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THE HERALD Wednesday January Page MP prepared to hear from the people Last Wednesday night the spirit of democracy burned hot as we had the first Town Hall meeting in this new federal riding of ours About people crowded a room in Bolton and we talked about whats right and what needs fixing in this country I really enjoyed the session and look forward to the one slated for this Wednesday Jan 25 at the North Halton Golf Club in Georgetown The week after the Peel road show moves on to M Robinson School in Burl ington Before last weeks event Dorothy and I were out going door todoor and then meeting shoppers in the grocery store letting them know about the meetings One womans reaction seemed typical of a lot of people Boy she said are you ever brave That worried me a bit and I sud wondered what was going to happen at an evening when the doors were thrown open to anyone to come and ask or tell me anything But I survived Actually the two- hour session taught me a lot We talked about the countrys economy about social spending taxes immigration language rights in Quebec and we even bad a show of hands in the audience on who would build and who would scrap nuclear powered sub marines The subs won This weeks agenda in Georgetown wiU be pretty close and I hope that who comes to the second Town Hall meeting is as frank and sincere as the citizens were in Bolton AsT start think about beading back to Ottawa in a few weeks tins kind of input is invaluable A couple of weeks ago in this space I was talking about what I see as one of our greatest pro blems and thats the fact we spend 30 per cent more each year than we take in That shortfall is called the deficit and last year it was about billion Each year that we run a deficit it gets added to the national debt which is now around 9300 billion On The Hill With Garth Turner In that column I said we had two choices to make if the deficits ever to drop Cut spending or raise taxes And I asked readers if they bad any comments for an MP to take to the federal finance minister Burlington Mayor Bird was one of the first off the mark Please be assured he wrote me that I fully agree it is clearly time to get the national house in order and begin to address not on Jy the current annual deficit but also the accumulated deficit I am pleased that you will be one MP that will be speaking and working with the finance minister in regards to that As to your question whether people can stomach higher taxes it is my view that they will have to Otherwise the only other way to reduce the deficit is to cut pro grams and benefits and this would cause an even greater uproar amongst Canadians Of course not everyone agrees Our Bolton meeting for exam ple was rocked at times by the comments of those who said taxa tion had already the breaking point And Chris Gudgeon of Georgetown took the time to send me a long letter It was tinged with more than a little anger as the father of four with a wife who chooses to stay at home and look after the children Your peers have lost touch with reality he told me Does some sort of change come over these people once they reach Ottawa Is there some great book they are shown that forces them to change or set aside their promises and follow a great guiding light to the countrys downfall You of all people should know the answer to whether we should pay more taxes If you think this country is in bad shape now try to imagine what it is going to be like when the middle class takes the economy underground I am sick sick and tired of paying taxes to this coun try and in return being asked to pay more A lot of people feel that way And in my other life as a journalist I spent years blasting politicians for mindlessly raising taxes while ig noring the real burden this was putting on working people Nothings changed I have not suddenly forgotten after being elected Taxes hurt and that cant Deer struck by vehicle A Ford Bronco driven by an Erin man struck a herd of deer on Trafalgar Road near Highway early Friday morning Halton Regional Police say Albert 34 of Erin was driving the Bronco north bound on Trafalgar Road when a herd of deer began to cross One deer was struck by the vehicles rear fender another hit the passenger door The truck was lightly damaged Police are not pressing charges and report no injuries in the acci dent CHURCH NONDENOMINATIONAL PENTECOSTAL ALL PEOPLES CHURCH DELIVERANCE CENTRE Flnchgate Boulevard Bramalea S corner Bible Study Worship Deliverance Sunday 10 30 am 700pm Wednesday 8 pm We Provide Children Church Nursery Service English to Italian translation Pastor George A TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SPACE CALL DISPLAY ADVERTISING 8772201 be the only solution to the problem we have of paying off Canadas mortgage But if taxes do have to increase hen they have to do it with for those who need it people who have turned into our working poor or our working enslaved Chris Gudgeon makes me a pro mise 1 intend to follow your career and make sure that you stick to your promises and ciples even after you have read the great book of stupid govern he writes Thats okay with me In fact its only with that kind of help the letters the phone calls the attendance at public meetings that our messages can be taken to feds and dumped into the lap of government Surviving the next few years will take some skill and some stick- handling I suspect there will be tough decisions and some un popular ones Its up to the people to make sure theyre also fair Represent the real core of the country the middle class Gudgeon tells me proud Cana dians who are not prone to voicing their thoughts or complain who take care of themselves and work hard That Chris is exactly what brought me here DRASTIC ffc MensweaR SlPIUIOK SAVINC SELECTED FALL AND WINTER STOCK UP TO I OFF But Hurry These Savings Wont Last Long Offer Expires February 4 1989 l While Youre In I J J- Take A Look At Our New Spring and Summer Fashions Arriving Daily 8777361 MENS WEAR CITY STYLES CLOSE TO HOME