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THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, April 2, 1993 â€" 6 467 Speers Road, Oakville, Ont. L6K 384 845â€"3824 Fax: 845â€"3085 Classified Advertising: 845â€"2809 Circulation: 845â€"9742 or 845â€"9743 Ian Oliver Publisher Speers Rd., Oakvil â€" E‘lemuxgge lhld grol.ép of su;);lvban nev;spapefs wgich includes: A'px-Pld(Pen’ng fet 7 ws iser, Bartie ance, Brampton Guardian, Burlingion Post, Robert Glasbey Advertising Director Collingwood Connection, Etobicoke Guardian, Georgelown lngependent/ Acton Free Press, Kingston This Week, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist and Sun, Stouftvile/Uxbridge Tribune, Milton Canadian Champion, Mississauga News, Newmarketâ€"Aurora Eraâ€"Banner, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Onlia Today, Oshawa/Whitby This Week, Peterborough This Week, Norman Alexander Editor Geoff Hill Circulation Director Teri Casas Office Manager Tim Coles Production Manager Richmond Thomhi/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror. consent of the publisher, ___ EDITORIAL Enough is enough n days gone by, governments lived by one credo: if there wasn‘t enough Imoney to pay the bills, tax the people more. Simple. And that thinking, while fuzzy at best, succeeded in giving government instant fiscal satisfaction. But it also fuelled inflation, led to the massive highâ€"interest rates of the early 1980s and set the stage for the current recession. But here we are in 1993 and government still doesn‘t have any constructive ideas on how to reduce burgeoning deficits at every government level. This week we‘ve had proof from three provinces, that our political leaders are bankrupt of ideas to deal with their spending habits. In British Columbia, Premier Mike Harcourt will be raising taxes as will New Brunswick‘s Frank McKenna and now our own Bob Rae says he wants to dig even deeper into our pockets for more money. 3 There‘s no doubt that government spending is out of control. It‘s out of control because too many governments played the old political game of giving too much without having the cash to pay for the gifts. It‘s as simple as that but it‘s also a concept that continues to bewilder our politicians. Perhaps that‘s why they‘re always amazed when their spending projections, their income projections and ultimately, their deficit projections, are almost uniâ€" versally wrong. 4 In fact, about the only time when a provincial or federal finance minister actuâ€" ally erred on the side of conservative estimates, came from former provincial Liberal finance minister Robert Nixon. Old Bob found something in the range of $900â€"million more in revenues that he projected. What happened to this windâ€" fall? Well, it got spent of course...spent as quickly as only government can spend. So what we are witnessing now is panic in the pantheons of power. They‘re being told to curtail costs (again) and this time it looks like they‘re believing, the advice of their accountants. These guys know all about compound interest in making money and more importantly, they also know about what compound interest does to yearly deficits and overall debt. Once you reach a certain point, there‘s no return and in Ontario, we‘ve finally hit that financial wall. Ontario‘s response to our deficit, is to tax more while any cuts in the legion of civil servants would take place through attrition or early retirement. How nice. As municipal, regional, provincial and federal taxpayers, citizens of Ontario are reaching taxation paralysis and with this disease comes a further deterioration of our economy and a weakening of everyone‘s buying power. It does no good to wrestle inflation to the ground when fewer people have enough money to spend on goods that help fuel the economy. The net result is that government sucks up more and more cash from the system that so urgently needs a loonie transfusion. It‘s false economy and will do nothing to help reduce the deficit. At the federal level, Ottawa was quick to trumpet its fairer taxation plan some time ago. Well, that initiative was a sham. Taxation is as unfair now as it ever was and nothing is coming down from the feds to change that. Here in Ontario, our illustrious premier, who now admits the deficit for the current fiscal year which started, appropriately enough, on April Fool‘s Day, will hit $17â€"billion if nothing is done, now wants a new ‘social contract‘ with governâ€" ment employees and their unions to help deal with the crisis. This deficit information comes from Ontario Treasurer Floyd Laughren who only a year ago said the deficit for the coming year would be $8.1â€"billion. Sometimes you‘ve got to wonder why these guys are getting paid. WEEKLY POLL Should the town make if more diffiâ€" cult for people to smoke in public places? _ mm d Cast your ballot by calling 845â€"5585, box 5008 to vote yes or no. Callers have until 12 noon Thursday to register their vote. Results of the poll will be published in the next Friday edition of the Oakville Beaver. INFO S O URC E CALL845â€"5585 RESULTS OF LAST WEEK‘S POLL Should the town proceed with a byâ€"law to restrict adult vidéo stores from opening in certain areas of town? No: 102 Yes: 17 The Oakville Beaver, published every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, at 467 is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing All material published in the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Any reproduction in whole or in part of this material is strictly forbidden without the HOW po You WANNA END UP... ~POLmCaANs? The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be signed and include the writer‘s address and phone number. Letters should be typed, doubleâ€"spaced and addressed to: Letters to the Editor, The Oakvil Oakville, Ont. L6K 3S4 ommc Ne omm Law limiting citizen election spending seen as way to curtail freedom of speech Dear Sir: Federal Government House Leader Harvie Andre is one very confused man. He is the minister responsible for introducing an electoral gag law into the House of Commons. This law would make it illegal for citizens to spend more than $1,000 independently on adverâ€" tisements to support or oppose a political party or candidate during federal elections. Until now, the Ottawa political elite has been telling Canadians that this draconian law was needed to stop elections form "being bought." However, Harvie Andre recently dismissed this justification as a "myth". In fact on Feb. 23rd he testified before the Special Committee on Electoral Reform that: "There is no evidence that I see anywhere to suggest that the person who spends the most is likely to win ... it‘s a myth ... that infers an electorate who is not as bright as we know them to be." Why does Harvie Andre really want this gag law? During the same testimony he said, "I cerâ€" tainly recognize there are real benefits to me and to everybody else in the system in having limits ... the third parties can‘t come in." We citizens are the "third parties." In other words, he thinks political parties should be able to spend $9 million during elections but citizens‘ groups and individuals should be limited to $1,000 â€" effectively silenced. It seems clear that the real purpose behind this law is to force citizens to channel their political spending through parties rather than speak out independently. Citizens who oppose this blatant attack on the right to free speech should urge their MPs to oppose this gag law. Your readers may find out their MP‘s name and telephone number by calling Elections Canada at 1â€"800â€"267â€"8683. Let‘s stop the politicians before they stop us. David Somerville President The National Citizen‘s Coalition Image of Campbell vulgar Dear Sir: I am absolutely disgusted by the vulgar cartoon of Kim Campbell in your March 17th issue. How can your Cartoonist Nease consider such obscenity acceptable. As a very long time subscriber I feel compelled to write this letter. Ernest G. Pullen Emergency crews acted with efficiency professionalism Dear Sir: The Ambulance staff and firefighters in our area deserve a special pat on the back. In early March, my husband suffered a heart attack. I called 9â€"1â€"1 to request help and within five minâ€" utes, both fire and ambulance crews arrived. Each person was very efficient, pleasant and %%@mgfiwlpWA%fi ali?j jlg’ e'i?fl # i s OTMH where within minutes, he was attended to. The speed and knowledge of our emergency crews helped make a very frightening night more bearable. I‘m happy to say my husband is home again. Both of us wish to say a big thankâ€"you to a group of professionals who really know their job. yb e ies Mare 19 a MZ oo e c c > 1(