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PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, May 1, 1990 -- 7 ARENA PROPOSAL ~ No wonder members of Scugog council were slightly taken a-back the night of April 23 when a large delegation of people, most of them residents of Ward 4) jammed into the chambers to hear a propo- sal for a new arena in Blackstock. It's not too often that delegations appear in front of the council and NOT ask for money. But this group said a new arena with full regula- tion size ice surface can be built in. Blackstock without tapping the tax dollars. Now, there are some who might be inclined to say that those who think a new arena can be built without tax dollars are dreaming in technicolour. _ But those skeptics don't know Ward 4, or Cart- wright as it used to be called until Regional govern- ment was foisted on us 15 years ago by the province. I'll tell you one thing, the people who live in Ward 4-Cartwright, have a penchant for getting something done when they set their minds to it. | vividly recall a night many years ago when | at- tended a public meeting in the Rec Centre in Black- stock when there was talk about shutting down Cart- ~ wright High School. Well, the people of Cartwright that night told the Board of Ed officials what they thought of the idea, and guess what, CHS, the smallest high school in Ontario is still going strong and still turning out a large number of grads who go on to college or university. OK, building a new arena is a horse of a different colour (and that colour is mostly green) but if | was a betting man, | wouldn't put down a rusty old penny against the new arena proposal. And that's all it is right now, a proposal. If it ever Viewpoint But there's a lot of tradition in Cartwright, a lot of community spirit, and there's been an arena in Black- stock for well over half a century, The message that came through loud and clear the night of April 23 when the delegation appeared before council, was that there will go an arena in Blackstock for the next half-century. Especially if the group can deliver on its sugges- tion that building a new one won't gobble any tax dol- lars. That's a very tall order, to be sure, but like | said, the people of Cartwright have proven time after time frat once they set out to get something done, it gets one. TAKIN' THE HEAT Durham MP Ross Stevenson has been taking some flak on the pages of this newspaper recently, mainly in the letters to the editor column. And mainly ove! two things: the GST, and the Meech Lake Ac- cord. These two issues have most certainly got under the skin of Canadians from coast to coast, and they are expressing their feelings in letters to the editor. | don't like the GST and | don't like Meech Lake. However, | must admit that gradually | am coming to a grudging understanding of why the government will hit us with the GST in '91. : That's not to say | like it, but | think | understand it better than | did six months ago. A lot of manufac- tured goods in this country have been subject to a form of federal sales tax since 1922. Only problem is that it's a "hidden tax," applied at the manufacturing level, rather than at point of purchase. With the GST coming at point of purchase (just like the provincial sales tax) consumers are going to see directly that extra seven per cent. : What they have not been seeing all these years is the 13.5 per cent FST built into the final purchase price of numerous items. That 13.5 per cent FST will be dis-continued when the GST kicks in next January. So, if (and it's a huge if) the manufacturers pass on that saving in the end price of the product, consumers in theory should be getting goods Sheaner, even after they have paid the seven per cent GST. | don't blame consumes for being a tad cynical in thinking that any savings will go right into the pockets of company owners or shareholders, but | think that the consumer of the 90's is one heck of a lot smarter and better informed than 20 years ago. I'll tell you one thing. This consumer (yours truly) is going to do a lot of "comparison shopping" when that GST kicks in next year, especially on big ticket items like a car, furniture, appliances, etc. And I'm go- ing to buy the brand where | think the savings have been passed on. As for the GST applying to services (funerals, hair cuts, piano lessons and just about everything else except medical and dental care) the argument is that you can't tax one sector (goods) and not another (services) | have a bit of trouble with that notion. The GST bugs me, but what bugs me more is that the Conservatives seem to have done a damn poor job in explaining the thing to average Canadi- ans. I mean, the GST Bill was passed two weeks ago and who shows up in Scugog Township a few days later, Mike Wilson, the finance minister to meet local ious reps and have an informal discussion with area armers. Mike should have been doing this a year ago, and perhaps the anger would not be so intense. gets off the ground, it's several years at least down the pipe. ~~ "Remember When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 3, 1945 Lion Sam Griffen of the Port Perry Lions Club was elected Deputy District Governor of District A3, Zone 10 for 1945-46 at the zone meeting held in Port Hope on Friday, April 27th. Mr. J.J. Gibson bought the home belonging to the late Mr. and Mrs. W. Crosier and moved there recently with his family: We are happy to hear that Mr. V.P. Stouffer is gradually im- proving from his recent attack of pneumonia. