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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-03-18, Page 29Campaign trail ends Riddell expected to win The election trail comes to an end Thursday when the outcome is placed in the voters.' hands. All three Huron -Middlesex riding candidates indicate it's been a hectic campaign. Political analysts suggest that incumbent Jack Riddell should maintain his hold on the seat. with his only threat coming from PCJim Brit- nell. New Democrat Gwen Pemberton is given no hope of upsetting the. Liberal can- didate. Riddell said that his response this time has been excellent. "We are getting more commitment this time." He said that his recognition factor is up. He noted that he had good attendance at his two beef - on -a -bun dinners. In Goderich. 600 people attend- ed throughout the evening and in Hensall Thursday. about 900 people were in attendance. He said that the most im- portant issue in this riding is high interest rates. He said .the most response that he is getting about this issue is from small businessmen and farmers. He said`the se- cond major issue is industry in the area. Riddell said that he would try to get more industry into the area. but it must be com- patible with- the environ- ment. "We don't want the en- vironmental problems that come with some industries. He stated that the industry would also be an incentive for the young people in the area to stay. He said that he some times has problems deciding who he is running against. "They are obviously try- ing to sell Davis. Riddell said that he refuses to ride on the coat- tails of his party leader, Stuart Smith. He said that it should be one man and that he is selling his record to the people. "It looks like the approach of a desperate person," said Progressive Conservative hopeful Jim Britnell, of Jack Riddell's attack on Premier -Davis' policies. • Britnell is concerned about the oppositions allusions to cut-backs. After talking to schools and hospitals in the riding, Britnell asserted none of them had suffered cut-' backs. Stories of people dying on stretchers in hospital halls are scare tactics according to Britnell. and they cause people to panic. The five hospitals in the county have only been full for about nine days in the past six months he found. There are no patients in the halls. with hospitals operating at about 60 to 80 percent capacity, said Britnell. "We hear of doctors opting out of OHIP." Britnell said, TIGHT ENOUGH? — George Poole helps son Geoff tighten his skate laces. The Exeter novice team was preparing to ploy their first game in the Huron -Perth house league tournament, at the rec centre Saturday. The team was eliminated after their second game. Fettes Tours It Travel Travel First Class All The Way 21 Day California Departs April 25 9 Day Carolinas Departs April 05 Plantation and Garden Tour Join us and view this beautiful spring scenery 5 Day Washington Departs April 03 See the Cherry Blossom Festival and parade, a guided tour of Washington and much more. Still some space available. COUNTRY MUSIC TIME Nashville Departs April 17-20 Renfro Valley Departs April 10 to April 12 Our New Spring and Summer Brochures are now available. Call us for your free copy!! Mount Forest 323-1545 Durham Shelburne Mitchell 369-5440 925-3080 348-8492 relating another "scare tac- tic" and pointing out doc- tor's human compassion. "Doctors won't let you die if you can't pay the extra three dollars." Britnell feels two things that have assisted his cam- paign are Davis, and policies like the BILD program. The two major daily newspapers supporting the PCs (Toronto Star, London Free Press) have done it on the basis of leadership, and Britnell feels there is no con- test to Davis' leadership. "We've put it in writing," Britnell said. referring to the BILD program and Riddell's attack on PC policy. "Those who never make commitments, never have promises to break." NDP candidate Gwen Pemberton was concerned the other candiates, one as incumbent. and both as members of various com- mittees. were more in touch with the issues than she. Pemberton said though, she was once president of the Ontario Consumers Association. and worked on an agriculture and food com- mittee when Bill Stewart was the minister of agriculture. She feels she understands the relationship between farmers. and consumers, and why consumers pay more for goods than the farmer receives. She is concerned too, over the closing of Canadian food processing plants, such as in the peach canning industry where only one can in nine on store shelves is produced in Canada. Pemberton hopes people will be able to identify with her sense of history. During the F. of A debate, she compared the history of Saskatchewan after the Se- cond World War, prospering under NDP leadership to, she said. Ontario's economy declining under the PCs. On the cutting of high school courses in the county, Pemberton took a different approach. While the PC and Liberal candidate discussed technical courses and skilled trades. Pemberton pointed out we may be in for times of leisure. She feels bad for the loss of cultural courses like Latin and history. "There's more to living than just having a job." she said later. "(We should ) learn the good things in life." Pemberton feels the "famous incident" of being put out of a service club dinner may have gained her some votes. She had stressed the needs to have women in government. and said the publicity of the incident was good for her campaign. Huron County Family Planning Project Invites You To Attend FAMILY PLANNING CLINIC Every Tuesday from 6:30 - 9 p.m. HURON COUNTY HEALTH UNIT Ann St., Exeter For Information Call 235-1014 