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■( 4 ■■ Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, November 21,2002 )r by Peter Jaworski The National Citizen's Coalition hosted a dinner last week honouring Stephen Harper, leader of the Canadian Alliance. The dinner was topped off with the Colin M. Brown Freedom Medal being awarded to Mr. Harper, for his "outstanding contribution to the advancement or defence of political and economic freedom." freedom." During his tenure in public life, Harper led the NCC as President, served as a Reform MP, then as a Canadian Alliance MP, and beat out several several contenders for the job of leading the Canadian Alliance. In each of these roles, Harper managed to consistently consistently place an emphasis on the role of liberty. Whether it be policy on taxation, national defense, or regulations on business business and farmers, Harper's stance has always involved liberty liberty as a building block. That is, with a single, glaring glaring exception--health care. During his speech, Harper- had "Mentioned several issues' that the reigning parties all held a uniform view on. This was part of the reason for the founding of the Reform Party in the West--the PC Party?- Liberals^,and NDP all hdcf io* certain 'poliéiês which were appallingly similar. So I asked him about health care. As it turns out, Canada's health care system js the , biggest sacred cow iif tfie pol|t4 ical pasture. With the sole exception of Ralph Klein's Tories in Alberta, not a single major political party has suggested'dfevêh suggested' dfevêh hinted at significant significant market based reforms. The story is always about Where and how more tax dollars dollars : should be spent. And for good reason. Poll after poll shows Canadians are big supporters of socialized medicine. In fact, it is some- thing like the third rail of politics. politics. To Mr. Harper I said, "in your speech you said that the Just Listed $199,900 oo Reform Party did, uhm, good when they offered alternatives when, ah, the other parties all said pretty much the same thing." (Forgive my ineloquence. ineloquence. At times, certain situations situations bring out the nerves.) "But then, here you are on health care saying, for the most part, the same thing everyone else is saying--more money, more socialism. Have you considered considered the Medical Savings Accounts, for instance, or some other serious market- based reforms?" He talked to me about jurisdiction--"health jurisdiction--"health care is a provincial jurisdiction," he said, "provincial policies, therefore, are going to dictate the direction in which health care is going to go." "Also, it is not entirely true that no one is saying anything about the MSA [Medical Savings Account], David Gratzer [author of the Donner Prize Winning "Code Blue"], for instance, has much to say about it" He also mentioned the trouble trouble Ralph Klein was attracting in Alberta, and commented that it made little sense for him to 'stick out his neck' on this one. Especially when his actions would merely be synv. bolic--as he pointed out, health care is a provincial jurisdiction. jurisdiction. ' ' - 'S': ", Of course, he is not quite right about that. The Federal government reserves the right to interpret the Canada Health Act, and the Provinces are expected to put it into practice. There is a wedge here. A place where -a federal politician could conceivably enter, and voice an opinion for choice in medicine, for a lesser role for the government in health care. With the advent of Roy Romanow's Report on the Future of Health Câre due out at the end of the month, now is the best time to voice an opinion opinion different from the herd. Er, crowd. That's how I see it. Sutton Group Dynamic Direct Line: 905-404-3862 Office: 905-697-1700 E-mail: rinskeeasa@rogers.com Thinking of Selling or Buying Real Estate? 3 BDR - 3 washroom beauty in Newcastle, MBR-ensuite and w/i closet, family room with w/o to balcony. Open House: Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 pm - 4pm, * 23 Bridges Drive, Newcastle Phone: 905-697-1700 Rinske Easa, Sales Representative Sutton Group Dynamic not intended to solicit properties currently listed Firefighters from Clarington joined over 100,000 firefighters from around the world in a memorial service on October 12th at Madison Square Garden to honour the 343 New York firement lost on 9/11. The Clarington delegation, pictured in New York are: Gord Weir, Division Manager, and Rob Payne, Captain, led the Clarington group that included firefighters firefighters Grant Bradley, Randy Cowan, Paul Rowan, Mark Ulrich, Rick Vanderkooi and Darryl White. Clarington Firefighters Honour NY's Bravest By Jeanne Burnside The weekend included visits visits to NY Firehouses and Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. The group was extremely pleased with the warm reception they received throughout the weekend from their "brother" firemen and from all the New Yorkers they encountered. At Monday evening's Council Meeting, a represen tative group presented Mayor Mutton with a commemorative commemorative photograph and thanked him and the Councillors for their continued support. \'m II Friday, November 29 starting at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street * Santa will be here! ♦ Hay Rides ♦Hot Dogs * Christmas Carols ♦Live Music provided by Clarington Winds and I Concur SIT & ENJOY hot mulled cider, tea or coffee with Holiday cookies at the Orono Town Hall. VISIT the new kitchen. WIN $100.00 in D.B.I.A. Bucks | ... Guess the name of the I Christmas Carol at } participating merchants. sponsored by the Orono BJ.A. and The Orono Town Hall Board