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Times-Advocate, 1978-04-20, Page 14By JACK RIDDELL MPP Huron-Middlesex Times-Advocate, April 20, 1978 Grants for employers The Ontario Youth Employment Program is be­ ing renewed for 1978 to help create job opportunities for the youth of the Province. This year the duration of the program will increase from a maximum of 16 weeks to 25 weeks. May 1st to October 21st. in an endeavour to develop a pattern of longer term employment. The amount of the grant this year is in­ creased from $1.00 per hour to $1.25 per hour. I raised a question in the House of the Minister of Agriculture and Food, ask­ ing if the ambiguity of the questions on the application form had been removed as many farmers have been denied farming under the program because of a rather ambiguous question on the form which asked whether the job would not have been created without the funding under the program. I indicated to the Minister r Exeter Curling Club DRAW WINNERS 1st Prize Color TV Wayne Steeper Parkhill 2nd Prize $100.00 Ann Johns London 3rd Prize $50.00 Doug Ballantyne Dublin 4th Prize $25.00 Karen Shirray Hensail J that practically every job conceivable exists on the farm, whether it be done this year or ten years hence and that the farmers in giv­ ing an honest answer to this question were denied fun­ ding under the program. Since asking him the ques­ tion I received further infor­ mation and it might interest all farmers to know that in addition to the increase duration of the program and the increased grant, that the approved grant period need not run for successive weeks, therefore, the farmer could get extra help for planting and use them again later for harvesting. The minimum period of employment is six weeks. Youth labour which is nor­ mally released after plan­ ting and rehired for harvesting, if retained for the in-between period, that is to do fence repair etc, then the farmer would be eligible to apply for and receive grants funds for this in-between period. If the farmer who formerly hired off shore labour replaces these positions with Cana­ dian youth, they qualify for the grant. The program has a group of ten information staff to be employed by the Ontario Youth Secretariat to work out of the Regional Offices and Agriculture and Food. Their job will be exclusively to promote the Ontario Youth Employment program to members of the farming community to en­ sure the maximum par­ ticipation by farmers. Health Minister Dennis Timbrell said in the Legislature this week that physicians in Ontario will receive an average fee in­ crease of 61! per cent on May 1st from the provincial health insurance plan. Mr. Timbrell told the legislature that the increase will cover the period ending December 31 and “complies with both the letter and spirit” of the federal Anti­ Inflation Board guidelines. Negotiations are to begin in May for a 1979 payment schedule. The Health Minister said outside the House that the relationship between the On- tario Medical Association schedule of fees and the On­ tario Health Insurance schedule has been aban­ doned. Until now, the Govern­ ment has paid physicians who participate in the health insurance plan 90% of the OMA schedule. Physicians who opt out of OHIP may charge 100 per cent of the OMA schedule or even above the schedule, provided that they tell their patients before treatment. OHIP then reimburses the patients to a maximum of 90 per cent of schedule. Doctors in the plan cannot bill patients for the extra 10 per cent or more. When the OMA schedule is no longer used as the basis of OHIP Payments, opted- out doctors will bill patients according to the OMA fee schedule and those in the plan will bill on the basis of the new OHIP schedule of benefits to come into force next May 1. This will be roughly 6J,4 per cent more than the existing OMA schedule (approved May 1, 1977) which is being used as the starting point. Last January, the OMA approved a new schedule on its own, which shows overall an increase of 36 per cent above the 1977 schedule. It was described as setting a more realistic value for doc­ tors’ services. The Health Minister said that although the gap between what the OMA members think their ser­ vices are worth and what the insurance plan pays them would widen considerably, “I don’t expect any big ex­ odus of physicians” from participating in the in­ surance plan. During the debate on the OHIP premiums the Minister of Health came un­ der attack from Opposition Members during ^meetings of the Standing Committee on Social Development.' Liberal Stuart Smith noted that two pages of a Report from the Health Ministry’s Strategic Planning and Research Branch which was being considered by the Committee had been typed on a different typewriter. Opposition Members forc- THE BASE FACTORY OUTLET "The Store that Saves You More on MIN S - BOYS' - LADIES' - GIRLS' & BABY WEAR - YARD GOODS - i SEWING MACHINES - POUND GOODS — GROCERIES THE BASE FACTORY OUTLET NEW STORE HOURS: Monday ♦ Saturday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday 12 noon ■ 6 p.m. Highway 4 - South of Clinton at v onottro NDP the PAT'S PETS resumes. 10% Wide ed the Minister to produce the two pages, which had been replaced by a letter from the Treasurer defen­ ding his decision to raise OHIP premiums, before the Report was given to com­ mittee members. The two pages in question sharply criticized the con­ cept of Health insurance premiums, terming them regressive and costly to ad­ minister: “the Ministry op­ poses the emphasis this places on shifting the whole burden inequitably to con­ sumers and will continue to advocate alternative fun­ ding mechanisms, such as personal income or payroll tax systems’’, read one sec­ tion. The NDP voted to defeat a Liberal move calling for an emergency debate over alleged tampering with a health ministry report. Also the Liberal Party voted against a motion of the NDP demanding the resignation of the Minister of Health. As Dr. Smith pointed out, the Liberal Caucus want a chance to put forward alter­ native wwys of raising revenue for OHIP when the committee Meanwhile he “will not be stampeded by posturing’’ into taking any premature action which will precipitate an election. He said “it’s an old game of the NDP wherever possi­ ble to make us stand up on the side of Government.’’ BEANS AGAIN Does mealtime get you down sometimes. Let's be honest, variety with someone else cookin' dinner can be great. Reward yourself with DIXIE LEE. CHICKEN SALAD SEAFOOD DOUBLE PURPOSE — ~ " a successful season at their banauet, Wednesday, they also ! had plenty of birthday cake on hand, the day marking the 10th birthday of Sean Whiteford, left, and the 11th event for Jeff Pfaff. Alberta Gregson decorated the individual cakes to < resemble hockey helmets, while the larger delicacy below had all the players names enscribed on it. The three cakes were B quickly consumed by the young hockey players and their parents. T-A photo The Exeter atoms not only celebrated I Dmc J^cSn EXETER 235-2665 Exeter We're Giving No-Nod Pills To All The Birds ... They'll Be Singing As Loudly As You Will Over Our Store- Alac/ness Everything In The Store Except Birds, Fish,Animals HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO SAVE ON: * Dog Collars * Aquariums * Aquarium Supplies * Fish Food * Dog & Cat Food * Pet Protection Supplies * Bird Cages * Books * Etc. ALSO ART & CRAFT SUPPLIES AND MODELS --------------------- Just Arrived. .. ■X ---------------------------------------------------- --------- Don't Miss These ... ■X NEW, COLORFUL SELECTION PLASTIC Flower Pots For Indoor or Outdoor Use ALSO PLANTERS & TRAYS Being Offered Friday m Night During Moonlight 1 1 If> Madness For... | V ZU I ■ k SPECIAL BOX OF Squeaky Dog Toys Your Choice At ¥2 Price J