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Home My WebLink AboutZurich Citizens News, 1973-11-22, Page 9PAGE 10 ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1973 An interesting and amusing little incident happened at Parliament Buildings this week. John Spence, Liberal M. P. P. (Kent) received a very friendly letter signed Bill, from Premier William Davis, asking Mr. Spence for his advice and sug- gestions for future Government action. This letter was intended only for the members of the Conservative Caucus but by mis- take Mr. Spence was sent the letter as well. Mr. Spence rose in the Legislature the same day he received the letter and dir- ected the following remarks to the Premier: "This is a remarkable change of operating policy on the part of the Premier who has never before asked the opinion of. MPP's even those of outstanding ability outside his own party. Obviously, the policies which have been devised by the Tory Caucus have proven absolutely bankrupt and the Premier must now turn finally to the more exp• erienced members of the Legis- lature for guidance." Mr. Spence made the follow- ing recommendations to the Premier: 1. Return control other than planning, co-ordination and borrowing to area municipalities and reduce costly Queen's Park interference by making all grants unconditional rather than 9010 conditional as at present. Queen's Park should only int- roduce broad guidelines such as the prohibition of the develop ment of good agricultural land, strip development and destruct- ion of important natural features, The Government should also provide for effective pollution control. 2. Implement the measures proposed by Robert Nixon in his Reasoned Amendment to Bill 196 which called for a guarant- eed minimum income of $216. per month for all persons 60 year of age and over. Remove the Provincial sales tax from build- ing materials and return the re- tail sales tax rate to 5"/d. 3. Allow bidding for all government control projects and purchases by open tender only. Institute a program of moving Government Depart- ments and bodies away Queen's Park to decentralized locations in the cities and towns of Ont- ario. "I am most pleased that :he Premier has finally seen fit to make use of the great knowledge and experience which the Priv- ate Members of the Legislature bring to Queens Park." said Mr. Spence. "I hope that the Premier will now make a pract- ice of consulting Members of all Parties regarding policy matters and I hope that the pol- icies that I have outlined will prove of some assistance to the Government." Premier Davis told the Legis- lature that as of September 1, 1973 the Premier, Cabinet Mem• bets and senior Public Servants will not use Government chart- Jottings by Jack from Queens Park ered planes for trips unconnect- ed with Government business. The announcement appears to end for the time the controversy which began in March when the Provincial Auditors' report revealed that ministers, senior public servants and their fam- ilies were making trips on Government planes inside and outside Ontario. Subsequent test• imony before the Public Account Committee revealed some Ministers made regular use of Government aircraft for trips back to their home ridings on weekends. Premier Davis has paid $21, 856. to the public purse in return for personal trips by himself, his family and and friends on Government or Government chartered aircraft from April 1, 1971 to March 31, 1973. The Ontario Government has adopted a new system to reduce the time required to process 1974 motor vehicle registration renewal sales. Motorists will be able to renew registration by mail or in person with a reduct- ion in paper work. They need only a sign a form declaring that they are insured and will not have to present proof of • insurance as in the past. They will then be given a special tag with an adhesive for fasten- ing to 1973 licence plates. Reg- istration fees for passenger vehicles remain the same as last year but the surcharge imp- osed on uninsured drivers has been increased from $15. to $40 to provide greater support for the uninsured motor vehicle funds. The sales begin Dec- ember 1. Ontario Health Minister, Richard Potter, took the $2.1 billion spending estimates of his Ministry to the Legislature committee and was criticized quite severely for not taking his position seriously and for not honouring commitments that he had made some time ago. The Health budget is the high- est of any Ministry and includes $599 million in Ontario Health Insurance Plan Payments to doctors. The commitments made by Dr. Potter but not yet honoured include a restraint package of proposals to limit amounts paid to doctors under the OI -HP plan. Dr. Potter was reminded that the Justice Ministry had enough evidence to prosecute several physicians who treated too many patients in a day and over charged for services but as yet no doctors had been charged. Nor have charges been laid against denturists who 1.e legis- lation passed June 27, are for- bidden to deal directly with the public. Dr. Potter indicated that he was giving denturists a chance to qualify as dental therapists --allowed to work under the supervision of a dent- ist --before the Government prosecuted them for carrying on their business. Dr. Potter justified a 2.6 million dollar increase in expenditures over last year because of expanding home care and extended care programs. He said the Province has broken the escalating patt- ern of health costs by limiting its increase in spending this year to 6%, by its moratorium on new hospital construction, and by removing or reclassifying 1600 active treatment beds in hospitals in Ontario. Ontario has a doctor for every 600 people on the average, Dr. Potter said, but in some areas is short of general practitioners. He said Immigration laws in the future may have to be changed to licence newly arrived doctors only in areas of the Province where they are need- ed. Medical schools too should be encouraged to train fewer specialists and more family physicians according to Dr. Potter. Ontario Energy Minister Darcy McKeough announced in the Legislature a $300, 000 advertis- ing campaign to push voluntary conservation of energy by the public as various Provincial and Municipal announced plans for reducing their consumtpion of oil, electricity and other energy supplies. The Government's plans for conserving energy include repl- acing large cars in its fleets with compacts wherever new purchases are made. Mr. Mc - Keough told the Legislature that Ontario has enough natural gas, coal, electricity and crude oil from Western Canada for its own immediate needs but with indications that Eastern Canada will receive barely sufficient imported Middle East Oil to meet demands. He said Ontario must face up to the fact that some of our domestic oil supply will and should be divert- ed if necessary to other Can- adians. The advertising campaign will be supplemented by a mem( from Education Minister Thom- as Wells to all Boards of Educ- ation in the Province suggest- ing ten ways to conserve energy. Industry and Tourism Minister Claude Bennett, is preparing a similar memo to industry. During the debate in the Legis- lature on Education estimates, Ontario Education Minister, Thomas Wells, announced what could be the beginning of a swingback to compulsory courses for secondary school students. Mr. Wells said students start- ing in a secondary school prog- ram next September will need four credits in English and two in Canadian studies to get a diploma. His announcement followed growing criticism that ending compulsory courses a year ago has allowed students to avoid achieving basic literacy in English. Mr. Wells said in the future the student will be able to pick his courses after fulfilling cert- ain basic course requirements. He added that this is essential if education is to be developed REDI MIX CONCRETE (ALSO FORM WORK) McCann Const. Ltd. DASHWOOD Phons 237.3381 or 237-3422 equally for all children, not just those bound for Universities. He emphasized, however, that students must learn to read, write and do arithmetic because the three is still constitute the price of admission to our adult society and no child should pass through our schools without acquiring those skills. Energy Minister Darcy Mc - Keough told the Legislature that Ontario will not enforce string - (Continued on page 15) YEAR-END CLEARANCE SALE PATIO BLOCKS 16 x 16 reg. .75 — .50 24 x 24 reg. $1.90 — $1.30 LIMITED SUPPLY * COLOURS AVAILABLE G & G Concrete Products 11/4 MILE SOUTH OF ZURICH 236-406b wo BEDARD CONSTRUCTION really has the "know-how" when it comes to Building And Re odelling *MODERN HOMES *NEW COTTAGES *BARNS & SHEDS *COMPLETE RENOVATIONS Give us a call for any type of Building Construction. 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