Family Allowance Fight Founders

32 — THE CITIZEN, Prince George — Wednesday, October 16,1985 Family allowance fight founders An analysis director of the National Anti-Pov They’ll take a lot more out of peo the petitions, letters and resistance by PETER MASER erty Organization, this means try ple’s pockets than de-indexation.” they’ve mustered in the campaign Southam News ing to influence the contents of the With that in mind, Johnston in against de-indexation of family OTTAWA - Despite the efforts 1986 budget, which he expects in tends to press finance department allowances. of opposition parties and social February. officials to include a refundable sa Liberal MP and health critic groups, the campaign to stop the “We’re not as much in a post-‘85 les tax credit for low-income Cana Doug Frith also believes it will be de-indexation of family allowance budget mode as we are in pre -‘86 dians in the next budget. easier to mobilize public opinion benefits is going nowhere fast. budget mode,” says Johnston, He argues that such a credit when Canadians file their income The campaign began in mid-Sep whose organization speaks for 180 makes sense because the govern tax returns and realize the govern tember when the government intro groups representing low-income ment is already looking at the idea ment has de-indexed their personal duced a bill that will have the earners, native people, women, the as part of a value-added tax or income tax exemptions. effect of increasing benefits only disabled and others. VA T, a tax imposed at each stage New Democrat MP Margaret by the amount that inflation Of particular concern to NAPO in the production and distribution Mitchell offers a similar predic exceeds three per cent. was the government’s decision in of a product. tion. The government tried to do the the last budget to raise the federal “Since it’s already part of their same thing with old-age pensions, sales tax, increase gasoline taxes thinking, it makes sense to use it “What a great Christmas present but within a month of announcing and extend the federal sales tax to before we’re in a VAT stage.” for people to have their family its intentions in the May 23 budget, items like candy, pet food and The opposition parties, mean allowances cut. opposition MPs, seniors and even health goods. while, are preparing to take on the “1 think public awareness is just business groups had raised such a Says Johnston: “As far as we’re government when it introduces beginning,” she says, adding em ruckus that the plan was dropped. concerned, the hardest part of the other budget bills — the ammuni phatically, “The fight isn't over at A sim ilar groundswell has yet to budget was the tax increases. tion for these fights coming from all.” develop against the removal of full inflation protection from family BLOOD DONORS allowance payments, also known as the baby bonus and worth $31.27 per child per month. Opponents of the move knew they were in trouble from the AIDS tests start next month start. For one thing, after a major MONTREAL (CP) - Canada All provinces and Ottawa met parallel tests, he said. retreat on pensions, it was unlikely will be screening all blood dona “We wanted to prevent that from the government would back down the Red Cross’s conditions by mid tions and blood products for the summer, Mews said. happening in Canada,” Mews said on a second m ajor component of deadly AIDS virus as of Nov. 4, of the financial problems being its budget. After that, it took the Red Cross about six months after comparable experienced with testing in the There was also the problem of 12 weeks to train staff, set up labo testing began in the United States. United States. It may have taken mobilizing grassroots opposition. ratory facilities and make other But the Canadian Red Cross So longer to get the tests started in Where seniors had the time to co preparations for testing for AIDS ciety, which handles blood dona Canada, “but we may end up with ordinate their efforts, low-income — the acquired immune deficiency tions across the country, says the a better system.” Kevin Spraggett is the first Canadian chess player to rate an invi earners and single mothers in par syndrome, he said. delay in testing on this side of the “I don’t think it could have been The tests are not perfect and can tation to the Candidates’ Tournament to determine the challenger ticular are too busy to organize, border may have been worthwhile. put in place any faster than it give false readings, but the Red for the next world championship. CP Laserphoto even though they will be the ones First, the society insisted that Cross will retest all blood samples most affected by de-indexation. was,” added Mews, in a telephone Ottawa and the provinces agree to interview from Toronto. that indicate the presence of AIDS As well, there was the compli pick up the tab for the tests — an virus, he said. cated task of explaining the impact Some Red Cross centres have estimated $5.2 million for 1986, said started testing, and all blood and of the change. The Red Cross is urgently trying Canadian champion Red Cross spokesman Ken Mews. blood products distributed by the If inflation is running at three to combat blood donors’ fear that a The Red Cross also stipulated Red Cross as of Nov. 4 will have per cent, for example, baby bonus person can contract AIDS simply that before starting the tests the undergone the AIDS tests, Mews cheques won’t get any smaller, by giving blood. The fear, which provinces should find ways of set said. they simply won’t increase as Mews described as ’‘totally eyes top chess title ting up parallel or screening tests In the United States, where blood much as they might have, a propo unfounded,” left Ontario blood MONTREAL (CP) - Kevin Spraggett’s opponents over for anyone who thinks they might is collected through a variety of sition unlikely to trigger strong re banks over the weekend with the Spraggett, a 30-year-old Mon the next few weeks will include have the virus or AIDS antibodies, groups, including commercial com sentment. most severe shortage of blood in trealer, plays chess because he 15 of the greatest names in Mews said. panies, three blood tests for AIDS The waters have also been mud five years despite emergency loans loves the game. It also pays the chess, among them Boris Spass British Columbia is believed to were approved in April, Mews died by the fact that the govern from other blood banks. be the first province to set up a said. The tests were in widespread rent. ky, Victor Korchnoi and Mikhail ment has been able to argue suc province-wide system for parallel use about a month later. There is absolutely no way As Canadian and Common Tal. cessfully that the decline in family testing. It began earlier this But some states now say they anyone giving blood can contract wealth chess champion, Cana “ I have to do well in France,” allowances will be offset by im month, said Mews. are running out of money for the AIDS, Mews said. da’s first native-born chess he said before leaving for the provements to the child tax credit. grandmaster and the country’s tournament. A good showing The child tax credit will increase first full-time professional play against the giants will mean to $454 a year from $384, and will er, Spraggett manages to make more invitations . and a rise in steps to $524 in 1989, after a living at the game but he has greater chance at more prize which it too will increase to the yet to make a name for himself. money. extent inflation exceeds three per Last year, for example, he cent. earned $25,000, including $10,000 But he admits he’s a long H E Y K I D S ! shot. “I’m the lowest rated of A study done by the National as first prize winner at the New Council of Welfare concluded that York cpen. the 16 candidates. I couldn’t advise anyone to bet on m e.” the poorest Canadian families will Yet he’s virtually unknown. lose child benefits starting in 1991 Follow the McDonald’s Safe Kids That may change soon, how Still, he’d bet on himself. as a result of the budget. ever, as he and other masters “Personally, I feel I’m better Between next year and 1991, tips and you’ll become a ... started to battle it out in France than at least half of them.” however, they will receive more on Saturday at the Candidates’ Does he have a game plan? benefits, and it is this reality that Tournament to determine the “ At a tournament you look for has made it difficult to argue challenger for the next world the weakest player to get an against de-indexation, even if the championship. easy point. At this tournament improvements over the next three No other Canadian has ever years amount to a pittance. rated an invitation to the tour some people are going to think the easy point is me. So I ’m Because of these and other fac nament, and not since Bobby going to be provocative.” tors, opposition parties and social Fischer won the world title has agencies have begun looking for Win or lose, he plans to play anyone from North America ris new battlefields.

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