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1*1 4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanvillc, Wednesday, September 25,1991 Section Two Report from * m eea : M soi Queen s Park f! i by Gord Mills, M.P.P., Durham East Business and Finance Bus Business Keeps Rolling for Courtice Native Fleet Now Expanded to 14 Buses By die time this report appears appears in printed form, the Fall Session on the Ontario Legislature Legislature will be three days old. We will continue to sit daily through until December 20th. During this period I will be in Toronto Sunday evening until Thursday night. Fridays as usual, I will be in the constituency constituency office all day. Please call the office and select a time convenient to you, if you want to see me about a concern or problem. If you would like me to attend your function on the weekend, please contact the constituency constituency office to make the arrangements. arrangements. The proceedings at the Legislature arc carried daily on Channel 31 via .Rogers Cable T.V. Since the signal is sent via satellite, an ordinary T.V. antenna will not produce a picture. The programming commences at 1:30 p.m. with the exception of Thursday when the start time is 10 a.m. Thursday morning is the time slot set aside to debate, and most often take part in them. This Thursday, around 1:35 p.m. I will be asking all members to join with me in thanking the volunteers in Newcastle area who arc part of the "Meals-on-Whcels" program. Please tune in if you have cable. Several people have already already contacted me over Ontario Ontario Hydro's 1992 rate increase. increase. The average residential monthly increase will go up about $7. starting on January 1, 1992. More than half the increase is caused by the Darlington Nuclear Nuclear Generating Station coming coming into service and other nuclear nuclear costs. Darlington will cost about $13.5 billion. As it starts to produce electricity, we have to start paying for it through customers' rates. The below forecast performance of Hydro's existing nuclear stations has increased Hydro's Hydro's overall costs significantly. significantly. The plants were designed designed to operate at an average 80 per cent capacity, but last year operated at only 63 per cent. The Durham Region Community Community Care Association arc leading a mini-series on Breaking-Even-Or-Bctter. It is an opportunity to get together together with friends and neighbours to share ideas on getting your money's worth in these hard times. The program program starts on Wednesday, October 9th from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at Enfield United Church. There will be free refreshments refreshments and babysitting. Call Janice at 623-4123 to register. During the past week I had the opportunity to visit with two fine couples who were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. On each occasion I had the pleasure pleasure of presenting Commemorative Commemorative Scrolls on behalf of Premier Bob and the government government to, Archie and Jean Campbell of Prince Albert, and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Conway of Oshawa. I hope you will continue to enjoy many happy years together. Until next week - be kind to on another - it really helps. z-J by Ross Stevenson, M.P., Durham ■ Last week's return to work by federal public servants was a major victory for Canadian taxpayers and a good omen for oür economic recovery. When the Public Service Alliance of Canada agreed to withdraw its pickets and return to the bargaining table, it did so with the full understanding there was no change in the government's position as origi- • nally announced in last February's February's budget -- a freeze on all salaries during the 1991-92 fiscal fiscal year, with subsequent increases increases limited to 3 per cent annually. Those limits are an extremely extremely important feature of the federal plan for slashing spending, to reduce the deficit and eventually bring our national national debt load under control. The salary restraints will save $675 million this year and approximately approximately $3.5 billion over a five year period. Those are large numbers, but they have to be weighed against this year's $30 billion deficit and a national national debt which now totals more than $15,000 for every individual individual Canadian. All federal salaries are being being frozen -- not just those of unionized employees, as was incorrectly and repeatedly stated stated during the recent strike. Contrary to the misleading statements by union leaders and others, the government did not put a wage freeze on its rank and file workers after providing providing increases for senior officials officials and after Members of Parliament Parliament "gave themselves a raise." The freeze and restraints can only affect those contracts and agreements that come up for renewal after the February Budget. During the time frame in which senior government executives received a 4.2 per cent increase, the PSAC had a contract agreement giving its members a somewhat higher raise. M.P.s and cabinet ministers do not set their own pay scale or vote on it. To avoid exactly the sort of criticism we've heard recently, for the past 15 years Members' salaries have been reviewed independently each year. Under the Parliament Parliament of Canada Act, any raises arc pegged at a level below increases increases in the cost of living and a national wage index. Through this provision all M.P.s received a 3.78 per cent raise last January 1. Next year the Prime Minister, M.P.s, senior senior officials and everyone else on the federal pay-roll will have their wages frozen. They will all be subject to the same restraints as are now being applied applied