The Citizen, 1995-06-07, Page 7The second rinse
After the deluge of rain, the youth from mussels Mennonite Fellowship weren't too
concerned about getting wet from a more playful sprinkling. The group were washing cars
outside the IGA on Saturday.
Health care, big topic of debate
Firewood
Hard Maple or Ash
SLABWOOD
Limited Time Offer
- Call now -
$130./17 cu yd. Truck Load
Delivered within 20 miles
Mileage charge Beyond That
Large Quantity Discounts When You Haul!!!
Craig Hardwoods Ltd.
Auburn. Ont. 519-526-7220
Continued from page 6
locally. By providing the
consumers with more disposable
income, more jobs would be
required to replace items purchased
for use and consumption.
"We have to remove the barriers
to job creation. We can no longer
rely on companies of 1,000 people
or more to locate and provide
economic stability. Eighty per cent
of the new jobs are created by
small and medium businesses. Jobs
have been driven out of Ontario in
the last 10 years by legislation and
over-regulation. We are committed
to restoring hope."
Under the proposed Conservative
plan, funding to health care, law
enforcement and classroom
education would not be cut, but
held at the current funding levels.
Incumbent NDP Klopp explained
the province has just been through
the worst recession since the 1930s.
"We realized a lot of issues had
to be addressed. For small
businesses, we took the first
initiative with Clearing the Path.
We now can have an aquaculture
industry in this province thanks to
some changes at the Ministry of
Natural Resources that weren't
there years ago. We cut small
business tax to 9.5 per cent. We
helped industry develop new
technology with a 10 per cent
innovation tax credit."
Klopp also said the NDP reached
out to the rural regions by
"unshackling" the Credit Unions
and Farm Mutuals.
On education, he pointed out that
it was the NDP that called for the
Royal Commission on Learning — a
document to reform the way
education is handled in the
province today. Part of this, Klopp
said was the province-wide testing
at Grades 3, 6, 9 and 11.
He went on to say that the NDP
has enabled the health profession to
expand its cancer treatment
programs and improve accessibility
to clinics.
"Ethanol — the first time the
government made a commitment,
the industry said 'We need a 15-
year commitment if you are
serious'. The Liberal platform says
they are going to cut that back to 10
years," he said.
Kimble Ainslie, the Independent
candidate in Huron, based on the
Reform platform, did not attend the
debate. This marked the third
debate in the town he has missed.
Marilyn Vander Woude, a nurse,
challenged the candidates on the
issue of health care, and hospitals'
future.
Cornish said he felt health care
was sacred, despite the fact that it is
faltering.
"There are problems within it. I
feel we must maintain core 011IP
coverage in this province. Beyond
that core level we must have
private care to supplement elective
procedures and non-emergency
medical care and procedures that
would provide a safe and secure
health care system."
The other aspect of health care
that Cornish said the FCP would
Liberal
candidate
criticizes
Tory's
30% cut
look at is making health care a
taxable income component; a
deductible-based system for
individuals and families.
Johns said the PCs believe that
health care should not be touched
and are calling for the same
funding as this year towards health
care.
Johns said part of their plan
would be to utilize health care
professionals in the allocation of
funding within the system and to
examine service efficiency to
identify potential duplication of
services.
Jewitt used the opportunity to
criticize the Tory platform of a 30
per cent tax cut, stating he believed
the cut will affect hospital budgets.
He said it is critical to realize the
impact of hospitals, not just from a
health care service, but in terms of
employment and service. Using
Westcast as an example, Jewitt said
it is vital that rural hospitals be
supported in terms of 24-hour
demand and service.
Klopp said the move towards a
District Health Council in Huron
and Perth will enable the region to
address health care concerns.
"The issue of nurses, the NDP
revived the nurses practitioners and
we have been working very hard on
that issue."
When further challenged on
health care, and specifically
abortion, all four candidates said
they endorsed a pro-life stance.
Johns expanded on her answer by
calling for greater accessibility to
adoption services by couples who
wish to adopt. She also said she
would like to see the "demise" of
the free-standing abortion clinics
and the service directed back into
hospitals, where a patient must
meet with a tribunal of physicians
before being granted an abortion.
In terms of small business, Doris
Inglis, who with her husband owns
Bruce Tile, asked what each of the
parties would do to eliminate the
bureaucracy involved in operating
in Ontario.
Johns said there is a lot of
duplication in conducting business
in Ontario.
"The Progressive Conservatives
will try to reduce a lot of this paper
work. We find that some people are
unable to do the job they are in
because of the paperwork."
Johns said one thing the PCs are
looking at is the corporate filing tax
and developing a reciprocal
agreement with the federal
government on filing of the Goods
and Service Tax and the Provincial
Sales Tax.
Jewitt said the Liberal Party is
committed to cutting the red tape
encountered by small business.
"While travelling through the
riding, I have talked with people
who are in the business of hiring
and a lot of them are refusing to
hire people at this time because of
the paperwork and the red tape
involved. Bureaucracies are
inflexible and penalties excessive."
