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A aa A AE CE eS TREY nT ---------- "A Family Tradition for 132 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, May 5, 1998 - 15 MPP's 'Irish Day' bill up for vote May 14 By Jeff Mitchell Port Perry Star Durham East MPP John O'Toole is hoping the Luck of the Irish is with him as he prepares to pitch a private mem- ber's bill to his Queen's Park colleagues. Mr. O'Toole announced in March that he's putting forth his bill, "An Act to Proclaim March 17th Irish Heritage Day", in hopes of gaining recogni- tion for one of Ontario's founding peoples. He tabled the bill in the legislature last Tuesday (April 28), and 1s waiting now for May 14, when it will be pre- sented to MPPs for debate. If it passes that vote, it will go to a leg- 1slative committee for hearings, then sent back to the legislature for pas- sage and Royal Assent. If passed into law the act would establish March 17 -- St. Patrick's Day, when everybody wishes they were Irish -- as a provincially recog- nized day during which the historic legacy of Ontario's Irish communi- ty would be commemo- rated and celebrated. It wouldn't be a statu- tory holi- day, but it would be a i gesture to recognize a group who've helped form the Ontario of O'Toole today, said Mr. O'Toole. "The Irish brought to this country and province their values of hard work, service to the community and devotion to family," he said. "For over 300 years the Irish communi- ty has made a valuable contribution to Canada's founding and develop- ment as a nation." The MPP is hoping now that his colleagues in Toronto agree with his call for a day to celebrate things Irish. "I ask for and look for- ward to all-party sup- port... during second reading debate in the house," said Mr. O'Toole. "If the luck of the Irish has anything to do with it, the next time March 17 comes along Ontario citizens of all back- grounds will be able to celebrate the first Irish Heritage Day in this province." Monte Carlo HAIR FASHION and Tanning 1 Water Street, Port Perry (905) 985-3684 Mother's Day Comes Early Sat., May 9, 1998 FREE CARNATIONS FOR THE MOMS Gift Certificates Available for Products and Service Hair & Tanning BioSilk + Back to Basics * Crew for Men + Australian Gold WL an cu REVISION IN ) HOURS OF OPERATION el AT THE REGION'S WASTE FACILITY ALSSIELE | IN PORT PERRY The hours of operation at the Region's Waste Management Facility in Port Perry will be revised on Thursdays only from May 7, 1998 until October 7, 1998. This facility will now be open on Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., an extension of two hours. V.A. SILGAILIS, P.ENG. COMMISSIONER OF WORKS -- ' Hospital merger moved up a month By Chris Hall Port Perry Star Port Perry and Uxbridge hospitals will merge with other Durham institutions to form the East Durham Hospital Corporation one month earlier than expected. Guy Kirvan, CEO of the North Durham Health Services, said last week that the combining of NDHS with Oshawa General Hospital and Memorial Hospital in Bowmanville will be com- pleted by July 1, 30 days earlier than the projected date of July 31 suggested by the Health Services Restructuring Committee last year. Ajax-Pickering General is still scheduled to merge with Scarborough Centenary, and Whitby General Hospital will close its doors at the end of next March. The changes, announced by the HSRC last November, are expect- ed to save $79 million annually. "We decided to go ahead with (the merger) early a couple of months ago," said Mr. Kirvan. "The quicker we get on with it, the better, and eas- ier, it will be for everyone." Mr. Kirvan took over as CEO here when Port Perry and Uxbridge hospitals merged April 1, 1997. The larger marriage being imposed by HSRC leaves his posting in question, and raises questions about operations at individual hospitals in the future. "It's going to be a mam- moth change; it's going to be a further change in direction than we were looking at," he said. "It (the announcement) creat- ed a lot of anxiety... and a lack of knowing what's ahead of us." One of the positive aspects of the merger is the access to services that patients will now be offered, said Mr. Kirvan. "Dialysis, MRIs.... these are all special services that people here will have access to." But he has lingering concerns about the role NYC) 18100) Day Care Centres Inc. 399 Queen Street, Port Perry 985-0800) Open 6:30am to 6:00pm Call Karen for more info 985-0800 Poulan PRO Limited Openings in all age groups. gtonemoor Available - Short or Long lem 9, EN v Gar, Genet? er Lawn Tractors Models range from 11.510 22 hp OHV |.C. Engines * Heavy duty Dana Transaxle/Hydro Gear Hydrostatic Drive Systems allow snow blade, snow blower plus grass cutter accessory adaptability » 38" to 50" vented decks * Mulching adaptable Ask us about Poulan-Pro's FULL LINE-UP « TRIMMERS ¢ CHAINSAWS e TILLERS ", NORIWS FIX-IT 1223 King St., Manchester 985-9909 smaller hospitals will play as mergers with larger centres are created. "We need to make sure that the concerns of the rural people are heard; the rural hospitals have to be noticed," he-said, noting that those questions are being addressed as officials work toward their summer deadline. "There is a lot of work to be done -- a tremendous workload -- but at the end, if everyone works hard and things happen in a positive way, then there will be a good out- come." A 15 Industrial Park 8:00am 8:00am 3 Depot Locations to serve Victoria County residents (please note hours) . Fenelon Falls Works Yard 8:00am to 4:00pm Veralum Township Works Yard 5 Balaclava Street, Bobcaygeon ET RID OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE The County of Victoria With the co-operation of the Fenelen Falls Fire Fighters, the Bobcaygeon/Verulam Fire Fighters and the Lindsay Kiwanis Club presents the, HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1998 Drive, Fenelon Falls to 4:00pm County Lindsay Roads Depot 2094 Little Britain Road, 3km south of Lindsay to 4:00pm What To Do Identify all toxics. DO NOT mix materials Tell others about the program. Important NO PCB's, commercial, industrial, infectious, radioactive or unknown wastes will be accepted. 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