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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-04-18, Page 19THE BI,1RPNAXPO5lT1 t, APRIL 18,' 1990 19 BY Nell Corbett Without sweeping economic reform spatia will drop to a financial state much like, a third world nation, says Paul Martin, a candidate for the Liberal; par- ty leaders/11P. Miartin says the idea that Canada can get bat on its feet if the government tightens'lls belt, and cuts its budgets, is "What we've got to understand in this country is the structure is wrong. People who tell you we can make budget cuts aren't telling the truth," says Martin. "Twenty years of a $20 billion deficit will turn Canada into Argentina, or Bolivia, or Chad." • Martin was in Goderich recently talk- ing about the state of our nation and his ideas for • governing Canada, and to garner support from the voting liberal delegates of the Huron -Bruce riding. Six of the 12 Huron -Bruce delegates were among an audience of about 25 to hear Martin, who is running second behind former Liberal cabinet minister Jean Chretlen in a recent poll, we he spoke at the Bedford Hotel Tuesday, April 10. "It was an opportunity for us to meet him and hear his plans before we vote," said Muriel Murphy of Goderich. She will be one of the delegates going to Calgary for the leadership convention from June 20-23, where the new leader of the federal Liberal party will be selected. "I was quite impressed with him," added Murphy. There will be 12 candidates - four men, four women, and four youth - voting for Huron -Bruce at the leadership convention. "This country is in the process of tear- ing itself apart," said Martin, adding that racist pins in Calgary and unilingual sign laws in Quebec are evidence. He has found in his Canada -wide campaign, after talking to people from across lie nation, that Canadians appear to be losing con- fidence in their country. "People worry about their jobs, or their children's jobs, and they are in the pro- cess of giving up," says Martin. He told the delegates that a type of revolution is occurring in Canada. He says it is the kind of revolution brought on when the pressures of the world come to bear on a nation, as they did in Argentina recent- ly. And asks will Canada end up like Argentina, "or will we master the revolu- tion? Mulroney says seek refuge in the United States." "The Liberal party has to give the na- tion the opportunity to believe in something again," says Martin. He points out that West Germany is about to essienii::te East Germany, a country one-third its size with massive economic, social and environmental pro- blems. But no one doubts that within 10 years Germany will be a world economic wer, and Martin asks why is there so much confidence in the German people but Canadians are giving up? "I believe we can take on the Germans and the ,japaaeese." The leadership candidate says part of making Canada a strong nation economically is giving Canadians something to believe in, and making the country unified. GST Responding to some specific questions about national issues, Martin said the GST should be scrapped, "because it is a bad tax." "Take Goderich. The tourism industry is important here, but the GST is a seven per cent tax on tourism. It tells people don't come to Goderich, stay in Detroit' " He says there would have to be some alternate form of new tax, however, "because the government is broke". Budget Cuts Martin says cutting federal government spending is not the answer to controlling the deficit. Looking at budget cuts, he says you caro start with $2 to 3 billion which the auditor general has identified as wasteful spending. He says there are ways to revamp the delivery of services to save money, and as an example says we could stop institutionalizing the elderly and care for them in their homes at 15 per cent of today's cost. But, he says the most you can cut out of the $30 billion annual deficit is $10 billion. Even now, he says, we are under- funding important areas like education. Martin says instead of trying to cut, Canada has to undertake restructuring like retraining its workforce, and instead of cutting education funding increase it. Environment "There's no doubt it's the most impor- tant issue of the day, and there's a value Walton 4-H club sets objectives 'here," said Martin when asked his mews on the environment He said at one time the question was the environment or jobs, now it's health vs jabs. He says the environment problem doesn't stop at provincial borders and it doesn't stop at national ;bardem, and Canada has an opportuur ieity to be a WPM leader in cleaning up the env%ronnient. But before it can lead, Canada "must first have Its hands clean at home." His ideas include an environmental high court, and the toughest industry regula- tions in the world. "And your regulations still won't be as tough as they will be in 10 years, you'll just be anticipating it," he says. The cost for Canada to clean_ up its en- vironmental act would be $40 billion over the next 10 years according to Martin, and he says we should look at this as an industry. "The only solution is going to be technology," says Martin, and he says with incentives Canadian firms could develop the technology to clean up polluted rivers and other environmental roblems, 010 :044 be sold ,all' the tions of thie. world, who .are; going to need this teebnology. !`We'll establish a new industrial bad'' Maltln was : the l of the Liberal. leadership candidates to visit Huron- Bruce, and he made an impression on Wise . who saw him, like Liberal party member Norman Pickell of Goderich, who said be would give Martin his vote if he were a delegate.. Martin has been accused of being a weak speaker but Pickell didn't think so. "I was very pleasantly surprised with the way he came across as a personable fellow one on one, the way he spoke to the crowd, and the way he fielded ques- tions afterward. He's anything but weak," said Picks L "You caro tell .by .the . . way be answered ,questions that he's given a lot of thought to many issues," says Pickell. He says he knew Martin as an ex- tremely successful businessman, and says "unless politics wasn't in his blood he'd bea nut not to stay in business." Martin's father, Paul Martin Senior, was a MP from Windsor. LIBERAL PARTY LEADERSHIP candidate Paul Martin was in Goderich recently to ask for the support of the Huron -Bruce riding's 12 delegates who will be voting at the leader- ship convention in Calgary this summer. Martin told his audience that 20 years of $30 billion per year deficit will "turn Canada into Chad." (Photo by Neil Corbett). qui Huron F xpositor 527-0240 i 1 We have received many requests for pictures appearing in our community paper. The H 'ron Expositor is now going to have these screen prints available at the office, 10 blain St., one week after they appear in the i; aper. The pictures will be offered for .50 eac! or 3 for a $1.00 and on a first co a first serve basis. We invite you to c • , e in and look for our treasured oments. The leaders of the Walton III 4-11 club, Ruth Schade and Ruth Adman, started the first meeting on a good note. Objectives concerning how to have a well organized meetings were established. Officers were elected making Becky Campbell President, Marcy McCall Vice President, Sharon Godkin Treasurer, and Lorrie Glanville Press Reporter. The secretary's book will be "floating". Discussed were topics such as "manners begin at home" and "Table Do's and Dont's". At meeting two Lorrie Glanville sug- gested the club name be "The Eti-Kats". Ideas were also presented concerning the Pot Luck dinner at the end of the club. During the meeting, members were taught how to introduce people correctly, and how to send an receive different invitations. It was decided that the club arrange a visit to Ross Rlbey's Funeral Home. Karen Campbell is now Youth Leader. Sherry McCall let us sample her delicious "crab dip". A