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8 - Oroao Weeiàdy T'nes, tÂeciesday, Àprd 22, I9 A stamp store and a whole lot mpre Libraries receive $9,600 to inero99 publie 9ccess Canada Post continues to come out with some very inter- esting stamps. The latest issue is a series of six stamps of fish- ing flies, three traditional trout flies and three traditional salmon flies. Postal worker Connie Hooey, pictured, loves to create displays in conjunction with FROM PARLIAMEN HILL Alex Shepherd With the announced TD- CIBC merger last Friday it seerns all the banks are getting married. I guess Spring really is eter- nal. It begs the question "Is big- ger, better?" and what does this mean for the people of Durham? The banks tell us you have to be bigger today just to be a world player, to keep up with changing technology and more- over, to reduce administrative costs in order to be competi- tive. But after the nuptials are concluded the marriage con- tract's small print will reveal that lower administrative costs means reducing jobs. That's very real for the people of Durham. What we don't hear is that TD's top gun, Charlie Baillie, or CIBC boss AI Flood, are going to be unemployed. The logical conclusion anyway would be "Why two CEO's?". But we know it's the tellers and others at the bottom of the the launch of new stamp issues. This display replaces the equal- ly appealing one Connie had made for the 'Birds of Canada' series launched on March 13. On June 17, Canada Post plans to issue a series of 10 stamps on canals. The Peterborough Lift Locks are T corporate food chain, who were jilted on the way to the alter. Will all this lowering of costs and improvements in technology be transfered to the customer? Or is it likely to just increase corporate profits and the millions of dollars that go into compensation packages for bank executives. Canadian bank service charges are among the lowest in the world. And this is prior to merger. So how is it that they are likely to fall further? Banks in Holland have already restructured their finan- cial service sector, just as we are doing now. And surprise, bank charges went up. As the government's task force winds its way across the country posing questions to the public some points become imminently clear. First, if we didn't think we had much power before when sitting across from bank man- agers, and there was limited compensation then, consumers pictured on one of these stamps. Even the everyday Canada Flag stamp has undergone a facelift. For environmental reasons this stamp is now 16% smaller, being the smallest stamp Canada Post has pro- duced in 100 years. are going to have even less power after merger. Secondly, if mergers contin- ue how will consumers, small and medium-sized business owners and others be protect- ed? Thirdly, what about tied selling? It works like this. l'Il give you a bank loan but you better buy your mutual funds and life insurance here. Fourthly, what about bank closures in rural communities? That's going to be on the minds of people over the next few months. We can't force banks to deliver service if they no longer think it viable. But we can demand they take us all along in the move toward more efficient banking. Not all of us take to elec- tronic banking easily. Some dread the idea of using an auto- mated teller machine. But it's not good enough to give up on customers who have been loyal for a good number of years. These are all legitimate con- cerns. Government should force banks, at the bank's cost, to provîde training and com- municate to customers how new banking technology works so all customers are comfort- able using il. I am working toward strengthening the office of the bank ombudsman - which was set up to take complaints about John R. O'Toole, MPP Durham East announced on April 20th that Clarington Public Library and Scugog Memorial Public Library will each receive $9,600 from the Ministry Of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation to upgrade technology that will increase public access to enhanced computer services and the Information Highway. The libraries in Scugog and Clarington are two of 25 libraries across Ontario to receive a grant to acquire equipment and upgrades so that the public can access high speed Internet connections. MPP O'Toole said the one-time grants from the ministry's Library Strategic Development Fund are a technological investment that will help libraries build on their consid- erable strengths. "These advances will ensure that Ontario's libraries are lead- banks - in order to level the playing field between cus- tomers and these corporate giants. I believe there should be hefty fines for corporate malfeasance. And a corporate watchdog working for the "lit- tle guy" and not just one to ensure corporate solvency like we have now. So you can see there is something still unresolved about all this bank merging. When the preacher says "Does anyone object to this marriage", l'Il be saying I do. We need more answers and more iron clad assurances before we give this union our blessing. ers in electronic library service delivery. I know that Clarington and Scugog will benefit greatly from these advances," said MPP O'Toole. The funds will be used to purchase new hardware and software for the libraries as part of Network 2000, which is a partnership of public and pri- vate sector sponsors committed to creating widespread public access to the Information Highway, and developing inno- vative access to Ontario's library resources, by the year 2000. "Ontario's quality of life is enhanced by the contribution libraries make our communi- ties," said Mr. 0'Toole. "The funding will assist our libraries in developing new ways to pro- vide and share information locally, provincially and glob- ally. Network 2000 public sector partners include Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation; the Ministry of Economic Development. Trade and Tourism; and Industry Canada. Private sector compa- nies involved in Network 2000 to date include Avita Technologies, AST Canada; Bay Networks; and Microsoft Canada. Additional private sector partners are joining the project as it develops. Subscribe to the Orono Weekly Times 983-5301 Show ber you care on GJf6tbers O.ay! Give her a pre-paid gift certificate from... NAnESTHETICS by Denise & LISA'S LocKs 26 Centre Street, Orono 983-5256 HOURS: Tuesday & Thursday 9-8 Wednesday & Friday 9 - 5 Saturday 8-2