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® ® AP\'\\ é Indemnity Boost Because the functioning of de-- mocracy depends on the ability of the highest type of citizen heingl able to accept candidature and 10; j gerve as an elocted representative of a riding, the intention of 1h05 Drew administration is to make it possible for any man or woman to accept office and not shun it be*-i cause of financial inability to hold| office. | Premier George Drew yesterday defined this position of his Gov-- errnment when he withdrew from the Ontario Legislature order paper the bill to define members' indem-- nities as tax--free expense allow-- ances., A solect committee of the House, he explained, would report to the next session, rendering the bill unnecessary now, but he pledged that his Governmont would stand by its decision to oppose any "bureaucratic interpretatoin of Fed-- eral laws" if the commiitee were to recommend adoption of the prin-- ciple originally embraced by the bill. No Basic Raises , P He could, the Premier said, over-- look the bill but in view of the| House record dealing with every item brought before it he would| take the opportunity to outline his| Government's stand. No party had| boen alone in the demand for in--| ¥ear--Round Task creasss in the idemnities; all| § s s & groups had made such a request.' Most important consideration, ¥et in the present abnormal times,, however, the Premier said, was that he had felt that no increase in the! the yery function of democracy de-- basic amount of $2,000 was justi.. Pended on the best man or woman, fiable, though fully agreeing with' without regard to financial inde-- the belief that "the great major.!| PenGence or position, being able to ity if not all of the members incur| Yepresent the electors. Their serv-- expenses in excess and often greatly| 1ces were "a continuing task," not in excess of the amount they re. M®TSIy a few weeks in Toronto. ecive." f Year--round, he said, all members| The Government of Britain had: Came regularly to the Government precently on recommendation of a: Offices--"though we see. divisions ' select committee of Pavliament, in-- _ hers, we are not politically divided ereased payments to members, be--. in our daily duties."" In year--round sides setting aside a 500--pound al.. responsibilities, he said, most mem-- lowance as expenses, and that de.: tors spent far in excess of the in-- spite far more drastic wage controls! G@emnities they received. pased "on an urgency far surpassing To maintain democracy, he repeat-- those restrictingz Canada." Cana--. ®4, it must be made possible that gGa's Federal Government, along "M% Person should find the f}nanc?al lines exactly comparable to, On--.. Obligations of office preventing him tario's proposal, had made part of: from serving the people. It was the payments tax--free while "going _ With this basic idea in mind that the to a degree which we did not con--_ Government felt that members : sider justifiable in increasing the _ &¢tually received only return of ex-- basic amount." Numerous other penses--and not by any means a}l! of Legislatures had announced simi-- _ their expenses--in the indemnities. lar intentions. he said, and in other _ This hgd prompted the legislation jurisdictions the policy proposed by to define the $2,000 amount as Ontario was considered sound and _ ®!ch: An allowance for year--round reasonable policy. eout--o[--pocket costs.