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3 i i i i Wednesday. September 15, 2004 ORONO WEEKLY TIMES -5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON LOB 1M0 Email: oronotimeserogers.com or Phone^ax 905-963-5301 Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 GST - $32.00 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. TT . ¥Tlntaj , mmimhi )m mi Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Donna Wood Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman or Cost and effect Our big city newspapers are spreading much ink regarding our provincial leaders meeting with Mr. Paul Martin on health care. Prime Minister Martin offered - as an opening - twelve billion dollars to fix the system. The premiers were horrified! One or two of these fine gentlemen even laughed at this "insulting" "insulting" offer. Newspaper writers, who two or three weeks ago, were deciding how much money should be spent on sport, have now become expert spokes- people on Health Care spending. One thing everyone agrees on is that we must spend more money to reduce the time spent waiting waiting for health care. What no one seems to point out is: a) Twelve billion dollars is a lot of money, b) That twelve billion - extra - has to come from us, the long suffering suffering taxpayers. Canadians, every year, since the government took over health care, have been asked to pay more of our tax dollars to the Medical Community. Yet every year, waiting lists get longer. Have you also noticed the dozens, or is it hundreds, hundreds, of staff people our leaders bring to these meetings? It would be a safe guess to say every such staff person is on a government pay roll. When will we realize that all such government meetings are a costly waste of time? Are we not paying enough for medical care? Could we not ask the medical community, especially especially the doctors and hospital administrators to put some extra effort in organizing the system? At the same time, could the governments (all of them) cut back on all the staff people who travel across Canada (at our expense)? All the meetings and dialogue have contributed exactly nothing to reducing wait times at the Bowmanville Hospital. Letter to the Editor Re: Don't mess with my tea! Dear Editor, I wanted to thank your reader Sandra Long for writing writing such a passionate letter to the editor with regards to her distaste for Tim Hortons's new "steeped tea" campaign. I couldn't have said it better myself! As an avid tea drinker and owner of a local tea room, I too believe that a proper cup of quality tea must be steeped for precisely the correct amount of time. Queen Victoria would not be amused! I would like your readers to know that she has inspired me to post the Orono Times article article in our tea room. It just further further endorses the need for us to take a little time for ourselves ourselves to enjoy a steaming cup of properly steeped tea that we indeed have prepared ourselves. ourselves. 1 invite Ms. Long to accept our offer of a complimentary tea and scone at our Victorian tea room and welcome her to enjoy a cup of tea with us, prepared prepared exactly the way she likes it! Kimberly Clumt-Allin Tea Grannys & Friends Ncwtonvillc Staying in Touch MPP John O'Toole Government Must Make Consultations Count A few of the recently announced provincial government government consultations are listed below. I encourage all citizens to get involved in the process and make your ideas known at Queen's Park. However, I would also like to add a cautionary cautionary note. How can we be certain Queen's Park is listening? listening? A year ago, Ontarians were in the midst of a very important important consultation that was also known as an election campaign. campaign. This consultation revealed that the majority of Ontarians did not want higher electricity rates and higher taxes. The Liberals broke their election promises, ignored that advice and raised taxes along with electricity rates. Without warning, they also announced plans to de-list OHIP funding in the areas of chiropractic care, routine eye exams and physiotherapy. Despite thousands of faxes, e- mails, letters and petitions pouring into the offices of MPPs across Ontario, there is little evidence this government government is listening. Ontarians have every right to ask whether the consultation consultation process is sincere or whether it is just a public relations relations exercise. Sometimes governments consult the public public merely to give credibility to new policies. The proof is whether or not a government changes proposed legislation or policies as the result of input from the public. As an opposition MPP, 1 feel it is important that this government give a thorough accounting of the cost of the consultation, including work done by any experts hired as part of the process. If you provide input to the provincial government, I would appreciate receiving a copy of your comments so that I can ensure the views of Durham Riding are on the record. For further information, information, please contact my Constituency Office at 905- 697-1501 or 1-800-661-2433. Of course, you don't need to wait for an official government government consultation to let me know your views on any provincial government issue. I always welcome input from the citizens of Durham Riding. Please keep in touch. Some Recent Topics of Consultation. • Mandatory Retirement • Electricity Restructuring • The future of Provincial Parkland and wilderness areas • A review of post secondary education • Growth plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area of Ontario • Planning Reform • Review of securities regulations regulations Information on how to participate participate is available at the Town Hall Ontario web page that O'TOOLE see pegs 6