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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-05-24, Page 5News and Views THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 24, 11,9$4 Family Coalition party ,sees trouble brewing BY DAVID EMSLIE Although it may be his first time running for a seat in the provincial election, Family Coalition Party (FCP) candi- date Phil Cornish brings much political experience to the nice. Cornish, 31, has been involved with the FCP for a year, but he boasts political experience both municipally, and on the university level. Prior to serving two terms as a member of Clinton Council, the candidate was also elected for two terms to the Senate for the University of Western Ontario. Of the 15 students on the 90 - member senate, he was elected the chair of the student caucus. Rom and raiscd in Clinton, he was involved in coaching both midget and bantam minor baseball teams, and he has been a judge for the Legion Public Speaking contest for three years. With a law practice in Clinton, Cornish owns a home in Goderich. On his reasons for seeking the Huron seat as a member of the FCP, Cornish noted, "I would start by saying, we arc in a serious predicament in Ontario. It's something I've referred to as being in quiet turmoil. The reason I said that is because I think that there have been a lot of problems Tying just under the surface that are ready to explode...really." He explained he feels there has been a lot of mismanage- ment of government, and politi- cians have gotten off course in many ways. The primary prob- lem, he said, is in provincial finances, and the debt. "The fact is our government is in a serious debt crisis," he stated adding that the other parties have been talking about coming up with a balanced budget, but the huge provincial debt will still exist. "I think years of waste and extravagance and catering to special interest groups has lead to an unsustainable fiscal pic- ture in government; and it's something I think most politi- cians have been slow to react to," he said, noting that while on Clinton Council he struggled to 'keep the town's budget at the lowest possible level, even fighting after other councillors had given up. Therefore, he slated, his number one reason for seeking the seat is that he sees serious problems in the province, and, "I don't want to sit back and leave it to the point where it's too late. "I think I have a'certain level of discernment as far as looking at long term horizons and the bigger picture that I think many people in politics these days...they look at the immediate concerns and don't realize what the implications are far down the road; I've always tried to be a person who looks beyond the immedi- ate, and looks at the bigger picture." He also said his tenacity as a reason for running in the elec- tion. He cited cases in his legal career where he has worked to right wrongs, as he has tackled some big players, such as big corporations and municipalities. "I have not shied away from taking on the big giants on behalf of the little guy. I guess what I'm coming down to - I have the tenacity to stick with and follow through with the course that needs to get things done." The most important issue in the election, Cornish said, can be dealt with as two items. He. noted that the FCP is a party of principles, and stated that the province needs to step back to more traditional values such as cooperation, volunteerism, self-sacrifice and service to others. "I think the number one issue that needs to be dealt with is a change of thinking in relation to lifestyles. What follows from that is, if you can get matters under control, we'll see a change in the financial outlook in the province." The debt situation and the health of the economy, he said, will follow from getting prin- ciples in order in individual lives. "The basic way to do that is to have healthy building blocks for what constitutes our society .- that is the family unit. I think people would be shocked if they realized the cost in our society that's asso- ciated with the breakdown in the family unit and with moral and social problems that devel- op from our behaviors...our personal behaviors." He noted that through his experiences in court, he has learned that alcoholism is the cause of 70 to 80 per cent of all crime, while family break-up is the cause of 70 to 80 per cent of all civil cases, along with young offenders cases. Taking these totals into account, and adding up the cost of policing, courts, social work and hospitals, "You are literally in the billions of dollars by the time you add all those up together." He continued, "The single biggest hoax we've been fooled into believing is that money can answer our problems." "The fact is that, if we just got ourselves in order, if we constrained our spending, lived a sustainable lifestyle, worked hard at keeping relationships together, I think people would find dramatic changes in our society as a whole that would require far less government intrusion, and far less govem- ment spending, and that's the bottom line... "Govemment intrusion in people's lives is a serious concern, and that and fiscal management are the two prime government flaws that need to be conquered. Cornish feels that party leader Don Pennell is a cred- ible leader. Once a Liberal candidate, Pennell left that party approximately eight years ago and started up the Family Coalition Party. With his previous experience, Cornish said Pennell "is not a total political unknown. He has had some political involvement, and I believe is quite an astute person, and I think he will hold his own against the other party leaders." While his party does advo- cate a reduction in taxes, Cor- nish said the FCP first would look at a reduction in spending. One method of cutting spend- ing, he said, would be to priva- tize workers' compensation. Noting that workers' compen- sation is a mechanism set up to deny people the opportunity to sue, and instead is an insurance program for people to collect money, he said it now has a tremendous debt load that won't, in the foreseeable future, be paid down. He said, therefore, he would support privatization of workers' compensation, and would propose selling off dif- ferent provincial assets that are not necessary to the running of the province. One example of an asset that could be sold, he said, is Ontario Housing, which could be sold off to private holders. As a further method of reducing government spending, Cornish stated, "I would dis- continue all funding to private interest groups," adding that the government should not