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the HERALD Coping with the health care iceberg Home Newspaper of Hills Established A Division of Canadian Newspapers Company Limited Guelph Street Georgetown L7G 3Z6 Ontario DON Publisher and General Manager MIKE TURNER PAUL LEISHMAN Editor Advertising Manager Phone mo Wednesday May 11 1MB Think first Figures released on Halton Hills councillors atten dance records say something to wouldbe politi cians contemplating throwing their hat in the ring for the upcoming fall municipal election Lifestyles can change drastically in very short order and unless candidates go in with both eyes open they could find themselves in for a rude awakening Two Hills councillors who showed the highest absenteeism rate can well attest to how fast things can change It would be unfair to place blame on these councillors for not being able to carry out their duties to the best their constituents expectations After all it merely boils down to a matter of survival But at the same time this hammers home a very impor tant point for those thinking of running November Devotion in council members while they are serving in office is not only expected its demanded Anyone entering politics must realize they have to pay a certain price and if they think they can shortchange ratepayers theyre sadly mistaken While no one can foresee what strange or uncalculated twists their lifestyle might take they can at least assure the voting public that they are in a position to carry out their duties to the betterment of the community Some will look at the upcoming municipal elections as a means of testing their popularity in the community Hav ing their name on the ballot will be little more than a way of feeding their ego But when the election dust settles there will be a great deal of work to attend to And anyone entering politics with the intentions of pro ducing anything less than a wholehearted effort on behalf of the community will quickly be weeded out of the fold Wine and dine Organizers of the prestigious Economic Summit want to put on the dog for foreign leaders Good impressions are important in these worldly affairs And Toronto doesnt want foreign devils thinking us un sophisticated country bumpkins even if we are In accordance Ontario will relax its antiquated liquor laws to allow 24hour revelry for three days in June After all what business is it of ours that some delegate or member of his or her entourage might want a short snort at sunrise after a tough day and night solving the pro blems of the world A pub and restaurant will operate a day during the summit Free booze will be available anytime to the delegates support staff and international media The rest of us of course can only watch the revelry from the sidelines The freeflowing tap is limited to a six acre tent city on the parking lot across from the Metro Con vention Centre called Summit Square and only those accredited for the summit will be allowed entry Its a strange world that measures sophistication by the shot glass But Canadian officials organizing this summit plan to give visiting dignitaries and their hangers on full measure Its odd that these men of the world women too wouldnt think to bring their own private stock Maybe they are not so cosmopolitan after all Its fine to impose governments warped sense of morali ty on the citizens of the province but we wouldnt want to give these worldlywise people the impression that we are something we are Whats got us puzzled is what wit considers a libation in a tent at sunrise cosmopolitan Courtesy Brampton Daily Times End of the line for Hockey Moms Treasurer Bob Nixon fired Ihc first shot across the bows of the healthcare Iceberg In his April budget He narrowed his aim and fired the second shot during a speech last week at a Chamber of Commerce meeting lust north of here The first shot If health care coats continue escalate at rates experienced in the recent past other social and economic priorities will be placed at risk The second at a chamber meeting In Hospitals that run a deficit this year wont have it met by Ihc province he said even if they prove good management Health care now involved one- third of all provincial spending up from per cent only a decade ago In dollars It amounts to billion this year More important It is an escalating and accelerating figure Last year health spending grew 11 per cent when the economy grew 3 per cent and inflation 1 per cent The year before it was 10 5 per year before that 3 then S3 and so on each year travels back Editors notebook By Mike Turner Herald Editor It came as an Ironic shock that the announcement of the demise of the Hockey Moms Association In Georgetown was so close to that special time of the year Mothers Day Shock may be an Inappropriate term Perhaps someone Just has a the dramatics Anyway It looks as though George own will soy adieu to a fine organization and a vital branch of the Georgetown Minor Hockey Association When I first came to Georgetown and attended my first hockey tour nament I was enlightened to the work and importance of the Hockey Moms Naturally the moat obvious thing I noticed at this tournament was ladles scampering around carrying impressively decorated cake No matter what happens I 1 I i wasnt an original Idea by any means but it added a certain flavor to hockey tournaments in town and the gesture was certainly appreciated by the visitors But now It appears all this hoopla will go by Ihe way since there seems little nope of reviving the group As I said the decorated cakes will most likely be what I will associate with the Hockey Moms but the truth is the organization did so much more than this Their fund raising forts were