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memmuMnmumMdemw-‘umtm manuaummmwnmmmu mmlovhomnwwbwmmY-DMICIQNd-uunm tmtnttdramtrmrarethere On Monday night, city council decided Water- loo should become the first municipality to en- force a compulsory physical fitness program for its firemen. According to the administrative committee presented to council, such a program is needed to "ensure our fire department is staffed with men in a reasonably fit condition." This step could well be used as a guide for other municipalities as well as employers of physical laborers. It is easy for everyone to become out of shape, let alone become physi- cally unfit. - Wanton Gucnidg, Wound-y. Match 10, 1976 by Rich Hohson Now that we've had a week or so to reflect on the Conservative Leadership Convention, we might ask ourselves whether it was really an event of national importance or just good television drama. My own view is that something fundamentally new happened to the Progressive Conservative party at that convention and that newness is both pro- gressive and conservative. Obviously. the party has a renewed vigour and no matter what happens in the next federal election. that fact is good for the parliamentary system and it is very important to Canada. _ Keeping fit "TEARS“ and made a list of the significant re- sults of that convention and the five things that stand out the strongest in my mind are as follows: Firstly. the attempt to move the party dramat, ically to the right on the political spectrum has been moderated. Certainly, there is a shifting emphasis to the right particularly in the economic sphere and people such as Sinclair Stevens, Claude Wagner and Jim Gillies will be making a large con- tribution to caucus on these issues. At the same time, I am mindful of the reconciliation between left and right within the party which may be dem- onstrated by the readiness with which Sinclair Stevens supported Joe Clark on the second ballot as did Jim Gillies and John Fraser. Secondly, we have witnessed the emergence of a vigorous. youthful and exciting personality at the helm. Although Joe Clark comes across well on television he is certainly not the darling of the media and thus is not a character of the media. He is a strong personality with character and pur- pose. His impact and influence will probably grow. He's a very solid guy. I don't want to sound par- tisan in this observation but I cannot help noting that it makes Mr. Trudeau look rather old and tired. Thirdly. unfortunately for the Diefenbaker watchers. I am afraid this convention has shown quite dramatically that the old warrior is no longer a significant influence in the party. Much as I admire Mr. Diefenbaker I think it is healthy for the party as a whole to accept him as a respect- ed historical figure. Ironically. the passing of John Diefenbaker from the halls of power has been accompanied by the eclipse of Dalton Camp. Mr. Camp was not in this convention other than as a delegate. The party proved it could get along quite nicely without him. Whether you like tttman or not, this fact has A View ltr- the Grass Inputs Whether you like the man or not, uus mu "as to be good for party unity. Fourthly, the campaign and the convention have demonstrated to the whole country the strength on the opposition front bench. The names Fraser, Gillies, Graftey, MacDonald, Mulrooney, Nowlan and Stevens provides the nucleus of a powerful cabinet if there should be a Conservative govern- ment after the next federal election. The fifth. and perhaps most important, lie in the policy areas. I will save these for a future article with particular emphasis on how a Con- servative government in Ottawa might affect the citizens of Waterloo. “new in!” him, has. a divide-oi Kitchen-'1“ mum...” any.” M. s., ”Mitt at: "teve-tee to Wm Mtiee Water!» Sap-re. Waterloo. on, te-rev Purim“: James M. Bound Editor. We Lu Haul! _ new: $1000"th 'ua,enruthiituitatesam"'oeeietct-"i" mum W CFrfrl=tli1Cl This month's column is concerned with budget and taxes for public school supporters. It is my fear that people will read only parts of it. However, it is my hope that this article will clearly outline the problems facing the trustees and the system as a whole, and that, in the end, readers will have a clearer view of the process of budget-setting. . Last year, the Waterloo County Board of Education's bud- get was $65,000,000. To run the school system in exactly the same way this year would cost $83 million. So, very early in the game, the Board met with representatives from all areas in its employ to try to instill economy-mindedness and a sense of personal responsibility for the spending of money - yours, theirs, and ours, after all. Simply-put, this year's budget is a very difficult one to at - for manv reasons. First, the traditional amount of - yuul a, uncu a, - v... -, - w. ---v Simply-put, this year's budget is a very difficult one to set - for many reasons. First, the traditional amount of grant increase, from the provincial government has been reduced drastically. It was usually about a 20% increase. This year it will probably be about 5%. Second, the rate of inflation has really hit the system. 