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/• / t 2 - Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, November 2, 2005 Subscriptions $32.71 + $2.29 GST = $35.00 per year. , Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 -S£- Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. J53W "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada throug IgjgF the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. QCllâ CanadS z-tr , ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono ON LOB 1M0 E-mail: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax: 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Donna Wood Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman m. »•* _ r__ T , . -- the Publications Assistance Program ^/wwaiuuu,.w -- Anrna m \yieekly Times CanadS zxP LIkl Culture of entitlement at all levels of government Mayor John Mutton's advice to residents, to let their councillors know that they don't want a double digit tax increase, raises some interesting points. The only control we residents have over our tax rate, is who we elect to represent us. We as residents have no say as to how our elected representatives spend our tax dollars. Did councillors ask us if they should get a pay increase or double their mileage allowance? At the local level were we asked if we wanted a Brian McFarlane Hockey _ Museum, with or without a price tag of $1 million plus. Were we consulted prior to the Mayor and Councillor Schell's decision to go to China with a blank cheque next week to rub shoulders with the Premier? The answer to all the above of course is a resounding "NO". We would suggest suggest that for the price of two GO Train tickets the. pair could go to Toronto any day of the week to schmooze with the Premier.. .. Mayor Mutton's warning of a double digit tax increase was from our regional level of government, where he chairs the Finance Committee. The Region of Durham just moved into their new headquarters headquarters The budget for this new building was. approved by Regional Council at $67.7 million. When the building was completed, the budget was $84.1 million. We were not asked to approve additional costs to the building project. They were approved by Regional Councillors. Last year, Regional Council approved a region-wide transit system which is to come on-line in January 2006. All councillors knew this would be a costly ventuie, yet they decided the benefits to residents would be worth the costs. While tax payers never want to see a huge tax increase, elected officials don't want to pass one down in an election year. The next municipal election is in November of 2006. Lobbying against a double digit tax increase will do litt e more than defer the increase until the following year, when we will be hit twice as hard. ? Our elected representatives set the tax rate. If we don t like the tax rate they set, then maybe it's time for new elected representatives. h ■ |\cONtAiNM0P I \\ w 1 1 ■MT, ^ - ;7f I I i ' «V I 1 %: '% f r'i'-nJn Staying in Touch MPP John O'Toole Letter to the Editor "Wear the poppy to honour our veterans" Dear Editor, In this "Year of the Veteran," which I personally feel is long overdue, 1 am proud to write that 1 am the daughter of a World War Two veteran. My father, like his six brothers, two of them serving in both World War One and Two, fought overseas beside many other brave men and women. Some ol these men and women paying the ultimate ultimate sacrifice for our hREE- DOM. Many other returned home mentally and physically scarred for life. My brother and I saw early in life the atrocities * and human destruction ol war, from one of my uncles, who returned from the war and spent the rest of his life in hospital hospital in horrific pain, as did many other veterans. My mother volunteered for many years at Sunnybrook Veteran's Hospital, where I personally met some of these brave men. Thank you to all who fought, died or came home to us. To honour all of our veterans, veterans, please stand tall, quiet, and reflect every time you hear O' Canada or see our Canadian flag flying proudly. 1 am appealing to every man, woman and child to wear the poppy to honour all of our veterans. Most important important of all--"Lest we never forget." Respectfully yours, Barb King Qrono Legislation would end mandatory retirement The Ontario Legislature is ready to put the concept of mandatory retirement out to pasture. Now Ontarians who want to work won't face discrimination discrimination due to age. Members of the Official Opposition are voting in favour of ending mandatory retirement. In fact, it was the Progressive Conservative government that first introduced introduced Bill 68, the Mandatory Retirement Elimination Act, 2003, more than two years ago. If this Bill had passed it would have come into law on January 1st of this year and. mandatory retirement would already be history. It's unfortunate that the government has chosen to delay this legislation. There never has been any law against people working past age 65. However, in the past, employers could have a policy requiring staff to retire at that age without being challenged challenged by human rights legis- Clarification The Mayor's office called last week lo inform us of an inaccurate statement made by George Van Dyk in his letter to the editor titled Trade Mission lo China, which appeared in last week's Orono Weekly Times. In'his letter, Van Dyk is quoted assaying "They would do better to stay here and work on the reduction of the double-digit tax increases for 2006 that the Mayor has promised us." This comment was in reference to Mayor John Mutton and Councillor Jim Schell's up-coming trip to China. Mayor Mutton's secretary told us that the Mayor says he did not promise a double-digit tax increase. According to his secretary, the Mayor claims he advised residents, in order lo avoid a double-digit tax increase at the Region, they need to make their voices heard. lation. Bill 211 changes that policy and extends full protection protection to retirees. This legislation is all about the freedom to make personal choices. It also reflects changing changing times. While many will continue to retire at age 65 or younger, there is no reason for active and productive individuals individuals to stop working if they don't want to. Moreover, the workplace and the economy benefits from the- knowledge and experience of older workers. workers. It will take about one year for most of the mandatory retirement regulations to take effect. Township looks at concerns over Replica Guns A presentation by Durham Regional Police on replica guns was part of a meeting 1 attended at Scugog Township last week. The municipality is concerned over the prevalence of replica weapons in the community community because they are more easily accessible than real weapons and can be used to threaten and intimidate or in the commission of crimes. The presentation by Durham Regional Police showed that replica weapons arc almost indistinguishable from the real thing. This is a serious concern to police and other emergency responders as well as to the public. Scugog Council is to be commended for taking action O'TOOLE mpsge 3