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ST. STEPHEN'S SECONDARY CELEBRATES CATHOLIC EDUCATION WMEK by Keri Jones & Racbana Gupta Wbew! Wbat a busy month il bas been so far. May bas started off with a sudden flow of activities and students are continuing to try and catch up witb. tbemn. This week bas been Catholic Education Week and St. Stepben's defi- nitely sbowed entbusiasm. in recognizing it. May 7tb was a very histor- ical event for the wbole scbool and tbe rest of the communi- ty. It was our Sod Turig Ceremony for the new scbool. There were many dignitaries present sucb as John OToole, Alex Shepherd, Her Worsbip Diane Hamre, Sister Joan Driscoil, The Director of Education, Don Foiz, local Parisb Priests and many otbi- ers fromn the Board of Education. Mucli appreciation goes out to Miss Harrison and ber band wbo played marelous- ly at tbe ceremony as well~ as Ms, Connwolly and tbe Music ITouc(.:h John O'Toole Durham East MPP Finaliy, ail four parties have a candidate for the Federai election in June. People oflen ask me how the election is going and I have to expiain that I am the provin- cial mnember and that the eiec- tion is for their federai mnem- ber. I simpiy want to ask ail candidates if they are going to ensure that the federai govern- ment is going to treat Ontario no less favourabiy than any other province. According to the people 1 speak to, Heaith care is the number one priori- ty. The Federai Liberal gov- ernm-ent hias cut over $2* bil- lion from their transfer pay- ments ta Ontario for heaith caie. Ask ail the candidates their position on hecalthi care and other mnatters. The~ Ontario economny -represents over haîf of ail the federal revenue. It is important that we are represented effectiveiy and treated fairly. Ontario Finance Minister, the Hon. Ernie Eves, intro- duced a very optimistic bud- get iast Tuesday, May 6th. Our deficit is down to $6.6 billion dollars from over $11 billion when we were elected. seceoidary Ministry who sang for the musical reflection. Our scbool Prime Minister, Lisa Locatelli gave tbe closing remarks about tbe new scbool by sayng bow proud she is of it. Following the assembly, al students and guests boarded tbe buses wbicb took tbem to the future site of St. Stepben's Secondary Scbool. At tbe site, a group picture was taken and a blessing was gsiven by Fr. Bill. Anotber event to celebrate Catbolic Education Week was a visit by guest speaker Sister Clare Fitzgerald of Boston. Sister Clare talked to stu- dents, witb a bumourous toucli, about the importance of Catbolic Educatior, and how we can illustrate our faitb tbrougb everyday accornplishinents. Once again we're signing off, but before we go, we are proud to announce tbat we raised $146.00 for tie Cancer Society. We would like to tbank Ms. Cupidio and Ms. Hurley for arganizing tbe Bake Sale and also those wbo brougbt in goodies to make the event a success. of taxpaying Ontirians with more than a 30% tleduction in their tax ioad. Tihere were many other initiatives but one that wili benefit mafly people will be the $16 dollar redue- tion in vehicle registration for people in mny area. We are responding to your priorities and our promises in health care, education, safe commu- nities and less goverilment. We are approaching the sec- ond year of our mandate and are delivering on our commit- mient to you. 1 recognize that we have made somre very seri- ous ch anges. However, it was clear to each of us that changes were needed. 1 also believe that some say we have blinked but I prefer to say we are iistening and tihinking hefore the final decisions are made. if you want a brief copy of the budget highlights, please ea 'I our consituency office at 697-1501 or 1-800- 661-243'3. Agricultuirai is the second largest industry in Ontario. The agri-food industry gener- ates over $3 billion in our direct economny. In my riding of Durham East, I regularly visit or meet with a variety of producers. We are fortunate to have a great divers ity of prod- ucts like a winery, apples, hydroponics, vegetables, beef, Pork chickens, eggs, comr and other crops. We are also fortu- nate to have many leaders in the agri-food business living right here in my riding. I thank thiese producers for keeping me informed about the many changes in this highly comnpetitive global business. Recenitly, the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Noble Villeneuve, has conducted hearings on a new Farni Practîces Protection I was pleased this week to have the Minister of TransportatÎin, the Hon. AI Palladinii advise me that we are extending the concrete median on Highiway 401, past the Miil Street exit in Newcastle. This stretchi of the 401 and easti s dangerous and I am working, with MPP Du Gaît, fromt Northumberland to ensure the concrete mnedian is extended further east. For your convenience, the Durhamn Land Registry Office at 590 Kossiand Rd. East, Whitby will soon provide cer- tificates. On May 9th, you will be able to waik in and get a birth, marriage or death cer- tificate. If you doni't need same d'ay service, we wiil conttine to pick up yoûir cer- tificates in Toronto as has aiways been our practice. This is just one rniall example of making govemnment work bet- ter for you. The Minigter of Health, the Hon. Jimn Wilson wiil be in Oshawa on Monday, May 12, to officiaily open the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) unit zt Oshawa Generai Hospital. Over 4,000 heaith bas been well served at this worid famous facility, .1 support the need that Women's College Hospital services must not be lost. Monday, May 12th, the VON will celebrate 100 years, of caring by opening their nlew Weillness Centre at 58 Rossland Rd. W., Oshawa. This is the week fo celebrate nursing. Nurses are the front uine patient providers in heaith care. Thank you for working miracles in these difficuit times. We wili have a baianced bud- get in 1999/2000 as promised. At the same time, we have committed $18.5 billion to heaith care, up from $17.4bil- lion. We have committed $650 million dollars to new schools to eliminate over 1,000 portables and upgrade schooi faciiities. A new incen- tive for research and deveiop- ment at our coileges and uni- versities was announced. The R&D Challenge Fund wiii see research funded up to $3 bil- lion dollars to create high-tech jobs. Thiere were mneasures to enhance accdss to capital for smnall business. 1 was pleased to be part of this initiative. There were commitmients to agriculture and rural job stratçgies. Tax credits were extended for investmnents to promnote youth emnpioymient. There is a new child tax credit to assist iow income famîilies. The promnised 30%/ reduction in provincial tax continues to unfoid as promised. This reduction ipersonai provin- cial tax will benefit over 90%