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I Report from Queen's Park John O'Toole Durham East MPP A Special Place Durham Region is a very special area of our province. Last Friday, September 6, I was a guest at the premier screening of, "Fly Away Home". This is a beautiful feature feature length movie produced by Columbia Pictures. The movie is based on the inspirational story of Bill Lish- man's work with Canada Geese and his migration south with the birds. Much of the beautiful filming was done right here in the Scugog area. Bill Lishman's book, "Father "Father Goose" and other promotional promotional activities are raising funds for a project named, 'Operation 'Operation Migration', to fund endangered endangered species throughout North America. I would recommend recommend this movie as "class" family entertainment. I might add that the province province has recognized the importance importance of the film industry to the economy of Ontario. There were provisions made in the last budget to support the Ontario Ontario film industry. The Durham Board of Education Education has won. the prestigious Bertelsmann Foundation award. As mentioned in my column last' week, this German foundation recognizes excellence excellence annually in public institutions. institutions. Durham is number one in so many ways. Statistics Canada recently released figures that indicated there were over 50,000 net new jobs created in Ontario. In the past 12 months, there have been over 150,000 new jobs created in Ontario. Consumer confidence is up 11% and the interest rate is down. Auto production, production, the heart of Ontario and Durham along with housing housing which is up 14.2%. Although Although unemployment is still higher than we want, at 8.4%, this is the lowest since 1984. Ontario is open for business and job creation. Our election commitment was to reduce spending, reduce taxes and eliminate the barriers to job creation. T, am confident, that we will meet, or exceed our election promise of creating 725,000 new jobs over the five years. As we reduce spending and eliminate red tape, many Ontarians Ontarians have become upset with our direction. However, in the long term, almost everyone agrees with a balanced budget. We must term, almost everyone everyone agrees with a balanced budget. We must be very careful careful to not neglect the most vulnerable vulnerable members of society. If everyone had a job, we would each have to work less, but that does not mean that we would stop complaining. I often recall an old expression my father used, "It is especially hard to work for money you have already already spent, especially if it was for something you didn't really need in the first place." The Solicitor General, the Honourable Bob Runciman, has made several announcements announcements recently with respect to Ontario's prisons. He announced announced the closure of some 14 prisons with the commitment commitment to consolidate offenders into two new, more efficient facilities. It appears that one of these facilities may replace the Whitby jail. Also a young offenders offenders 'strict discipline pilot project' has been recommended recommended after a task force of some 40 exports examinai the current system. This pilot will involve some 30 to 50 high risk male repeat offenders in a structured program. The intention is to focus focus on life skills, literacy, teamwork and needs based counselling. This past week, we concluded concluded our hearings on the Employment Employment Standards Act (Bill 49). I was pleased to meet with members members of the Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington Chambers of Commerce as well as the CAW Local 222 members. The committee committee will discuss amendments amendments over the next week or so. We are looking for a balance balance where employers and employees employees can work together in a reasonable and fair manner. I do not support any "bad boss" who takes advantage of an employee. employee. I will use my office to support any worker who has been exploited. "Diplomacy is the. art of letting someone else get your way". The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, September 18. 1996 5 Cozy Beach House Among Modem and Historic Homes Open to, Vjsjtors Trinity House Tour Sunday by Lorraine Manfredo This Sunday, Gary and Ronni Zolumoff are expecting expecting a few hundred people to drop by. Their lakefront residence is one of nine distinctive Bowmanville homes featured on the 1996 Trinity House Tour. It's the 3rd year that Trinity Trinity United Church has organized organized the tour. But it is the first time organizer Gail Berry Berry has opted for what she calls a 'salt and pepper' mix of old and new homes. While most of the homes on the tour have been standing standing for at least a century, the Zolumoffs' residence was only built in 1991. "It's a Califomia-style beach house," says Gary, who along with wife Ronni, bought the place in '93. "The previous owner's son designed designed it." Situated at the end of Cedar Cedar Crest Beach Road, this one-and-a-half storey home is surrounded on three sides by water. Wooden decks on both upper and lower levels offer panoramic views of the West Side Creek marsh and Lake Ontario. Living a stone's throw from the lake is nothing short of spectacular, says Gary. "Every day is different. Sometimes I think we arc in the Caribbean, but then the view can change and it's like we're in the Arctic, with ice floes." Besides the prime waterfront waterfront location, what you notice notice most about the Zolumoff home is the couple's ingenious ingenious knack for decor. Once inside the open- concept main level, it only takes a minute or two to notice notice that the walls, fridge, furniture furniture and floor arc covered with roosters. Roosters in so many styles and sizes that they don't dominate the design design scheme. Wood, ceramic, copper - they are all part of Ronni's very fabulous collection, collection, tastefully displayed around the 2,200 square foot interior. The main floor living area facing the lake