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Speaking to You By SCOTT FENNELL, M.P. f >MM ePC - Ontario) During the last two years I have made several representations to Liberal Cabinet Ministers on. behaif of the disabled persons of Canada and in par- ticular on behaif 0f Mr. Mike J. Overdyk of Pieker- ing. who, by bis courageous attempts to challenge the Tax Appeal Board, also challenged me to take-a stand.1 1 would like to chronicle those representations to show.-how inflexible governent policy 'is when faced with recommendations and reports of special committees, and to show how powerless the varlous ministers are to enact' beneficiai changes. More than that, 1 believe Mike Overdyk's experience is a perfect example of how this government treats the individuals it was elected to serve. Mr. Overdyke is paralyzed from the waist down and rather than be confined to a wheelchair, he en- dures the pain of a leg -brace. Mike's disability deduction was rejected because under the Income Tax Act Section 110E it stipulates that to qualify for the deduction a person must be either blind or con- fined to bed or a wheelchair for a substantial part of each day and for a 12 month period. This ruing openly discriminates against handi- capped people like Mike who are contributing to society through their taxes rather than being depen- fdent on society to kèéep them. wbrought this matter before Parliament in. 1981, the Year of -the Disabled. It was also the year that Obstacles, the Report of the Special Committee on teDisabled-and the Handicapped was t(abled in the House of Commons.' Its'mandate was to "identify the key obstacles faced by disabled persons in Canada and to outline practical, actions which will help to overcome these obstacles." On May 21, 19811 moved a motion under Standing Order 43 asking the. Toronto District Tax Appeal Board'to show more compassion towards the dis- abled. 1 then que stioned both the Minister of National Revenue and the Minister of State, for Finance--to review the Ov-rdyk case and to amend the Income Tax Act to include recommendation 46, of Obstacles:ý One mimaster said. that he was not at liberty to change the law. Theother replied that the Minister of Financé was giving the report every considera- tion for his faîl budget. The ,same day I wrote to both ministers. stating my dissatisfaction with their answers and asking for their co-operation to haýve Recommendation 46 implemented. On October 14 1 wrote to the Minister of Finance on the same matter. December 14, 1981, one. month after the new- bud- get had faied to provide the requested changes, I received a letter from the Minuster of Finance saying that he had reviewed the position &f the dis- abled re: the Income Tax Act. He wrote that health and medicare were clearly within provincial responsibilities and that the federal government should not be seen as an infringement on provincial rights. However, his main argument for not includ- ing Recommendation 46 in the new budget was, and the members of the committee? J I tried a couple other routes. I wrote to the provin- cial minister of Revenue who quickly responded that it was indeed a federal matter. My final at- ~jtempt was to write to the Minister of Health and Welfare. In her answer she stated that although she had no direct responsibiity for the Income Tax Act it is an area in which she would like te see broad changes made with respect te disabled persons in Canada. And then she quoted Recommendation 46 .... It felt like slap in the face. It's now February 1983, two years since the Year of the Disabled, two years since the famed Ob- stacles report. A new budget is on its way. No package ever came from Health and Welfare. Mîe Overdyk's next hearing is April 11, 1983. This time he's golng in a wheelchafr. FHT~YïREE. PRESS, WEDNESDAY MARCH 2, 19ý83,f PAGE i Brooklin-Whitby Minor Hockey resuits The folowlng are results -of Brooklln- Whitby Minor Hockey Representative Team play February 20 