Quebec or the
poor provinces, the country would be much healthier.— KR
E ditorial