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wn ----e-------- Jr a, ot C--O PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, September 12, 1989 -- 7 THE TAX FIGHT - | gotta hand it to old buddie John James Jr. this week. John is publisher of the Amherstburg Echo, a weekly newspaper way down there in the banana belt of Ontario, just a short hop from Detroit. Old John just threw away $1940,. took the Sash ibm his wallet and chucked them right out the window. And he did this to make a point. What John did was refuse to print in his paper a doublepage ad from the federal government, an ad which outlines why the nine per cent General Sales Tax (GST) is supposed to be good for the country, and why it will just hurt the average guy a teeny bit. Now John has been flailing away in his editori- als and columns recently about this pending GST that Mssrs. Mulroney and Wilson are about to dump on the country in 1991. . John has never been one to shy away from an issue when he hunkers down behind the word pro- cessor to crank out his weekly columns. In fact, when he grabs hold of an issue, he's like a pit bull: stubborn, tenacious and never-let-go. Well, John has sunk his molars into this one. Not only did he refuse to publish a government ad, he wrote a zinging open letter to the Prime Minister of this country explaining why. Here's a brief sample: "Don't try to tell us this nine per cent tax is a "better deal" because it is re- placing a 13.5 per cent "hidden tax." That old tax was paid by 75,000 big business companies. The new tax will be paid by two million firms of all sizes, Viewpoint by John B. McClelland finance department can't count?" John goes on to write: ".....this tax will accom- plish only one thing, it will bury the Progessive Con- servative Party for decades. Right now I'm not sure you could round up six pall bearers for the funeral, which by the way, will cost nine per cent more." He concludes his open letter in this fashion: "As for the GST plan in general, something with such monumental impact on every Canadian tax payer should call for a general election. Let's hear what they have to say. Can you read lips, Mr. Mul- roney?" Yours truly, etc., etc. Now that's taking the fight to the streets. Good for you, John James. John has expressed what a lot of Canadians are feeling these days: growing outrage that our federal government has the audacity to make present and future generations pay through the nose for the sins of governments past which simply cranked up the printing press when they ran a bit short of cash. Of course one scathing editorial in a small town weekly like the Amherstburg Echo is not go- in to matter one hoot to Messrs. Mulroney and ilson. Chances are none to zero either of them will ever even see it. But I'l tell you one thing. John James is dead on the money when he says this GST will be the downfall of the Conservative Pay. Canadians may have no choice but to swallow this tax when it is rammed down their throats, but they aint gonna forget for a long, long time. You want to know what irks me most about the present government in Ottawa? The arrogance. | voted for Mulroney because | thought the country badly needed a change after the Trudeau era. Mulroney seemed like a guy, who if nothing else, would at least put some down-to-earth com- mon sense back in federal politics. Jeez, wrong again. As for arrgoance, the guy st fave gone to the Pierre Trudeau finishing school. What is it about political power? Why is it that some (not all) politicians appear so ideal when they are not holding the reins of power, and suddenly once they get to the top, bingo, a complete turn- around, an arrogant disdain for the little guy on the street, and a complete mis-understanding of what makes 99 per cent of the people in Canada tick? Trudeau managed to conceal that sneer for al- most a decade. It has taken Mulroney half that time to develop his. | voted for this guy (twice in fact) | supported the concept of free trade. Jeepers, when Michael Wilson got caught in the biggest budget leak in the history of the country last spring, | even gave him the benefit of the doubt. And what do they give me back? A bucket of holier-than-thou arrogance, a new sales tax on my nine year old daughter's piano lessons, and Brian, Mila and the kids jetting off for a weekend with George Bush at his "cottage." No wonder people in the country are mad. Do we deserve this? and many more millions of consumers. Is it true the Market. oi owe Remember When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 28, 1944 School children in all school sections of Ontario County are making an excellent contribution of milkweed pods for life jackets. Kapok, the silky seed pod is urgently needed by the Canadain Government. Each bag of milkweed is worth 20 cents when properly dried. ~. Bill Taylor Jr. is back home with his parents Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Taylor after receiving his. discharge from the army. The heavy electric storm that passed over here last week _ left its mark. The lightning struck the barns of Mr. J. Aldred, and Mr. G. Cherrie and also hit a large tree near the barn of Mr. A. Wilkinson. