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Page 32, Whltby Froe Pmses, Weednay. May 17, 1905 Election Briefs CAMPAIGN MANAGER Whitby councillor Judi Longfield can't seem te get enough of politics these days. From now until the June 8 election, Lâongfield. is doing double duty. In addition to representing hier west ward constituents on Town council, she is serving as canmpaign manager for Durbam Centre UÀberal candidate Allan Furlong. bt h eea A veteran organizer for the Liberal party at bt h eea and provincial levels, Longfield was kýrlong's executive assistant when hie was the riding's MPP from 1987 te 1990. BUFFETT A CANDIDATE Former Whitby counilor Lynda Buffett is hoping te return tepnolitical life. & ie 44-year-old employee benefits consultant is the Progres- sive Conservative candidate in the Toronto riding of Beaches- A native Torontonian, Buffett was born andraised in the Mount Pleasant-St. Clair area, not too far away from the east end riding The riding is currently held by New Democrat Franoes Lankin economic developînent minister in the last govern- ment. he Liberal candidate is lawyor Stephen Lautens, son of the late Toronto Star editor and columnist Gary Lautens.. Win or lose on June 8, Buffett told The Free Press she intends te inove back te, Toronto after the election. She served as centre ward councillor from 1988 until an unsuccessful run for mayor in 199 1. LUNCH WITH PAUL MARTIN' Patrons of Pimeéntos Restaurant should not be surprised if they find themselves breaking bread with Canada's finance minigter at somo p oint. The downtewn Whitby restaurant was the setting Friday for a meeting between Paul Martin, local Liberal candidates and members of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce. But prior te, beginning his speech, Martin admitted te being distracted by a wall poster highlighting some of the desserts on the menu. Twice hie commented on ones that obviously triggered bis sweet tooth. Sensing lher cue, owner Penny Angelopoulos presented Martin with a gift certificate at the end of the meeting so that he could try the restaurant's cuisine the next time hie is in Whitby. THE FORUM Canidte in Durham Centre riding will be on the bot seat ~e Whitby Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring an election forum in tbe Town council cbambers begmnning at 7 p.m. The meeting is open te, the public. Don't be fooled To the editor'. *Another election loome in1 Ontario sud the NDP is sparingi ne effort in telling us wbat a great job they have done for us. Let's examine their record. Wben tbey teck control, Mr. Ra.e screamed that tbey were saddled with a $1-billion deficit. They quickly cranked that up te $1-bilion sud have been doing the same tbing over since se that we are now $45 billion farther in debt. Durham Centre MPP Drummond White says the NDP croate jobs. They are creating jobs witb federal grants Ipaid for by1 the people of Ontario. And we are se far in debt thanka in large part te tbe NDP that my gret-gret-grwegrandcbildren will bo paying for it. Speaking cf jobs, how many cusby government appointmonts .lee made te, socialiste in the pat few months? Mr. White s9se the NDP bave roduced governrnent spending by 30 per cent. Mr. White was cbastised a few years ago for bavng the secoei-ighest office expenso in Onitari, 'about a quarter-million dollars for one yoar. Ho even had an apartmenti in Toronte for those rar occasions wben ho was tee tired te drive home. How many of bis constituents bave trouble even affording one resdence. If ho eut bis expens byr 30 per cent, ho still spenda more tban $170,000 a year. How long does it take the average Whitby worker te earn that mucb, lot alone spend tbat much. Another great movo by the NDP is photo radar. They introduced this to stop the carnage on our highways. If you ask Mr. White, be could probably tell you te tbe penny bow mucb bas been collected in revenues so far, how many people were flned, and tbe average speeding ticket. But ho .would net be able te tel you how many people were spared.. They insist that b o radar, purcbiased in the fie States because we are not cpbe of produing such equipment, wasndtimpemented te take another chunk cf chnage out of our pockets. Empîcyment equity was introduced te level the playing field. The fact- it discriminates against white males makes it a racist pieceo f legilation. HoW's no-fault insurance. treating you? My insurance bas gone up by about 10 per cent and Ib have net had an. accident in 15 years, and even taocne was net my fault. But, bey, it's a fairer system. How much more is the avorage smallbusiness paying for a licence now? Vote NI)P? Md say in a pig's oye, but wbo can evon affed api g after fivo yearsof soialist rule? Gar7 RAVr«1 Health care funding stressed by hospitals Witli, the provincial olection called for June 8, the Hospital Council of Durham Region (HCDR) wants local candidates sud the leaders of tbeir parties te focus