Klopp said the level of
bureaucracy is why the NDP
started their plan, Clearing the
Path. One result of the plan was the
single payment for the employer
health tax.
On the decision to leave the PST
separate from the GST, Klopp said
the NDP was committed to keeping
costs down and would not spend
the estimated $500 million
annually to administer the system.
Cornish said he is in the business
of helping people cut through red
tape. He called for greater
privatization of government
services relating to business, such
as the Workers' Compensation
Board.
"I am continually frustrated by
the obstacles we face," he said in
dealing with various government
ministries. He suggested there was
a need to reduce the number of
ministries to simplify the system.
By April Bromley
CHSS Co-op Student
It is an atmosphere true
politicians thrive on, an open
courtyard with hoards of anxious
listeners waiting to have their
concerns addressed.
Last Friday afternoon, Huron
Provincial candidates John Jewitt,
Paul Klopp, Helen Johns and Phil
Comish gathered at Central Huron
Secondary School to explain their
policies to students.
The question and answer period
offered students the chance to talk
to each candidate about their
political concerns. The topic of
most interest was education.
With a group of curious high
schoolers gathered around her, PC
candidate Helen Johns explained
her party's commitment to
education. "We're going to
maintain spending in the
classroom," she assured. "As
efficiencies in the system are
found, we'll leave that money in the
system to further build upon it."
She said her plan would call for
major cutbacks in the Ministry of
Education. Salaries would be
reduced and many jobs eliminated
completely. "We'll reduce
government sector jobs by 15,000."
she told students. "We don't need
these kind of bureaucrats."
As a direct result of the PC
policy on education, destreaming in
Huron County schools would no
longer be practised, Johns said.
Under her plan the now optional
fifth year of high school would be
eliminated. She also stated that
junior kindergarten would no
longer be subsidized.
When asked about health care,
Johns described it as one of her top
priorities. "We'll maintain funding
in the health care system," she said.
A promise which means that no
Huron County hospital would have
to close because of lack of funding,
she pointed out. Johns reiterated the
PC's firm commitment to health
care. "We're the only party that's
saying funding won't change," she
said.
Johns told students that welfare
reform is an important part of the
PC policy. She explained the
concept of mandatory workfare,
"you'll have to go out and work in
the community, otherwise you'll get
no cheque." According to Johns
this new plan will minimize the
abuse of the system, and provide a
boost to the economy within two
years.
As for the labour laws, Johns said
that Bill 40 would be abolished.
She stated that replacement
workers would become legal during
a strike. or lock-out until a solution
between the two opposing parties
could be reached. However, an
employer could not terminate the
picketing workers during
negotiations.
Johns called the landfill issue one
of the biggest in this area. She said
she opposes burying garbage
because of the environmental
consequences. "We believe
incineration might be the answer,"
she explained.
Sharing the platform with Johns
was Cornish, candidate on the
Family Coalition Party. When
questioned about the current
jobsOntario program, Cornish
referred to it as a "bandaid
solution." He said the program is of
little benefit to residents of Ontario
because it creates only short term,
minimum wage jobs. Cornish said
that if he was in power the program
would be scraped completely.
The labour laws were of great
interest to the students. 'Cornish
admitted that he is not a union
supporter. "Our labour laws in
Ontario need to be changed," he
said.
According to Cornish, a system
base on principles needs to be
instituted. He said that employers
will pay their workers a fair rate
without having their hand forced
by overpowering unions.
On the subject of education
Cornish had various thoughts. He
referred to junior kindergarten as,
"a subsidized daycare." If elected
he promised he would eliminate
this form of early education. As for
high school, Cornish stated that he
supported maintaining the current
five year program.
NDP incumbent, Paul Klopp,
talked to students about his past in
politics. He criticized PC leader
Mike Harris for comments he
previously made about his dislike
for the field. "Mike Harris said he
doesn't like politicians. What is he
doing in politics then?" asked
Klopp.
Klopp reviewed the promises in
the NDP campaign. He said he
would work to protect essential
public services such as health care,
education, policing and services for
seniors.
He took a less aggressive
approach to the welfare issue. He
told students he would make
changes to the system, but nothing
as drastic as the PC mandatory
work for welfare plan.
Klopp's approach to the
jobsOntario program is in stark
contrast to that of Cornish. Klopp
promised that more jobs would be
created in agriculture through the
jobsOntario Community Action
program.
As for the deficit, Klopp
confirmed the slow and steady
stance of provincial leader Bob
Rae.
According to Klopp the labour
laws are working fine in Ontario.
He said that if re-elected he would
leave the laws as they are now.
This means that replacement
workers in a strike or lockout
would continue to be prohibited.
Jewitt was less visible in the
courtyard, though he did make an
appearance.
The question and answer period
was interrupted by rain, but even it
did not hamper the students
curiosity. Many interested
onlookers followed the candidates
inside where issues were discussed
in further detail.
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 1995. PAGE 7.
Candidates visit CHSS