be in the business of funding such groups, as they should be able to survive if they raised their own funds. He noted he would also reduce government boards and programs not necessary for the running of government. "All the patronage positions and bureaucracy that is there need to be cut back severely, severe- ly, if not perhaps discontinued all together." On the other hand, in order to stimulate the government, the FCP is looking at reducing the provincial sales tax by one per cent. The high cost of welfare is another area where government spending could be cut, he said, as currently welfare benefits are so high; it is easier for some people to stay on welfare benefits than to take a low-paying job. Cornish said in a recent discussion,. he had heard the idea of conscription into the military for those who have finished school, but have not been able to land a job in a year to a year and a half after graduation. In this way, people would be paid for being in the military, rather for than being on welfare, and they would learn a trade. "I think that kind of thing ' would work, perhaps not solely in the area of military service, as that is a federal matter, although perhaps there could be. some kind of coordinated effort with the federal government, but I'm thinking of public service corp, like the peace corp sort of thing - which would be simply groups of people who would provide service to government if unable to find private employment by undertaking public works pro- jects, and there arc a lot of them out there; everything from environmental improve- ment, I don't care if it's tree planting, to certain types of road construction or work to maintain government buildings. I think there's a host of differ- ent projects you could find. "I really think that's import- ant, even to the point of being more strongly stated than the other parties," which, he said, are considering the workfare idea, because it is topical and timely. Agreeing that taxes do have to be reduced, Cornish stated it is impossible to say that a set amount of taxes can be reduced within a stated time limit. "It's impossible to cut taxes the way they're (Progressive Conserva- tives) saying and maintain a reasonable level of service as they're proposing, primarily in the educational and health sectors." Cornish noted he has been hearing that many people are dissatisfied with the mainline parties, but stated that he is not projecting there would be enough cynicism to elect an FCP government. The only cynicism he has heard about the party, he said, is that people feel they would be wasting a vote if they cast a ballot for the FCP. To counter that argument, he stated, "The only wasted vote is a vote for complacency," and added that the mainline parties have only this to offer. He went on to say, "We are a party of principles, not a party of simply changing pol- icies," as he feels there is no .continuity of ideology in the mainline parties anymore. "We FAMILY COALITION - Phil Cornish and the Family Coalition Party feel a return to "family values" should.be the starting point for political change in Ontario. 000000000000oGiGIO 0 Huron County's Complete o l7 to VEHICLE 13 0 10 0 RENTAL 11 13 0 Headquarters E1 0 1 Small & Mid-sized ('ars ci 0 1 Passenger lk Cargo 10 0 Vans. Pickup Trucks 13Vans. 0 1 Daily. Weekly. Monthly") 1 Insur,lncc Rentals & gi More o 0 1 Free Delivery 13 0 1Ask about our lull a 11 transportation service 10 0 0 3 0 0 0 13 10 0 CAR & TRUCK RENTALS O I7 l)1,\st't,11 sulk ,,'i rni 13 0 500 Huron fttl . Gotten( h 0 CALL COLLECT :\,k It+r Hi -ii 524-834? 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He said that if elected, he will promise to govern effec- tively, and represent the inter- ests of the constituency "fru- gally, cost effectively, respon- sibly, and I would be tenacious in standing up for the interests of this county in the face of government that is largely run by Toronto. WOOD to Chris & Gary Josling are thrilled to announce that we are relocating to 11 Main Street, Seaforth OPENING JUNE 6 with great specials and daily door prizes for Opening Week. SIGN UP for our Summer Beginners' Class in Tole & Decorative Painting and be ready for our exciting line up of fall and Christmas painting projects. MALCOLM GRAY INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. ALLAN CARTER BROKER Strathroy 1-800-265-0959 • HOME • FARM • AUTO • COMMERCIAL Auto Insurance Tip... Notify your insurer of all persons in the household with a valid driver's license. SEAFORTH 522-0399 Community _ZLvin.9 --- eentzat C: U,zor2 invites you to our Annual General Meeting North Street United Church, Goderich Dinner 6:30 p.m. $7.00 per person R.S.V.P. for dinner by June 1, 1995 to 524-7362 Proxy voting must be deposited with Community Living - Central Huron, 60 Lighthouse Street, Box 527, Goderich, by noon Tuesday, June 6, 1995. Nominations for Directors must be received in writing by May 26, 1995. TEEM FARM WIIEIZE QUALITY COUNTS IT'S PLANTING TIME" This is a gardeners paradise at TE -EM FARM. We have all the flowers you need to beautify your property. There is TOP QUALITY ANNUALS • PERENNIALS • HANGING BASKETS • HANGING BAGS • GERANIUMS • TUOEROUS BEGONIAS • ET CETERA to choose from. ALL GROWN' IN OUR OWN GREENHOUSES Also Nursery Stock & Windbreak Trees Pius • Peat Moss • Fertilizer • Soils • Rose Bushes OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK DAWN TO DUSK Ooderlch Telephone Rd. it (loll x Course Huron County /13 Baynsld N. TEEM 1 FARM • Clinton RR #1 BAYFIELD 482-3020 GREENHOUSE TOMATOES & ASPARAGUS ARE READY! Group Tours Are Welcome & Can Be Arranged OUR PERENNIAL GARDEN IS AMUSTTpTOOSEE I® ranuuo I't4o 3 Avow Landscape Plans Available • Seaforth Community Hospital BOARD OF DIRECTORS VACANCY The affairs of the Seaforth Community Hospital are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. A vacancy on the Board has become available for the 3. year period July/95 - June/98. Responsibilities of a Board member include attendance at the monthly Board meetings plus participation in a number of the Board Committees. This position is strictly voluntary with no salary or renumeration paid to the member. Individuals interested in serving as a member of the Board are requested to submit a letter outlining their interest no later than June 9, 1995. Should you have any questions or require additional information please feel free to call Bill Thibert, Chief Executive Officer at 527-1650. Please submit your letter to: Chairperson Nominating Committee Seaforth Community Hospital 24 Centennial Drive, P.O. Box 99 Seaforth, Ontario NOK 1 WO