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the HERALD Political Forum Wednesday November 19l OTTAWA REPORT Banks and credit card rates reap wrath A couple of weeks ago I stood in the House of Commons and asked the government if it was fair that people are paying per cent interest on their credit cards more than per cent higher than the banks prime rate Two days later I came downstairs for breakfast and Dorothy told me the Globe and Mail had written an editorial that morning calling me a political op portunist The paper said I must have to much time on my hands to be concerned with credit card interest rates The bankers sure agreed The last thing they wanted was for me to raise the issue again It was two years ago that the committee I was chairman of called for some mechanism to make sure consumers didnt get ripped off by toohigh interest At that time the government didnt agree To day those rates are a lot higher at a time when people have been forced by the recession to run up big debts on their cards Normally I am not a supporter of government messing around with the marketplace I want free enterprise to be as free as possi ble But in this case I disagree with the bankers the Globe editorial writers and my other critics I believe the government does have a role here and Ill keep nipping at its heels until it accepts that responsibility In our society credit cards have become more than another financial product They have become currency an alternate form of money Right now we have about billion in credit card debts Canada In fact there are almost as many cards in circulation Garth Turner MP HaltonPeel Progressive Conservative million as there are people in Canada Over the last two years the amount that we charge to these cards has just about doubl ed This is a credit explosion of in credible significance And during that time credit card rates have become severely out of line with other rates Right QUEENS PARK REPORT Outmoded labour laws updated As many of you already know Labour Minister Bob Mackenzie recently released a Discussion Paper on reform of the Labour Relations Act Id like to talk about our reasons for looking at ways to update Ontarios outmod ed labour laws The Labour Relations has not been significantly reformed in more than years The workplace however has chang ed dramatically during that same time period and there has been a fundamental restructing of On tarios economy its workplaces the composition of the workforce and the nature of the jobs workers perform Women and ethnic minorities have entered the workforce in large numbers There are also more parttime workers The changes in the economy include the disap pearance of more and more manufacturing jobs and the rise in lowpaying service sector employment but the current Act is geared to the needs of a primarily male workforce employed in large workplaces typically in the manufacturing sector The release of the Discussion Paper on November marks the beginning of a three month consultation period The pajier looks at a number of preferred options and directions and the consultation process will allow us to hear your views about the need for changes Consultations will Noel Duignan Halton North take place in ten locations across the province namely Toronto Windsor London Ottawa Hamilton Thunder Bay Sud bury Kingston Timmins and Sault Ste Marie In each centre Labour Minister Bob Mackenzie or Sharon Parliamen tary Assistant will meet with in terested groups The Discussion Paper is our first publicly stated position on labour relations reform We all recognize that is time to put aside doubts fears and suspi cions and to begin to work together to rebuild the economy This is a critical time and old adversaries must join together in common cause The world economy is in the midst of a dramatic and turbulent restruc Our province must respond positively and constructively to these changes if we are to main tain and enhance our high stan dard of living We need to reform the laws to reduce confrontation in labour- management relations and to move toward a more cooperative approach in the workplace But by cooperation I dont mean more government more red tape and more controlled direc tion of our economy Our govern ment wants to encourage labour to take on its share of respon sibility in decisions affecting the company and the workplace as unions have done in Europe for decades now Some people when they utter the refrain that Canada must become more competitive think it means taking the lowwage op tion They feel the answer to all our woes lies in slashing jobs and wages and in cutting out social programs all the attract and keep lowpaying routine produc tions here just a little longer Our government rejects that extreme vision of our economic future outright Our government has the unique ability to bring together those af fected by the legislation Unlike previous governments our members represent all points on the labourmanagement spec trum and we understand the need for giveandtake By asking for your input into the reform of the Labour Relations Act we are signalling our support for greater cooperation and less antagonism in the workplace We believe co operation benefits all of us SUPER SAVERS at HALTON TRAILER SALES RENTALS LTD ONE ONLY FT GYPSY TRAVEL TRAILER Only 2200 Lbs Buy Before Nov 3091 And You Get Storage Awning TWO ONLY PALOMINO HAROTOPS Buy Before Nov 3091 end You Get Musi Awning tsst Step Storage OR Pay No GST ONE ONLY FT CONQUEST TRAVEL TRAILER Fully Loaded Air Conditioning Awning Microwave Radio Buy Now and You Get Storage We Will Pay The GST Come Out Before The Snow Flies and Save BIG BUCKS RR1 GEORGETOWN Trafalgar Rd Hwy 7 now you can get a mortgage for under per cent The prime rate last week dipped to per cent So why is it that banks refuse to lower their charge on credit cards They say its because cash- strapped and recessionweary consumers have been slower pay ing off their balances The rate of default on cards has also increas ed enough Business has been tough all over But the fact re mains that there is not one bank in this country that recession or not failed to make a profit last year Meanwhile over 200000 people have lost their jobs many plants have closed and small business has been against the wall At a time like this it seems cruel and insensitive for the banks to pad their profits by charging outrageous interest on those same credit cards which people have been forced to rely on even more If blowing the whistle on this practice makes me a political op portunist then theres something wrong with the system Its not the banks who need defending but rather all those people who are trying to finance their lives the best way they know how They just dont need the bankers to knee them when theyre already hurting The US Senate voted last week to cap credit card rates at about per cent Ill be asking our government this week if it can stand up to the bankers and do the same DISTRIBUTORS SPORTING GOODS CLOTHING SPECIALIZING IN TEAM a CORPORATE WEAR 8730500 Mom St Georgetown PODGERS 82 Main St N Mow Pa Plaza Georgetown A SPECIAL to all the voters in Ward who showed their confidence in me at the polls and for the expressions of support I received during the campaign from the residents throughout Halton Hills Sincerely Regional Councillor Ward FREE GOLFERS POCKET CALENDAR Includes gall acts and figures and a 15year history the Legends ol Golf As sponsor of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Tournament wed like to add to your personal golfing enjoyment with our 1992 pocket calendar Just fill out this coupon and return it today Homeowner Insurance Expires coupon to Liberty Mutual Insurance Company 148 Queen St East Brampton Ontario 1B2 LIBERTY We understand the costs involved UAL