The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Letters to the Editor M.P.P. Responds to Article About "Power of Attorney" In last week's column I finished up talking about what Mike Harris proposed to do about non-profit housing housing if elected to form the government of Ontario in 1995, and I promised to finish that subject off in this week's column. It isn't any secret, Provincial Conservative Conservative Leader Mike Harris has already already announced that should he be Premier in 1995 he will end all subsidies subsidies to non-profit housing and sell off all the present public housing stock to private landlords. His substitute for non-profit housing will be shelter allowances. Shelter allowances do nothing to increase the supply of affordable affordable housing. In times of high vacancy vacancy rate (such as now), landlords are only too happy to accept low- income tenants under such a program. program. During boom times, these people people find themselves on the streets in favour of more "desirable" tenants. The Conservatives usually forget to mention that they also want to abolish abolish rent controls. Under this agenda, both rents and cost of shelter allowance allowance programs would go through the roof. Landlords would jack up rents, knowing that the taxpayer was on the hook for whatever amount tenants could afford. So, those folks who think that by cutting out building affordable affordable housing saves tax dollars, may want to think about it again. A couple of weeks ago, I was in We are a small group of concerned concerned parents of teenagers. We meet once a week to discuss problems and issues of teenagers today. After speaking to our teens and their friends we realize that there is a lack of activities and facilities in Bow- manville for this age group. The teens themselves say that other than organized sports that require money there is nowhere to go to just hang out, such as a drop-iri centre. We are looking for suggestions and ideas from these teens. After speaking to the staff of stores where the teens hang out, we know that everyone everyone is in agreement that these kids are bored and hanging around because because there is nothing else to do. The teens in Clarington deserve the same as all other communities with youth groups. We will do our part and hope that other groups and organizations will do the same. By showing the young people the best example possible, we are giving the message that we care and the results will be for the benefit of everyone. Parents of Teens (Waverley area) Cobourg at the official opemng of a non-profit building which contained 60 geared-to-income apartments for seniors. After the ribbon cutting was over, I had the opportunity to chat to many of the residents of the new building. Some were moved close to tears as they expressed their joy to me and our government for providing funds which allowed them to live with dignity in comfortable surroundings surroundings in the twilight of their lives. In my short speech I emphasized the role played by seniors in our society, and the fact that most have never called on anyone for help in their entire entire lives. Now, when many seniors live on small incomes, when many have lost their life-long partner and are forced to live on half the pension income they once had, isn't it fair that those of us who are perhaps better better off, help to pay for "affordable" housing through our taxes to help those who find, themselves less able to cope? I feel many people like me have the same feeling as I do. This week, along with Mayor Hamre, I will be able to announce that stage one funding had been allocated allocated by our government to proceed to the development phase for a proposal proposal to build a seniors' non-profit apartment building in Bowmanville. . This site, close to everything, will be a boon to our local senior population. Non-profit housing continues to be a key part of our government's strategy. Since the unilateral withdrawal of the federal government in 1992, ours is the only government in Canada building building non-profit housing. We know the Conservatives will abolish non-profit housing but what about the Ontario Liberals? Until recently, recently, they joined with us in arguing against the Conservative platform. In Lyn McLeod's latest response to our budget of 1994, she called non-profit housing a waste of money. I suspect local seniors longing for the Bowmanville Bowmanville facility to be built, where they will be able to live in dignity, won't agree with that statement. A recent report by Infometrica Ltd. has confirmed what our government suspected all along - Ontario is getting getting a raw deal from the federal government. government. Federal cutbacks have cost Ontario 26,000 new social housing units over the past seven years. The continued federal policy will result in the future loss or 4,500 new social housing units each year the report said. This will mean a loss of about 8,000 construction jobs annually. The federal government has offloaded offloaded billions of dollars in annual costs to our government and its taxpayers, taxpayers, with massive federal cutbacks in transfers. Ontario's unemployed and our government are bearing the additional burden of between $1.3 and $1.6 billion annually through cuts to U.I.C. In the area of immigration, Ontario Ontario gets more than 55 percent of newcomers to this country, but only 39 percent of federal immigration settlement settlement allocations. Quebec in contrast, contrast, received only 19 percent of im migrants but got 34 percent of federal allocations. And in industrial development Ontario Ontario contributed 48 percent of taxes received by the federal