Darcy would give councils more power Government is too remote and not people conscious enough Conservative leadership candidate Darcy McKeough told a group of Halton East delegates Saturday McKeough said more responsibility and authority Should be pushed down the ladder to municipal governments He said local government is capable of doing two or three times what it la now and can do it more than the province He said grants should be made available to communities and not an a provisional basts If a community wants a new library theyll have to go through three or four departments at the province Locals know best The local government knows better than the province what is needed the community said He said there should be unconditional grants for this handed over and the decision left for the local to make Noting the advantage would work both ways McKegugh such a move would free members of parliament from the nitty gritty and allow them to deal with provincewide problems and leave local problems for local governments to deal with More autonomy Municipalities should look at This fine contemporary cabinet is almost classical in design with its bold rectangular panelling and dimensional framing plus the tasteful treatment of the antique brass ornaments Fine cabinetry should be complemented by a comparable sound system so we designed the speaker system to match the performance of the Designer Series chassis W Kelly Son Ltd Wjadbam I Euilph low rental homes on smaller lots and the condominium and town house approach McKeough said He said under regional government he would want the local government to have the power to approve subdivisions without going to the province He praised Kitchener for forts in providing homes on foot lots He said it necessary tor all homes to be of the die nor variety but said each subdivision should have an area allotted for homes on foot lots or some of the condominium or town house nature There Is a real selling Job needed to convince communities of this he said ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY Second Section Davis Education key to prosperity CANT VOTE yet Mr Davis but would you like a bite to eat Young Jennifer Snow daughter of Halton East Jim Snow helped serve guests at a party at the Snow home Halton East delegates and alternates questioned leadership hopeful William Davis Davis Minister of Education is one of the five bidding for the Conservative leadership and premiership of Ontario Snow is supporting him Staff Photo Lawrence A superior education system is the key to prosperity William Davis told delegates to the Conservative leadership conference Davis made the statement at a party in his honor Sunday at the home of Jim Snow East MP The minister of education told delegates education was a pre requisite to attracting industry and of greater importance than a country rich In natural resources Education is the key to an fluent society and goes hand in hand with attracting Industry Numbers not frills He said the increase in cost of education was due to the Increase in numbers not frills He said Ontario a education spending was favorable to that in the two neigh boring provinces and five states have fewer questions about education spending in the north east and west parts of the province than the south ho said explaining that those In underdeveloped areas were concerned about attracting industries and providing Jobs Tax reform is a concern of all candidates but not an Issue federal help is needed before this can come about he noted He pointed out the provinces don nave the proper base to bring about tax reform and would need consideration from the federal government on the matter Province pays per cent Under questioning Davis said the province will assume per cent of the cost of education eventually and this will help alleviate the burden on the property owner This wasn t possible before the county boards of education he told delegates During the meeting Davis was careful not to make any promises He claimed there were no solutions to be reached He noted if you were to tackle pollution you have to check its effect on the economy and the major problems of government arc interwoven Davis backed the government and their efforts towards equalization among provinces When we no longer carry out this goal confederation will cease to exist he said Davis appeared confident in his ability to win the provincial election but said there were four other candidates In the race and no matter who leads the party we 11 emerge united and win the election Dynamic rebel candidate stresses need for change Allan Lawrence Minister of Mines and Northern Affaire and perhaps the most dynamic of the five Conservative leadership candidates spoke at a breakfast meeting of the East delegates and alternates yesterday Tuesday in Oakville Lawrence spoke of the need for change and a need for a colorful and enthusiastic approach in government If you re happy with the status quo I m not your man he told delegates He said he had no wish to deprecate John or his government but noted was stepping down because he realized the need for change We ve had good stable government for years because our leaders have recognized need for change not because of a divine right to govern he said Knock civil service He said government based too many decisions on recom mendations of the civil service and argued the party and people should be consulted more than they are He said many business men and housewives considered government more of a hindrance then a