has- a vaulted ceiling and large, bright windows. windows. The focal point in this room is a unique wooden fireplace designed by Gary. The mantlepiece is lower and deeper than most, which allows allows Ronni to display her collection of figurines on it, under a gilt-framed mirror. "It's eclectic" Gary says of the decor. "It's everything The Zolumoff property is surrounded' on three sides by water, making it seem more like a cottage retreat than a year-round dwelling just an hour from Toronto. from Royal Doulton to rummage rummage sale." The Zolumoffs have also chosen to use an eclectic blend of furniture Their cherished cherished family heirlooms blend perfectly well with modern pieces, including a modern kitchen. But see for yourself how the Zolumoffs have made their magnificent property into a comfortable and inviting inviting home. Tickets for the September September 22 House Tour are still available. Phone 623-1135 for more information. Besides the spectacular waterfront view, what visitors to the Zolumoff home on Cedar Cedar Crest Beach Road will be most impressed with is the home's eclectic decor. The California beach-style home is one of the nine distinctive Bowmanville homes featured on the September 22 Trinity House Tour. Built in 1991, it is one of only two modem residences on the tour. Letters to the Editor MR Should Not Reject Tax Cuts Dear Editor: How unfortunate that Alex Shepherd, our MP for Durham, still thinks the only way to prosperity is through high taxes taxes and government spending. In an article dated September 4, 1996, Mr. Shepherd stated that Canada's income tax is the second highest in the Western World. At the same time, he indicated indicated that any form of income income tax reduction would not be feasible. This rationale is exactly what is wrong with the leadership leadership we have in Ottawa today. What Mr. Shepherd is saying is that only with the continuation of high taxes on the Canadian people can we ever hope to balance this country's budget. Docs anyone in this government government have the vision and the courage to say that what the Canadian economy needs is not more taxes, but a reduction in taxes? If high taxes were the best way of reducing Canada's national national debt then we should have been in the black years ago. After all, we have had thirty years of lax increases and the deficit has only grown. How many more years will the taxpayers of Durham be forced to hand over half of everything they cam before someone in government has the leadership to say enough is enough? When will Mr. Shepherd and the finance minister realize that a dollar left in the pocket of a taxpayer is far more beneficial beneficial to the Canadian economy than a dollar left in the hands of a bureaucrat, politician or a special interest group? This government's whole philosophy philosophy since taking office in November November 1993 is that through infrastructure infrastructure programs we could nave our way to prosperity. Does anyone really believe that government spending is the answer? answer? As wo approach the dawn of the 21st century most governments governments in Canada have be gun to take a serious look at their levels of taxation and the effect that high taxes have had on the growth of the economy, and realized that it is time to abandon that notion. I am sad to read that our federal member member and his government scctn to be stuck in the 1970's In stead of looking to the future they seem to cling to the same old business as usual philosophy philosophy while the world around them moves on. Sincerely, lan Smyth Courtice Declining Unemployment Stats Prove Harris Government's Policies Were On Target Dear Sir: About two months ago, Gord Mills sent a letter to the Editor of The Canadian Statesman, Statesman, calling for the immediate resignation of Premier Harris because of a temporary rise in unemployment figures for Ontario. Ontario. The number, correctly referred referred to as a "Blip" by Prime Minister Chretien, had increased increased to double digits. Mr. Mills laid the blame for this increase increase at the feel of Mr. Harris and demanded that he quit. He compared the policies of the Harris Government to "Reaganomics", "Reaganomics", as practised in the U.S. So far, Gord has blamed everything but the sinking of the Titanic on Premier Harris, but that may yet come. In the view of this misguided misguided soul, the mean-spirited Mike Harris was determined to keep as many people unemployed unemployed as possible, to appease the capitalists. Well, Gord, you're wrong again. The unemployment rate in this province has decreased steadily since that time, The most current figures released by Stats Canada clearly indicate indicate that rale to be 8.1 percent, certainly much improved over the numbers at the time the NDP government fell off the rails. The rate in the United Slates, since a recent forced swing to the "Right" by the Clinton Administration, is 5.1 percent. Not too shabby, cither! cither! Don't worry though, Gord, I have taken the liberty of sending a letter of apology, in your name, to our M.P.P. John O'Toole and to Premier Harris. Your friend, Larry Wood EDITOR'S NOTE - Politics aside, let's hope the unemployment unemployment numbers keep going going down, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Canadian Statesman encourages our readers to make use of the letters to the editor column to express their opinions and viewpoints on just about any subject, as we feel a lively letters column helps m ake a belter community newspaper. We insist, however, that all letter writers sign their name. Sorry, no anonymous letter will be printed, _ you can count on. Certified Anti-Bacterial Soap Pump 250ml Y ■ ^9 or Refill 500 ml each Certified Baby Oil | 460ml $n 49 each Certified acetaminophen Er $2» each Certified Ice Gel Therapy 14% 255g $3 # f a 18% 255 g $0 99 Je Certified IZinc Ointmentl BP 15% 120 ml each Certified Absorbent Puffs jjj 1300's or ^ I Jumbo 100's each Many More OPEN SUNDAYS 12 NOON TILL 4:00 P.M. McGregor id a drugs 5 KING ST. W. 623-5792 BOWMANVILLE cu.P.