government but got only 28 percent of federal subsidies subsidies to industry. All of the above is not political mean spirited tick-for-tac, it's the truth as prepared by a consultant consultant our government commissioned to see if Ontario was indeed being short changed by the federal government. Just recently, I have received a number of calls from worried people over a column in the Toronto Star written by Alan Silverstein under the heading "Act will let province usurp property". This story leaves the impression impression that the Substitute Decisions Act renders powers of attorney no longer effective and that the Public Guardian and Trustee will take over the financial management of all who become financially incompetent. This is not correct. Hopefully, my letter on this subject will be appearing in this newspaper soon. This should set the record straight. "Firefighters will be trained in defibrillation. " The Minister of Health recently announced announced $750,000 for an innovative study of paramedics in 21 communities communities across the province. Included in the study are Port Hope, Cobourg, Peterborough Peterborough and Lindsay. This is the first time a study of this kind has been conducted to answer important questions questions on cardiac arrest survival. Once completed, the study will provide Ontario Ontario and the international emergency services community with the information information to prevent disability and save lives. Ambulance attendants will receive receive parametic training once it has been demonstrated that defibrillation - a treatment that starts the heart - can be provided in time to prevent disability disability or death. Firefighters, usually the first on the scene, will also be trained in defibrillation. In addition to the $750,000 provided for the research study, the ministry's Emergency Health Services Branch will pay the ambulance-related costs of employment, employment, training and equipment. From time to time, people call me to complain about the waiting time to enter hospitals. In next week's column I will explain just why you shouldn't be blaming our government and the social contract for, "the amount of time it takes my Dad to get his hip replaced." replaced." See you all next week. Gord Dear Editor, I am taking this opportunity to respond respond to the article that appeared in the Toronto Star recently, penned by Alan Silverstein, in the hope that it will relieve some anxiety amongst older folks who have completed a Power of Attorney. All of the information information contained in this letter has been approved by Susan Himel the Acting Trustee, through the Attorney General's General's Ministry. After reading the article by Mr. Silverstein Silverstein one is left with the impression impression that the Substitute Decisions Act renders powers of attorney no longer effective and that the Public Guardian and Trustee will take over the financial financial management of all persons who become financially incompetent. This is not correct. The Acting Trustee has explained to Mr. Silverstein in a recent telephone telephone conversation, that under the current and new legislation, the Public Guardian Trustee will only become involved involved if an individual is assessed as incapable and no one else is willing or able to assume responsibility for the incapable person. A power of attorney prepared in advance of incapacity naming a substitute decision maker gives that trusted person the legal authority authority to make decisions on behalf of someone who has become mentally incapable. It would not be necessary or useful for anyone to trigger a capacity capacity assessment if a power of attorney attorney were in place. In some cases, a person may be assessed assessed despite the existence of a power power of attorney. For example, a capacity assessment is a mandatory requirement requirement for in-patients of a psychiatric facility. If a person happens to be assessed assessed as financially incapable and the Public Guardian and Trustee becomes the incapable person's financial guardian, guardian, the attorney named under a continuing continuing power of attorney will have the first right to apply to the Public Guardian Tmstee to replace the Office as financial guardian. In most cases, such an application will simply involve involve production of a copy of the power of attorney and a written undertaking undertaking by the attorney to act in accordance accordance with the power. Again this is virtually identical to the existing law. For cases where no power of attorney attorney was prepared in advance of incapacity, incapacity, the Substitute Decisions Act streamlines the appointment of someone someone such as a family member to take care of the person's affairs. It will be no longer necessary to make a court application under die Mental Incompetency Incompetency Act which can be both time consuming and costly. It is also important to note that a power of attorney for property properly properly executed before the changes in the law take place will be valid after proclamation proclamation of the Substitute Decisions Act. If anyone still has problems, the Office of the Public Trustee, Substitute Substitute Decisions Project, is available to ensure that the public is provided with accurate information about the Substitute Substitute Decisions Act. They can be reached at 145 Queens Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N8. Sincerely, Gordon L. Mills, C.D., M.P.P. Durham East Editor's Note: We still don't understand understand why the public trustee should be involved in the scenario you describe describe in paragraph four. If a power of attorney has been created while an individual