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Breakthrough? Saturday, August 23, 1992. Remember that date. While the people of Ontario were enjoying their first real summer weekend of the year, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the first ministers emerged from several days of talks in Ottawa to announce another of those "historic breakthroughs" in We've heard all about "historic breakthroughs" before, so perhaps people of this country can be excused for not immediately doing cartwheels in the summer sun. - Still, August 23 may rate mote than just another foot-note in the Canadian history texts. ~~ After all, our Prime Minister and the ten premiers did (finally!) come to an agreement on key elements which at times seemed to | doom the talks to failure: But remember what happened to the Meech Accord a couple of years ago, or stretch your memory back to 1971 at the Victoria Conference when Premier Robert Bourassa called the deal off. And the deal hammered out Saturday still has a long way to go, as three provinces--Albertg, British Columbia and Quebec--have promised a referendum, the deal must get the OK from all ten provin- cial parliaments, and of course our federal Parliament. Also, there has been more than a hint that the whole package might end up in front of the Canadian public in the form of a national referendum. . 'We're not sure if that will sit very well with Canadians, as many seem 10 be suffering from overkill, our brains numb from so much of the same menu over the last five months. Still others have their thoughts on other things these days: like whether they'll have a job in the morning, or whether they'll find a job in the moming. But that's another story. - ' The deal reached Saturday in Ottawa makes changes to the Senate, | the House of Commons, recognizes Quebec as a "distinct society," gives the provinces more power in certain jurisdictions and recog- nizes the inherent right of natives 0 self-government. Important issues all, and no doubt as the experts pick and pull them apart over the next few months, more information about their significance will come to light. Certainly the shift ® an elected Senate with equal representation all ten provinces leaves many of us wondering why. If Canada 't run its affairs with nearly 300 MPs up there in Ottawa, what's an elected Senate going: to do except add to the cost of government? Canada is the most over-governed country in the world, and now we want to add an EEE senate? Having said that and knowing that everyone will find something to fault in the new deal, we have a feeling that this time around, it's going to stick. ) Why? Because the politicians, recognizing that the folks back home are tired of this on-going juggling act, came up with some com- promises. Several provincial premiers are facing rough rides in their next elections. Nobody wants to be scen as the one who dragged on the debate over some remote point soon forgotten. Likewise the Prime Minister. He has to go into Quebec with Robert Bourassa and "sell this déal." If he carf pull it off, he may just survive another trip to the polls as the man who held the nation together. If he doesn't, he packs it in and. says "I gave it my best shot..." ' "Weary Canadians, battered by the recession, want to see ap end to the on-going debate. They want the men and women they send to Ottawa now put their time, energy and the meagre resources left in the treasury to thé urgent problems of the day: the economy, jobs, the cavironment, 10 name three. Maybe, just maybe, we finally have a deal, after 20 years of trying. By Gord Mills, MPP Durham East Last week the Mini of QUEENS PARK REPORT the-counter products. They are available for public pur- chase at a reasonable price without prescription at drug stores. A new product, Sinemet CR, a slow-release product for Parkinson's disease was to the ODB list. Others, suchas sunscreens and multi- ple vitamins, were removed. People with a prescription for a product not covered by ODB should check with their doctor or pharmacist. There may be less costly or more Environment has released the first Clean Water regulation under the MISA program. This regulation will affect _ the Petroleum refining sector in Ontario. There are seven petroleum refineries in Ontario; four near Sarnia along the St. Clair River, two beside Lake Ontario (Oakville and Mississauga and one beside Lake Eric (Nanticoke). The 1 were developed in consulta- tion with industry represen- tatives. It is expected that this ion will result in through ODB. We wil be Health announced changes to the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan. This plan, known as ODB pays for mediation for seniors and people getting social assistance. The cost of this program has been rising on average 18% per year for the last ten "years. This year alone the pro- gtam will cost $1-billion. and there -ares pressures to pay for more new products all the time. An independent inquiry (the 1990 Pharmaceutical Inquiry of Ontario, or the Lowy. Report) and the 1991 Provincial Auditor's report both called for better mahage- ment of ODB. We asked the Drug Quality and Therapeutics Committee (DQTC), an independent panel of experts (physicians, ect.) to review the list bf ODB benefits. We also copisulted with the Ontario Pharmacist' Association and the Ontario Medical Association on DQTC's recommendations. Most of the items taken off the formulary 'are the over- ging larger-q y prescriptions for products that can be safely prescribed for several months. This will cut down on the dispensing fees 4 30% reduction in chemical discharges to Ontario's waters. This 30% reduction includes the elimination of 300,000 kilograms of con- ventional pollutants such as we pay pharmacists every time they fill a prescription. What we didn't do was to introduce a co-payment, or user fee, to reduce costs. Seniors and social assistance recipients, will see the pro- gram preserved for years to come and resources to pay for the most important and most appropriate products, If we want to preserve medicare, we have to do a better job of managing programs like the Ontario Drug Benefit pro- gram, so that they are not destroyed by uncontrolled rowth in costs. Industrial pollution of tario's lakes and rivers is a ge environmental and alth risk, Decades of pollu- tion have damaged our enjoy- ment @f our waters. Tourism and recreation on our waters has been reduced, a commer- cial fishing industry has become non existent. As a result, the Minister of the oils and greases, and the elimination of 4,400 kilo-\ grams of toxic metals. In closing off this weeks column, I want to thank all the wonderful people who are giving surplus fruits an getables to the Gard 's Food Share Program orga- nized by my constituency staff. 1 hateto single out any- one, but certain folks at Wilmot Creek deserve spe- cial thanks. A weekly deliv- "ery from those folks to the Settlement House and to The Rose of Durham, both in: Oshawa, further reinforces my pride inthe communities I have the pl e 10 repre- sent, Thank to everyone on behalf of all those less fortu- nate than ourselves. Next week I will be at the A.M.O. conference, in Toronto as well as setving on the committee at Queen's Park, tasked with selecting Ontario's new Auditor. 36 WATER STREET, PORT PERRY, ONT. LSL1J2 phone : 985-NEWS fax : 985-1410 }