'Third, the county is one of vast growth in comparison with the rest of the province - and the nation, for that matter. Fourth, the cabinet - therefore the provincial government - decided that they would only outline grantable ceilings and that additional, - ' J L- __:_-.| K-. 4:-..“ w....,........- ..-_-__ -- _ - average areas of the province. That means our actual grant increase will probably be about 5%. So we've been doubly _ hurt: _ a) by a decrease in the provincial grant (from 20% to 8%) and b) a further decrease because of our relative wealth (8% to 5%). Second, the school system works under nearly the same inflation burdens that you as a holheormer, telephone-bill payer, and gasoline-user do - only on a mightily increased scale. Supplies and texts have sky-rocketed (think of what paper products cost just 2 years ago); equipment has in- creased., Even though we keep the buildings cooler and tum off all unnecessary electricity-users, the costs of gas/oil. electricity, and telephones have increased dramatically in the past year. And even though we own relatively few vehic- les in comparison with boards of our size (we're No. 3 in Ontario), the costs of leasing services and maintaining ve- hicles have also jumped. If you think of your own increased costs, - aside from food and clothing - apply them to the school board, and multiply by thousands, you can see the difficulties faced. Third, this county is growing at a tremendous rate. If you think back 10 years, it's mind-boggling. And 1966 was the year that the province introduced equa1ized-assessment. Again very simply, equalized assessment means that throughout the province -. from Kirkland Lake to Metro Toronto, from Ottawa to Sudbury - assessment was put on a formula to create some form of equal taxation. In 1966, when we were below the provincial average in land values and growth rate. we received more than the average actual grant for the province. But since 1971, we have had greater l growth and a greater-than-average tax base so we have re- CtgtMto alumnae. spi SHOT PUT ceived less than the provincial average. rtememuer um greater growth means greater demand, too. However, des- pite the lower grants, the school board did not raise the mill rate in most areas of the county. . Because of the fourth item, though, the mill rate will have to be raised. The fourth problem, grantable ceilings, is very complex. But essentially what has happened is that the pro- vince has lifted ceilings. The government has said it will pay the grant up to a certain amount. Allowing a 5% increase over last year's cost, it does not raise the ceiling high enough to even cover the continuance of the system as it operates, A -- _ . -A, -- h---“ “I chII - my __.---"--"" .7 __ today. And here's the curve ball: whatever costs go beyond those grantable ceilings must be raised by direct taxation through the municipalities. Some Boards have taken an immediate, band-aid approach: cutting visible, expensive programs and personnel: other, Boards have gone to the public with increased education of -- . ‘- .. 7 W in“--- -asAmno ”lilo navy bv-Iv w -reei_ 1"" - 50%. Your Board is grappling with all expenditures, attempt- ing to find waste and duplication, and looking for economi- cal ways to deliver services. It is difficult, time-consuming, frustrating, and energrsapping but, in the end, we will come up with an improved system for a moderate increase in your tax bill. The one thing which I cannot sacrifice is the quality --- . .. huh“ -- -4 of education - and neither will most omer trustees m au- ministrators. Now that I've given you the bad news, I hope the good news is apparent. The responsibility for the school system is back where it belongs: with your local trustees land, thus, with the regional school board.) Teachers, principals, administrators, and trustees are responsible for the rate of taxation. Therefore, the entire system is being examined with care. -. _ _____NA -.--i. If you have any questions or appreciate your call - 5794312, In January, 1976, a contractor was forced by union picket- ing to cancel a major sub-contract with a non-union firm. Another, supplying complex equipment without a union la- bel, was forced to bear the cost of the equipment being taken apart and reassembled on site by union labour. Both the Woods Report (1968) and the Cliche Commission (1975) recommended ways to diffuse union power by struc- tural change. Abolishing hiring halls, banning union label- - - - _ . . . .._SAS-- -.........|-..... unal Lllallsx“ Inwnm-ub ---- *1: -'"-""F _ ling - to these should be added prohibiting compulsory membership so that workers are free to join br leave a union at their own choice. An altemative is the German model whereby the Triad enters into a social contract on wages, prices, government expenditures and the growth of the money supply. A third alternative is permanent government regulation of prices and wages - a perpetual Anti-Inflation Board. The Canadian Labour Congress opposes the government's restraint program vehemently. Union leaders threaten poli- tical strikes to contest the _ro11back of the Irving paper- workers OTTAWA and Small Business iViTiarditLryst?set! . 'iiaii,iiiri thzas per cent to M per cent. iiiii"lUGir arinost other trustees or ad- the provincial average. Remember that stions or suggestions, I would greatly 579-0912, mornings, if possible. by Lynne Wootstenerott mince Waterloo County Board of Education