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

The Clarington/Courticc Independent, Bowmanviile, Saturday, December 19, 1998 Page 9 Amendments Will Help Durham Face GTSB Bill The past couple of weeks I have dedicated most of my article to the debate around Bill 56, the creation of the Greater Toronto Services Board. For the record, the new board docs not have extensive extensive powers. This legislation legislation simply allows two things to happen: 1) to promote and facilitate facilitate co-ordinated decision-making decision-making among the municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area. 2) to exercise general direction and control over GT Transit and allocate costs of GT Transit in accordance with the Act. GT Transit is the new name for GO Transit. I was able to ensure two important amendments were included in the legislation. legislation. Before the year 2000, the new GTS Board shall conduct a review of its size, its membership and its powers and report to the Government. The amendment will provide an opting out provision by members of council passing passing resolutions. Furthermore, rural and agricultural strategies must be reflected in what is referred to as a countryside countryside plan. As I have said all along, local municipal councils will have to decide if they want to be part of the GTSB or examine the opting opting out provision. Durham Region and local municipalities municipalities can no longer blame the Provincial Government for their being included or excluded from the dynamic synergy of the Greater Toronto Area. As I look to the next twenty years and the forecast forecast urban growth, this is a very important time to examine the governance and service delivery options for the future. I know that I don't want to live in Toronto but I do want a healthy local economy economy with the best level of service at the best price with no tax increases. All levels of government must ■ work in close cooperation. Report from Queen's Pork by John O'Toole to eliminate all duplication and administration. The taxpayer today wants politicians to stop the finger finger pointing and get on with the job. Bill 70, the highway 407 legislation passed last week. This is another example of the Durham Region lobbying successfully successfully for the extension of this highway across Toronto to come into the Durham Region. Other highway improvements requested arc the lane expansions and interchange interchange improvements on highway 401 cast into Durham. It is strange that Durham wants all the connections connections to Toronto but still insists that they want no part of the GTSB. The recent decision of the Durham District School Board trustees to not go along with their earlier earlier decision on accommodations accommodations may hurt Port Perry High School. I commend commend Scugog trustee Bobbie Drew for her hard work for this long overdue addition to Port Perry High School. I hope the board of trustees gives this decision a second thought. 1 have made the Minister of Education aware of this situation. Education Minister Dave Johnson has changed the accommodation accommodation policy to allow boards to make a decision on accommodation each year and still qualify for the funding. Our Minister of Health Elizabeth Witmer announced $8.7 million for Durham hospitals. Lakeridgc Health Port Perry/Uxbridge will receive $49,787.00, Lakeridgc -Health Bowmanviile will receive: No Ba ers Parliamentary Report > Kfe ' V|| m by Alex Shepherd It's official. There will be no- bank mergers. And it's a triumph for democracy because no mergers is the message the public gave parliamentarians. parliamentarians. But banks will have to change in some way. The financial world is evolving, evolving, Canada's marketplace is changing, and so will the financial institutions operating in it. In spite of their aggressive aggressive lobbying campaign, and the huge amounts of money they put behind it, the banks failed miserably convincing the public, mergers were a good move and in the interest of Canadians. The banks failed because the process requires them to prove their case for merger. This confused bankers because they thought Canadians should just follow the banks' judgement and not challenge it. How arrogant for banking banking CEOs to descend upon Ottawa armed with no more than two 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper and think Canadians should totally restructure their financial services industry based on the CEOs word alone. Members of Parliament