Whliby Free Poes, Wecbiesday. July 20. 1M.4 Page 17 MP warns Canadians to expeetles B yMike Kowalski Canadians' future relationship with their governmont must undergo a fundamental change, Durham riding MP Alex Shop-. herd says. Governments can no. longer Mford the luxury of a social. 'safety net' unloss Canadians are prepared te lower their oxpec- tations, the freshman MP warns. "The bottom lune 15 people have te expect loss,» Shepherd bluntly told The Free Press dur- ing a rocent interview te mark the end of the first session of Canada's 35th Parliamont. "Governnient cannot continue going on the road it has," he said. Human. Resources Minister Lloyd Axworthy will soon announce his long-awaited plan te reformn Canada's social pro- grame, Shepherd noted. As part of the process, public forums will be held across ' the country and Shepherd expects one te take place in Durham Regon. lfa meeting is held locally, the north Witby represontativo Urges9 ra reiden ttemake their feelings known. Asfor himself, Shepherd firmnly believes that Canada has ne alternative but te change its social welfare system. He points te the unemplpy- ment insurance plan. and'its $6- billion deficit as an example. «Tho unemploment insurance system bas outlived its useful- ness,»t Shepherd declared. "It's a 30-year-old systom that's not keeping up with the times.» .Although Shopherd stressed- that orrnent programs will stili binPlace t ssist thoso who cannot re-onter. the work- force fowreasons of health or old age, others may not be as for- tunate. "Vie see in this office abuse of the system on a daily basis,» he sad. "If youre receiving. benefits, you'll either have te upgrade your skills or provide somthing back tothe community. "If you don't want te partici- pate (le: retraining), you shouldn't corne te expeet sup- port.» In addition te, Axworthy's pro- posaIs for overhauling social pro- graineShepherd saiciCnadians can aise expect te see similar action on the Goods and Service Tax (GST). "I think there i. pressure te, come u with something,» he admitte in recaling Prme Minister'Jean Chretien's election campaign pledge te -scrap the tax. The only difficulty'ia devising ALEX SHEPHERD a scheme which satisies both Ottawa and the provinces, Shep- herd said. "My feeling 18 te make it real simple se* business can get on board,» lhe said. "My orientation is te federal- ism, some kind of system se that people in British Columbia pay the saine as people in Newfo6un- dland.» However, Shepherd conceded that a fiat tax, such as the ill-fated 10 per cent across-the- board propogal fieated by Finance Miniser Paul Martin, has its drawbacks. "I feel the mood in the country is not te tax food and health care services. People are saying leave that alone,» hie said. «Politicaily, I understand their point,, but when you start mak- ing exemptions, that's when costs escalate.» As a member of the House of Commens finance 'committee, Shepherd said the GST issue consumed nearly 80 per cent of the committee's agenda during the opening session. 1 A Port Perry accounktant, Shep- herd had no previous political experience prior te defeating for- mer Progressive Conservative MP Ross Stevenson in last Octo- ber's election. "IV been a learning process for me,» he said. «I neyer was a politician and they don't give you a book on how te be one." Seherd divides his new job into three primary areas: parlia- mentary duties in the House of Commons, committee work sud umnost important»' of ail, consti- tuency matters. * He estimates staff in his north Oshawa office have assisted nearly 1,000 people with pro- blems ranging from pensions te unemployment insurance since Iast fail. uObviously you can't help everybody » le said. Mme ave exhausted their options and ail we can do- is redirect themn somewhere else.» Coming.from a business back- ground Shepherd was not pre- pared f'or the amount of time it takes to achieve resuits in government circles. «The thing you notice almost immediately is how slow the process operates,» he said. «Sometimes I think there are too manypnoliticians and bureau- crats.I'dhike to move faster on a number of issues, but you have to deal with