to 27. Nash Alumlnum Peewee 2. Playoffs comne once a year for every team, but this year Nash Aluminum Peewee 2 has come out flying. In their round robin playoffs, the final count of 5 wins and 1 loss sumnmarizes their readi- ness. Opening the play- offs with a 4 to 0 blank- ing of -Ajax, Nash scorers were Mike Husted with a pair, Brian- Munro and Rich Ulrich with singles. Mike O'Rourke in goal provided the goaltend- ing.i' O'Rourke continued to shine in the 7 to 0 blank- ing of Pickering. Frank Corrick paced Nash with a hat-trick with a pair by Mike ,Williams and singles added by Joshua Foster and Sean Whitehead. Their only loss came at the hands of Markham, bowing 3 to 2. Goals were by Brian. MacDonneil and Joshua Foster.' O'Rourke again blanked the opposition - this time Ajax. 4 to 0. Nash was paced by Frank Corrick's pair of goals and singles by Brian Munro and' Joshua Foster. Picker- mi again feli to the Inhitby, teamn by a 4 to i score, on goals, by Elliott Quelch, Brad Moore, Brian Munro and- Frank Corrick. Ending the round robin playoffs on a Win- ning. note, Markham was bested 5, te 2 on a strong teamn effort and goals by Sean White- head with 2, and Frank Corrick, Brad Moore and Bob Elliott capping- off the scoring. In a besit tùW out of three, Pickering feil two straight by scores of 6 to 1 and 3 to 0. A hat-trick by Frank Corrick and singles by Joshua Foster, Sean Whitehead and Bob Elliott started the rampage by Whitby. Mike O'Rourke-again a standout in the nest blanked the Pickering team to complete the sweep. Goals by Elliot Quelch, Frank Corrick and Sean Whtehead completed the scoring. Whitby moved on to the Lakeshore Division title match playing a best two..out of three series against Cobourg. Unfortunately for Cobourg, Whitby con- tinued in its red-hot play by smothering Cobourg, 10 toi1 in the first game. Rich Ulrich set the pace with 4 goals. Frank Cor- rick and Brad Moore each added a pair with singes by Brian Mac- Donneil and Sean White- head. Whitby completed the sweep with Mike O'Rourke shutting-out Cobourg 2 to 0. Brian Munro and Brian Mac- Donnell provided the only scoring method. THE GOLDEN GATE, 107 Brock Street South Whitby 668-8321. This popular Chinese restaurant has been in Whitby for 30 yrs. The Bo-Bo platter, recently initroduced, -has gone ovýer very weI. Special Chinese food combination platters are offered1 daily. Choose from 3 delicious combinations. Reason- ably priced & generous helpings. Ideal for busi- nessmen lunches. Open until 2 a.m. daily except Sun. and until 3 a.m. Fri and Sat. Fully ,licensed and fast home delivery. _ The result, Nash Mlu- mlnum Peewee 2 wins thke Lakeshore Division title. They awalt the winners of 'the other division playoffs. Checkers Varlety Minor Atom. Markham i at Whltby 3. Whitby goals by Derik Ellis, Rob Martin and Bull Robinson. Scott's Chieken Villa Mînor Peewee. Whitby 3 at Markham 5 (Play- off). Whitby goals by Todd Wilson, Bryan Thompson and Tim Weber. BWMHA Major Ban- tam (Group Playoffs). Whitby 2 at Markham 2. Whitby goals by Greg Roberts and Grant Reveler. Markham 5-at Whltby 6. Whitby goals by Gary Mark (2) , Jeff Page, Grant Reveler, Chris Reier and Joon Lee. Markham 5 at Whitby 5. Whitby goals by Greg Roberts (2), Glen Sach- ko, Greg Dewitt1 and Gary Mark. LUNCH EON SPECIALS Tues. to Thurs. 12 p.m. -2 p.m'. 2 for.the price of.I Bring a friend. 301 Byron St. S. .6 6 3 7 Whltby 6637 I~II %SPECIALSII, I ii .~ttiS need them-because 1111 11111OUR PRICES ARE ALWAYs 111 UIUSPECIAL! iiiil 11111111hCorne See For You rsel f 11 11111 lncluded With Ali Meals... 11 11111THE ONLY111 1111Ice Cream 111 juilSundae Bar li 1111IN THE RGO 19*SaladBa julFor More BrII iInformation 571-1200 Ii~ ~~,948 SimoeSt. N.Oshawahj 1ILc.I.mj..'48 IEMImo A march on City Hall, shouldn't be the only time you get M Cof tee Shop & Tea Room 9wssam u'icbca m"dcby rquat. Open: 8:30 &.m. to 6 p.m. Tues., Wed. & Thurs. 8:30 a.rn. to 7 p.m. Fr1. & Bat. 124 Athol St. 668«5775 WhltIby