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2 - Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, February. 23, 2005 Weekly Times Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 GST = $32.00 per year., Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. 'We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs." CanadS J-pena ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON LOB 1M0 Email: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax 905-983-5301 • • Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Do.nna Wood Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman The Orono Weekly Times Welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to our readers. Opinions expressed to the editor and articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the times Letters must to signed and contain the address and phone number of the writer. Any letter considered unsuitable will not be acknowledged or returned. We reserve the right to edit for length libel and slander.Ifyour retail carefully. Notice of an error must be given before the next issue goes to print. The Orono Weekly Times will not be responsible for the loss or damage of such .terns. Cup up for grabs It is finally official, despite a brief gasp on the weekend, there will be no NHL hockey this season. Though hockey is touted as our national sport, and Canadians claim to love their game, I'm hard-pressed to find a single so- called 'hockey fan' who really cares that the professional hockey hockey season is canceled. The business of hockey has, over the years, alienated the fans, to the extent that the average person could not afford to buy a ticket to see the game live. The sport has become the business of hockey and fans are now consumers. With the season all rolled up, hundreds of professional hockey hockey players have taken their sticks to play overseas for a fraction of what they are willing to play for in North America. The focus is now on, what to do with the coveted prize--the Stanley Cup? The cup has quite a history of it's own. It was purchased in 1892 by Lord Stanley, the Governor-General of Canada, for the equivalent of $50 at that time, to be presented to the championship championship hockey club of the Dominion of Canada. Lord Stanley insisted that the Cup remain a challenge trophy, presented for the amateur championship of Canada, and never become the property of any one team. The first Stanley Cup winner winner was the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association in 1893. In 1910, after having being awarded to both amateur and professional professional teams, the Stanley Cup was awarded exclusively to professional professional teams. From the National Hockey League's formation in 1917 until 1926, the magnificent trophy was awarded to the winner of a playoff between the NHL and the Pacific Coast Hockey League. When the PCHL dissolved in 1927, the Stanley Cup was presented exclusively to NHL playoff champions. The- spirit of the Stanley Cup has certainly digressed from Lord Stanley's wishes, being awarded to professional teams with an average salary of $1.8 million. Since these players no longer want to compete for the Stanley Cup, there's no reason it why it shouldn't be awarded to a deserving team in another league. It is being said that the Toronto Maple Leafs are delighted their season has been cancelled. At least they can't be blamed for not bringing home the cup this year. Staying in Touch MPP John O'Toole Bill on Tax Deductions for Public Transit Moves Ahead Last week in the_ Ontario Legislature, my fellow-MPPs gave second reading to my private member's bill that would encourage the use of public transit and let taxpayers keep more of their hard- earned cash. If passed, Bill 137 would amend the Income Tax Act to permit taxpayers to obtain a non-refundable income tax credit for expenses they incur when using public transit (bus, trains, subway and streetcars). The tax credit would be 50 per cent of the public transit expenses that an individual incurs during the taxation year. This is a non-partisan bill. The legislation is intended to send the message to commuters commuters that taking public transit transit is as good for the environment environment as it is for your finances. 1 am pleased that my col leagues in the House saw fit to support this legislation at second second reading. I have referred Bill 137 to the Estimates Committee for input, debate and possible amendments. Our party has a proud record of delivering tax-incentives tax-incentives to Ontarians. With this Bill, 1 hope we will encourage Ontario taxpayers to use public public transit for their daily commute commute to and from work. The legislation is intended to send the message to commuters that taking public transit is as good for your health as it is for your finances. With Bill 137, I hope we can reach out to Ontario taxpayers taxpayers and encourage them to make public transit a part of their daily commute and a part of their everyday routine. If you need further information on Bill 137, please contact my Constituency Office at 905- 697-1501 or 1-800-661-2433 or e-mail: john_otoole@ontla.ola.org 407 Environmental Assessments Continue The Ontario Ministry of Transportation, in consultation consultation with the Region of Durham and surrounding municipalities,, will be commencing commencing an Individual Environmental Assessment (IEA) Study to address transportation transportation deficiencies in Durham Region. The study will review additional transportation transportation opportunities and capacity within and through the Durham Region for a 30- year planning horizon and beyond. This follows approval of the Environmental Assessment Terms of Reference for the proposed eastern extension of Highway 407 approved January 17. Public involvement will be a part of this process and Public Information Centres are expected to take place, commencing commencing in mid 2005. The first of these public meetings will review draft Transportation Transportation Planning/Necd, Alternatives Alternatives to the Undertaking and Preliminary EA Study Area. The 407 environmental assessment web site has further further information. It may be reached at www.407eastea .com All Parties Agree on Need for More Federal Cash The Ontario Legislature showed a rare degree of unity last Thursday when all parties called for the federal government government to give Ontario another $5 billion this year. The Official Opposition is concerned that the provincial Liberals are engaging in politics politics of distraction by seeking more money from their federal federal cousins rather than addressing addressing problems of their own making, caused by mismanagement mismanagement and the lack of a real plan. However, the fact remains that Ontario pays $23 billion more per year into the federation federation than what it receives in federal transfers. This is hard- earned money from the Ontario taxpayers that is going to help other provinces, as it should. As a so-called "have" province, Ontario has an obligation obligation to share with the rest of Canada. However, when we sec Ontario falling behind in areas such as health, education and support for Ontario farm- . ers, it is clear that Ontario needs to keep more of its own revenue. If Ontario is the goose that lays the golden eggs, it's in the best interest of the federal government that the goose stays healthy. A prosperous Ontario means that the billions in payments to federal coffers will continue to flow. On the other hand, if Ontario is starved for revenue and the victim of ever-increasing taxes, the whole Canadian economy will falter. That is why all parties joined forces to ask for a fairer fairer share of the federal government's government's cash. The $5 billion represents about 40 per cent of the federal surplus. It is the approximate amount of the federal surplus that was contributed contributed by Ontario. Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory has called on Premier McGuinty to immediately request a meeting of the Council of the Federation. In a letter to the Premier, he said this meeting must be called to strengthen our Federation and to ensure that taxes paid by Ontarians, and for that matter by residents residents of other provinces, make it to the level of government required to deliver services to O'TOOLE ieepett§4