so many people."' Putting forward suggestions for streamlining the government process is high on his agenda for the next sitting of Parliament, Shepherd said. When MPs reconvene Sept. 19, a great deal of their attention wiil likely be focused on Quebec as that province will almost cor- tainly ben the throes of an election campaign. "Theres no question lm con- cerned about it (outcome),' said in ahrd Canadian nationalist and it riles me te have te des] with the Bloc Quebecois on a daïly aais.» ta h majority of Quebec residents want te, remain.in Canada, Shep- herd said neither they ner their fellow citizens want te, engage in another constitutional wrangle any time soon. FROM PAGE 1 "In their naturai sud erdinary meaning, the werds mesut sud were understood te mean that the piaintiff had engagd in acts of corruption and bribry,- the statement of claim reads. 'The words were caicuiated te disparage the plaintiff in' its business and, as a cons1quence, the reputatien of the plaintiff has beeén seriously inured,» the statement adds. The lawsuit aie notes that Durham. suspended Pachino's rigtte bid on other projectd and sujected its works department te a poice investigation because of Brunelle's endeavours. Pachino general manager Fred Palma telil TMe Free Press the companylannched action against Not once but twice Motorists led lic on twe separate chases threl,'; Whitby early Wednesday nmorrnng. The first incident began around 2 a.m. in Ajax when an officer tried te pull over a 1994 Dode Caravan at Higha2 sud Wsney Road. ha The driver of the van, which turned eut te have been stelen eariier frorn Toronte teok off sud was pursued to) Whit,. Thé chase ended when. the driver, a 16-year-old North York yeuth lest control sud hit a tree on Jetrry Street. The driver was arrested and cbarged witb possession of stolen' property, dangerous driving, fail- ing te step for polic e, possession of burglary tools sud driving without a license. A passenger in the van ran away but police say they have his naine. The second chase began around 3:30 a.m. wben an officer saw a mOtorcyclist run a red iigbt on Breck Street. They chased the rider te su industriai area east of Tbickson Road South, where the bike was dum- ped sud the motorcyclist escaped on foot. coirncillor sed Bruneile in erder te <'frce the about the iawsuit, except t issue» of what bas transpired declare "I dldn't say it» wil] since May, into the ?"n. respet te bis alleged comment. Police began their 'probe r on't know -wby ho shortiy after the May 4 meeting, (Pachine) doing it. I have te but ne one from the company has my job, this goos beyond th yet been interviewed, Palma pale h added. said. Wîe Brunelie must responi He aIse claimed police are in- te the lawsuit within 20 days, hi vestigating other construction need net worry about expensiv, firms, but Pachino is the oniy legai fees. company .te bave its bîdding Durham Regien's insurarn rights- placed on hold by the plcwill cover the cost ofà Réon. fIawýher sud any *ud nont (i Atr losing the Brooklin con- fnd ilt ) rendered agains tract, Pachino bld on su unrela- Brunelle. finance depairtmen ted roect, Palma said. Officiai Peter Kennedy said. The cjompany was informed . Wbitby bas a similar polic' that -Durbam wouid net enter- but Town admninistrater Bil tain suy bide until the investiga- Wallace pointed eut that thf tien was completed, ho said. lawsuit resulted fromn Bruneile, Pachino solicitor Graydon reginai duties. Sheppard thon wrote te police Meanwhlle, Dot. Jack Haze a, chief Trevor McCagherty asking tho police fraud unit said thi for su update on the matter, investigation continues. Palma said. Haze deciined comment or, "The police chief said it wouid why Pachino ofciais bave noi ho suether month or se before yet been interviewed or if merý the investgation was comple- than one construction firm iE ted,» ho i- lte ddnt o-under scrutiny. The chief's etrddn m- Works departmnent directer oi tien Pachino by naine, only that operations Jack McCorkell bai more than ýone company was ne knewiedge of whetber moe involved, Palma said.