Cut spending, cut the deficit, Ottawa told NORTH SHORE businesses are echoing a familiar mantra in anticipation of Pau) Martin's upcoming federal budget: no more taxes, personal or corpo- rate. By lan Noble News Reporter An informal sample of North Shore businesses also revealed a deep-rooted desire to see the deficit reigned in when the budget comes down, likely near the end of this _ Month. Businesses want to sec spending reductions, and according to North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce manager Judi Ainsworth, businesses will willingly swallow reduced business subsidies. On the other hand, businesses want fewer barriers to doing busi- “ness, she said. Removing barriers would lead to increased e1nployment and more tax revenues, Ainsworth added. The local chamber also supports the Canadian chamber’s call for tougher deficil-cutting targets. The government's goal to trim the deficit to 3% of gross domestic product “ts simply not good enough” stated the national body. Ainsworth wants a balanced fed- eral budget by 1997-98. Down on the North Shore water- front. the view is much the same. John Willcox, the president and CEO of Neptune Bulk Terminats. said his firm wants serious cost-cut- ting and a reduction in overall gov- ernment, He also rejects raising taxes to accomplish the task, although he said tax loopholes, if there are any, should be closed. “The system has to be fair” he said. Willcox called for an attempt at reducing Canada’s $550-billion debt in the “very long-term.” He referred to recent rumblings from Moody’s Investors Services Inc., a New York-based bond-rating service, that Canada’s debt may be downgraded from its lofty triple-A credit rating. That, he said, raises concerns for Neptune. “We're an exporting company.” Willcox said. “We need fiscal stabil- ity.” The North Shore Credit Union also pounded the drum of fiscal Halfway house policy questioned ‘by MP Ted White From page 1 “Both ‘Vigue and the girl said they had vaginal intercourse. . . oeVigue testified that-they had consensual “intercourse. He ‘denied having a knife or making threats, He also denied struggling with the girl, forcing her to have intercourse against her will, or attempting to. have anal inter- course with her. - . _.. ) Staff at ‘the halfway house. tes- “tified that they did not hear any ‘crying or shouting’ as described by. the. girl.’ The wails’ of the . halfway house were described as being “very thin.” A‘doctor’ who examined the - girl did not find evidence of an « attack, No knife was found. Rodgers said that Vigue was “shown to be a liar” during the course of the trial regarding some of his evidence and the judge ‘agreed with’ the Crown lawyer's contention . that. Vigue would “quickly lie to save his skin.” A. halfway house staff mem- ber, Rodgers noted, did not like * Vigue, commenting that the con- . victed robber’s “actions were not - congruent with his words.” -"" Rodgers described the girl as ‘having.a “lifestyle of which no one could be proud.” She didn’t “attend school, was absent from her’ home. for days and -had /a - boyfriend the judge described as ‘ “at best, a vague and unreliable witness,” Crown lawyer Sutherland said. he had to review the decision before deciding whether to appeal. North Vancouver MP Ted White said he was surprised to hear the parole board. actually revoked Vigue’s parole. He criti- $6) can’t see. how it’s appro- priate that someone should be able to bring a child toa halfway house. oF —- North Van MP Ted White cized the halfway house for not knowing the family history of parolees staying under its roof. “Even if the records show that the guy had a child, I can’t see how it’s appropriate that someone ‘ should be able to bring a child to a halfway house,” said White. responsibility. The finincial firm's vice-presi- dent, Doug Smith, said Martin must send clear signaly and “do real Uhings” to show the government is | on the path to fiscal health. But he does not want services in areas such as health, education and social services to fall under Martin's scalpel. Instead, — discretionary spending such as funding for spe- ctal-interest. groups should be reduced. Smith added that Martin's rclue- tance to promise that the budget will not include new taxes “mukes us nervous.” Steve Curell. the owner of West Vancouver-based Comor Ski Mart, said he wants lower personal taxes, tax breaks for small businesses, and an end to the GST. The GST, he said, definitely slows retail sales at his four-store chain. : The government has promised to extinguish the tax, said Curell, but he doesn’t expect Mattin to do so now. He also called for spending cuts and a reduced deficit. Other areas in which business people want government action: less duplication of government services and tougher pursuit of those who do not pay back government loans such as those to students. CAPILANO COLLEGE board chairman Robin Wilson has confirmed that the college’s - | president stays at the posh Park Royal Hotel at the school’s expense. By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter Wilson told the News that provincial auditors examined the hotel arrangement ‘and . other expense claims of Capilano College president Doug Jardine as a part of a recent auditing process. She said all senior Capilano College administra-: tors’ expense accounts were exam- ined. Wilson said the hotel expense for ‘the president was approved by the CAPILANO college board of the day when Jardine, who lives in Gibsons, negotiated his first contract. He has been pres- ident of the college for nine years. “They (the board) realized that there would be times when college business would keep him beyond the last ferry,” said Wilson. “What the college board said at that time was that he could expense his room and they've got some sort of arrangement with the Park Royal Hotel.” She said Jardine must provide expenses for the lodg- ing at the West Vancouver hotel and claim it to the col- lege. Wilson said she is unaware of the value of the hotel bills charged to the college. Meanwhile, Wilson said Jardine’s retirement party is not going to cost the publicly funded college a lot of money. Jardine retires at the end of this month. Wilson said Jardine’s retirement party is going to be incorporated into a 25th anniversary celebration of the President Doug Jardine ... hotel costs covered. : Sunday, February 19, 1995 ~ North Shore News ~ 3 NEWS photo Brad Ledwidgo A WARMLY dressed Jennifer Tilly spent Valentine's Day film- ing Man With a Gun on the snowy North Shore. Tilly’s star has been rising recently. Her performance in Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway has propelled her to an Oscar nomi- nation for best supporting actress. COLLEGE COLLEGE BOARD chairman Robin Wilson .... part of president's contract. North Vancouver college. She said college staff who have worked at the college for more than 10 years will be acknowledged at the function, which will be, held at the Capilano College Sportsplex. Wilson said the celebration’s budget for food is - approximately $5,000. She said participants will have to pay to attend. There will also be a cash bar. “It will be a very low subsidy on behalf of the col- lege,” said Wilson. Jardine’s successor, Greg Lee, officially begins his job on March 1. Lee was the vice-president of career. and vocational studies at the college before being select- ed president by the college board last fall. The provincial government’ s internal audit of the college started last May. Auditors found that allegations .. of misuse of college funds and assets were “substantial- ly correct.” Lack of policy, and not wrongdoing, was cited as an explanation for some shortfalls pointed out in the audit. . expenses |.