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Whitby Free Press, Weknesday, October 6. 1993, Page 21 Candidates speak ont at forum By Mike Kowalski Candidates seeking élection in Ontario riding were courting votera in Pickering last week. But bow many undecided voters were influenced by what tbey heerd during tbe riding's first all-candidates' forum will net be known for anotber three weeks. Abeut 100 people attended Wednesday's forum wich was heid in the council chambers of the Pickering municipal complex. Spensored by the Taxpayers Coalition of Pickering and Ajax, the forum drew seven of the il candidates runrnngfer election in the riding on Oct. 25. Taking part were incumbent Progressive Conservative MP Rene Seetens; Liberal Dan McTeague; Don Sullivanof the ReferiParty; National Party candidate R o b e r t McMenemy; Scett Laycox of the Green Party, and independent Deug Ander- son. Natural Law René Party candi- Soetens date Gerard Morris couîd net attend, but Rick Weberg, the party~s candidate in St. Paul's ridng in Toronto, represented Morris. Unebie te attend were New Democrat L yn Jaclin Libertarian otge Commonwealth Party and Peter Woods of tbe Abolitionist Party. Altbough svr tpics were discussed during tho nearly three-bour session, the meeting's format was net structured te aliow for spiritod debate among the contenders. Candidates were given fivo minutes each te make intreductory remerks and thon took turns answering a series of prepaxed questions before the meeting was opened up te the audience. In fect, only eigbt of the 18 propared questions were put te the candidates, wbon moderater AI Graham, perhaps sensing the audience's restiessneas, invited tbem te perticipate. Hlis decision was welcomed by one man who complanod that the meeting was becoming'"bring." Rene Seetens, the riding's MP sinco 1988, defended the governnnts record under former prime minister Brian Mulrony and bis successor Kim C aMbell. "C4 anadiens have a quelity of life that is revered around the worîd. For 126 years people have arrived on our shores in seerch of thattlife,," said Seetens. "But that quality of life is under attackc, not from some foreign army but the reluctanco of some te realize that government spending muet be reined in," ho said. Stating that "25 yeers of deficit finencing is enough," Jootens said thet while a i partes egree there are probens, thediffrene is in the solution. "Some (Liberals) propose returning te the good oid days. Some (Reform) Pr? 1~se a scorched eerth policy," ho The Tories,, howevor, are propoinj a five-year program of deficit reduction thet calîs for ne increese in governament spending or taxes, Sootens seid. Hie party reduce the size of govrnmont by oiminating orne depart- monts and slashing the g ublic service y 19,000 empi oyee s, Soetens said. Foreign aid wiil be frozen LayOOX levols and defence spend- added.îng reduced, hoe Nor wilI Ottawa attempt te, control the deficît by passing the problem on te tho provinces and municipalities, Soetens promised. "There are tbree levels of government, but only one texpayer," hoe said. According te Liberal candidate Dan McTeague, this election is about "Wecaneitergo on aswve havowth bigh taxes and high unemployment or we cen chart a now course offering Canadiens hope," ho said. Since 1984, the Conservatives have increased taxes 38 times, said McTeague, and net made a dent in the national debt. That debt is new $458 billion and ffrowig, while under the Mulroey-Campbell Conservatives" the deficit ?hes reached $30 billion, McTeague said. "The dobt and deficit have gone from controllable te eout of ontrol," hoesad. Noting that "33 cents of every dollar" goos toward the debt, McTeague said littie is left te pay for medicare, social services and education. Ho said "Tory deficit fighting" has is that food banks are now one of aur growth indus- Don tries, we have Sullivan il per cent unemploymient and students figure theý' won't have a job efter they graduate.' A Liberal government would tie in deficit reduction te Canada's growth rate - as a percentage of the gros national product - and weuld replace the GST with a fairer system.aftcr consulting with the provinces, McTeague said. "Taxes, taxes, taxes ... people haven't talked about jobs or anyth*ng else," scid Reform Party candidate Don Sullivan. "People want te know what vie -dli do about taxes," ho continued. "They are sick and tired of the government's hand in their pockets, eny government's." If is party formes the government, the budget wilI be balanced in three years, Sullivan claimed, "or we will oel another election." In order to reach its targot Sullivan seid a Reform govermoent would slash spending in such areas as MPs' wages and pensions, "forced bilinguaiism," multicuituraiism and grants to special interest groups. He promised that social services and medicare will not be cut. (Reformn Party leader Preston Manning bas also insisted that transfer payments te the provinces for health care would be kept at current levels, but hie would flot prevont provinces from implementing ineasures such as user fees, extra billing or private insurence plans.) Sullivan said "every province" bas already violated the Canada Heaith Act in somo fashion. "In Prince Edward Island you can't get an ebortion. Ini Ontario you have to pay for crutches and fibre casts and if you corne by ambulance it costs $45,"lhe said. Sullivan said Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia - ail with provincial NDP governmonts -- have