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PAGE 4THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, September 24. 2003 www.durhamrcgion.com Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-in-Chief Tony Doyle Managing Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Janice O'Neil Cheryl Haines Composing Managers <Eljc Canadian Statesman Phone 905-579-4400 Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-4407 General Fax 905-579-2238 Newsroom Fax 905-579-1809 E-Mail nensroom@durliamregion.com 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 September 24,2003 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. infodurham .com EDITORIAL c-niiiil Idlers In nnvsrnomti (lurliiinirvpimi.enm Tax cuts must continue if province is to prosper Only Tories promise to continue slashing taxes They were elected in 1995. and again in 1999. on a tax-cutting tax-cutting platform. ... And while the 'Common Sense Revolution' and 'Blueprint' ;tiave changed, the 'Road Ahead.' the 2003 Progressive Conservative Conservative election platform, has essentially maintained Ontario's •prosperity will continue to depend on lax cuts. It's clearly a belief shared by United Stales President George i'W. Bush who has pushed tax cuts as his economic stimulator for tl)e sluggish American economy. ' 1- When you think about it. 2003 isn't all that different from J 994-95. At that time, we were just starting to climb out of a tniserable recession, in desperate need of a jolt that would get the economy humming. And tax cuts, as they were then, and as they are now, are the answer. While the Liberals and NDP would eliminate lax cuts, and in spine cases would claw back initiatives for individuals and businesses businesses that the Tories have instituted, only the Tories will push ^trough more cuts. *" In fact, it's fair to say that, if elected, the Liberals and NDP could instigate another period of slow or even negative growth, similar to what we all suffered through at the end of the 1980s find throughout the early '90s. ' While the pace of cuts has to slow based on smaller returns to government coffers as the economy cools, they should not come to a full slop as both opposition parties have argued. What •will the Liberals and the NDP do to stimulate businesses and give industry a nudge? There really isn't much of anything in Their platforms to address that problem. ; • The tax cuts have stimulated job-creation through the years. ■ ' Of course, there is a down side. While those who oppose the Progressive Conservative management of the health-care and education systems cry out both are underfunded, the Tories can point to unprecedented multibi 1 lion-dollar increases in funding going all the way back to the mid-1990s. It's likely that no matter matter how much is poured into health care or education, some will always say they are underfunded. What the Tories have undoubtedly undoubtedly accomplished is to make health care and education .Administrators work harder than ever to make every dollar if omit. There has been a fiscal discipline in health care and education education that was never in evidence during the decade - 1985-95 - (of Liberal-NDP rule. .j ; Tax cuts must be properly managed and handled in a responsible responsible manner that lakes care to make sure the Province's budget is balanced and that we are consistently chipping away at our debt. It's a tough job, but the Tories have shown over the last eight years they are far better at this task than were the NDP and Liberals before them. | OPINION • e-mail letters to newsroom@(l urliamreaion.com Charities want you to give, give and give some more 'Excuse me buddy, can you spare a dime?' Is this the line of a panhandler panhandler or someone raising funds for charity? Think it's the fundraiser? fundraiser? Wrong, it's a panhandler: panhandler: fund-raisers are looking for a lot more money. A lot more. ; Have you been approached in the last few hours by someone someone raising funds for charity? If not, you're in the minority. It's getting to epidemic proportions. proportions. The Terry Fox Run just finished raising millions and the United Way has begun its drive to raise millions. Try to go to the store or see a movie - you can't gel there without crossing paths with someone such as a Beaver or Girl Guide selling apples or cookies. Better yet. slay home and relax on the couch with the remote. remote. Oh, wait, there's a telethon - flip the channel - there's TVOntario looking for your support to continue its fine schedule of programming. In between, commercials give you a phone number to order lottery tickets in support of the Durham Region Cancer Centre. And people are always asking for donations over the dreaded telephone. You name it: sickness and disease research or making lives better here or across the world - there's a charity organization organization out there for everything everything and they know who you are, how much you like to give and how often, They know where you live, so unless you lock the doors, don't answer the David Stell listen@ (hirlutmivf'ion.ivni doorbell and turn off the ringer on the telephone, you will be found. Now. you may think 1 run at the sight of charitable efforts. In fact. I do. Recently I ran in Terry's memory; more for my mom's memory. And not long before that I risked the choppy waters of Lake Scugog to raise funds for Easter Seals in the Port Perry Rotary Club's annual Aquarama. But in those efforts and others, others, I feel inadequate. The world is full of worthy causes and there's too many to choose from. I'm jealous of the people who have the nerve to go door- to-door or ask co-workers, friends, family and strangers for donations. It is not that easy for all of us. I'm jealous of their commitment. commitment. the lime they have and how much they give.. We live in a world with a lot of problems, but there are a lot of good people out there making making a difference. Maybe we can't give all our time