individual is mentally capable, we can't see any reason why that person's wishes cannot be followed without government interference. We've yet to deal with any government where a transfer of documents or authority is simple. And contrary to your statement, statement, as we read it, this section of the proposed legislation is far from identical identical to the existing law. Apology Needed For Single Moms August 17,1994 Open Letter to Alex Shepherd Re: Your article of Aug. 17/94 in the Statesman. Are you saying that single mothers mothers do nothing. Pardon me, but I am a single mother raising three children and believe me rarely do I have time to do nothing. I have a job, I am a Mom raising my kids to be good, honest, well- adjusted citizens, who some day will VOTE. I do not feel hopeless, I don't lack dignity or self respect. I feel proud of my children and proud of the job I've done in raising them thus far. If I have to rely on charity from time to time, so be. If I have to get help from the government I will. I think it is an investment well worth the effort. My children will give back 100% what I've had to practically beg for. If you feel spending must be reduced, reduced, reduce your salary, pay your fair share of taxes. .1 have been and will again as will my kids. I think you owe all professional moms, single or otherwise, ah apology- apology- Marilyn Hossack Newcastle by Laura /. Richards From Page 3 cream and fresh donuts. Next is Betty's Pies and Tarts, a place to stop if you enjoy juicy butter tarts. If you are in search of something different for Thanksgiving, visit Jim McConnell's Pheasant Farm. It looks like the birds will be ready at the end of September and will be ready for a presentation under glass. Heading east, there's more food to be had at Aikens' Country Fresh (#26), and at Miss V's Dairy Goats. Yield Taylor will fix you up with barbecued barbecued goat burgers and cold drinks. You can munch away on these as you take in the on-going milking demonstrations demonstrations and lessons. The next place is Linwood Acres Trout Farm (#29). Last year they were swamped by folks looking for smoked trout. This year, you can have the trout filleted, whole or smoked, while the added attraction is to catch your own Remember to take your cooler. While the list is far from being finished finished try looking up numbers: 30,31, 33, 34, 37, 38, 40, 43, 45, 47, 50, 51, 53, 54, 59, 60, 61, 64 and 65 in your tour booklet. Wow, I get full just thinking about it all. I wonder how my roommate with the cast iron stomach will do? See you all out there on Saturday, morning, Aug. 28, when you come to the museum to pick-up last minute tickets. And, believe me, you'll need to start early to even get to half of the stops on the tour during the weekend! Good luck! And may the OPP's photo radar cameras not be operating when you go zipping by! It's a pleasure for me to report that my trip to China last spring appears appears to be paying dividends in Durham. Durham. If you remember, a couple of columns columns I did last winter focused on a trade mission I was part of last May to The People's Republic of China. The goal of the mission is to increase increase trade between small and medium-sized medium-sized business and China. On August 1, a small group of Chinese businessmen and .government .government leaders met with local businessmen, businessmen, municipal officials from the Town of Whitby and myself to discuss discuss a closer business relationship with the Chinese province of Wei- cheng, population 85 million, located in central China. The Chinese arc focusing their attention attention on the Town of Whitby, partially partially in Durham Riding, because Whitby recognizes the potential of the Chinese market and the jobs it will create at home. An official party from Weichcng will be in Whitby on September 20. Wai-Dong Yung, secretary of the province and Dai-Hai Wang, mayor of Weifang (the capital of Weicheng pop. 20 million), and 21 officials will be on hand. They are bringing television crews and newspaper reporters from Weifang Weifang to cover their trade mission. Obviously, they are treating this visit seriously and want to arouse more interest in this area back home. The Chinese have said they want to sign an "economic alliance" with Whitby and exchange ideas on aspects aspects of economic cooperation, water supply systems, telecommunications, education, sports, medicine and escalators. escalators. To symbolize the friendship between between Whitby and Weichcng, the Chinese arc building a hotel to be named Friendship Canada/China Hotel Hotel and a hospital called cither People's People's Canada/China Hospital or Norman Norman Bethune Hospital, after the Canadian doctor who did so much for the Chinese before and after their revolution. This is only the start of, hopefully, what will be a longer-term economic relationship between us and the Chinese. Chinese. Local businesses should get together together and network to provide a complete complete package of ideas that can be marketed to this enormously populated populated nation that has money to spend. In other words if you want to build them an office tower, then get together with cement contractors, plumbers, air conditioning people, etc. They like to see the whole program program before a project is undertaken. Local business has already been successful increasing sales in this thriving market. All the people in Durham can benefit benefit from doing business with the Chinese. Hats off to the people of Whitby, they aren't letting an economic opportunity opportunity pass them by. As always you can contact my office office with your comments and ideas. They arc appreciated.