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School boards seek Sgovernment rebates Want Liberal MPs to take up their cause By flM WHITNELL Special f0 The Champion Halton's two scisool boards say the fed- eral govemment owes tisem more tdma $1.6 million combined, and they want local Liberal MPs to take up their cause. Tise figure, say officiais for'both boards, represents thse amount tiçy believe tisey are entitled so under a dlaim for Goods and Services Tax reimibursement on student transportation costs. Halton's public scisool board says it's seeking $1.3 million in retroactive GST rebates wbile tise region's Catlsolic board dlaimns it's owed $337,000. Claim from both boards were submitted about three years ago , said Halton Catholic District Board Business Superintendent Joe Bireit. Tise Ontario Public Scisool Boards' Association reports tisat 62 of 72 school bsoards in tise province are spending more on transportatson tisan tisey're receiving in mmsistly grants. "Our 2000-01 deficit waa $700,000," sai Karen Lacroix, manager of trans- portation for the Halton public board. "Witis tise elimination of noon-hour bus- ing, 1 don't tisink it will be as high as last year." Halton Board Business Superintendent CarIa Kisko estimated this year's deficit at $400,000. ise history of the boards/govemmnent dispute is tisat in 1996, 29 Quebec scisool boards challenged tise federal govemment on GST for tiseir transportation activities, claiming it's a commiercial activity. They believe tisey're entitled to a 100 per cent input tax credit rebate, nos tise 68 per cent boards have been receiving. Since then, tomne boards across Canada, includ- ing HalIons', also submnitted dlaims wisicis totaled $40 million in Ontario alone by tise end of November 2001. The rebate amount is estimated as $70.5 million for participating scisools boards in most provinces acrots the country. Consultaxe Planification, tise Montreal tax advisory tirin iandling tise GST rebate dlaimn for 111 boards, bas former federal minister Marc Lalonde on tise case. Consultaxe's fée is 29 per cent of tise dlaim, said Halton board officiais. Ins October 2001, the Federal Court of Appeal overtumned an earlier decision of tise Tas Court of Canada in favour of tise Quebec scisool boards. However, the problemn now, said tise pub- lic board, is federal Finance Minister Paul Martin la proposing a retroactive amnend- ment to tise Excise Tas Act to January 1991, tise date tise GST went into effect. If tisas isappens, no scisool. boards beyond tise 29 in Quebcc would be reianbursed for tise percentage difference. Tise public board will send lestera su ares Liberal MPs - Paddy Torsney (Burlington), Bonnie Brown (Oakville) and Julian Reed (Halton) - asking tisem nos to support their gnvemment'a retroactive amendment su tise Excise Tas Act. ""I'm doing okay, but 1 wisC diabetes. The people at C easier. " HELP SOME YOU KNOW. CALL 1-800-BANTING Thse Canadian Champion, Tu.sday Feaeuary 26, 2002 -I 1 didn't have DA make it à Jody, aged 10 CANADIAN jASSOCIATION SDIABETES CNDEN ASCAINIDU DIABÈTE diwab.ts.ca Hzüoo, CeeoNA44 Ntmw* S<4d 123 Main Street East, Milton, Ontario 19T 1IN4 905-878-7007 www.community-ouide.com/mcns/mcnsframe.hfh Moank Yom! Milton Conmnunîty Nursery Scisool's annual Family Fun Day was held on Saturday, February 9,2002. We had a terrific tie! We would like to thank tise following merchants and communisy leaders for their genemous donations in support of our raf- fies. You helped to make our day a great success! Bolie Eyewear Halton HillsJewellery Body & Sole The 5th Wieel Thse Cutting Edge JoLeen's Total Skin & Body Brancierjeweller La Tescana Tht Donaldson Group Clarke Golf Services Elaey's Optical Roger's Vdeo The Gospel Ligistiouse Luxottica Eyewear Bergsmas Paint & Wallpaper Zeller's As We Grow Delacourts Zak's Pisarmnacy Vida Spa Natuoe's Fire Kelsey's A Country Mile Unique Hair Design Towne Dental Group Milton Greenhouses Shoppers Dig Mari Han-op Houe Gallery Cleols Milton MaIl Comic Express Spokes n Slopes AVE Entertainiment Charfie Fitzwhiskey's Swîss chalet Chudleigh's Bell'occhio H&M Optical llm Horions A Buck or 'Pwo Scents & Sensations Cosspalalions to ai our winuers A special thank you goes out to tise many familles within tise nursery scisool who donated additional raffle itemns. Our lunchroomn was a big bit with ail who atindel ibis event and «e wish 50 tbank our generous sponsors for their donations: Gino's Pizza i'aioe the Deal Pizza A&P Weston's Bakesy Super Choioe Country Markets Domino's Pizza Subway Mavis & Brittania Lotilas TMaple Lodre Faria Suhway Milton Quality Greens McDonald's M&M Meats Sobey's Shoppers Drug Mari Tbankyou also to our fursy friends who camne out to our character lunch to entertain the children and thse many volunteers who workedi so hard 10 make our day a greal one! I HWY. 25 S. A _