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have taken a first step to drive this country into a fury of social chaos when he cut Unemployment Insurance benefits last week. Next year, those who end up on "pogey" will draw just 57 per cent, rather than 60 per cent of their eligible . And those who their jobs or are fired with cause will not be eligible for any benefits at all. These measures are d to sdve the UIC fund some $2.4 billion over a two year period. Certainly, government savings of this kind are nothi| to be scoffed at and with the federal 1998 projected at something like 94 billion, saving money has to be the firs priority. But at what cost? Critics are shouting loudly that Mazank i is sl that a name do ring a bell with you, he's the chap who trucked more than 85,000 old tires to a b: on Scugog Island. Efforts by the owners of the property, the Ministry of the Environment and Scugog Township to stop this illegal activity and get him to remove the old tires at his expense, proved all but fruitless. The MOE spent well in excess of $100,000 fof round-the-clock surveillance at the Scugog Island site bys a security firm. Eventually, private s hauled away the tires where most, ended up in a recycling plant in Buffalo, NY. As for Mr. Elson who was fined $600 for breaking local by-laws (he never paid the fine and the Township decided it was not orth ¢ the expense of forcing him to pay) But a stot i in the November 24 dit of the Community Press names MF. Elson as renting land north of Nerwood, Ont. where Jou gusased it, gld tires are being trucked in those who can Toast afford any cuts (the unemployed) and at those who are in the weakest position to fight back. Unlike the big drug companies, those out of work dou} ba have e much of a.lobby up there on e Hill. 'Ate the cuts in the UI benefits just the thin edge of the wedge of even more draconian measures over the next few months? Let there be no doubt that Canada is going through the worst economic times since the Great Depression. What has cushioned the blow, so to speak, for so many people now is the "safety net" of welfare and UI, which was not available in the "Dirty 30%." But, by. chipping away at this "safety net" now in the 90,8, there is a a real risk of i d social violence, crime, alcoholism, drug abuse and soon. When people are out of work, out of money, and out of hope, they become desperate and irrational. If the situation continues to worsen, as seems likely, the unemployed will need more help, not less. It's interesting to note in this sad tale, that while the jobless face a cut in 1 senior civil servants face just a freeze on their salaries. What kind of message does that send to the hundreds of thousands of ordinary Canadians trying to cope with ess. Tm all for government cuts in pending, reducing the deficit and so on, but.on the backs of ob wt cw and those without the "ATTT AGAIN? Gord Elson looks like he's at it again. If Neighbourg afe furious and have roached the MOE, the Police and their ing this and ; Reader: Letting the rich off scot free To the Editor: Given the budget firoblems faced by Canada and the Conservative government, one can understand the need to affect savings wherever one can. However tough it might be, the unemployed have little else they can do but try to cope. One wonders, however, just why ites that federal finance minister Don ankowski saw fit last week to target the group that is the most needy, while letting the rich off scot free. I am referring to the attempt on the part of the Conservatives to continue to exempt family trusts from income tax. Some estimates place these as high as $70 billion. While a small amount of this is heldfor the dis-abled, and by people of d i far the largest rt ity (Drummer Township) posted a cease order at the property, effective Nov, 17, and on that very day another truck-load of tires arrived. Two more loads arrived the next day and four more the day after that. , It all sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? I got quite a chuckle from the Community Press story which says Mr. Elson claims to be an innocent by-stander in this. Yeah, right. "This guy flaunted the law in Scugog Township and got away with it for He cost the taxpayers of Ontario well over $100,000. Now, he's doing the same thing elsewhere and will get away with it there as well. Can the laws and regulations in this province not be tightened to prevent this kind of thing from happening over and over again? Hey, if you get caught with a lighted cigarette in the local arena, you face a $2,000 fine. But there is precious little to prevent people from creating a serious environmental hazard, lowering the values of nearby property and nicking the Ontario tax-payer for over $100,000. IN CLOSING.. The golden » salary bubble for major league a will come crashing down when the average fan no longer has enough money to buy the products that are used to sponsor the events on TV. Ticket prices at the stadium or aréna are has been put in place by the very rich for their children. These tax exemptions were put in place 20 years ago wil the aim of allowipg enough time to so that benef os would all reach the age of majority. Thi exemption runs out Jan. 2 1993. The Conservatives propose to extend this until the last child dies, perhaps another 70 Even the most conservative estimate would place the amount of tax revenue lost at more than $2 billion each year. Interestingly, this would just about cover the reduction in unemployment benefits. While the rich get richer, the poor are to be punished for being poor. But with this government, what else can we expect? Sincerely, Vern Yorgason, RR 1, Nestleton. Most of public sector drowning in red ink To the Editor: There is a six letter word that chills the heart of the NDP, and that is "profit." Should entrepreneurs (those who organize, manage and assume the risk of a business) be making a profit, Bob Rae's crew is determined to ferret them out. Health Minister Francis Lankin refuses to meet with the Ontario Home Health Care Assoc. which has been responsible for supplying about 45 per cent of the government-funded home-making business in Ontario. The OHMCA fears that she intends to put them out of business. It is not-¢lear if the thousands of jobs that would be lost will be assumed by the public sector. Without this blend of piiblic and private services, costs may not be kept in check, since most of the public sector seems to be drowning in red ink and red tape. Housing minister Evelyn Gigantis continues to push landlords into bankruptcy as he invites non-profit now beyond the financial reach of a lot of housing sponsors to come forward. average fans. (Landlords are now experiencing unprecedented vacancy levels and mortgage money is hard to come by in this declining market) In January, she plans to release a report on new policy directions, and yet the government task force looking into this issue won't be giving its report until spring. Is this to be yet another example of wasted tax money? Bob Rae claims that our exports will take a hammering under free trade. Perhaps he should focus on making Ontario more competitive and not be foolishly wasting our resources. If he feels the need to create jobs, repairs to the infrastructure are badly needed and long overdue. In these recessionary times, we must feed the hungry, provide clothing and shelter, but not erode free enterprise and destroy initiative. This is, after all, still a democracy, and government is elected to serve, not subvert. SNAPSHOT OF THE WEEK | Isn'tit usually the mom climbing the walls? Not in this house. David Dekoning is the first one up and behind himis Stephanie, and then Daren, "anxiously awaiting their chance. Well - as long as it keeps them busy - it keeps you on the ground Mom. 31 people in this group photo, there must be someone out there who can identify one of them. If you can please call the Scugog 'Shores Museum at 985-3589. * In a recent Unsolved Mystery, it was stated that these photos would be retumed to their families, sorry Galil, the Museum keeps them sir with their many other identified and unidentified photos. an