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Selling Genesis by the pound Q.E.W. & Dorval Dr. A r tsc en e NORTH T H E O AK VILLE A M E R I C A 'S M O S T AWARDED elected mayor by 12 votes. By Nov. 13, Town Clerk Cathie Best acting as returning officer, released an official tally declaring Mulvale the victor by 15 votes. On Dec. 1, the new Town council was sworn in, and on Dec. 4, failed mayoral candidate Rob Burton filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, alleging irregularities in vote counting and seeking a recount or a by-election. Town Council had 30 days -- until Dec. 15 -- to order its own recount which, under the Municipal Elections Act, would have to be the same way the original count was done, elec tronically. A manual recount can only be ordered by the court, based on strong evidence of irregularity. On Dec. 15, Council voted to defend itself against Burton's allegations. Town employees named in Burton's allegations filed affi davits in response to Burton's COMMUP WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2004 56 Pages $1.00 (plusGST) A Metroland Publication Vol. 41 No. 14 "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COM M UNITIES" Council wants to settle Mayor's race with recount By Angela Blackburn O A K V IL L E B E A V E R S T A F F The Town of Oakville wants to settle the Nov. 10 municipal election challenge headed to court on March 8 with an elec tronic recount whose results would be binding -- if all parties agree within the next two weeks. That was put to all parties and the judge in a conference call yesterday morning. On Nov. 10, Mayor Ann Mulvale was unofficially re application, which named the Town, Best, and Mulvale. Mulvale declined to offer a response indicating, through her lawyers, she had nothing to add. Burton recently filed his own reply back in the form of two affidavits. One attached the elec tion tallies from individual polls. " There was nothing unex pected about that. It's basically putting the election material in front of the court," said George Rust-D'Eye, the lawyer from Toronto firm Weir Foulds who was hired to defend the Town. Rust-D'Eye was at council Monday when Ward 1 Councillor Ralph Robinson, along with Ward 1 Councillor Mike Lansdown, Ward 4 Councillors Allan Elgar and Renee Sandelowsky and Ward 6 Councillor Tom Adams, asked for the Town to seek its own court application to extend the deadline it had to order a recount, so the Town could order a recount. (S ee 'R ecou nt' page A5) Rob Burton New Deal on GST saves Town $ 1.6M By Angela Blackburn O A K V IL L E B E A V E R S T A F F Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Beaver M ike Matwvko was one of hundreds of Ford workers and their families who crowded into the C A W Local 707 union hall to hear union officials and politicians discuss the fate of the Oakville plant and its uncertain future. Ford p lan t on shaky ground Union says auto industry needs government investment By Kim Amott S P E C IA L T O T H E B E A V E R Monday's Throne Speech contained a $1.6 million gift to the Town of Oakville. That's how much the Federal government's an nounced G ST exemption for municipal governments will save the Town of Oakville. According to Mayor Ann Mulvale it also shows the Federal government wants a New Deal with municipali ties. " The Federal government has provided sound evidence that it has heard what munic ipalities are asking for," said Mulvale yesterday as the Town analyzed details of Monday's Throne Speech. " We can now feel confi dent that reliable, predictable and long-term funding will be heading our way," said Mulvale. " This is great news." Relief on what munici palities now pay in G ST con firmed the first installment of the " New Deal" is to take shape in 2004. As part of that "New Deal." there is also a com mitment by the Federal gov ernment to work with the provinces to share with municipal governments, a portion of the gas tpx rev enue or determine alternate fiscal means to achieve the same goals. As a down payment, the Federal government is acting in its own jurisdiction by providing municipalities with the G ST relief. The impact of the G ST exemption in Oakville would be $1.6 million annually. " This is a step in the right direction." said Mulvale. " The government has responded quickly and in a spirit of partnership to address our concerns. Now we w ill look to the Provincial government to respond in the same spirit," added Mulvale. Funding of approximately (See 'M ayor' page A2) For the lack of a carrot and a stick, the Canadian auto industry is dying a slow death. That's what an economist working for the Canadian Auto Workers (C A W ) told a packed union hall in Oakville on Sunday. Jim Stanford said Canada urgently needs a new national auto policy that both motivates invest ment and forces companies to build some vehicles here if they want to sell them here. In 1999, Canada was the fourth largest producer of automobiles in the world. As of this year, the country has dropped to eighth in international production. Canada has lost about 15 per cent of total production over the last four years and seen our share of the North American market decline, he added. American states are using tax payer money to provide incentives to manufacturers, while Mexico can offer a steady stream of cheap labour for assembly plants. Stanford predicts things will get worse, not better, without deci sive government action. " Canada's getting squeezed out of the North American market," he told about 600 Ford employees and their family members at the C A W Local 707's Oakville hall. " That won't turn around unless we have a government that's pre pared to do what's needed," Stanford said. " (Car manufactur ers) w ill come to come to Canada if it makes sense - if there's both the carrot and the stick." In 1999, the World Trade Organization ruled that the Canada - U.S. Auto Pact - a feder al policy forcing car manufactur ers to build a car in Canada for every one sold here - was unfair. The agreement, which Stanford credits with helping to build the Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Beaver O akville Liberal M P P Kevin Flynn, M ayor Ann M ulvale and O akville Liberal M P Bonnie Brown listen to the union's concerns. lucrative industry in Canada, was dismantled. He believes a new policy is needed to help bring significant investment, like the $800 million Ford is considering spending to equip its Oakville facility for flex ible manufacturing. The technology, which hasn't yet been introduced into a Canadian plant, would allow the Oakville operation to produce up to eight different vehicles and quickly shift production if demand for a model drops. " This would be a jewel in Ford's crown," said Stanford. The company has agreed to make the investment in the Oakville plant if it receives assis tance from the federal govern ment. Stanford argued that the gov ernment could quickly recoup an investment in the plant through increased tax revenues and added that many other industries receive government subsidies through tax credits and technology grants. " Nobody's asking the govern ment to write a blank cheque to Ford," he said. " What we're say ing is that when a major invest(S ee 'M on ey' page A2) Clear snow from hydrants For safety's sake, the Oakville Fire Department is encouraging homeowners to keep fire hydrants on their properties clear of snow. Public Education/Special Projects Officer Rick Barrett explained that it would be a huge help if residents kept an open circle of at least two feet around hydrants. " In case of an emergency this w ill allow crews to hook up with no delay," said Barrett. Although technically it is Halton Region's responsibil ity to keep fire hydrants clear (regional work crews do undertake an ongoing main tenance program) Barrett explained that it is in home owners' best interest to pitch in and do their part. He also suggested keep ing an eye on frail and elder ly homeowners' properties and keep their hydrants clear as well. Seniors who need their hydrants cleared can also call Halton Region at 905-825-6000. INSIDE Editorials.......... Focus .............. For My Valentine... Artscene............ Classifieds......... Update............. Sports.............. Business............ A6 B1 R4 fl C4 C6 m D4 hulkl D d h rn :T h eH a y , IK E A ./ V q p faJ tu v U e rs.G o o d H e . S ta p le sB u sin e ssD e p o t. S p o rtM a rl.R o n a ,llgAM's . H o m ed e p o t. SumC h a le t. 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