* than one company is being pro. "Why are we being picked eut bed. when others are boing booked "I have ne idea of whe. polioe at?» he asked. are investigating, that issue is in Palma said that «at this point» tbeirbsund, e said. enly Bruneile is the recipiont of Oshawa councilior John Aker, any egal action. ital»h works committee chair, also Wéfeel lho started i l, i could net shed any more ligbt. said. «None of the eiected people Palma would net disciose wbo have been updated for a month. informed the company of t's basicaily a police matter,» ie Brnlesailerd remarks.oug 'iUd. "We oun out throg Aker speculated that a report sore »lsaid. May be presented at todaty's ast As ol last Thursday Brunelie counci1 meeting before the sum- had not y et retaineci counsel, mer break, but hoe was net cer- althoughh e bad spoken te a tain one would be. lawor. In a previeus interview, fit' hm be neetdPachino _president rJohn* Calleri officiai tries te reprosent bis con- cnlame rnlivenhd earkecns stituents in the highest manner o esnivnet gis sud thon has te défend bimseif the company -due te an earlier in this wat,» sad Brunelle. run-in he bad with a Pachino -Wa doing is the highest employee. . possible way te represent the Bruneiie denied Caiieri'a people who elected me,»boi said. charge sud said bis initiai un- "I think the citizens of the essiness about the firmn resulted Region of Durhaman sd Whitb from complainte residents and wouid hoprod of my activities.r Town officiais made about earlier Brunelledeeined te say more work Pachino had dene in for ýy than 40 my 8were honoi de $221 000 fe ie son 9Î;ret id In additiq adWhitby an< he ters dema ve $291,00. "I asked ýe another cor a was threat (if Brunelle os it Word of nt te the Brom in several1 home. uCerwià i à e remain na es should lolh said. Of Brunelle le tiens te, n police were ot re is re- De G ûi Whitby v will hold a riwasb on Sz 10 a.ma. te 4p at Toys'R le South, Vihil 1.the Durbanr ýe t be constr more inforyr rt 3t AN - The Wh Centre will show and ]b July 21 at i ri will be on ýd afternoon. it SUPP S United 0 Group mee 167 Simcoe - Thursday d directlor: d mentalor Ir For more a 905-436-88k ZibeZ had submnitted mr work orders -- which )ured -- for an extra br a project on Ander- ,on ,Pachino sent both i ~urham Reion lot-' ianding a further [why we were giving ntract te someone wbo ening te sue us,» said arler. 'Brunelle sopposition )oklin tender resulted telephone calls te bis individuals, who shall anelesà teld me I k a littfe further,» ho reported these allega- Region officiais and soon-contacted. 'AR WASH rolunteer firefighters a barbecue and car aturday, Juiy 23, 10 rnjin te ThICkin lot bbto rais: funds for n 'd SaetyVillage ructed i Whitby. For nation cail 666-3785. TIQUE CAIRS iitby Seniors' Activity I hold an antique car barbecue on Thursday, moon. A numnber of cars i display during the PORT GBROUP Survivors Support, eta for discussions at e St. S., Oshawa on nights for people indirectly affected by ernotionai preblems. Binformation, cal Z2. SUFPORT GROUP The Head Injuzy Association of Durham Region will hold a W nesday,-J'uiy 2,,t 7:30 p.., at 459 Bond St. 'E., Oshawa. Everyone welcome. Survivers group on main floor, family sd caregivers group upsthdairs. onu need assistance with transportation cail 723-2732. SPIRIT STONES The Whitby Public ià brary's prograni 'Spirit Stenes,' with Margaret Corfifoot sud native storyteller Nancy Allen, has beon filled. Due te popular demand anothor ssson wil ho offered on the suciont North American art sometimo in September. For further information, contact the main branch aduit fiction sud children's dpartinent at 668-6531. ef BROOKLIN X9~ Answers to Whiltby Trivia from page 15 1. The Royal Hotel was off icaily opened on St. George's Day,-April 23, 1873. 2. The house at'the northwest corner of. Byron and Coiborne streets was bulf in 1l883 for hardware merchant George Conrad Gross. 3. Whitby Psychiatrie Hospital is celebratmng is 75th anniversary this year. The f irst patients were admitted on Oct. 23, 1919. 4. The Methodist Episcopal Church, bujit at Myrtie in 1857, was moved te Myrtie Station in 1908 and used as a gas station by Elmer >Cooke from 1920 te 1977. It was demolished in 1980.