Weekdays or Tuesday evenings Everyone welcome Huron Middlesex Voters VIEW ELECTION RESULTS All Welcome South Huron Recreation Centre Exeter March 19, 8:30 p.m. Coffee and donuts Music and dancing by Party Sound, London Huron Middlesex PC Association t ATOM AWARDS — Tournament organizer Brian McLelland hands out medallions to the consolation winning Exeter atoms. The Huron -Perth houseleague held its end -of -season tour- nament in Exeter on the weekend. Team members include: Doug Kells, Graham Arthur, Jeff Kints, Scott Wedlake, Frank Matucci, Laurie Chalmers, Rob Argyle, Peter Lerikos, Jeff Playfoot, Shawn Forsythe, Jason McFails, Darren Boyle, Mark Coward, Frank Woodward, Henry DeBruyn, and R.J. Morrison. Coach is Tim Boyd, manager is Glenn Kells. Two ridings represented at candidates' night By ALICE GIBB Nuclear energy, health care costs, regional government and absentee foreign ownership of farm- land were some of the issues debated at an all - candidates meeting at the Kirkton-Woodham Com- munity Centre last Wed- nesday. More than 150 people heard candidates from both the Perth and Huron - Middlesex ridings defend their party platforms on a variety of issues. Hugh Edighoffer, Liberal incumbent in Perth, criticized Premier Bill Davis for nicknaming Liberal leader Stuart Smith "Dr. Negative" during the recent campaign. Mr. Edighoffer said as leader of the op- position Dr. Smith has of- fered "constructive criticism" of government policies. The Mitchell businessman also attacked tile PC government's recent ad- vertising campaigns, saying they were a "tremendous waste." He said while Ontario Hydro was spending over a million dollars to promote the use of elec- tricity, the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Resources at thesame time was waging a $4.7 million advertising campaign on the "preserve it, conserve it" theme. • PC candidate Colleen Misener, A Stratford alderman since 1973, told the audience it's never before been as important to have a strong and effective leader in Ontario - saying the 1980's is "no time for an apprentice leader." Mrs. Misener praised the Conservative's recently announced BILD program, aimed at making the province self-sufficient in energy needs, which she said will create more jobs in the province and mean more exhorts. She said the BILD program is the incentive needed for the province to obtain self-sufficiency. NDP candidate Scott Wilson, a Mitchell lawyer, criticized the Davis government's response to the rise in absentee ownership of farmland. Referring to absentee owners, Mr. Wilson said the farmer doesn't care about the land he rents in quite the same way as he does about land he plans to leave to his children and grandchildren. Jack Riddell, Liberal incumbent seeking re- election in Huron -Middlesex, also attacked the Con- servative's aglricultural policies. Mr. Riddell said ever since he was elected he's called for the rein- statement of Junior Farmers loans. He said Liberals are also calling for a "long overdue" food strategy to get Ontario's food processing industry going again in fruit and vegetables. He said Liberals "have the policies to get this industry back on top so we'll be self- sufficient." Mr. Riddell also criticized the Tory government for the numerous plant shutdowns in the past few years, a result of the government's "branch plant philosophy" he noted. Mr. Riddell said "when times get tough, you see what happens" adding Conservatives have provided 1 "few incentives for j Canadian people to invest in Canada." PC candidate Jim Britnell, former Huron County engineer, now employed with a Goderich firm, told the audience the Con - 1 servative government has 'laid a basic foundation to work out problems with the I BILD program . The PC candidate said the Davis government has also shown its concern with foreign land ownership and has legislation to deal with this. He said the government charges a 20 per cent - surcharge on land transfer taxes to non-resident owners, and requires non- residents to register land purchases. Mr. Britnell said if he were elected, he'd ask that the land transfer tax be made prohibitive, to discourage further speculation by absentee owners. Grandparents here NDP candidate, Gwen Pemberton of Bayfield, told the audience she'd red i the London Free 1 -res. candidates in the riding must have grandparents born here to be successful in seeking office, and referred to her own school days in Kirkton. She told the audience most of the reforms in health and social services came about in Canada "because the NDP was the pusher behind the other parties to bring these things into being". She pointed ,to the example of Saskatchewan, where a CCF, then NDP government, has been in power almost as long as the Conservatives in Ontario. She said the average person in that Western province pays the lowest provincial taxes in Canada because the government uses revenue from theirturalresources to pay for AZial Services. Following the presentation of their platforms, can- didates were questioned on issues from stabilization programs for the pork in- dustry to per capita grants to municipalities. Candidates from both ridings were asked to outline their party platforms on the province's health care program. Huron -Middlesex's Jack Riddell said if the govern- ment negotiated with doctors to give them a fair fee schedule, in keeping with doctors in other provinces, then the doctors would "opt into" the program again. He also criticized the inef- ficiency of the OHIP system and emphasized his party believes thepublicshould all have access to doctors in the OHIP program. Mr. Riddell criticized some specialists, noting that 62 per cent of anesthetists