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No need to panic over meningitis outbreak in Peel say health officials By DIANE HART Special to the Beaver The gloves came off this week. Bonnie Brown took direct aim at the Reform Party at the final allâ€"candidates meeting Wednesday, challenging voters to ask themâ€" selves if they could trust leader Preston Manning when he backâ€"pedâ€" als on his policies. The allâ€"candidates meeting was sponsored by the Federation of OQakville Ratepayers Group (FORG) and hosted by the West Oakville Ratepayers Association. Brown, the Liberal candidate, told the "reform cheerers" in the crowd that Manning had retreated on two of his decisions. "In the past 10 days, he has said he would eliminate the heliâ€" copters and then said he‘d revisit that decision, and first he said he‘d By BARB JOY Oakyville Beaver Staff Health officials in Halton are keeping a wary eye on Peel after three cases of meningitis, one fatal, were diagâ€" nosed there in the past week. Mary Anne Carson, communicable diseases superviâ€" sor with Halton Region‘s health department, said Halton‘s medical officer of health, Dr. Robert Nosal, is in constant touch with Peel‘s officer of health and the provincial Ministry of Health. So far, it has been conâ€" Candidates fire closing salvos at meeting A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol E.J. James School teacher John Dodd‘s class came up with a way to help the homeless street people in Toronto. His grade 8 class asked for students to bring in any old sleeping bags they weren‘t using. The bags, which were used to spell HELP in the above photo, will be given to Canadian Tire and they will ensure they get to Cadet Cleaners who will clean the bags and hand them over to Metro Police for distribution. (Photo by Peter MeCusker) DizA 11 .1§ pull out of NATO and now he says he‘d look at it again." Reform also came under attack during the question and answer portion of the meeting for its poliâ€" cies on immigration, healthcare, and social programs. One question alluded to recent statements by both the PC‘s and Liberals that "Is this a leader really commitâ€" ted to the grassroots? Or is he going to continue to make his polâ€" icy on the fly?" asked Brown. cluded there is no cause for panic since the three cases of meningitis have been limited to two high schools in Peel. However, she confirmed that meningitis has not escaped Halton, although it has not attacked its schools. In early September, one adult in Milton died of the disâ€" ease. Last summer, an adult in Oakville and another in Acton recovered from it. "There is a linkage between the two schools (in mutuâ€" al activities) but none with other schools in Peel or with Halton‘s schools," Carson explained. (See ‘School‘ page 2) "I find it funny that this is comâ€" ing from the PC‘s who botched two Constitutions," replied Reform candidate Richard Malboeuf, adding that Liberal leader Jean Chretien is one of the most detested politicians in Quebec today. Reform was a threat to national unity. He went on to say that as a francophone from Quebec, he did not believe the rise in separatism SoupP, TEA BISCUIT, REGULAR (1 Doz.) COFFEE AND A DONUT He said he believed the country â€" in its current economic state â€" could only support about 100,000 immigrants a year. He said the criâ€" terion used would be based on the here and now needs of the country â€" be it for laborers, doctors, proâ€" fessionals, teachers. Queried twice on his immigraâ€" tion policies, Malboeuf said that Reform was a "proâ€"immigration" party and believed immigration as being in the best interests of Canada. However, he said, Reform does not want to take other country‘s criminals into Canada. He also acknowledged the Reform party would start reducing old age security payments to Canadians with household incomes over $54,000. She said it was hypocritical that a party so intent on jobs based on infrastructure was so willing to criticize. The PC‘s would put peoâ€" ple to work in November, she said, was in any way due to Reform and to say so is dishonest and irreâ€" sponsible. Later, he elaborated on immiâ€" gration, saying that the current level of 250,000 immigrants annuâ€" ally allowed into Canada was too high in light of the number of unemployed in Canada. PC candidate Ann Mulvale took a more aggressive stance on the controversial deal to privatize Toronto‘s Pearson airport, calling it total "hypocrisy" on the part of the Liberals to criticize the plan. (See ‘Liberal‘ page 4) Today‘s SINCERELY Y Paper CHURCH DIRECTORY.....12â€"13 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS The Bay, Consumers Distributing The Return Artist Tom Chatfield stages first solo show in two years Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435â€"201 75 Cents (GST included) » lj‘ Page 11 Page 23