6 - Wednesday, November 22, 1989 - GST not needed if gov't North Shore News INSIGHTS lives within tts income WHO SAYS Ottawa cannot slash spending? The Mulroney government, of course. It plans, instead, to merely nibble at its $30.5 billion deficit by inflic per cent Goods & Services Tax. In short, it aims to borrow a lit- tle less by grabbing more moncy from the taxpayer to bankroll its extravagance and waste. Pro- paganda about the need to replace the old, unfair Manufacturers Sales Tax is a pure red herring. The answer is to fix the MST — not burden consumers with a stiff, ting on Canadians the nine necessary grants. Total saving almost $30 billion — approximate- ly the figure of the current deficit. To those who dismiss this as naive nonsense, Mr. Byfield has a simple reply: ‘‘ The money isn’t there, so Canada can't afferd it. This is how the private sector thinks, from the biggest oil com- and there is no reason why Cana- dian voters shouldn't think the same way.” This column tried a similar exer- cise by cutting the $16 billion budgeted for federal civil servants and their infrastructure by 35 per cent. We slashed the $18 billion in handouts for business, Crown Corporations and ‘development assistance’ by 80 per cent. These two items, plus Link Byfield’s 15 per cent belt-tightening in all other departments, again added up to a Yes, Brian and Michael, it CAN be done. And all you need for the job is to remember this basic truth: There are no such things as probienis. There are only tough decisions waiting to be made. open-ended extra tax on SER- pany to the smallest household, VICES as well as goods. One way for Ottawa to live within its income is Alberta Report publisher Link Byfield’s proposal for expenditure by PRIORITIES, of which he lists five in descending order of importance: 1, INESCAPABLE. Mainly debt service and pensions. 2. ESSENTIAL to Canadian life and liberty, though capable of be- ing pared SOMEWHAT. €.g., Parliament, the forces, prisons and courts. 3. MOT ESSENTIAL to Cana- dian life and liberty. e.g., Secre- tary of State, public works, com- munications, transport, labor, regional industrial expansion, etc. To be either drastically axed, privatized or closed down altogether. 4, PROVINCIAL respon- sibilities like agriculture, fisheries, forests, etc. To be abolished at the federal level. 5, “SACRED COWS” such as the CBC, arts programs, foreign aid, etc. To be supported only by suggested VOLUNTARY DONA- TIONS by interzsied taxpayers. Crunching the current budget numbers this way, vir. Byfield eliminated over $19 billion under priorities 3, 4 and 5. He then lop- ped a further $10 billion (15 per cent) from remaining departments in the form of reduced manage- ment levels, language training and = Sookochoff. Who should decide? HE ABORTION debate will never be decided to everyone’s liking. But a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling could at least put an end to the sideshow of jealous boyfriends impeding women from having abortions. It could, that is, if the federal government doesn’t undermine the principles of the Quebec court ruling with its new piece of regressive legislation. Last week the Supreme Court ruled that third parties — even fathers — do not have the right to veto a woman’s decision about the fetus she is carrying. Not that men shouldn't have a say in the decision over whether or not to complete a pregnancy; but their say cannot be the final verdict. That decision rests with the mother. The court’s decision is so vital because the Chantal Daigle case has relit the fuse to this country’s abortion crisis. But what the Supreme Court of Canada has done, the federal government may undo with a piece of two-sided legislation. One side tells women there will apparently be casy aceess to abortion, yet this same faulty legislation has put abortion back into the criminal code and burdened another party: doctors, it seems, will have the ultimate responsiblity in deciding whether a woman should kave an abortion. They will also pay the ultimate penalty if their decisions are deemed to be ‘*bad."’ It is not inconceivable that the legislation could allow spiteful boyfriends and other inierested parties back into the leyal fray. saving of almost $30 billion. ely mugen my — rs SS Publisher Peter Speck Managing Editor ._. Barrett Fisher Associate Editor Noel Wright Advertising Director Linda Stewart North Shore News, tounded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and auaitied under Schedule 111. Pagrag*apn il! of the Excise Tax Act. 1s publishud each Wednesday, Ftday and Sunday by North Shote Free Press Lid and distributed to every door on the Narth Shore Second Class Mail Registration Number SASS Subscriptions Marin and West Vancouver, $26 per year Mathng rales avadanie teaue: welcome nul we Cat unsoligited mater. ! whien sneurd De ancar par enveton: ayes : Photo submitted UHL VERE OF MOM TH AND WEST VANCOUEE SUNDAY © WEONE STAY - RIDA® 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver. B.C V7M 2H4 59,170 (average. Wednesday Friday & Sunday, 2 HL Dew Sicyy SMART NEW SLATE...1989-99 officers of the 43-year-old Gyro Club of Hollyburn at their installation cere- mony earlier this month. Left to right (front): treasurer Joe Landrey, president Bill Roberts, vice-president Dr. Fred Reid; (behind): directors Bob Brooks and Jack Gardiner, secretary Bill Caisd, director Dr. Mike TAILPIECES: It took “the extra mile’? — a couple of thousand, ‘n fact — for Mrs. Stephanie Samaridis to acquire her present name. While studying in 1987-88 at the Sorbonne University in Paris, she met Dimitri, a young photographer, and (pardon the phrase!) things clicked. So well that when Dimitri had to return to Greece for military service, Stephanie followed and waited out the cight months in Alexan- droupolis with the Samaridis fami- ly. Last month came the happy ending in North Van when they tied the knot in a ceremony at the home of the bride’s parents — who happen to be Richard and (District Mayor) Marilyn Baker ... That popular showcase and social get- together for local entrepreneurs, “Business After Business,’’ returns tomorrow, Nov. 23, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at North Shore Studios, 555 Brooksbank, North Van. Tickets at the door $15 ($12 for North Van Chamber of Commerce members) ... Wish happy birthday today, Nov. 22, to one of Sagittarius’s favorite daughters, News manag- ing editor Barrett Fisher ... Also today, many happy returns to West Van artist-poet Win Dickie who turns 84 ... And greetings tomorrow, Nov. 23, to Stong’s boss-man Bill Rossum and Karen, celebrating their 29th anniversary. WRIGHT OR WRONG: Half of life’s troubles come from saying “‘yes’’ too soon and ‘‘no”’ not soon enough. OH OCT, WE HVE SUIEONE ‘ASE NHOS BEEN WATCHING MICHAEL WISOM EXIAN THE Display Advertising Classitied Advertising Newsroom Distridution Subscriptions Fax os Ba ove Yy eo 980-0511 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 North Snore owned and managed Entire contents ” 1989 North Shore Free Press Ltd. 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