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The Citizen, 1999-05-26, Page 13THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1999. PAGE 13. MPPs visit Blyth to talk taxes, family By Janice Becker Citizen staff There was a disappointing turnout to discuss an impor­ tant issue. May 18, when Huron-Bruce MP Paul Steckle invited residents to discuss tax fairness for the family. Noting the unfortunate con­ flict with the televised debate for the provincial election, Steckle welcomed the 25 in attendance, saying he holds these forums to deal with issues which are important. “There are discrepancies and failures in the (tax) sys­ tem,” he said. “How can we make it more amenable to people?” Also in attendance to listen to attendees concerns was Paul Szabo, MP for Mississauga South. Szabo, an outspoken mem­ ber of parliament on the needs of children and lower-income families, spoke of a study commissioned by the Ministry of Finance which is to look at tax equity. - The study is to ask what is fair and what is not, he said. It will look into tax transfers, employment insurance, parental and maternity leaves and the Canada Pension drop out. He spoke about the disad­ vantage faced by families when one chooses to drop out of the workforce to care for the children. “Not only do they lose the paycheck, but that person loses pension benefits and advancement opportunities in MPs note value of stay-at-home parents their career,” he said. However, he noted how greatly they contribute to society in other ways such as volunteering as well as rais­ ing their children. Society does not recognize the value of direct parental care, he added. “It should be recognized socially and eco­ nomically.” As well as seeking recogni­ tion for those who choose to stay home with their children, Szabo said the study commit­ tee will also speak with those supporting the availability of quality care outside the home. In dealing strictly with the tax system, Szabo said the tax level has nothing to do with children. A single earner making $50,000 pays more than two earners each bringing in $25,000. There is no consid­ eration of the size of the fam­ ily. The only place where chil­ dren are figured into the tax system is with the child care exemption deduction which is available to two-income fam­ ilies. A maximum of $5,000 in child care costs can be claimed, though only one- third of those eligible filed and on average, only $2,000 was claimed, Szabo said. This resulted in a $650 tax break. Szabo expressed concern for the under-the-table child care economy. He questioned whether it was quality child care or just a cheap place to go. One woman said finding quality care is difficult. In her case, with two earners work­ ing different shifts, irregular hours of care were needed. Two daycare centres in the community in which she lives would not accept her young children because they only took full-time enrolment. As a result she had to go out of town for care. On another matter, Steckle If you have friends or relatives who have difficulty reading, please make them aware of the information in this notice. A non-partisan Agency of the Legislative Assembly. Keeping you informed. B/37 To vote on June 3rd, your name must be on the List of Voters. If you are qualified to vote and have NOT received your Notice of Registration card for your current address, you should obtain a Certificate to Vote by 8 p.m. on June 2nd, the day before election day. If you have recently moved and Canada Post has forwarded your card from your previous address, please note that you should register and vote in the electoral district where you will be residing on election day, June 3rd. You can also be added to the Voters List on election day if you make a statutory declaration and show the following documents to the poll official: •one identification document with your name, address and signature (such as a driver’s licence), or •two identification documents: one with your name and signature and one with your name and address. Some examples would be a health card, hospital card, citizenship card, passport, utility bill, credit card, etc. The phone numbers for electoral district returning offices are available from Directory Assistance. If you require information specific to your electoral district, ask for “Elections Ontario” and then the electoral district by name. Returning office phone numbers can also be found on our website at www.electionsontario.on.ca X lb &"$LEC^0 FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL US AT 1-888-ONT-VOTE (1-888-668-8683) OR TTY 1-888-292-2312 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.electionsontario.on.ca Be Sure You Can Vote! PHONE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION IF VOL DON’T KNOW THE NAME OF VOLR ELECTORAL DISTRICT, CALL CS AT: l-888-ONT-VOTE(l-888-668-8683) OR TTV 1-888-292-2312 ONTARIO PROVINCIAL ELECTION said one of the most burning issues on the table for fami­ lies where one person stays home with the children is the ability for the parent working outside the home to con­ tribute to the CPP for that per­ son. A parent who stays home for 20 years with the children may limit their ability to amass a reasonable CPP for their retirement. Steckle and Szabo encour­ aged those in attendance to discuss in small groups how the government could adjust for the inequities to benefit thosd most in need and how a stay-at-home parent could be recognized for their contribu­ tion. After lengthy group discus­ NEW ELECTORAL DISTRICTS The boundaries for electoral districts in Ontario provincial elections have changed. The number of electoral districts has gone from 130 to 103 and boundaries are now the same as those for federal elections. You may confirm your electoral district by calling Elections Ontario or by visiting our website. QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE To be eligible to vote, on polling day a person must be: • 18 years of age, • a Canadian citizen, and • a resident of the electoral district. Persons who ceased to live in Ontario within the two years before polling day may be entitled to vote under certain conditions. Call us for further information. © Elections ® Ontario sions, the MPs were given a summary of the issues cov­ ered. Most groups felt it was important to recognize the parent at home in some way and CPP contributions were an important part of that. The poverty line was also up for discussion with several believing the mark should be raised though noting it should be higher in the large cities than in the countries because of living expenses. Some stated there should be no income tax for those below the poverty line, but others questioned how the loss of revenue would be recouped. In support of children at risk or those living below the poverty line, it was suggested that a child’s quality of life is more than just the dollars received. They should have access to libraries, parks, and quality education. It was agreed a little hand out to all children (in the form of some type of tax rebate) was not the answer. It would go to all families, not just those who were in need. Szabo pointed out that a $1,000 cash rebate to all stay- at-home parents would cost the country $2.5 billion. Steckle and Szabo said all comments received during the meeting would be consid­ ered in the final report which goes to the minister. The policies have to be “inclusive and represent social reality,” said Szabo. Taxes Huron-Bruce MP Paul Steckle was in Blyth, May 18, to gather input on the tax system and develop­ ing equities for families with children and stay-at- home parents