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 5, 1955 A very pleasing Piano Recital was held at the Port Perry Public School by the pupils of Mrs. McClintock, A.T.C.M., R.M.T., assisted by Miss Jean Samells and her pupil Ronnie Kennedy. Some 19 years ago a group of community spirited men got together and organized a Lions Club in Port Perry. On Monday night this Club held its annual charter night to commemorate that occasion. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 5, 1960 On Friday, Mrs. Wm. Heayn and Mrs. H. Jeffrey accom- panied Mrs. A. Brown to Guelph where they visited Rev. and Mrs. C. Clark. : Four weeks ago the water rose enough to flood the causeway but we didn't know then that the water would rise and rise until it reached a depth of more than two feet and remain for some weeks. All sorts of complications and expense have resulted. 25 YEARS AGO . Thursday, May 6, 1965 At a ceremong.in the Scout Hall recently, Mrs. A. Garvey presented her 11 ar old daughter Debbie with her 23rd Brownie Badge. Quite an gecomplishment. Mr. Everett Biggs, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, announc- ed that W. Douglag K eys, associate agricultural representative al in.Ontario County 2, has been appointed as agricultural representative f undas county. Ted Whitter Perry won $500 in the Bowmanville Lions Annual NHL Hock@y Playoff Draw. Jean Belliveau's goal that came 14 seconds after the final game started proved to be the winning goal that netted Mr. Whitter the prize. Prince Albert News - Mr. Bruce Martyn is home from Waterloo University and has secured work in Oshawa until the fall term of schooling. (Turn to page 10) Letters io the editor Money could help Canadians To the Editor: Recently, our M.P. Ross Stevenson, blithley defended the decision by our Government to forgive 180 million dollars in loans to some Caribbean Islands. After all he goes on to say, the real value in todays market is only 18 million. Although I support the idea of Burning still To the Editor: How do you reach people with the message. Within three days of "Earth Day," three of my neighbours, within ten houses of me, were burning their leaves etc. I can understand people with small properties having difficul- ty finding an inconspicous place to compost but I am on Fralick's Beach where the properties are a fair size. I mention Fralicks but I am sure this burning is still taking place in most neighbourhoods. It is going to take a lot of media ex- posure, social pressure and time toreach everyone and we are be- ing warned that we don't have the time. In any case we will not con- vince everyone to compost everything that can be composted and to cut their garbage to the minimum. That being the case, perhaps now is the time for Council to 1. Adopt an enforceable anti burning by-law to cover all of Scugog. 2. Sell biodegradable garbage bags which must be used to dispose of garbage. (In that way those who recycle the least will pay the most). 3. Pass an anti dumping by-law with the penalty so high helping those less fortunate than ourselves, the blatant disregard of the tax dollar funded by the voters in this country makes one wonder. Daily we read of people beset by problems not of their own mak- ing. Of course, I refer to the farmers who have lost their homestead through foreclosure, takes place that no one will risk dumping their garbage. P.S. What is the Status of the smoking by-law? Cameron Crawford, R.R. 5, Port Perry, Ont. the fishermen who have lost their means of sustenance, the plant workers who no longer have a job because of government policy, the shelters for women which are closing due to a lack of funds ( a mere 1.2 million) and those who rely on food banks to help meet their basic needs. Need I go on? Perhaps part, of this 180, par- don me, 18 million could have helped some of those in need in our country. But alas, our representative only bemoans the fact that our poor Prime Minister is being treated unfairly. Jack Moore, Prince Albert. P.S. In reference to your article printed April 17/90. && 26, ENGUAWY ) OPEN YoURr BOOKS, WIDE, PLEASE, " - . a ---------- ---------- po TR a SSA iar n= a GO I PN CERIN AG ny sip a -- S---- i A-- ---------------- | | |