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V Crono Weeidy Thnea, Wednesday. May 10, 2000 - 5 Hazel Crag o receives OHA District 17 service award A very surprised Hazel Crago of Newcastle, pictured above, was the recipient of the Ontario Horticultural Association's District 17 service award on Saturday, April 29th. This award, given annually, was presented to her by director, Ken Lose at the annual meeting hosted by the Cannington Horticultural Society. District 17 congratulates Hazel who did an excellent job. in Touch by John O'Toole, MPP This week, there will be additional changes introduced to amend the Education Act. As is the case with any legislation, legislation, 1 will briefly mention some of the- points in my weekly article. I will also do a press release, there will be information on my web site and we will have hard copies of the information at our community community office. When you read issues in the media or see them on television, it is my responsibility to provide you with the documents. I am also there to listen to your input. Please stay tuned, as you will need to listen to both sides of the issue. Last week, on May 2nd, Finance Minister Ernie Eves introduced the elusive balanced balanced budget. 1 was very pleased by the number of interested people who came out to our budget breakfast at 7:30am. The accounting firm of Hobb, Bakker, Bergin, Hill did an excellent job explaining explaining the tax changes. The Clarington Board of Trade, along with the Clarington Business Group (CBG) and Peter Hobb, do a great service each year on the federal and provincial budgets. The budgets for 1999/2000 as well as the 2000/2001 budget are balanced and, in fact, they will produce a surplus. surplus. This marks the first back-to-back balanced budgets budgets in the Province of Ontario since I was born in 1943. Some of the highlights include an additional $ 1.4 billion billion dollar's for health care with ^ budget now of over $22 billion annually. There are several new programs, including $100 million for primary c-nc. $110 million for improving home care & psychiatric psychiatric services, and $5 million million for cancer care, cardiac care and end stage renal disease. disease. There is free tuition for new doctors who will practice in under serviced communities communities and $45 million for tele- health, which will increase access to health care, especially especially in remote communities. Investments in children include extension of medical requirements for special needs children in ail denomination denomination schools. • $5 million for intervention and prevention for primary school children who may ' be at risk ■ $6 million for underprivileged underprivileged children to participate in sports •' $2 million for school nutrition nutrition programs as well as other commitments to children The $1 billion committed to post-secondary schools represents the largest capital investment in over $30 years. This will create 73,000 new student spaces in Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities. This investment is part of the strategy to deal with the two high school years graduating in one year in 2002-2003. There is a new apprenticeship innovation fund of $15 million to modernize modernize classrooms, equipment and programs. There is also additional funding of $1.4 million to expand the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). There are a number of important tax policy policy initiatives included in the budget that are designed to attract investment in Ontario. Ontario's economy grew faster than the United States, all other provinces and the G- 7 industrial nations, Ontario has created over 700,000 net new jobs since 1995 and there are over 500,000 fewer people people dependant on welfare. Included are 67 additional tax cuts, including the approximately approximately $200.00 which will be returned directly to each taxpayer. taxpayer. There are many details in the budget that 1 cannot include in this column. However, I have copies of this historic budget and I would be pleased to send you a free copy upon request. Call our community office at 697- 1501 or 1 -800-661 -2433 or visit .the web site www. gov. on. ca/fi n/hm page. h tm I The Oak Ridges Moraine and the pending Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing on development proposals proposals are very much in the news. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing released a study to the OMB last week. The government government position is to allow the 1991 Oak Ridges Moraine Guidelines and the 1996" Provincial Policy Statements do what they were intended to do. The OMB has the duty to listen to public input .and apply the policy and planning documents. ! do not believe that special interest, groups,: including politicians at any level, should influence the planning process and the roic of the OMB. I am confident despite the criticism of our government that the right decisions will be made. I am also aware that no decision will ever satisfy some people. There are also those who refuse to make difficult decisions decisions and always want someone someone else to 'blame. On the one hand, for years, municipal ities have wanted ■ the authority over planning. There are mistakes mistakes made and there is a review process. As i have . said all along on this issue, Î live here with my family, I enjoy the clean water, the many creeks and streams and the scenic landscape, of the moraine, I recognize that there are existing farms and sand and gravel operations as well as some housing on the Oak Ridges Moraine today. At the ' same time, property owners do havb rights as well. Let the OMB do the ip job. Remember, next Sunday is Mother's Day, so plan ahead to do something special. Clarington Fire Calls The Clarington Fire Department responded to the following calls during the period of May 1 to May-8, 2000: 4 property fires; 7 prefire prefire conditions; 6 false fire calls; 5 public hazards; 6 medical/resuscitator calls and 11 other responses. IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE ' ^3- z 7Huntington Society of Canada HUNTINGTON Société Huntington du Canada -898-7388 hariiable Registration Number.11896 55 16.RR00Û 1 Telefloras Hummingbird Music Box Bouquet Combining fresh flowers with an enchanting musical gift, Teleflora's Hummingbird Music Box Bouquet is a gift of unequaled beauty for Mom, Featuring a hanà-painted ' porcelain hummingbird in flight and gold accents; this lovely music box plays the "Waltz of the Flowers." To send one almost anywhere in Canada or the U.S., call or visit our shop. Sunday, May 14tb is Mother's Day $8495 Thiz ftpplfz. 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