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, September 30, 1954 The town clerk, Jack Raines, reports that Port Perry has increased in population during the past 12 months. Last year the population tallied 1,961. This year it is 2,058. Brownies and Guides are entering their sixth year in Port Perry. District Commissioner Godley has been promoted to Divi- sion Commissioner. Bob Carnegie managed to crack a record in the intermediate Pole Vault - 89%", to eclipse Garnet Palmer's old record by 3 :of an inch at the coronation track and field meet. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 1, 1959 Lillian Jean Couves, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Couves of Greenbank, has been awarded a Provincial Aid Bur- sary for her Grade 13 standing. Miss Elaine Medd (Sr.) and Miss Patsy Bailey (Jr.); Jim Burnett, Dave Milne (Sr.), tied; and George Tripp (Jr.), won the senior and junior championships at the High School field day last week. _ . 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 1, 1964 Port Perry, Reach and Scugog Agricultural Society, spon- ~ sored Cliff Claggett's World Champion Chuckwagon Races, direct from the Calgary Stampeded, which were held at the local fairgrounds last Friday evening. Marie Snooks, winner of low gross for the 1964 season at Sun- ny Brae Golf Course was presented with the I.G.A. Trophy donated and presented by Jack Hope of Hope's 1.G.A. Food Diane Hall has obtained the highest mark in Grade IV Sing- ing Examinations for Oshawa and surrounding districts at the ' June Examination Session of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Diane received First Class Honours standing and a total mark . ... (Turn to page 12) Letters io tne eaitor Waiting room anger and frustration To the Editor: The Doctor's 'Waiting Room," has caused me numerous occa- sions of anger and frustration. Like the Publisher, I've always begrudingly smiled and put up with what seemed to be the in- evitable. Now that someone else has the ball rolling, I'd like to add my own comments. I'm aware that a Doctor's schedule may be burdened with medical emergencies and unfore- seen circumstances and thus it can be difficult to stick to a rigid schedule. I believe that most of us are prepared for unexpected delays in an M.D.'s office. But do we not deserve to be informed of these delays? I have made an appointment first thing in the morning. Know- ing that I have a child coming home from school at 11:30 a.m. When my 10:00 o'clock appoint- ment starts pushing 11:00, I start to fidget and worry, shall I wait a few minutes longer? After all, I've waited an hour already, it can't be much longer. Or can it? Have you ever tried to keep four young and curious children oc- cupied in a room 8' x 8' for half an hour, after already waiting half an hour in the "Waiting Room?" There's usually a box of toys for the children to explore but there are also a million other more &x- citing and challenging gadgets which are "No No's" for restless young children. And the most frustrating part is that you can't even honestly answer their cons- tant gueries, 'When is the Doctor coming?" Sooner or later, the Doctor does arrive, all smiles and pleasan- tries. Personally, I would be em- barrassed to face a patient to whom I'd left waiting 11% hours, in particular without an apology or explanation. Which leads me to believe that often times the Doc- tor has no idea just how long you've been waiting. You're just next inline in a long and busy day. This brings another point to mind. I get the impression (and I may indeed be wrong), that if I arrive for a 10:30 appointment at 10:00, I may indeed get in to see the Doc- tor before the 10:15 patient, pure- ly because I got my file put into the pile first. Is it first come, first served? (Turn to page 10) Hockey starts to early To the Editor: Being a father of two growing boys I greatly appreciate the op- portunities provided for them by local organized sports. Our older boy plays both soccer in the sum- mer and hockey in the fall and winter. What I don't understand and find very odd is why the hockey starts up before the soccer is Smile For The Day over. We have all winter (a usual- ly long one) to play hockey. I think it is very unfortunate that minor hockey cannot wait until soccer is over. Minor Hockey is starting even before the Maple Leafs. Yours truly, Rod McKay, R.R. 4, Port Perry. my" ml "IT WAS OWNED BY A LITTLE OLD LADY WHO... DON'T TOUCH THAT OR YOU'LL RELEASE THE DRAG CHUTE...JUST DROVE IT BACK AND FORTH TO CHURCH." f