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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-26, Page 1212 Exeter Adirahili . Wednesday, May 26, 1999 ONTARIO GOESTOTHE POLLS On June 3, only three of the candidates seeking your support at the polls will be going to Toronto to represent us in the Provincial Legislature.The Times- readers why they should be elected.We Advocate asked all candidates in local hope you find their response interesting ridings to use their own words to tell our and informative. Helen Johns PCCANDIATE A plan to keep Ontario on the right track Here is our bal- anced plan for strengthening our economy, creatin more jobs and mak- ing Ontario a better place in which to live: A 20 percent tax cut The debate is over. Tax cuts create jobs. We cut taxes 69 times and a record 540,000 jobs were created in Ontario. If elected, we will cut both the provincial income tax rate and the provincial portion of - dential property taxes by 20 percent Our biggest job was putting Ontatio's finances back on track and we will bal- ance the budget next year - as promised. Now, we must ensure future govern- ments don't squander that progress by running another deficit. Our Balanced Budget Act will require all Ontario gov- ernments to balance the budget. If they fail, the Premier and all Cabinet Ministers will have their pay docked. A guaranteed 20 percent increase in he Alth care funding We've already increased health care spending by $1.5 billion - its highest level in Ontario history. We are building a health care system for the future: by increasing health care funding by a guaranteed 20 percent to meet the needs of our aging population. We will also introduce a Patients Bill of Rights to guarantee quality services when and where you need them. On April 3, 1999, Premier Harris endorsed my plan - in Blueprint - as a province wide solution to the physician shortage in rural Ontario. We will have doctors where they're needed. Recently, I announced an Alternate Payment Plan for emergency services at South Huron Hospital. This agreement provides additional funding to ensure emergency services are provided 24 hours a day. Guaranteed funding and high quality in education Classf ours should be the focus of our resources. We will guarantee classroom funding. Our education system must be directly linked to the real world - to jobs, ideas and challenges we face every day. We will create higher education standards by testing our teachers as well as our students ... open the doors to advanced education with more student financial assistance... and start early with effec- tive programs for young children. 4 Agriculture Farming is a challenging business. We are committed to providing Ontario's farmers with the support they need. The Agriculture Budget in 1998-1999 is $128 million higher than when we were elected. We will provide $35 million for "Healthy Futures" Agriculture Program. The focus will be on "total farm quality management" for product quality, food safety and environmental quality. This is crucial to access markets, attract new business and ensure confidence in Ontario's food production system. 1 initiated what is now a PC commit- ment to legislate the right to hunt and fish, on February 10, 1999. It's time to legally recognize heritage hunting and fishing practice in Ontario, and acknowl- edge the role anglers and hunters play in environmental conservation. We will legislate the right to hunt and fish in Ontario with a Heritage Hunting & Fishing Act. Conclusion I believe in this plan. The foundation is a strong, growing economy, with more people working. It provides the resources we need to support a better quality of life. For more information about Blueprint, please call 523-4747, or visit our Website at www.helenjohns.com 1 genuinely believe our best days are ahead. Ross Lamont LIBERAL CANDIDATE The June 3 election is about choices. Four people representing four different political parties are asking fo your support. We all believe our party has the most appropri- ate policies. The real differences are in our priorities. My priorities and the pri- orities of the Ontario Liberal Party are high-quality, publicly funding health care and education for all Ontarians. The Harris government is claiming they have improved our -health care and education systems, yet as I talk to people across Huron -Bruce I am repeatably told that our health care services have declined over the last four years. I am also told that the current Harris govern- ment has created a crisis in education. Despite the cutbacks and a booming economy the government is still running a deficit and borrowing money to give the wealthiest a tax cut. There is an alternative. The Ontario Liberal Party will put people first. We will restore funding in Health Care and Education. We will establish a new Ontario Patient Protection Act that will. guarantee patients' rights to quality health care. We will bring nurse practi- tioners to designated rural under -ser- viced areas to relieve pressure from sole practitioners in rural communities. We will conduct a proper review of health needs to the year 2020 and keep needed hospitals open. Our education system over the last four years has seemdra- matic cuts. As a parent I know the need to have a high quality education system. We will ensure our schools have the resources they need by investing in pub- lic education. We will tell communities what school standards are to be met - without dictating how they must be met. We won't impose made -in Toronto solu- tions on the rest of the province. We will keep needed schools open in rural com- munities, reduce classroom size and provide extra help for students. We will put decision making back into the hands of local school boards. The money to fund these priorities is already available within the system and needs to be redia rectecl, We would not borrow more money to fund tax cuts. The tax cuts will. come after the deficit is eliminated. If your priorities include a quality and accessible health care and education system for