i fy! Business TheReview Wednesday, March 18,1992 — Aa | Hunter blasts budget, applauds pension cuts Canada’s 1.5 million unemp- loyed make the federal budget a failure, Saanich-Gulf Island MP Lynn Hunter said following the recent release of the budget. “The biggest cut this govern- ment could have made is a cut in unemployment,” Hunter said. Instead, she said the government chose to continue its war on infla- tion and is ignoring the massive job losses in the Canadian econ- omy. The New Democratic Party MP charged the government with fail- ing to close tax loopholes which benefit wealthy companies and individuals. “Instead they bring in tax breaks that give those making over $100,000 a year six times the benefit as those making $30,000 or less. And that is just plain unfair.” She also criticized the govern- ment for not investing more in skills development, research and education to prepare for the global market. However Hunter welcomed an initiative by New Democratic Party leader Audrey McLaughlin to roll back pension benefits for members of Parliament. McLaughlin called for a com- mission to deal with MPs pen- Wescraft plans expansion A $4.5 million expansion of Wescraft Manufacturing in Central Saanich will double the com- pany’s contribution to the local economy, president Jim Knock predicts. The employee-owned firm plans a $1.5 million vinyl window pro- duction plant in Saanichton plus a $3 million upgrade of the com- pany’s aluminum window factory. The vinyl window production plant is to be completed by the end of this year and the factory upgrade is to be completed in the next three years. The company has annual sales of $12 million and employs 100 people in a 78,000 square foot manufacturing plant, producing windows, doors, railings and asso- ciated building products. CALM WATERS AND an absence of wind left the Sidney/ North Saanich Yacht Club’s Sunday race entrants ganged up off the foot of Beacon Avenue. Firemen ready for natural gas Concerns over ambulance response times and the safety of natural gas were put before Central Saanich Fire Chief Bruce Elvedahl when he made his annual report to council members. Ald. Jack Mar asked if there was a problem with ambulance response times since the fire department’s ambulance drivers are now on-call and no longer based in the station with the ambulance 24-hours a day. Elvedahl said the ambulance drivers are required to have the ambulance at the scene of a call within 20 minutes. He noted fire department response times can be faster since there are many volunteer fire figh- ters working in or near the fire hall. The volunteer fire department acts as a First Responder. Firefighters have often been at the scene of a call within four to five minutes, Elvedahl said. Asked by Ald. Bruce Tobin about natural gas, Elvedahl said the firefighters are trained to han- dle the gas. He noted the gas, like all gases, has explosive qualities but is ligh- ter than air, so tends to dissipate faster than a heavier gas like propane. People will have to be educated about the gas as it is brought into the community by the new pipe- line system but Elvedahl foresaw no problem. Over the past year, he noted the department answered 795 calls, most of which were ambulance calls. As of Jan. 1, the department is no longer responsible for ambul- ance Service. Loss from structural fires total- led $33,000 and loss from vehicle fires totalled $38,000, he said. — He said volunteer firefighters contributed 9,900 hours, either training or responding to calls. Emergency Health Services’ ambulance is now based at Saa- nich Peninsula Hospital and is manned 24-hours per day. Sidney EDC appointments made Sidney’s economic development committee has been appointed for 1992. It includes Ald. Ted Daly, as council’s liaison. Also on the committee are Ed Mutsaers, treasurer of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, representing the chamber, and Judy Bowen, president of the Sid- ney Association of Merchants. Other committee members are Ron Umbach, Christine Diehl, John Robertson, Terri Gouin and Rory McGrath, publisher of The Review. sions, which she maintains should only be paid when the recipient reaches the usual retirement age. Recipients should not be permit- ted to collect both a federal pen- sion and a federal government salary, McLaughlin said. Hunter said she hoped McLaughlin’s efforts would help reverse the wide-spread public dis- trust of politicians. “We're so soundly discredited as politicians that maybe this will make people realize that not all politicians are concerned with lin- ing their own pockets,” she said. JOHN GELDER New ad rep joins Review A new advertising representa- tive, John Gelder, has joined The Review. Gelder, 46, most recently worked at the Penticton Herald, where he was known for his excel- lent advertising designs. He will focus on Review clients in the municipality of Central Saanich. Originally a watchmaker, Gelder changed careers several years ago, working first for the Okanagan Review and then for the Herald. He has two children, Andrew and Jo-Vi. Since he and his family enjoy outdoor activities with his family, he especially appreciates the mild Peninsula climate. John is looking forward to meet- ing more people in the community. He welcomes calls from clients and can be reached at 656-1151. Racing car flips Police, fire and ambulance per- sonnel found a totalled car in the ditch alongside KOA Road on the Tsawout reserve about 3:55 a.m. Sunday and used the Jaws of Life to remove one of four passengers. Police said the southbound vehi- cle was reported to have been racing along when the driver lost control in the 2700-block KOA Road. The car flipped over an ““mdetermined amount of times,” Sidney RCMP said. All occupants of the vehicle had been drinking, police said. NOW OPEN OVER 4000 TITLES Biggest Video Store in Saanichton _ Nintendo, Super Nintendo Children’s Movies on Weekly Rental Pioneer Village Shopping Centre 7816 E. Saanich Road 652-7634 | HOUSE OF RUSSELL HAIRSTYLISTS LTD. UNISEX @ 656-1522 vee © Precision Cutting IN SIDNEY CENTRE #102-2367 Bevan Ave., Sidney, B.C. (Next to Safeway) Moore, Roberts & Co. CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Accounting & Auditing Services Business & Computer Consulting Income Tax Preparation & Planning REVENUE CANADA AUTHORIZED E FILE PREPARER Qur Reputation is on Your Head Phone: 656-5547 Fax: 656-2383 #200-2377 Bevan Ave., Sidney V8L 4M9 Conveyancing sk 2k Mortgages [HI For all Your Home Mortgaging and Conveyancing Needs, Call: LAURIE SALVADOR & SUSAN DAVIS — NOTARIES PUBLIC — 2412 Beacon Ave., Sidney 656-3951 NICHOLAS W. LOTT D. MAYLAND McKIMM G. 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