on health caro funding issues. "If you ask any citizen about bealth care, each wants quality bealth care that is easily accessed and readily available," says Jean Achmatowicz of Asbburn, chair of the bospital council. "Healtb care funding in this region falîs seriously short of meeting tbe needs of the citizons ini this, one of tbe fastest-growing regions in Ontario," sbe says. "The Hospital Council of Durham Region bas decided that tbe election cail is at good time te concentrate on mlAkin the Durham public aware about, serious funding issues i hospital care," says Jim Armstrong, director cf tbe HCDR. "Weekly newspaper inform-, ation pieces will focus on the looming crisis in healtb caro in Durham Region, and will ask the rhetorical question, is that 'air? -"WVe bave a population surge in Durham Region and a per capita funkding sbortfa which is net keeping pace, with eisting population trends. 1This is the rationalo behind this informiation campaigri dedicated te maing the community, poiticiens and the media more aware during this election," says Armstrong. The bospital council stuives te secure an appropriate range of bigh quility, cost-effective bealth care services for Durham residents. As a key part of its mandate, tbe ceuncil, a cooperative of the seven bspitals iDurham Rogion and made up of tho board chair, an additional trustee, the chief executive officer and tbe chief of staff of each hospital, is lobbying for increased heath care funding. JI FAERYTories talk JIMFLHETY(Ieft), Proresie Conservative candidate for the Durham Centre riding in the upcoming provincial election, opened his campaign office on Byron Street South in downtown Whitby on April 8. Flaherty, a lawyer and father of three-year-old triplets, says he is a candidate mainty to see that children have a fuure. Photo by Jerorny Dresar. Whitby Free Press Martin criticizes ta,,x cut FROM PAGE 1 tepics ranging from the economy te, concerns about the federal g overnment's future role in health care funding. The latter was of particular interest te Wbitby General Hos- pital president Elfizabeth Wood- bury sud Oshawa General Hospi1- tai chief David Home, both cof wbom were present. Martin aged witb them that the "federal government bas te, be a play~er» in providing healtb care sud stressed Ottawa's com- mitment te medicare. However, ho cautioned that there may have te be changes in how Canada's bealtb care system is delivered in the years ahead. Possible changes could include funding levels and new minimum standards, Martin said. I response te a question from furniture store owner George Khouri, Martin conceded that the aod and services tax (GST) continues tep lague retailers. When cobned with Ontario's eight yer cent sales tax, for example, consumera tbink twice before spending an additional 15 per cent on big-ticket items sucb as autembiles or furniture, Khoun complained. WVhile ho did'net mention bis party's pre-election pledge te do away with the GST, Martin said Ottawa will continue te advocate a single uharrnonized» tai that melda botb the GST and provin- cial sales taies. <«Right across the country people have asked for it," ho claimed. "But povinci al governments, especialy Ontario, bave been resistant.' As for the provincial Conserva- tives' attempt to make welfare reform an election issue, Martin agreed that the current system needs fixing. Pograms sbould be redesig- ned te get people off of welfare 'tbc inte the workforce " ho said. "Are they being done? Î4.» 1But Martin rejected massive cuts in welfare funding imposed by Alberta, for example, as a solution te deficit reduction and a way te force recipients off social assistance. "Do I share (Premier) Ralph KlOein's version? No,» ho said in response te a qestion from i- surance agentSean Hogue, for- mer chair of the Wihitby Down- town Business Improvement Area. The only effective and «humano» metbods of welfare reform are retraining pro ams sud a healthy economy, Martin said. "If you look at welfare as money spent te got peo$e off the system, tbat'samjo eit attack,' ho said.amjodeit But if welfare is simply con- sidered a subsidy te help a jper- son survive, "that wîll onfly help bankrupt the country.» Followving the meeting, Martin teld 'reporters that despite hie comments', -ho did not come te Whiitby to' specifically criticize Premier Bob "Rae and Tory lea- der Mike Harris, but te p remoe Liberal leader Lyn Mced's election bid. However, ho agreed with a suggestion that Rae's attempt te, prtray hlm as Ontario's 'enemy' because of cuts in' provincial transfer payments contained in bis last budget, bas failed te connect with voters. "I think the federal budget bas been well received by the people of Ontario. They wanted us -te deal with the problems,-" said Martin. "Ho (Rae) found that they were net interested and bas gene on te other things.» Environ mentalists Start Heàre Be a part cf Canada's original green movement - with kids. AeI 4erex eje eeee-