The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Orono Weekly Timies, Wednesday, Decemnber 8 93- Queen's Park Report from Gord Milis, MPP Durham East Chesney - Lycett Jacquelime Mary Cbesney, July 17, 1993 in a garden setting at daugbter of Robert and Rosanne the Lycett residence. Rev. M. Chesney, Walkerton, and William Russell officiated. The couple are James Lycett, son of Max and now residing in Campbellville, Carol Lycett, Orono were mamred Ontario. Celebrates lst Birthday Hi, my name is Ryan James Snowball. My fîrst birthday was October 5, 1993. My mom and dad are Lori and Mike and my grandparents are Max and Carol Lycett, Orono and Mildred Snowball, Thorold. My great- grandmotbers are Margaret -,ancock, Orono and Francis Snowball, Oakville. Special thanks to My aunts, uncles, and Alex, Gîllian and Maddison for coming out'to my party at gram and gramps house. Thanks everyone for the presents too. P.S. Merry Christmas! Heather Social Club Bazaar and aTea great success Once again it is my pleasure to mnake the announcement that Heather Social Club Bazaar and THE BIG 30!1 Happy Birthday Tea was an outstanding success. The success of the bazaar was due to ail theeffort and work put forth by the Heather Lodge members, who worked very hard and harmoniously. A very sincere "Thank You" for donations from non members and a big "Thank You" for generous donations from Heather Lodge members. A special thanks to our own Sister Bertha White, District Deputy President, for making the officiai opening remarks and thanks to Sister Judy Hall, Noble Grand, who welcomed the guests and graciously introduced the District Deputy President. A very special "thank you" to ail who attended the Bazaar and Tea to make it such a success. From officers and members of Heather Rebekah Lodge "A Merry Christmas and ail the best for the New Year." Winners of the draws are as follows: Ist Prize Quilt - Mrs. Lîsa Lawrence, Whitby; 2nd Prize Lamp - Laurie McGill, Orono; 3rd Prize Trisha Romance Print - Bey Zoscbke, Bowmanville; Swan - Bernice Stark; Topiary Tree - Isabelle Trim. Well, we got the news last week, a federal deficit of $46- billion. Strewth! Stone the Crows and all that. I don't ever want to bear any Conservative, or any Conservative think-a-like. down at Queen's Park, tell me that the Ontario Government is mis- managing the financial affairs of this province, after hearing the federal Tories added $13-billion to the deficit in their last year of power. As 1 wrote ini my column a couple of weeks back, look out for some real cuts in social programs coming our way. Our government's attempt to control' the Ontario deficit will pale in comparison. Tbere wil be a great gnasbing of teeth! The week before last, Tory leader Mike Harris, in bis bad- tempered party politic mode, whicb he understands best, stood in bis place and condemned tbe NDP government for ils loss of AAA credit rating He then saîd, "These are the samne bond rating agencies that for 42 years gave the Progressive Conservatives a AAA ratîng for our 42 years in government." As usual, Harris, always ready to moralize at the universe under tbe Tories, gave an erroneous interpretation of the facts. From 1943 until 1977, a total of tbirty-one years, Ontario had either an A or an AA credit rating. In fact, during the first 23 years of Conservative rule, tbe credit rating was an A, two points lower than now, at a tîme when we bave had to deai witb the largest recession in Ontario's history. Just like the Helle Hulgaard scandai, where Mr. Harris was made to look very silly by flot checking bis facts, lie bas again put foot in mouth. Tumning now to health news, 1 was pleased to see the Mînister of Health advise doctors tbat to book off work for 9 days over the Christmas holiday season in order to achieve Social Contract savings, wouid have a perturbing effect on the whole bealth care system. The spirit and intent of the Social Contract and the various arrangements made in the broader health sector was to engage in a process that would resuit in cost savings wbiie preserving services. Wbile on the samne topic, I bave told the Minister of Healtb, that notwithstanding the public consultations taking place to determine if the 17 health procedures put forward by the O.M.A. for de-listing are acceptable, 1 for one, wiii fight like tbe dickens to retamn an annual medical examination covered by OHIP. Wbat ever became of the idea of preventative medicine? Sbould the govemnment be making tbe decisions on bebaif of tbe people who elected themn or the OMA? The Social Contract ini Ontario, although proving quite un-popular, bas preserved every job in the public sector. Better to bave a thinner pay-packet tban no job at ail. This basn't been the case in other provinces. Tbe govemnment of British Columbia bas elîmiinated 4,800 jobs as part of its program to reorganize the health system. In Alberta, tbey, plan to cut wages and benefits by 5% and they are freezing pay leveis for the following two years. All of this regardless of the union's willingness to comply. In Saskatchewan Public sector employees have agreed to a three year wage package that includes no increases for two years witb a 2.3% increase in 1993. In Manitob a they bave announced the shut-down of ail but essential government services for 10 consecutive Fridays aiong with a wage freeze. They will save $20 million by forcing 18,000 public servants to work a four day week. In Quebec their government bas passed, tbeir version of the Social Contract through Bihl 102. 370,000 public sector employees bave bad their wages frozen for two years, witb the right to force employees to take up to three days unpaid leave. Their iegislation also applies to the province's 1,451 municipalities. Staff reductions are also on the way. These cuts will be 12% of the unionized workforce by 1996. Non-unionized workers wiil suffer a 20% reduction of workers. In New Brunswick 500 positions in tbe public sector are to be eliminated this fiscal year. They bave already eliininated 1,300 ful time public sector positions. In Nova Scotia 60,000 public-sector workers bave bad tbeir wages frozen for the past two years. The newly elected Liberal government bas cut wages by a further 2% and forced themn to take five days off witbout pay. In addition, tbe province's largest bospital bas laid off 115 and a further 30 vacancies at the hospital will flot be filled. In Prince'Edward Island, the smallest province, 600 public sector workers are expected to be cut from the payroll over the n-ext year. In Newfoundland tbey have reduced govemnment contributions to public sector employee pension plans by $70-million. Wages have been frozen for two years before that. As many as 2,000 public sector jobs have been eliminated. Given the above brief description of what other provinces bave done to control public-sector wages, would you agree that die NDP Government of Ontario bas been fair to their worker? I believe we bave and 1 also don't tbink we deserve ai the abuse that bas corne our way over our attempts to control the deficit and proteet t he future of Ontario for everyone. At the end of eacb week's column I arn introducîng anew, feature. I will tell you about the "caîl of the week". In this I wili repeat for you wby someone bas told me not to expect their vote ini 1995. This week's prize goes to tbe person who blames me for baving to wallc to another store, because the store tbey used to purcbase tbeir lottery ticket no longer seils tbem. This is ahl my fault, and I bave to be thrown out of the Legisiature for this in 1995. The Legislature. was supposed to recess for Cbristmas on December 9th. As usual this will not bappen. Hopefully, we can look to leaving on December l6th. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Until next week - take care. Wedding GOING ON A TRIP??? GETTING MARRIED???? Planning a Special Evening on the Town for Dinner, the Theatre or the Big Game??? HOURGLASS I Limousine Service wili get you there and back in safety, com fort and sMyl. CALL TO RESERVE EARLY "We Make It Easy fat REPLCMNS '~ ~ ~ Custorner Convenience WRITTEN LIFETIME GUARANTEF. We cut flatglass any size, CALL 697-1221 24 HOURS 157 Baseimne Rd. E., Unit 2 Bowmanville We honour ali competitors coupons!