monumental In helping bolster he minor hockey coffers and from a financial standpoint heir contribu tions will certainly be missed But the other projects that fell to the Hockey Moms including he an nual hockey equipment exchanges and Jacket sales will undoubtedly suffer as well The GMHA has lost an intricate mechanism In their system Certainly there will be people who will help patch the gaps many will probably even be former members of the Hockey Moms But to be without this structured organization will be distinct set back It will be difficult lo come up with a pool of resources so reliable and dedicated Its no secret lhat the Hockey Moms were having trouble generating member ship Interest over thHnu And in short time theyll be to regroup and carry on their excellent work But Its discouraging that matters have already reached the desperate point they have I The boards that run hospitals the physicians who pro- vide medical services under have the Important responsibility to act In as cos a manner as By Derek Nelson possible J down tax Service burdens Is for both the govern ment and those groups directly responsible for the conduct of these programs recognize Ihelr shared responsibility or effective control of spending he said To hammer the point home Nixon attached an appendix to the budget lhat singled out three health care growth areas One was hospital operation where per capita expenditures have been rising at morefhan nine cent per year and overall costs at more than 10 percent Mind you the Liberals will to pick up hospital deficits during their two minority govern merit years in order to ovoid con Iroversyf has exacerbated the pro blem Such easiness with money sent out the message that If a hospital made budget it was dumb since the province would rescue it MONSTER Thats why the comparison with an Iceberg is opt Heal Ihcarev spen ding is a huge and virtual monster much of lis detail hidden from view But us Nixon warned if It Isnt diverted or slowed It will likely plow under every other government pro- He wasnt specific about remedies but in his budget state ment he dropped hints about who should be paying attention Because of the magnitude of healthcare expenditures and their growing share of overall spending we must continue to look for produc tivity Improvements and lower cost alternatives this will require the assistance and effort of all participants in the healthcare Still hospitals now absorb only per cent of the healthcare budget compared lo S3 per cent a decade ago REAL GROWTH The real growth area In health care spending Is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan which In the main means payments to physi cians and other practitioners but also includes soaring use of laboratory services costs grew almost 14 per cent on a per capita basis over he past decade or an average of 15 per cent overall on the rise up4 last year Lastly the budget paper zeroed in on the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan which while only four per cent of health ministry expenditures has doubled Its share in a decade and Is Increasing at more nan per cent per annum There are several provincial task forces looking at these three mat ters and they may or may not ad vance solutions But something must The bottom line from the budget statement remains New ways must be round to control rising healthcare costs Nixons warnings arc only Ihc first two shots Citizens forum Apathy brings Moms demise EDITORS NOTE The following let ter addressed the community was submitted for publication In the Herald Dear GMHA Executive and Members It Is with great reluctance that I i secretary hereby announce the folding of the Georgetown Hockey Moms organization Try as might are unable to recruit suffi cient new membership and the old members cannot continue on without them There exists an air of apathy amongst the hockey com munity and although people seem ready to help they arc unwilling to participate in a more concrete role e convening a project attending meetings regularly or running for executive Since none of the present executive are ready or willing to ne a position for the following year we hive no choice but to close the books on this organization The fiveyear history of the Hockey Moms has been very Im pressive The monies generated by our fundraising has been phenomenal considering only a handful of women at any given time were responsible The approximate total raised is over The ma jor sources were the Pay Who I- You Pull tickets which allowed us to pre sent GMHA with over per year over four years the equip ment exchange and the hockey jackets the fruit sales the Vltafllm and the Nevada tickets which were a success in this their first year It was our Idea to charge admission on Day of Champs which roved financially worthwhile fund raisers Included the food served at tournaments raffles and cookbooks We deserve a huge pat on the back It Is unfortunate thai too much has alien on the shoulders of too few The demands put on Us by our fast paced and full lifestyles stretch durability to the limit There a time when one has to step back lake a deep breath and cither i on or say Enough Inenough Five years ago it was our wish tc extras lo kids In We have sponsored twe teams for the past three years cakes and pop at tournaments one Day of Champs were huge success as were the hot dogs and pap at the latter event The Tykes were thrilled with their Christmas stocking stuff ed to the brim The Jacket flashes were out way of reaching every child In minor hockey We provided funds for yearend parties upon request and made donations to teams requir ing assistance with transportation expenses Hockey Moms provided an invaluable service