been exploring user fees, while the Liberai govern- Quebec bas imposed them. universality," he said. Deug Party candi- Anderson date Robert attacked Canada's tax system as unfair te, the average Canadian and pledged tbat bis party wilI reformn it from the top down. "Tex reform is a fundamental need teward the goal of a fair and just society," said McMenemy. "We're cornmitted to real tex reform, not the banter you often bear fromn otber parties ... wbere corporations end up paying less and taxpayers more," he said. Quoting frorn 1990 figures, MeMenemy said Canadians are 'about middle of the road," in relation te wbat those in otber countries pay in taxes. However, "the average Canadian is way overtexed," when compered te what corporations pay, hie said. Tho average Canadien pays nearly 40 per cent of bis/her income in taxes, whereas corporations pay six per cent, McMenemy said. The National Party will "get rid of the GSI? within one year," hie vowe d, and will "haIt ail tex hikes for low- and niiddlo-incorne Canadians."' Tex loopholes will be ciosed end Cenadian companies that manage te avoid paying taxes bore will _be prevented from investing abread, MeMenemy seid. Hlis perty would aise stop the proposed North Aierican Free Trade Agreement since it wiIl lead te, the "deindustrialization" of Cenada, hoe warned. "Wo have seme terrific trade agreements elsewhere. We shouîdn't de ourselves te this bad deal," lho said. Green Party candidate Scott Laycox advocated using "taxation and tex breaks" te both protect the envireament and rolievo the burden on inclividual texpayers. "Th e Groon main source of taxes from incomo tex te non-reneweble resources," ho said. Preducte that are 100 D pnor cent recyc- MèTeague lable would be MoTeague tax free, whilo those which harmn the envîronment will be taxed heavier, Laycox said. This pol icy wouId Iead te mare enîploymont, reduced pollution and conserving diminishing naturel reseurces, ho seid. Independent candidate Doug Anderson surprised the audience wit bis.2pening.salve. I vo thng you hear tonight and at ail eth or meetings is basically irrelevant," said Anderson. "You can't heîd anyone (epponents) on thie pîatform te thoîr promises and if you can't hold them te what they're saying, thon basicaîîy, you're wasting your time," ho said. Being free of perty ties Andorson said ho could vote the way tho magjority of hie constituents want and net have te worry about felîowing the party lino. He omcrnared the relationship between the people and their government te that of an lmoyer-employeo arrangement Te empîeyer (public) should net only have the righýt te hire (vote for) their enîployeee (ovenent), but aise have the right te fire them, Anderson said. "The meet important thing in eny election is accountabiity," ho said. "You have te kîiow they'll represent you and if nt, there has te be a mechanisin te gâtrideof them." Although admitting ho would net have the power te implement legisiation, Anderson seid bis election would send a message te the parties that votera are "fed having their À ignored. Natural Law representative Rick Weberg said bis party will appIy Rbr "fieîd-tosteciP Mc.Menemy scientificaly p r ove n solutions" te the countrys probleme. The theory of "natural Iaw," which Weberg said was spelled eut in a series of thick manuels stacked in front of him, can lower taxes, croate jobs and reduce crime, ho insisted. For instance, health care cests cen be cut by 50 per cent by switching the emphesis from disease treatment te preventative modicine,' Weberg claimed. "That's a $35-bilîion saving te the government. That alene wiil wipe eut the need for the GSI?," ho said. Candidates to debate at faily forums .«:fŽ, The Femily Action Council of Durham Region will hold «famiîy forums,' te vwbicb ail federal elec- tien local candidates have been invited, on Oct. 12 in Bowmen- ville and on Oct. 14 in Ajax. The forums are organized by the Family Actio Council of Durham Rogion, eand subjects mey include abortien, day care, casinos, health care, pornogra- pby, soi educetien and violne m the media, eccording te the council. The firet forum was heid Sept. 27 in Oshawa. The Oct. 12 forum will boe t Bowmanvilie High Scbool, 49 Liberty St. N., 7 te 10 pmand the Oct. 14 forum will beDenis O'Connor Hligh School, 80 Mandrake St., Ajax, 7 te 10 Two young offenders face theft and driving charges after teking off from e Whitby gas station without peying. Police sey the two boys drove off frorif the OLCO station et the corner of Thickson and Con- Reforin info sesio ¶Tursday pm sumers reeds eariy Mondey T% eS atyo aaaGest, pManning beto speak at rally meeting Thrsey Oct. 7, 7:30 will beaqho-adase Reform Party leader Preston Calied the'Referai Storm,' it is pan., et Henry Street Hligh p&riod. Manning will hoe t the Metro exeted te ho the largoat relly School lecture theatre, 614 Ail are welcome. For more East Trade Centre on Tuesdey, hr eO n o during the elec- Henry St., Whitby. uîfoe'nieton, oel 686-0278. Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. tien campaign. afternoon, Sept. 27. An OPP offier who heppened te, be et the station gavo chese, and the taons beiied eut efter Iosing control of the car, which turned eut te, be stelen, et the corner of Hopkins Street and Consumers. The OPP offioer found one of the youths hiding behind a vehi- cie. The other was caught by people working in the erea. A 15-year-old from Willowdale and a 16-yeer-eld Whitby youth face charges of possession over and tbeft under.