Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 27 Mar 1991, p. 4

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WhSpernovRegstrtion Parent & Tot- Kindergym- Recreation- Teens - --- Persona] Achievement Badges Awarded For Fun & Fitness Please CaIi AnXtimf June Moinar - 430-1313. 600 Eulid St., Unit #12A »Wtbye Ontaio L1iYT5C2. PICKERING Home & Design Centre; 1755 Pickering Pkwy; Pickering, Ontario; 428-6316. *âà 'iý By Mike,,Kowalk After one period *of PlaYe the score* is Rene Sôetens 1,Senate 0., Last week, House of Cormnons Speaker John Fraser upheld the Ontario riding MP's challenge of a Senate bid to obtain a daily $153 tax-free living allowance for senators. Fraser ruled that for such a bonus to be, legal, it required a change in legislation, rather than the' Senate's *.attempt at including it' the non-elected body's spending estinates.ý Fraser's ruling means that -if Canada's senators are to receive the allowance, it muet be appro- ved by the House of Commons. But- if the S9enate seek aa simÎilar raise it will neyer pass the lower House, promises, Soe- tenu. The controversial allowance was passed by the Senate - last June but the senators were not entitled to the money until MPs approved the Senate's. supple- mentary spending estimates. The estimates were tabled in the House of Commons earlier this month. «When the budget was tabled two weeks ago I looked at it and said there muet be somethirig I can do about it,» said Soetens, an avowed- foe of the* Senate in its current form. (Soetens has been filing peti- tions calling for the Senate's abolition on a regular basis since last fali.) "They had passed a resolution which said they were to be paid just for showing up for work,» said Soetens. After 'doing sorne research, Soetens discovered that under current guidelines,, the Senate's «bonus clause" was not permit- ted& It req;:uired a change in the Pa mnt of Canada Act, as Soetens pointed' eut te the Speaker. In bis ruling, Fraser said Soe- tenu made his case «carefully and "In hbis. intervention, he set out ail the relevant sections of the Parliament of Canada Act te demonstrateè that there is no provision in that statute upon which the Senate's present request for an allowance. could be based,"» said Fraser. It's over there's nothing they can do about it,» said Soetens. «They caxi corne back with it-as an amendment te the act, but we'd alget tevote on'it;.» ., Soetens said the Senate's "per diem» allowanoe amounted to a 25 per cent riaise and, MPs would not support such an incerease., Senators alreaI d make $74,100,in p'ay anl tax-fre allowances, said Soetens.' «It's actions likethis one that Make people ske'pticai of poli- tics»" said Soetens. "I hope this (denial) is some- thing my <.constituenlts will ýbe happy about.» Stoe Durham Region store owners aippear to have complied with'the law an kept their doorsj>closed last Sunday. Insp. Jim Powell of Durham Regional Police said a -southOsh-, awa grocery< store. was, warned for bein open but no- charges were laid. No othePr wrningsa were issued in the Region, said poweéll., Solicitor General Mike Farnan ordered police tô enforce the Retail Business Holidays Act fol- lowing a decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal last week. The appellate court overturned last year's Ontario- Suprerne Court ruling that the act, was unconstitutional. NuLImerous stores. across, the province had been opening Sui dqys as a ýresuit of 'theSupr ,eme -Court ruling-. The current act requires most retail stoDreste close on- Sundays, and statutory holidays. There are -exceptions -for-cer- tain types 'of stores, essential services, -tôurist areas, and religi- ous rea4ons. OntarIo's New Dernocratic Party governrnent has pronied changes to the act, but unitil -then. existrng legislation will be'enfer- ced. A new spii of givig A nanati l "Poan Wencouue givins aIvolunoeng M-M -m- m M-M --m . Spee support I Soetens' S,,,enate challenge ff

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