working on the gate the souvenir table and he can teen tor tournaments It is our sincere wish that GMHA will carry on with our more lucrative campaigns feel it Is essential lhal he equipment ex change and hockey Jackets be made available as they not only generate funds but provide a service to the hockey population To this end sum mories or these and other successful fundraisers will be prepared in the hopes of having Iheso projects con There is a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment In being a part of ones childs recreation Without volunteers virtually no sporting event could survive this we know To this end we wish to extend our gratitude to the hockey parents and kids who with our pro jects their participation was in valuable It goes without saying that the Hockey Moms could not have ex isted without the recognition and support of the GMHA For the most pari this association has given us rein In our ac tivities a minimum of in a final request we are sug gesting thai our AtomPcewec trophy be presented to the rep jr league goal tender We are also re questing that a portion of our funds be spent on a copier for the It is not our intention to let down Ihc hockey players or the GMHA It is a sad momcnl for we Moms who have been actively Involved wish the 198889 executive and directors much success In the coming season Yours sincerely Gail Bennett Secretary Mary President Linda Lee vicepresident Jean Ellen treasurer Judy Pries convenor Molly Green phoning committee Karen tor Saved our soles Just a word of thanks to hose far sighted members of our town I for one appreciate their efforts In prelecting their constituents from paying unduly low prices on It certainly wont go unnoticed at the next election that these people are doing their utmost to keep he riffraff out of town by maintaining high prices However truly ambitious coun cillor who wanted to achieve higher office could add the following to their list The service club that sells fertilizer should be banned from the city streets since it will hurt sales in nurseries and hardware stores Grocery stores would be better off If Im sure there are even other ways that Ihc people we elect could be doing more to save the electorate from themselves 1 would appreciate reading he names of hose councillors who are looking after us so well Its Impor tant In our free capitalistic lhat their ef forts not be unrewarded the next election Jim Walker Georgetown In your opinion District High School Your favorite wheels years ago DMW Bill Wilson was ap pointed director or public relations for Developments Ltd and associated companies Mr Wilson was formerly managing director of Ihe National Warm Air Heating and Air Conditioning association First full time rector of SI Anglican Church Glen Williams was John Until his or dination in Hamilton the church was in Joint parish with Georgetown and served by Rev Kenneth Richardson In May two cons of Del Monte tomato juice sold for cents two cans of Del Monte crushed pineapple sold for cents and two Gold Soul cans of salmon sold for cents Georgetown council elected dur ing municipal elections for in eluded Reeve Doug Sargent Mayor Jack Armstrong Dcp Reeve Walter Gray councillors Aid red Sykes John Fred Harrison Garfield Em Hyde and John Elliott years ago Clambering over a ire truck was part of Ihe fun for the 1st Georgetown Brownies when they toured he ire department Brownies Christine Fudge Diane Melton Carolyn Booth and Donna listened as Brown Owl Marion Booth pointed mil the pieces of fire equipment Park school students Jamie Ab bott and Jane Tim leek planted a rose bush as port of the yearly drive to plant trees and bushes every year carried on at the school Plant a rose and see it il grows was the pro jects slogan Queens Commission of Second Lieutenant was presented to Jack Brian Seel or Air Cadets Com manding Officer Captain Colin A made the presentation William Johnson of GUARD Group United Against Rural Dump- off GUARD bumper pit west was considered as a disposal site for bal ed Metro Toronto garbage 10 years ago Georgetown District High School students Ken and Nick placed first in the written portion of Ihe Annual Chrysler TroubleShooting contest The first level GO Trains arriv ed in Georgetown on ihc m GO Transit from Union Station The double decker cars were used only on the final run from Toronto each evening Janice Smith filed a silver ring during a demon t ration of Jewelry design and si lversml thing at Georgetown branch of the Hilts Library Squadron Air Cadets held their annual Inspection at the Georgetown Memorial Arena Col Robert son C D Canadian Forces Base was he reviewing of- 5 years ago Bernard a member of he Georgetown Cub Pack was lie championship winner of the Lions Club sponsored Cub Rally Race John Col Ion captured the Tough Luck award Taking a break tlm the KATHY PRICE A BOB YATES- An V I A ROBERT- J Hyundai because It Is Oldsmobile It Is big HA IT Hi I I economical gives and it is com- Porsche I Ike like the class of the look the shape II Is mo no problems and l car services all my it would handle needs fast I would get it yellow If I had a choice Georgetown Fairgrounds Tannock Randy Barrett Susan Cook Mike Dobbin and Jason About people took part In the to raise funds for the Peru project Most run- nera were children Ryan Wilsons RBI single with two out in the bottom the seventh inn ing lifted Park Lincoln to an vic tory over the Elks In Service Club actional Fairgrounds A new organization to develop leadership experience and op portunities for young people In the community was started up by Georgetowns Lions Club President Ken and Lent district man Cord presented tlflcalo to now Leo president Brad- Hansen