consulted with constituents constituents and experts in the financial services industry. We tried to understand what merits there were to the plans of the banks. The fact is the banks had no case. They even resorted to threats. If they couldn't get their way, they would close down a number of branches, they warned. They said that while their profits arc high, their return on investments isn't where they want it, To improve this, the CIBC went down to New York and bought Oppenheimer, a huge investment bank. They lost millions of shareholders' dollars with this acquisition and you can't blame that on the branches. In fact, branches represent represent the banks' core business business operations because they afford them the ability ability to interact with the public. public. Even though branch banking is being modified by automated tellers and the internet, it is clear branches will have a healthy future. For banks to argue they arc going to close branches branches just isn't believable. But the reverse is mergers equal closures. I know many bank employers arc relieved government said no. They still have their jobs. The arrogance of the bankers toward the democratic democratic process and Canadians during this debate was obvious, These so-called smart executives wasted millions on a plan doomed to fail. This speaks volumes about the attitude they would have developed had they been successful. When you or I screw up we get fired. I wonder, as you do, what degree of responsibility will occur in the banks' corporate boardrooms now? The financial world is evolving, evolving, Canada's marketplace is changing, and so will the financial financial institutions operating in it. $1,231,607.00 while Lakeridgc Health Oshawa will receive $5,201,121.00. The hospital hospital funding will arrive before Christmas and assist with restructuring and year 2000 computer compliance. Agriculture Minister Noble Villeneuve has responded quickly to the recent crisis in agriculture. Our minister recognizes that family farms may be at risk. He indicated that we cannot wait for the federal federal program speculated to be announced later. The $40 million program is the first step in a whole farm income disaster program. The funding will ensure farm income over a three- year period will not fall below 70%. Along with many other volunteers, I attended the festive dinner for the needy held last Friday evening. Viv Woolford had the idea as a way to celebrate celebrate the memory of the late Carson Elliott. Carson was an enthusiastic and generous person. This should become an annual event and a great time of year to celebrate our community community and all the people, like Carson, who have touched other's lives with generosity. Thank you to everyone who participated in this community event. Beavers Entertain at Marnwood The Tenth Bowmanviile Beavers have recently been practising their favourite Christmas carols. Thirteen members performed in front of residents at Marnwood last week. This is the second year for the mini-concert. Beavers previously had made red Christmas bells which sported a festive greeting. These were handed out to the Marnwood residents. Photos at Oshawa Show Depict Urban Realism The Robert McLaughlin Gallery presents "Urban Realism", an exhibition from the Thomas Bouckley Collection of Historical Photographs, on display from January 14 until April 4. The photographs in this exhibition feature scenes of Oshawa's industries and the growing city and the effects on workers and residents, presenting an historical context of Oshawa's working class history. Thomas Bouckley (1903-1988) had a keen interest in local history, and collected photographs of Oshawa after receiving his father's collection. A graduate of the University of Toronto in ceramic engineering, Bouckley compiled a thrcc-volumn photographic record entitled Pictorial Oshawa. The Thomas Bouckley Collection is computerized and accessible to the public. mitm mM HOLIDAY RATE BREAK < ., - ■■ ii.fi ••/. ^ if 7 ^ ^ ; S / = * -1 SPECIAL HOLIDAY BONUS! Limited Edition Blazer with Custom Wooderain Dash ^ tout-front, FULL DISCLOSURE PRICING SKEM1VHHNO . AFtHR-SHOCK PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 48 MONTHS ON MOST 1WS IN STOCK. '99 CHEVY BLAZER 4VVD 'LIMITED EDITION' FOR SECURITY IN AN INSECURE WORLD. Vortcc 4300 SF1 V6 engine • automatic transmission with overdrive • 4-wheel ABS • NexlGmeration dual frontair bags • PASSLock™ tlieft- deterrenl system • airconditioning • AM/FM stereo with ras- 1999 CHEVY BLAZER 4VVD NO SURPRISE LEASE GUIDE sotte • Solar-Ray 1 ' 1 deep tinted glass • power windows/door luds/mirmis • Tdl-Umvl 1 ' 1 steering • lodtirgdifferential • mmole keyless entry • Custom Vvoodgrain Dash UKCUASE Shvki Lease 35,395 or 358 if. ■ MONTHLY PAYMENT (36 maT>0,000 km) s 358 CASH DOWN |lnd.Freçr.rclS720andA*TuotS10ûi '3,270 GAS TAX '400 PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION NO EXTRA CHARGE PST/GST (inci T« on Payment) •604 SECURITY DEPOSIT WAIVED (O.A.C.) TOTAL AMOUNT DUE ON DELIVERY '4,632 ht of $720 and Air Tiix oFSIOO. Licvncv, iasuranœ and taxes extra.) 