to the PSAC. It's worth noting here that, since the present government was elected in 1984, the aver age annual pay raise for M.P.s has been 2.9 per cent, compared compared to an average inflation rate of 4.3 per cent. From 1984 to last year the total salary increase increase was 17.6 per cent. During During that same period we had 29.6 per cent inflation, while federal public servants received received wage increases totalling 25.5 per cent. So we have not bene asking others to do more than we've done ourselves. There also have been references references to M.P.s' travel expenses, expenses, implying they are part of the salary package. The fact is, Members may claim up to $6,000. per year for certain r'rrr travel-related expenses such as meals and accommodation. These are costs any employer would normally cover for his or her employees. They aren't part of the salary, the're only paid after an expense claim is submitted, and it's obvious all M.P.s won't be claiming the full amount. All of us are in this together. together. Whether we like it or not, all Canadians have a share of the national debt. Those of us on the federal pay-roll have a particular responsibility to help bring spending under control - for the sake of the taxpayers who foot the bill, and for the ultimate future of our nation. by Mei-Lin Stichbury For Victoria Welch, being a school bus owner and operator operator has become big part of everyday life. Not only does she take care of a family and run a thriving business out of her home in Courtice, but most recently she was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the School Bus Operators' Association of Ontario. In seven short years, she has increased her bus operation, operation, Victoria Equipment, to 14 buses. Ten of those are handicapped runs and four are 72-passenger school buses buses for the Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Education Education and the separate school board. Most of the runs are in the Bowmanville and Courtice Courtice areas, but one of her buses goes as far as Sea- grave. Like most businesses, Victoria Equipment started small. Victoria began her career as a driver. Her sole run consisted of a station wagon and seven children. The man she .was driving for. decided he didn't want to be in the business anymore, so she and her husband, Larry, bought the contract. Her second run was for handicapped persons and her business grew from there. Now, she only drives buses buses when needed. But these days, being a member of the senool bus operators operators association (SBOA) executive takes up a lot of her time. The SBOA represents the interests of Ontario's school bus operators to government, government, educators and the general public as well as providing services and a communications link for members. The association represents represents over 80 per cent of the 14,000 school buses in operation operation in Ontario, daily carrying carrying approximately 700,000 children Now into her third year as a board member, her position position has become increasingly challenging. She currently chairs the communications committee and is involved in the Train the Driver Trainer Committees. Committees. Her duties on the communications communications committee include putting together a magazine for school bus operators and drivers called School Bus Ontario. Child safety is a big issue in Ms Welch's eyes. To her, it's the most important issue. issue. "We are carrying one of the most precious cargos on our buses - children, said Ms. Welch. "I would like to see a time where there are no fatalities involving children children riding school buses." The SBOA executive is, therefore, trying to encourage encourage driver education and training. One of the most popular and beneficial programs, said Ms Welch, is PRIDE - Professional Instructor in Driver Education. Ms Welch is an instructor in that program. program. PRIDE is intended for bus driver trainers. They are shown how to properly instruct drivers. Ms Welch noted that the board has received praise everywhere for the program. "The comments have been fantastic and it's in really big demand," she said. "The courses are always full." In addition, she is part of an executive committee on substance abuse. This means Ms. Welch works with operators to educate educate them on what signs to look for that indicate substance substance abuse and how to handle situations they may encounter. Her committee also keeps in contact with provincial and federal ministries dealing dealing with substance abuse. "Right now, the federal government wants mandatory mandatory drug testing for school bus drivers, but the provincial provincial government is saying no," explained Ms Welch. "The SBOA is somewhere in the middle, trying to negotiate negotiate something acceptable acceptable to everyone." Being a member of the board of directors of the School Bus Operators' Association Association has been a very rewarding rewarding experience, said Ms Welch. "It's challenging," she said. "But I get a great sense of satisfaction knowing that I've done some good." "It's very important to me to know I've nad a say in what happens in this industry." industry." But managing a business and a household as well as being an integral part of the SBOA has its drawbacks, admitted Ms Welch. She added: "It's very time consuming and it takes a lot of time and commitment." Ms Welch, however, welcomes welcomes the challenge. She wouldn't have it any other way. w \;>f Courtice native, Victoria Welch, is owner and operator of her own school bus company, Victoria Equipment. She was also recently re-elected for a second term as a director on the School Bus Operators' Association. 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