Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 14, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba local a former Rock musician joins the teaching professions elite a3 world at least 20 dead after fire in Netherlands fireworks warehouse triggers a calamity a5pledge Aims to counter Alliance surge Clark claims tax Cut Crown by Paul Samyn Quebec City a Federal tory Leader Joe Clark yesterday staked his future and that of his embattled party on a platform that will Promise voters big tax cuts. In a move designed to counter the Canadian alliances promised Flat tax Clark promoted his party a tax Relief plans As the most effective Way to stimulate the Canadian Economy and flagging progressive conservative fortunes. A we win cur rates in ways mat free canadians to make this country grow and Excel a Clark told 1,000 delegates in his closing address to the party a weekend convention. Clarks new image As a crusading tax fighter pushed the party a other key Campaign themes a debt reduction improving health care and eradicating child poverty a to the sidelines. Clark said his party a proposal to eliminate the capital gains inclusion rate is crucial to dealing with the country a brain Drain. A this is not a policy of catching up for Canada a he said. A this is a policy of leaping ahead. This is where we have to Clark also described finance minister Paul Martins capital gains tax As a tax on the Middle class As 65 per cent of those hit by the Levy earn less than $60,000. The other major tax cutting policy approved is a plan to increase the Basic personal exemption to $12,000 from $7,131, a move that would save taxpayers As much As $1,200 annually. Clarks speech and the party a convention came at a critical time for the Federal tories who have been hit by defections to the Alliance and falling support in the polls. Following his speech Clark insisted his party has turned the Corner. Continued please see Clark a2marijuana crop lights up Manitoba growers eyes by Mia Rabson Manitoban Are lining up to grow High Grade pot for health minister Allan Rock. As of noon Friday nearly 90 different companies and individuals across Canada including to from Manitoba had requested information from Ottawa on its clinical trials of marijuana to determine its medicinal value. John Skuba thinks becoming the Federal marijuana supplier could be a Good scramble on to Supply High Grade drug for medicinal trials expansion of his Alfalfa farm in Fisher Branch. A a in a a Farmer and i thought the Money could be Good a he said. But Skuba Isnit sure if he will be Able to compete with big greenhouses around the country or even be allowed to apply because of strict rules Laid Down by Ottawa. The health minister a who asked for submissions last week a intends the cannabis contract to be for up to a five year term. It involves setting up a marijuana factory to grow process and store marijuana for use in medical trials. Skuba Isnit sure he will be Able to put together an operation big enough to do All of that but he knows he could produce Good marijuana. A a it a pretty elaborate but i know How to grow things a he said. Patrick Romeo marketing and business development representative for Webstar laboratories in Ste. Anne said rocks marijuana request caught his company a attention. Webstar is an analytical lab specializing in environmental assessments. Romeo said growing marijuana May be a Good option for business growth but they Haven to determined whether its possible yet. A there Are so Many regulations we have to look at whether we can justify even taking it on a Romeo said. Shaun Crew president of a hemp food production company in St. Norbert said his company a experience with growing hemp a form of cannabis with very Low Levels of the stimulant the would make them Ideal candidates for the contract. Continued please see medicinal crop a2 is your Oil Well 1076 Nairn ave. 640 St. James St. 2051 Mcphillips St. 1728 Pembina Hwy. 232 St. Anne s re. Doing it right. Before your eyes. Need a solution for math problems Winnipeg free press Magazine conservation cop conservation officer Ray Fetterly stared Down Forest fires bears and trigger Happy poachers during 24 a fabulous years. By spoils stars lose twinkle the Dallas stars were caught in a conference final Avalanche last night. Clr _ in the weather a8 mainly sunny t skies. Wind i Northwest 20km-h. High 12 Low 0 a Canadian wheat Board at the Crossroads Farmers Friend or foe i i Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg free press former private Grain executive Dick Dawson has an unexpected View Farmers would be a dumb to eliminate the wheat Grain i today Canadian wheat Board is at a critical Crossroads i tomorrow those for and against the Canadian wheat Board i tuesday keeping the Canadian wheat Board is killing business but wheat Board supporters argue just As strongly that this is precisely an age when the wheat Board is most needed that economic conditions Are returning to those that spawned the wheat Board in the first place. That is More Farmers have begun expressing concern about the growing concentration of corporate Power and their subsequent feeling of powerlessness. The wheat Board at least ensures Farmers a say in the global marketplace. The vast majority of Farmers pushed for the creation of the wheat Board in 1935, arguing they could get a better Price if Farmers stuck together in a monopoly instead of bidding against each other to sell their wheat. A if sharing is selfish then there a something wrong with the wheat Board a says Bill Morriss author of a new Book on the Board released in March. Similar to such institutions As in rail and Csc the wheat Board was born out of a vision to make Canada unique from the United states by building a society where More control was exercised Over economic life to protect the Public Good. Continued please see wheat Board a4 wheat Board More beleaguered than at any time in its history Redekop falling wheat Board was created 65 years ago for much the same reason some Farmers now want to destroy it so Grain growers could sell their own wheat. Prairie Farmers believed they were being shortchanged by the private Grain Trade so in the 1920s they created their own Central Selling Agency. It failed miserably and lost tens of millions of dollars As did the wheat Board that replaced it in 1935. It Wasny to until 1943, when government made the wheat Board a monopoly that the losses stopped. Then came the 1990s and free Trade and the lure of the american Market. Farm protests against the wheat boards monopoly grew in intensity. Some analysts believe the wheat Board cannot survive much longer. Today tomorrow and tuesday reporters Bill Redekop and Helen falling examine the role of today a wheat Board and what it Means to both Farmers and Winnipeg. Fred Greenslade Winnipeg free press by Bill Redekop its the Farmers Best Friend its the Farmers worst enemy. It gives Farmers More clout on the world wheat Market its a monopoly that violates a Farmers right to sell his or her own wheat. As a Crown corporation it has prevented Winnipeg a Grain Industry from moving its head offices and 10,000 jobs to Calgary a or has it stymied the City a Grain entrepreneurs from turning Winnipeg into another Minneapolis sixty five years after its creation the Canadian wheat Board is More embattled More beleaguered More worn Down than at any time in its history. A i done to think its very far away before the majority of Farmers will think it should go a says Otto Lang former minister in charge of the wheat Board under the Trudeau administration. A the real question is whether the wheat Board is adding enough value to make up for what you a get if you had the competitive forces of the marketplace a says Lang. He argues it does not. Others note that in this age of free Trade and bord Erless information technologies the wheat boards restrictions on individual entrepreneurship Are grossly out of step ;