36 months Licence, Insurance, P.P.S.A. & Admin. Fees Extra With SO down, monthly payment is $456 (plus tax) - $984 due on delivery. 1999 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SEDAN NO SURPRISE LEASE GUIDE MONTHLY PAYMENT (36 mo/60,000 km) s 188 CASH DOWN find Freight ol $645) '2.100 GAS TAX '75 PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION NO EXTRA CHARGE PST/GST (Ind Tn on Payment) '354 SECURITY DEPOSIT WAIVED (O.A.C.) TOTAL AMOUNT DUE ON DELIVERY '2,717 Uconco, Insurance, P.P.S.A, & Admin. Fees Extra With SO down, monthly payment Is $250 (plus tax) - $374 duo on delivery. '99 CHEVROLET CAVALIER SEDAN IF ONLY EVERYTHING IN LIFE WAS AS DEPENDABLE AS CAVALIER. 12 Hire engine • 5-speed manual transmission transmission • 4-wheel ABS 1 Next Generation dual front airbags • PASSLock 1 ' 1 theft-deterrent system • AM/FM stereo 1 body colour mouldings • tinted glass 1 diild-security rear door locks • reclining front bucket seals • rear seat heat duds rUUCHASH SmakiLea.se T 5,795 ™ 188 (Includes Freight of SAI5. Licence, nu,n ^ u insurance and taxes extra.) '99 CHEVROLET MALIBU MORE THAN YOU EXPECT, EXCEPT WHEN FT COMES TO PRICE 14 litre Twin Cam engine • automatic transmission with ovenirive • 4-wheel ABS • Next Generation dual front air bags • PASSLock 1 " theft-deierrent system • child-security rear door lcxks • air conditioning • AM/FM stereo with cassette • Tilt-Wheel 111 steering • body colour mouldings 1999"CHËVR0LËrMÀLIBU NO SURPRISE LEASE GUIDE MONTHLY PAYMENT (36 0X3/60,000 km) CO CN CN CASH DOWN (lncl Freight ot $720 and Ar Ta» ct $100) '2,720 GAS TAX '75 PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION NO EXTRACHARGE PST/GST |lnd Tat cn Pa,meet) '453 SECURITY DEPOSIT WAIVED (0 AC.) TOTAL AMOUNT DUE ON DELIVERY '3,476 Uconco, Insurance, P.P.S.A. & Admin. Fees Extra With SO down, monthly payment Is $310 (plus lax) - $443 duo on delivery. luixunvvi: $ 20,295 (Includes Fivieht of $720 and Air Tax of $100. Licence, insurance and taxes extra.) or $ 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE NO SURPRISE LEASE GUIDE MONTHLY PAYMENT (MmoftO.OOOkm) CO CO CN </> CASH DOWN (lncl Freight ol $365 and Air taiol$ILX)l *4,225 GAS TAX NOT APPLICABLE PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION NO EXTRACHARGE PST/GST (lncl Tu on Payment) *077 SECURITY DEPOSIT WAIVED (O.A.C.) TOTAL AMOUNT DUE ON DELIVERY '5,190 '99 CHEVROLET VENTURE EXTENDED WHEELBASE FLEXIBLE ENOUGI1 TO GIVE YOU Tl IE FREEDOM YOU WANT. 34H) SI! V6 engine • automatic transmission with ovenirive • 4-wheel ABS • Next Generation dual front air lugs • 4-door dual sliding rear doom with child- security livks • air conditioning • AM/FM stereo cassette • lllt-WhecI™ steering • cruise control • power windows/ door locks • remole keyless entre Uconco, Insurance, P.P.S.A. & Admin. Fees Extra With $0 down, monthly payment la $413 (plus lax) - $475 duo on delivery. miaiAsi; suwiu-vs '27595 « s 288 ' .K» montiis (Includes Va-iuht of $865 andAirTaxof$lU).l.kvncv, Iasuranœ and taxes extra.) /T| Inixt IiNiiI A. lew 1 g T~'X I Chevrolet Dealers l) I l) S 1 \ It I () We'd like you to know mine: Como vlill us ol your local iloalor, on our wolisitu al www.iniiciinaila.com or call us al VBOO-QM-DIIIVE, All leases have annual kilometre limit ol Zll.tlUO km. SU.12 pci excess kilometre. I'SI S (1ST oxtia. Ollier Icaso options available, '1111,11101111 on appiovcd flMAC cicilil only. Example: $111,00(1 al 1.0% Al'll. tho monllily payment Is $210.51 lor 48 months. Cost ol tionowlng Is $392.48 Total obligation Is $10,392.48. Down payment and/or trade may bo required Monthly payment and cost ol bouowlnu will vaiy depending on amount borrowed and down paymcnblrade. Oilers apply lo now 1999 models ol vehicles equipped as doscubcd. Dealer order or trade may bo necessary. Limited lime oiler which may not bo combined wild olhci odors. Dealer may sell 01 lease lor less Sen your dealer(s) loi comblions 01 del,ills.