help and this to him is a frightening idea He wouldn point his finger at candidates who represent the status quo 1 need all these fellows on my cabinet I don t want to make any enemies he quipped Perhaps one of the most controversial moves of the campaign is Lawrence s suggestion to put a hold on education spending Last year it was ft per cent of the provincial budget this year it is per cent and next year it will be W per cent he said This scares the pants off me he told delegates He claims the department of education and local trustees pass the buck back and forth as far as expenditures go with one blaming the other Other priorities There Is a need for northern development better transit better roads expanded industrial and commercial programs and nursing home care but there is hist not enough dough to go around he explained Lawrence said a freeze should be put on the education dollar He claimed Individual boards could be left with a degree of flexibility He proposed a three year freeze and by that time education spending would be per cent of the provincial budget with the rising revenue He said no one area should receive more than 33 per cent of the provincial budget Danger area I sense a growing backlash worse than anything we seen if we continue to have costs Increase The educational tail is wagging the government dog and it be said Lawrence said his opinions on the education problem had been misconstrued and he had advocated cutting or freezing teacher s salaries He said cuts should be made at the discretion of the board whether it be equipment administration or teachers He said nobody Including administrators and teachers Is happy with the educational system He said his child could explain what went wrong with the expedition to the moon but can t multiply More consultations He knocked the government for leaning on civil servants for recommendations He said caucus meetings have been called at 1 and members asked to vote on an important matter at 2 p m when the house resumes He said the same thing happens at the cabinet A high paid civil servant comes in with charts and maps and proposals and flashing signs on the wall and gives you 15 minutes to make a decision He claimed bock benchers should be consulted more often on day to day matters He called for greater participation In the party and greater consultation with party organizations He reviewed his record in A form but no fire I Firefighters Investigated an alarm at the home of M Charles Crescent St Sunday evening about but could discover no fire The family became alarmed when they rubber burning and a warm wall the fire department Investigation failed to determine the cause setting up advisory boards with people from the business and industrial world and noted there should be more of them Lawrence sometimes referred to as a rebel in the party provided East delegates with direct answers and appeared ready to rock the boat if need be HALTON EAST delegates to the Conservation leadership convention slated for next week met Allan Lawrence Tuesday morning yesterday at a breakfast in East delegates have met each of the five candidates at similar breakfast meetings or luncheons The candidates have travelled provincewide since they tossed their hats into the ring Staff Photo Darc Sweeten pot for Canadians Canadian nationalism is a surging force in the country to day Conservative candidate for the leadership of the party and premiership of Ontario Darcv McKeough told Halton East delegates and alternates at a breakfast In his honor Saturday McKeough said this feeling wasn concentrated Just in Southern Ontario but in the far northern reaches of the province as well McKeough Minister of Municipal Affairs claimed credit for being the first candidate to mention nationalism and favor it He took the opportunity to knock the federal governments move to form the Canadian Development Corporation We don t need more controls The CDC Is Just another bureaucratic monster not an answer he said Canadian Investment He claimed nationalism of industry is the socialist answer to everything He advocated pro- Canadian measures and said the tax system should be used to stimulate Canadian investment If Canadians are to control their own economy by even per cent in the coming years they have to increase their investments greatly he told the delegates McKeough said he support moves to discourage foreign investment but rather moves to encourage Canadian investment supported the Robarts government actions In funnelling Ontario funds to Quebec and the Marltimes He pointed out that under Ontario has kicked In per cent of Canada money in the fight against regional economic disparity He said he would continue this greatest move Both he and William Davis a rival for the premiership told Halton delegates Robarts greatest contribution would be towards national unity McKeough declared himself a citizen of Ontario but a citizen of Canada first In answer to a question said It is not realistic to expect a shift away from education spending priorities in the next years He pointed out the province would take a greater share of the spending and In this McKeough way help take the burden off real property SOME UNFORTUNATE MOTORIST not only had to leave his might convince the motorist it is better to walk or depend on car on the side of Highway 25 but will now nave to battle public transit until the spring This car strayed from the road mountains of snow that drifted around the car A quick look Saturday or early Sunday morning Staff Photo