tom A28 - Wednesday, December 16, 1981 - North Shore News TORONTO (UPC) — Finance Minister Allan MacEachen rejected provin- cial demands Monday for a revised budget and insisted his anti-inflation policies were softer than those in ef- fect in the United States or Great Britain. Ontario Treasurer Frank Miller led the 10 provincial finance ministers in a vigorous assault on MacEachen’s budget on the opening day of a two-day conference to discuss changes to federal provincial fiscal arrangements. Miller, with the agreement of at least eight of the other provincial ministers, tabled a five-point program deman- ding: - the withdrawal of udget provisions “most one:ous” to investment and risk- aking; , - a reduction in interest rates; - a specific plan to reinvest the federal govern- ment’s new energy revenues; - remedial action to ease the economic plight of farmers and small businessmen; -- withdrawal of the pro- posed changes to federal- provincial revenue sharing agreements, which the pro- vinces estimate will Cost them $6 billion over the next five years. “Tax revenues were in- creased (in the budget) at the expense of investment just as economic conditions deteriorated sharply,” Miller said. “The overall impact of these tax changes will have a very serious adverse effect on investment in Ontario and across the whole coun- try.” But MacEachen, who has indicated adjustments to his budget can be expected by year's end, rejected any basic changes. “The provinces will seek to get the largest possible settlement and 1 expected that,” MacEachen said after the meeting. “But | am operating within a policy of restraint — to get the federal deficit down “In my view, | have an anti-inflation policy much less rigid than the United Kingdom or the United States,” he added. Miller said his proposals had the support of “at lcast nine, probably 10 of the pro- vinces.” Quebec's Jacques Parizeau, although highly criucal of the federal pro- posals, refused to join any provincial alliances “Alliances at the present tume make = me = shiver,” Parizeau said. referring to the collapse of the common front of eight provinces op posed to the federal stitution Parlies MackKachen cnuicized Miller's proposals as inconsistent and said they con were only “a guise for a policy.” “We cant reduce the deficit and increase spending at the same time.” he said Miller said the tight budget came ata time when the gross national product had dropped significantly to an annual growth rate of 3 & percent, uncmployment was 82 percent and real con sumer spending had dropped by 3.4 percent in the third quarter — its greatest drop since 1974. But the federal. minister refused to be mov- ed. “They would have us abandon our policy of fiscal “| and monetary restraint in response to current weakness in the economy,” MacEachen said. “I reject this advice. We must look at where the economy is going ... Over next year and the years after that.” oO The ministers: also were deadlocked 6n MacEachen’s proposals to cut transfer. payments to the provinces which help finance medical and post-secondary educa- tion programs. They remained unsatisfied also with a plan to restruc- ture federal: equalization payments so that Ontario would be used as the stan- dard in determining have and have-not provinces. The firayinces estimate the transfer payment -cuts could cost them $6 billion over the next five years and in a joint statement called the federal proposals “a serious breach of faith.” They demanded an “ex- tension of the present ar- rangements until negotia- tions are successfully con- cluded in a positive and cooperative spirit without threats.” MacEachen replied the changes must be made by March 31, 1982. , ELVIS-‘loses out to poster poster sales seem to bé on the increase in various locations around the Va damsel for the attention of this passer-by in Marine Drive in West Van. (Ian Smith photo) Pier B.C. protest staged VANCOUVER (UPC) — Some 200. businessmen, unionists and hotel workers staged a half-hour rally on the Vancouver waterfront Monday, protesting the provincial government’s Shelving of the proposed trade and convention centre. “It's a shame when you look at the jobs = and revenues that would be created,” said Fred Oakley, manager of the Greater Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau, which organized the rally. Premier Bill Bennett and deputy premier Grace McCarthy announced last - week in Victoria that the trade and convention centre with a cruise ship facility at Pier B.C. -had been “in- definitely postponed.” Bennett said the $125 million project would not be built until the federal government pledged to pay the full cost of the cruise ship terminal, designed by the National Harbors Board as an integral part of the project. The federal transport ministry has promised $17 Advertisement million for the cruise ship facility, but the provincial povernment wants an ad- ditional $8 million. “If the project stops now the city will be losing hundreds of millions of dollars in business. . . to let that go because of a shortfall of $7 million or $8 million is very hard to swallow,” said Fred Oakley, visitors’ bureau manager. The Greater Vancouver Convention and _ Visitors Bureau published a_half- page advertisement in the city’s morning daily Mon- show. Sidewalk ncouver area, including this spot on day, calling on the federal government to save the proposed trade and con- vention centre. At least !7 groups have drawn together to show support for the project's revival, including the B.C. Federation of Labor, the Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary Employees Union and the Vancouver Board of Trade. Three days after Bennett's ansiquncement, authorities in Seattle released plans to construct a $90 million convention centre. SCENES FROM THE WALDORF CRAFT MARKET, showing the variety and quality of the crafts on display Some 25 artisans, many of whom will be displaying on the North Shore for the first ttme, have come from all over the [ower Mainland and the islands e market is a monthly event on the North Shore held at the Waldorf School. |_ynn Valley Road. The next market ts Sunday, December 20,11 OO AM to 4-00 P M and ade: Waldorf Craft Market before Christmas and an tdeal opportuntty to select distinctive high quality nana made Ques be was 2725 St Christopher's Road, just off + will be the final