and' money to charily, but il feels good to know there are many people out there willing to do both. News editor David Stoll's column runs every second Wednesday. , ' r-% f SOWE'&AT 1 LEAST AtiEDW A." ' AS ||||gl fg-pAjj t.a f 1 TIE NEBtoW AfïAÀ SMB IDEOOhY , : WT01MUE... J * vVïe ï,-' ' ' - " y. UHIOU tew dolighan.com Vv\ 1 IT, |j ! i! ! h ; | II | {! j ji i| hi | l| l Ij i i CLICK AND SAY Today's question: Who do you think made the best impression on voters at Tuesday night's televised leadership debate? □ Ernie Eves □ Leader □ Local candidate Cast your vole online at infodurham .com Last week's question: Will you base your vote in the provincial election on the party, its leader or your local candidate? □ Party 44.6 per cent □ Leader 22.7 per cent □ Local candidate 32.7 per cent Total votes: 224 HAVE YOUR SAY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to ncwsroom@durhamregion.com Banning teacher strikes not the issue To the editor: Re: 'Education should be top issue, ' letter of Sept. 12. I agree education should be a key issue in the upcoming provincial election. However, Scott Templeton missed the real problem. Classrooms are more often than not overcrowded these days .with numbers way above the 22 student per class average the current government campaigned campaigned on, while funding cuts and the current one-size-fits-all funding formula make individual individual attention for weaker students students increasingly difficult to achieve. Special education programs are being cut because of lack of funds from the province at the same time that curriculum changes and standardized tests are rapidly implemented resulting resulting in more student failures than before, especially in the Applied stream. These are all very real and serious problems that must be dealt with by the next provincial provincial government, unlike the ridiculous Tory election issue of banning teacher strikes, which Mr. Templeton embraced in his letter. Does he think that teachers teachers like to strike or actually gain anything by hitting the bricks? Do teacher strikes regularly disrupt students' learning to the point that they will give up on their career choices as he suggested? suggested? The very idea is absurd, and this sort of fcar-mongering and uninformed generalization should not make print. There has been exactly one province-wide teacher walkout in the last few decades, along with other sporadic and all short-term school work stoppages. stoppages. The government never lets a teachers' strike last more than two weeks anyway, by passing legislation that forces them back to work. So which is the real issue in education? You decide. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, let's be sure to brush the real life and death issues like polluted water, air and contaminated contaminated meat under the carpet so that the wealthiest Ontarians can comfortably drool over the prospect of further tax cuts at the average person's expense. Mike Strahl Courtice Marriage should be left alone To the editor: A house divided collapses. The vote set forth by the Hon. Stephen Harper displayed not only the tension of this issue of same-sex marriage but also the compliance of our supposedly democratic government, to lay down and submit to its leadership leadership rather than submit to its constituents. Regardless of the disappointment disappointment of seeing who voted against the motion (and especially especially Durham MP Alex Shepherd!), Shepherd!), I am more concerned with the Members of Parliament Parliament who abstained from voting voting at all. However, before I accuse accuse them of cowardice 1 should ask if the citizens of Canada are abstaining to vote themselves. If each and every citizen contacted their MP regarding regarding this issue of legalizing same-sex marriage and spoke up, perhaps Members of Parliament Parliament would recognize this issue is not.one which only the marginalized marginalized religiously right are opposed but rather one about which the entire country is concerned. concerned. This debate is not about condemnation. condemnation. God loves the whole world, regardless of our sexuality. Yet, despite Paul Martin's assurance this country has a strong social fabric, any fabric, when pulled hard enough, can tear. As Canadians we must ask our MPs to stop using the family in its tug-a-war for the polls, and leave the definition definition of marriage alone. Jenny Svetec Enniskillen Tax break could be better used To the editor: Ernie Eves will provide a tax break to seniors on the portion of property taxes devoted to education. education. Does this mean that seniors in apartments or condominiums will also get this break? Will seniors seniors in retirement residences and in nursing homes receive a credit toward the monthly costs of living in these homes? Is this tax break just for healthy, well-to-do seniors who still can maintain their homes? Surely money targeted for this break would be better spent in improving the quality and quantity of nursing homes in this province. Judy Studd Whitby Question "The Town is examining examining a plan to make Orono more attractive to tourists. What should be considered to improve the area?" Carol Upton "(Orono) needs more business and shops, like St. Jacobs." Lynn Couch Bill Morrison "Improving the strcetscape and making sure iA •" ) » ' encourage -.«afo 'If more bu s i - nesses that appeal to tourists." Yvonne Maitland "Businesses are hampered with expansion and certain businesses arc restricted without proper sewers." tElir Ciinntiimi i&tntrdiimii is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers, The Statesman is a member member of the Bowmanvllle Clarlngton Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Commerce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Ontario Press Council. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content content of the Canadian Statesman Is copyrighted Unauthorized repraekrotrorHs prohibited.*""«t" A ocna