Page 12 THE HERALD Wednesday August 1D89 Cut spending deficit residents say Well the current round of Town Hall meetings is almost over and its been quite an experience Be ing an MP has its moments and one of them has to be standing up in front of people who came to yell at you However thats the point oi these meetings to listen so I car better do my job in Ottawa representing the way citizens and taxpayers feel Right now in the immediate wake of Mike Wilsons GSI tax details most of us feel somewhat uneasy The meeting a few nights ago in was typical of whats gone on The room filled and then I spent time explaining what the feds have proposed and why Then we talked for the evening solidly about taxes government spending the countrys debt and what Ottawa should be doing Some people were angry some had come with a raft of questions others were there to make sure I heard what they came to say In all the meetings so far these are the themes which weave through the discussions Cut government spending Although this alone wont solve all of the countrys money problems it can help Also important is the signal this would send out to people paying high taxes It would tel them that the feds are not just dumping cash all over the place but being responsible with tax dollars Sure a lot of cuts have already been made But more have to come even though that will end up hurting a great number of people Still Im hearing that this must happen and that taxes alone cant be expected to put Canada right again 2 Make the tax system fairer No loopholes for the rich or the cor porations everybody should pay their share Ironically some people came to the meetings angry about the pro posed Goods and Services Tax But when the evening was finished they were agreeing that a tax on consumption which hits the big spenders instead of the savers was the fairest way to go so long as lowincome people were pro tected As Ive told you the GST that Ot tawa proposes isnt perfect and Ive suggested a few changes to Wilson I believe we should have no exemptions and a rate lower than nine per cent I also think con sumers deserve protection under an independent watchdog agency which has some real powers so when the old tax is removed people know prices will fall Im lobbying hard in Ottawa for those things to happen 3 And the other thing the meetings have told me is that peo ple are worried sometimes em barrassed by the fact Canada is plowing itself further into debt Every day we add on more than million in new debt which will add up to billion this year We dont even have the money to pay the interest on the billion we already owe This is the greatest threat to our children and the children who will come after them If we think our taxes are high theirs will be crushing as the interest payments on the debt consume more and more of our money Main Street South Downtown Georgetown 8731470 WESTERN CARPET VINYL VINYL TILE AREA RUGS FULL INSTALLATION DEPT FAST FRIENDLY SERV 184GUELPHST 8732355 KENNEDY BRAMPTON Tasty Recipes SPECIALS PEACH COBBLER 1 cup Sugar 1 tbsp Cornstarch 1 cup Boiling Water cups Fresh Sliced Peeled Peaches 1 tbsp Butter cup Sifted All Purpose Flour tbsp Sugar 1tsp Baking Powder tsp Salt 3 tbsp Shortening Cup Milk sugar ana in water and AH ts and raw 8 fell Dat SIR dry Cut la Sit raft lata ta maka a salt Dree av- aver peaches Bake In hat oven degrees far 30 Serve warm HONEY GOURMET COFFEE BEANS LB BRAN MUFFIN MIX yields 12 79 Foodstuff MAM ST S or PHONE 8776569 If the new tax raises money to pay down the deficit faster then I sense most people will end up sup porting it That is as long as the tax is fair and as long as the feds do their part by cutting bad govern ment spending Thats what Ive been left with after the meetings along with a lot of notes I made as people took their turn speaking When were done all of this will be put in a report and given to the finance minister as MPs come to debate the next step for GST I cant guarantee you anything Im finding that the system is com plex and tough to change There are a lot of people working in the finance department and they all have their own ideas about the way things should be Sure some days I get frustrated But some others I see light under their door Yes we need to do a better job in Ottawa and yes these meetings have just served to reinforce what has to be done So my real appreciation goes to the few hundred who took the time to show up and participate It was easier not to It was simpler to stay home and watch television than come and jump into a debate about Canadas future You have refreshed me for the coming trip back to Ottawa as Parliament resumes Thanks Drag strip will serve as drainage area A strip of land east of Acton call ed the drag strip property once home of the Toronto International Raceway will be used for water drainage the Town of Halton Hills decided The land sits on 148 acres beside a proposed subdivision The builder a numbered Ontario company formerly Developments Investments Inc applied for and received a rezoning for the property A town report says the land will be inherent hazard land from its present residential zoning allowing recreational use But the town will use the land for storm water drainage management pur- are no known plans of the town to use this block for any ac tive or leisure recreational ac tivities the report says Residents living near the drag strip property aired concerns at a public meeting held recently in the Halton Hills Civic Centre Neighbors said the land was now being used for motorized vehicles and horseback riding Fashions For The Young At Heart 115 MAIN ST S GEORGETOWN from Knox Church 8732851 DENTURE THERAPY CLINIC TH Denture Therapist 72 Mill St Georgetown 8778974 102 East Dr Bramalea Corner East Dr 7912314 HOME PRODUCTS LTD Wo one ever regretted buying quality Custom Design Installation THERMAL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS STANLEY THERMAL ENTRANCE DOORS PATIO DOORS SOFFIT FACIA AND EAVESTR0UGH SIDING PATIO DECKS AND FENCING S0LARIUMS NEW ADDITIONS CUSTOM DESIGNED BAY AND BOW WINDOWS ALUMINIUM AWNINGS AND SHUTTERS ELEGANT VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL SHADES CALLTODAY O7OOACQ ESTIMATES All Work guaranteed No Obligation to Purchase QUALITY CREDIBILITY RELIABILITY Double Prints Save Up To 50 On Color Film Developing choice double prints or double size 12 Exposure 9x7 or up to 24 3Ax5 IS Exposure to 5x7 or up to 303x5 Exposur to or up to 3Ax5 36 Exposur to 8x7 or up to 72 3Ax5 v Baby Portrait Contest OVEB 8oetort Colour ftegutar Price em PLUS TO BE WON NATIONALLY A local baby photo contort la In your The moat photogenic baby flirt or boy ttefeooaitoet wM bo entered In BebyConMaftdbtagtowtn 10004 or o of m other being ottered Contest Rule and apply See the Studio merest you to booh m allys enitiill