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WhltbY Free Pree, Wechiesday, March 27. 1996, Page5 McTeague demands action on GST rformn By Mike Kowalsld Failure ta revamp the goods and servces tax could cost the Liberal goverrnment at least one local Memnber of Parliament. Whitby MP Dan McTeague admits he would have dfffIculty facing Ontario riding voters in the next election if- hie party ignores its 1993 campaign piedge ta replace the GST. McTeague'is hesitant to take that risk unless the government makes a sincere effort to honour its previous commitment. "fthe promise is not deliver- able, we have ta be upfront- about it,» said McTeine following 1at week's defeat ofJaRef orm Party motion which called on the government to elimînate the five- year-old tax. "We have ta, give people the straight goods." he said. MPunble »to vote "Can we go inta another elec- tion, without it (GST replace- ment)? No, not without trying something If you say you're going tOdo something o'hv ta do it.»gyuav Despite support from Bloc Quebecois and NDP MPs Reform's motion that the GS1ý «be kiiled scrapped, abolished» was handily defeated by a vote of 131 ta76. McTeague was not present for the vote because he had ta, return home ta be with his wife after she suffered minor injuries ia car accident last Wednesday. But if he had been present, the maverick MP would have sided with his Liberal colleagues since there was no provision in the motion for replacing the tax. Itwas desperate tactics by a desperate party that's plumniet-i inin the poils,» said McTeague. It was grandstandin,~ h worst sense of the word,hle said.1 «I agree with what (CTV politi-o cal analyst) Mike Duffy said,1 that the real show ie what's happening in the IAberal ranks. nTe Réform Party and theiri antie were a aide show. T he real show is what backbèffcfîirs--rlkei Myseif, John Nunziata (York E South-Weston) and Carolyn Parrish (Mississauga West) are Aoording ta McTeague, the <'isue is very clear» ta dispgrun- tled Liberals and they intend on «sending a messae% ta Finance Minister Paul Martin that reforming the GST is essential. Work withi the provincs «Whatever plian we thought of in 1991, '92, that we thought was a better alternative, shouid be brought forward now," he said. «We've gone through thre budgets now. If there are any fgroblemes clong it, we should be brhoeming.» McTage said Martin should firet work with those provinces which are more amenable ta. amalgamating, the GST with their own sales taies and then deal with the holdouts later. «Harmonization could'mean in- troducing taies where they don't exiet now and if it's just ýthat (source of opposition), then it can be resolved,">e insisted. "But if it's political grames bein played, that'something else. Durhamn riding MP Alex Shep- herd also missed last Wednes- day's vote due ta a prior commit- ment in Blackstock. But he accused Reformn and other government critice. of hav- !ng selected memories by point- mng out that the 1993 Iàberal campaîgn .'red book' neyer pro- mised'outright abolition of the GST. «Lt says we would make it fairer for consumers and easier for email and medium businesses té coliect," said Shepherd. "Everybody seeme ta be a revi- sionist on this one.» The north Whitby representa- tive recalled that shortly after hie election, he sat on the finance committee which taured Canada ta seek opinions on the GST. «People concluded from that procese that there should be har- monization,» he said. «We are the oniy country. in world with fine overlapping sales taies.»" (Alberta does not P..robation forf resident convicted of A Whtby, man was recently convied and sentanced on a charge of threatening bodily harm in connection with two incidenta in Whitby last Deoem- ber. Joseph Raymond LiaFantaiie, 63, had been charged ith assault, threatening bodily harm, possession of weapons danger- OuS, mischief under and assauit- inz police. lewas charged after an 18- year-old woman was accosted at Dundas and Centre streets whiie walking home at about noon Dec. L. Police say LaFantaisie fright-. threatening ened the victim by t alking -in a sexuai manner,» and at one pont, he produced a knife. Pice say the