all the delayinti the tax cuts until our finances are in order then we have a program that agrees with you. On a personal level I am committed to providing quality representation to the residents of Huron -Bruce. As a life-long resident I understand the needs and concerns of the people of this riding. I promise to be a strong, effective voice for rural Ontario. I would ensure that I am accessible to answer all of your questions. It. is time to get this province back on the right track by investing in the priorities that matter most for the residents of Huron -Bruce: Health Care and Education. It is time to put people first. On Election Day, the choice is yours. Consider your options. Exercise your right. Vote Liberal. Vote Ross Lamont. TonMc9uail NDP C gNDIDA Dear Friends 1. If you believe it is wrong to cut healthcare and education while borrow- ing the money to give a tax break that only benefits the wealthy. If you believe that we should cancel the t,ax break for - taxable incomes over $80,000 and put that $1.5 billion back into health care, education and our communities then you should vote with me. The NIM! will stop the move_ to American style; for-profit health care and home care. We will rebuild our Ontario health care system- so everyone, regardless of income, can get the care they need when they need it.. 2. We will invest $250 milllionimmedi- ately in home nursing, homemaking and per- sonal support ser- vices. We will invest $375 mullion to hire back nurses and health care work- ers so that alL hospital departments, especially emergency care, intensive care, - neo -natal and critical care depart- ments are adequately staffed and hospi- tal beds effectively used. 3. The NDP will change the Harris Conservatives' education funding formu- la and invest $360 million immediately to help keep: community schools open, protect Junior Kindergarten and Early Childhood Education,: and adequately= support special needs education. And to ensure that our best and brightest(not just the richest) kids get a chance to fur- ther their education the NDP will cut university and college tuition fees for 140,000 college students and 225,000. university students by 10%. And by can- celling the tax cut for taxable incomes over $80,000 we rcan make these invest- ments without raising the deficit. 4. I have two goal posts that I guide my life by and that will guide me as your, MPP. They are social justice and ecolog- ical sustainability. I believe we need to work toward both if we are to create a world our children will thank us for. F: work toward them on my farm and in my community and I would be pleased to work toward them with you, the peo- ple of Huron -Bruce. I. have 25 years of experience as a farmer and small busi- ness person. • I have 9 years of experi- ence as a school board trustee and 2 years of experience as the Executive Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. 1 believe that cooperation will build a bet- ter community than divisive competition. 5. I first got involved in politics in the late 1970's as a young farmer. It seemed to me that high interest rates were robbing small businesses, farmers and home owners to pay banks and short term money speculators. We were told we had to have high interest rates to fight inflation but the two most infla- tionary factors in the economy were Government high interest rate and high energy policies. I watched the Liberals and Conservatives trade speeches as they switched places in the house. I joined the NDP when I realized that it was the only party that didn't take money from the banks and insurance companies but was financed lir ordinary people in the local riding. 6. I'm running for the NDP today because we are again seeing a plunder- ing of our local communities and a transfer of wealth to the already wealthy. It is wrong to cut our hospitals, our schools and our community services and use that money for a tax break that only benefits the wealthy. Be cancelling the tax break for the wealthy, the top 6% who are getting 25% of the money, we can raise $1.5 billion a year to put back into our health care, our education and our communities. 7. I ask for your support and look for- ward to working WITH you. Linda Freiburjer FAMILY COALITION The Family Coalition Party of Ontario is based on written principles that do not change to adapt with the times, nor to win an election. The F.C.P. is -commit- ted to supporting the traditional family, ensuring that tax laws do not hinds* parents who wish to stay at home to raise their children. We would remove the = tax penalty th presently exist towards one -income families. As stewards of our children's future, the future Ontario is up to us. The Family Coalition Party is the only Pro -Life party in this election. We will terminate funding for elective medical procedures on healthy people, such as abortion and sex -change operations. Palliative care would be a.high priority. Judicial activismmust be curtailed. The recent decision by the Supreme Court of Canada which allows "spouse" to be a person of the same sex is not supported by Canadians. Our democracy is being undermined by appointed judges who wish to change laws rather than interpret them. The Notwithstanding Clause should be invoked in this case. We must ensure that we take care of this world in which we live. The F.C.P. encourages free enterprise and taxation . which allows workers to achieve their goals. Agriculture and industry will be aided in their business, while ensuring that the environment is protected. My husband. Ron, and I have lived and farmed, and raised four children in Huron -Bruce. I have been very active in the Farm Safety Association, Right to Life, the Women's Institute, the Catholic Women's League, Minor Sports and 4-H. I will try to make a difference in our rid- ing of Huron -Bruce, and in the province of Ontario. I will work hard and wel- come your support, questions and con- cerns. On June 3, vote Linda Freiburger, Huron -Bruce, Family Coalition Party. Ill 1;t�\-ISNI Cl{ (;\\1)1I).1iS-IItE)\I3HL.(1' (\\1)lE);V1'I