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B0WMANV1LLB l1BRAR 1106 S2S?»"'" $1.00 GST Included Wednesday November 2, 2005 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since^l937^ Gomery Inquiry PM not off hook yet, says Oda Durham MR Bev Oda The culture of entitlement is alive and well in Ottawa, according to Durham MP Bev Oda. Even with his hand cuffs on, Justice John Gomery found serious serious incidents of law breaking by Liberal Party members, in thé sponsorship scandal, said Oda in a telephone interview interview with the Times on Tuesday afternoon. afternoon. "Clearly, Gom- ery found there was money stolen from the government which was directed to a political political party, which is totally illegal," illegal," stated Oda, a member of the Conserva- . five Party of Canada. Gomery holds former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and his Chief of Staff responsible responsible for the flawed running of the federal sponsorship program from 1994 to 2003. Gomery also assigned blame to a handful handful of other people involved in the $332 million scheme to raise the federal government's visibility, primarily in postsovereignty-referendum postsovereignty-referendum Quebec. "He pointed out that these transactions involved kick- backs and illegal contributions to a federal party in Quebec," said Ôda. "There is clear evidence evidence of political interference in the advertising contracts of the sponsorship program, which was conducted conducted under a veil of secrecy and the absence of transparency," transparency," Oda stated. stated. Prime Minister Paul Martin, who was the Finance Minister during the scandal, was exonerated exonerated in the report. "The Department of Finance and its minister have no oversight oversight role for other departments' departments' expenditures, other than setting the financial con- : text via the fis- "To say he [Martin] was left out of the loop, is a cop out," --Bev Oda Durham Member of Parliament cal frame work," the report report said. As a result, Martin "is entitled, like other ministers ministers in the Quebec caucus, caucus, to be exonerated from any blame for carelessness carelessness or misconduct," according to the report. Because Paul Martin was Finance Minister, he was the Vice Chair of the Treasury Board, and the number two person in Quebec next to the Prime Minister, according to Oda. "He himself has said, as part of that government that he believes the ministers, individually individually and collectively are responsible for all activities of the Government," says Oda. "Now he chooses to say it's not the ministers' responsibility, responsibility, it happened at the public servant and the senior administration administration level." "To say he [Martin] was left out of the loop, is a cop out," says Oda. "You s know when you're left out of the loop, you do something about it. You can't chose to put blinders on," she said. The culture of entitlement is alive and well in Ottawa, according to Oda. "I don't PM in psgt 3 The Orono Peewees were their own cheerleaders Monday night as the team went out trick- or-treating. Pictured left to right, back row - Robert Brossean, Evan Rosseau, Jake Dolly. Front row - Tyler Balson, Colin Earners. ~sssssssssaaasss=-«--g--s-- Durham Region hosts Toilet Truckload Sale WHITBY, ON Monday, October 31, 2005 - Durham Region Works Department will be offering subsidized water efficient toilets for sale to Durham Region water customers. customers. The Toilet Truckload Sale will be held on November 5 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Plumbing and Parts Home Centre 1650 Dundas St. E., Whitby and on November 12 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Home Depot 256-260 Kingston Kingston Rd. E., Ajax. Replacing your existing toilct(s) with a 6 litre low-flush model can provide provide you with substantial savings savings on your water and sewer bill. You must be a Durham Region water customer and you must bring your water bill with you to qualify for the subsidy. "Durham Region water customers will save between $50 and $110 with the subsi dies," explained Glen Pleasance, Water Efficiency Coordinator Durham Region Works Department. "There will be operating display units on site to help you choose the toilet that best fits your home and budget. Toilet selection will vary at .each sale so I would encourage interested customers to visit Durham Region's web site for prices and available models." Replacing toilets is a focus for numerous municipalities because they account for about 45% of all indoor water use. Older toilets use between 13 (installed prior to 1996) and 20 litres per flush (installed prior to 1988). Water efficient toilets require only 6 litres per flush or less. Durham Region first began offering a toilet replacement subsidy program in 1996, since that time the Region has subsidized the replacement of over 10,000 toilets resulting in reduced water use and reduced volume of sewage produced. All the water efficient fixtures fixtures on sale have been tested and proven using one of the toughest set of requirements in North America. All subsidized subsidized toilets sold by Durham Region passed the recently completed "Maximum Performance Performance Testing of Popular Toilet Models." Any back orders will be filled within three business days. For more information on the Toilet Truckload Sale, "Maximum Performance Testing of Popular Popular Toilet Models" or water conservation, please call Durham Region Works Department at 905-668-7711 or visit the Durham Region web site www.rcgion.durham- .on.ca.