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PAGE 18, WHITBY FREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 2.1987 Candidate questionnaire by local representatives of the Ontario Public Education Network, an association of Ontario trustees and three teachers' federations -which has outlined education concerns. Question 1. The level of provincial funding for elementary and secondary education has dropped from more than 60 per cent in 1975 to less than 45 per cent in 1987. Do you agree or disa- gree that the provincial share of education costs should be restored to at least the 60 per cent level? 2. The provincial government is reviewing a commissioned report that recommends provincial funding for private schools. Do you agree or disagree that public tax dollars should be used to fund private schools? 3. The provincial government is reviewing a commissioned report that recommends pooling of local taxes from commercial and industrial properties for education pur- poses. Do you agree or disagree with this centralized pooling of these local taxes? 4. In 1987 school boards in Ontario requested funding for capital projects worth more than $1 billion. The provincial government approved approximately $300 million for new classrooms and renovations. Do you agree or disagree that the province should increase its level of support for school capital projects? RIDING: DURHAM CENTRE RIDING: DURHAM EAST Allan Furlong Sarah Kelly Stephanie Ball Diane Hamre Marg Wilbur Sam Cureatz Liberal N.D.P. P.C. Liberal N.D.P. P.C. strongly agrees disagrees requires more information agrees strongly agrees strongly disagrees strongly disagrees strongly agrees strongly agrees strongly disagrees strongly disagrees strongly agrees agrees disagrees disagrees agrees strongly agrees strongly disagrees strongly disagrees strongly agrees strongly agrees needed more information needed more information to answer strongly agrees Peterson support for disabled comes a "bit slow" Ontario Premier David Peter- son's Aug. 18 announcement to ex- tend coverage to disabled people who need assistive devices came as good news to Ed Sawdon but he says there's still room for im- provement. Sawdon, one of 164 members of the Ostomy Association of Oshawa and District, says he was "very happy" to learn that the Ministry of lealth will extend funding to people of all ages, including senior citizens, who need prosthetic devices such as artificial limbs and respiratory equipment and sup- plies, over the next two years. But· he notes that ministry fun- ding will remain at 75 per cent paid for by the provincial government, "and the remaining 75 per cent could still constitute a hardship for some people." Sawdon also says Peterson broke a 1985 election promise when he said there would be an immediate extension of the assistive devices program to all age groups. He says Peterson, once in government, did expand the program to people 23 and under from the previous 18 and under age group but did not, until now, cover all ages. Under the new assistive devices program announced by Peterson, age restrictions will be eliminated for people needing ostomy supplies effective Sept. 15, 1987; for people needing wheelchairs, seating systems, and mobility aids, Nov. 15, 1987; coverage for medical gases, orthotics and hearing aids, in 1988; coverage for visual and communication aids, 1989. By March, 1989, the entire program will cover people of all ages. When fully expanded, it will cost an estimated $67 million to service about 150,000 people. Two years ago, the program served 15,000 people at a cost of $6.6 million. Sawdon says the phasing-in of the program by groups, not of age but of physical disabilities, is discrimi- natory and unfair. "I'm very happy that the exten- sion is coming but I still think it's a bit slow," says Sawdon. "They should have extended it sim- ultaneously to ail disabled groups. They should have done it years ago." He says he will continue to push for full funding and will also argue for federal implementation of the program in all provinces. Ontario now becomes the sixth province to have coverage for all age groups while three have partial coverage (65 years and up) and Prince Ed- ward Island, no coverage. "It should be national because people do move from province to province," says Sawdon. LETTERS How much choice is there? To the editor: Mirror, mirror on the wall, who can I believe this fall? Curly, Larry and Mo have all received the call, but why should anyone of them receive the ball? Politics remind me of multiple choice questions. Who is best suited to be premier of Ontario a) Peter- son, b) Rae, c) Grossman? I know many are thankful to have a choice. True, but I wonder just how much of a choice there is? Mr. Peterson wants to get tough on the free trade negotiations, and get a good deal. I like that but that's aIl I like about his political stands. Mr. Rae wants better working con- ditions, and pay equity for workers, and there are a few other things that make sense in their platforms, but they are really not coming out strong on any of the burning issues (free trade, bilingualism, separate school funding), yet are quite fanatical on secondary left wing issues. Then there is Mr. Grossman who has taken a gutsy stance against making Ontario officially bilingual, but Tory policies have in the past put the business sector fir- st before taxpayers. So I ask you, is this a true choice or a multiple choice, where you take your chances, choose the lesser of three evils? I am going to vote, maybe PC but unless Larry can really turn it on in the last leg of this race they won't have a chance. In that case my vote will be little better than an official decline to vote. Tibor Szep Oshawa Validity of question denied At the Aug. 19 (OPSEU) all- candidates' meeting of Durham Centre for the upcoming provincial election, I asked what seemed for me a simple question of the can- didates. In essence, I asked that, since, in my opinion, economic freedom and political freedom are deeply entwined with each other (and thus encroachments by government; intervention in the economy must lead eventually to encroachments on and in- fringements of political rights and freedoms by government) - where did they, the candidates, stand on the issue of government interven- tion? Did they want more interven- tion, less intervention or the present amount? While the candidates' answers from the Liberal, Green ana Progressive Conservatives parties were all polite (with Stephanie Ball for the Conservatives being most forthright, in supporting capitalism, the answer by the New Democratic Party's candidate was a truly objectionable attempt to deny validity to the question by guf- fawing and claiming the question vague and evidently beyond the purview of a legitimate debate. I did not find this at all amusing, this denial by the NDP of recognition of a crucial question or aspect of the limits properly to be placed on government - and I will vote accordingly. I urge others to do so, as well. Patrick Forestaîl Whitby ELECT DIANE HAMRE IN Durham East EXPERIENCE: 7Yearsasamemberof Newcastle and Durham Council ACTIVE: IN Health & Social Services, Housing Finance, Conservation, Public Works and the Environment DIANE HAMRE GETS THINGS DONE! ON SEPTEMBER 10TH VOTE DIANE HAMRE TO THE PETERSON TEAM FOR INFORMATION CALL 985-9736 or 623-9474 Authorized by Bev Wakefield CFO M- M- -- 1