have opted out of OHIP, and said the law states doctors have to let patients know before hand that they're not in the OHIP program. The candidate said "a lot of people are telling me they had no idea they'd be paying (fees to anesthetists) over and above the operation". The candidate said when this happens, doctors are "not living up to the law." Some don't pay PC candidate Jim Britnell, who told the audience he'd served 16 years on the Goderich hospital board, said people should relaize 23 per cent of the province's population, the aged and unemployed, do not pay any OHIP premiums. He said doctors opting out had concerned him but fewer doctors left the program in 1980 than the year before. He said most specialists are not billing over and above the OHIP scale. He told the audience, no doctor, whether he's opted out of the program or not, can charge patients more than the OMA recommended fee for ser- vices. He said only six per cent of th fees submitted to OH1Pareover the OMA scale. Gwen Pemberton, who served on health care committees for the Con- sumers Association of Canada pointed Glut teachers have learned to live with having their salaries paid by boards of education or other government bodies, and to negotiate these salaries. She said, "I don't see why doc- tors can't' do the same thing." Telling the audience one doctor told her the NDP wants "to make slaves of us", Mrs. Pemberton said she didn't think teachers regarded themselves as slaves. Candidates were also asked how subsidies could be implemented by the government, while can- didates were advocating cutbacks in spending. Jack Riddell attacked the wasteful spending of the Conservative government on their advertisinti campaign a • ' "'and ,,rabhing" . ogram. He said the Cayuga landfill site waw an example of the government happening to own the land "and they didn't know what to do with it." He said health care in the province "should be a right, not a privilege" and advocated money spent on the government ad- vertising should be used to help hospitals that have experienced bed cuts and are forced to put patients on stretchers in the hall. Referring to the govern- ment's $1.5 billion BILD program, Mr. Riddell asked where this money had been all these years, quipping "and you wonder why I'm losing my hair". Mr. Edighoffer, Perth Liberal candidate, said he would suggest the govern- ment go over one or two ministries at a time item by item, and cut out the waste spending. He also referred to sunset legislation which would review programs every three to four years to see if they were still needed. Perth PC candidate Misener said the Con- servative government is implementing policies that are "longterm solutions to great big problems" and added these problems can't be solved overnight. Scott Wilson, the NDP candidate in Perth, said the problem was old line parties no longer believe in what they're doing. He asked th audience, "Would you hire an employee who doesn't believe in what he's doing?" adding, "why elect a governemnt that doesn't." "Quit complaining, vote New Democrat," he told the audience. The all -candidates night for the two ridings was sponsored by the Kirkton- Woodham Optimist Club. Dance Sat. Mar. 21 9-1 Kirkton Woodham Community Centre Music By MAPLE SUGAR Sponsored By: Usborne Ladies Softball Team Proceeds for Equipment 8 Operating Expenses i DANCE Pineridge Chalet Sat., Mar. 21st Music By SPIRIT 9-1 Food Available Sponsored by the Pineridge Snowmobile Club $2.50 person Dance Sponsored by SOUTH HURON JUNIOR FARMERS Fri., Mar. 20 South Huron Rec Centre Music by Free Spirit 9-1 i Bake Sale Time 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Place: Foyer of Centre Mall, Exeter Date: Saturday March 21 1981 Sponsored by the South Huron Junior Farmers to promote Junior Farmer Week March 20-27. All proceeds go to fund for the disabled. Seaforth & District Saddle Club Annual Dance Sat., April 4, 1981 GODERICH TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY CENTRE HOLMESVILLE Dancing 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Music by "JASPER" Tickets $5.00 each available from any member or at the door Meal provided Pro..–.i-s to activities of the Saddle Club EXETER LEGION AUXILIARY BINGO Times -Advocate, March 18, 1981 Page 13A Zurich Minor Athletic Association Ham and Egg Breakfast Saturday, March 28th 7-11 a.m. Zurich Arena Auditorium $2.50 Everyone Welcome 4( Join us for *SUNDAY* BRUNCH * at the * * Stardust Restaurant * Crediton Phone 234-6707 * * Ever,' Sunday * * 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. * * Eggs - anv �•vle - Toast - Cold meat - Cheese Trays - Potato Sc Pancakes - Maple Syrup - Muffins - Homf * - Bacon - .....caroni Salad - French Toast - Sausage • * Variety of Juices - Prunes - Cabbage Salad • Coffee -WC Pickles - Milk - Jam - Choice of fruit - jellies - Homey Fried Potatoes - Chile Con Carne T * I Starts 8 p.m. 21 games Jackpot $950 in 55 tolls Consolation 5100 Admission '1 for 18 genies Help Your Neighbour 2 Share the Wealth Jackpot 5 for 11 11 for 12 CHECKERS ON FLOOR lir. No. 294432 E INlNulltuIDnm111uuluuttllnuuntuINHMNllutultul$$111111 NmlNlltullttuallumnllutnfg Help Yourself to AH You Can Eat 54.50 - Children ander "I T' $3.00 We also feature week -end dinner specials LA TNI HT ONE SHOWING S:00 PM STIR (RiiZY STARTS FRIDAY' MARCH 20 TO 26 FRI. IL SAT. - TWO SHOWINGS 7:00 & 9:00 SUN.-THURS. ONE SHOWINGS:00 P.M. The Power Behind The Throne JANE LILY DOLLY FONDA TOMLIN PARTON VTO PARK ,.syse ;it 1 PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE as. A ir OPENING WEEK -ENDS ONLY STARTING ♦ FRIDAY, MARCH 27 NWT. I COOEMCN AT f ONCESSIOM RO. 4. • PIN1Mi s241ee1 DRIVE.IN THEATRE