woman, who wasn't harmed, managed ta break baose from LaFantaisie and run away. Nie aIea threw a brick through a window of a Craydon Road residence, police sa While in custoy, he taok a swipe at a police officer acord- ing ta Durhamn Regionai Police. Ail but the threatening charge were withdrawn. He was sentenced ta 94 daya in jail (tme served) three years of probation, and a Ïîve-year fire- arms prohibition. Modelling & Talent Agency 666-1528 is offering Personal Image programmes starting in April Young Women ages I11- 14 Image for Girls 15-17 Beautiful You S Don't miss this opportunity to do something special for your daughter! collect provincial sales tax). H-owever Shepherd bemoans the fact that "it seems ta be difflicuit ta get political leaders ta take 4 leap of ait and p ull it tagether. p He note that Ontario's Fair Tai Commission, for example, recommended amalgamation, b ut both the former NDP govern- ment and its Progressive Conser- vative successor h ave- been cool ta the idea. «We need the political will and leadership ta resolve the pro- blem,"saidShepherd. «Ithn B.C. after the next election will be willing ta, har- monize,» he said in looking ahead ta a possible Liberal vic- tory on the west coast later this year. "But oertainly Ontario has been taugh, even though their own tai commission says do it.» Shpherd admitted «ýtheres no question» the process has' taken longer than anticipgted, but he would not want Ottawa ta unila- terally impose a solution. A 'cynical prmse' Imde, For instance, Shephe rd rejec- ted arguments that consumera would be happier if they were not reminded of the tai every time a purcha.se was made and that they prefer a s.ystem similar ta, the former hiddien manufac- turers sales tai, which the GST essentially replaced. buiness ldease the pbibut busitswoud benobterf,» hie sa.id. «Ites a cheap shot ta say make it disappear.» For Reform Party de.puty finance critic Monte Solberg, McTeague's and Shepherd's pro- testations of political gamesman- ship rnholiow. Thne Xuberta MP accused the IÀberals of engaging in the sanie tactics four years ago. - «Mfy question is why did they make that promise?" asked Sol- hey made a cynical promise with no idea of how ta replace the mone.»' (The GST generates an annual $17 billion in revenue for Ottawa.) The Medicine Hat representa- tive denied that hie brought; for- ward the motion simpiy ta embarrasa the Liberals. «It's been an issue as of late,» he explained. «Many members of the Liberal backbench have raised it in the past few montha, not the least, is your MP Dan McTeague. «So on our Opposition Day, we gave the government the chance ta, abolish, scrap and kill it. 972>84 Bu l1:877ui AI Ln by Citidy Weiindorfer QIs it true that Iight ecolours can make a roomn appear larger? AYes it is, but don't be A. limited by this. If your room is small, applications of various shades of one colour, or a monochromatic schemne, can be effective. The eye sees one colour over a larger space, rather than small amnounts of many colours. Unf'ortunately, they didn't rise ta the occasion and they let their constituents down.» Solberg said Reform's position on the taxis simle --ciwjeout the deficit and reduce the GST in stages» -- and he dismissed. the harmonization proposai. «To quote a prominent Liberal backbencher John Nunziata, 'harmonization is not synonym- ous with abolish'. " said Solberg. iYN TEATRBNY *SUNDAY MARCH 31ST FROM 11:00 A.M TO 2:00 PM. *PANCAKES AND JUICE ONLY $2.95 PER CHILD *MEET "CASEY" THE EASTER BUNNY *JOIN IN THE FUN 0F OUR EASTER EGG HUNT *EGG PAINTING, FACE PAINTING AND CRAFTS' «To quota Carolyn Parrish, <harmonization is what orches- tras do'... the fact is, they're flot living Up ta, the spirit of their Solberg expects Martin ta, do some «ýmmor changes and tinker- ing»' but insiste anything short of «real tai relief,» will flot be acceptable té Canadians. «I think the-'ve put themselves ini a real spot,» he added. PERMS $32.00 and up' HI-LITES $30.00 -MFri & Sýat. $42.00 and up- Fri & Sat $34.OO and up COLOURS $2,9.OO0SREAK $39,0O 'Fni &Sat.$34.0OOand u F &Sat. $43.00 and up Appoiniment necessary. 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