Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 13, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba A6 province Winnipeg free press tuesday july 13, 2004 married maps get $40,000 a year to pay for rent by Terry Pedwell Ottawa ? Canadas first married Cou ple in parliament could soon be enjoy ing some of Ottawa a finest digs if they choose to spend All or most of their combined taxpayer financed housing allowance. Between them conservative maps Nina and Durmant Grewal Are allowed to spend $40,000 annually on secondary accommodations. They May be married but they Are also two separate maps says Colette Dery a spokeswoman for the House of commons speakers office. So they each get the each of the spousal units can charge up to $20,000 annually to their travel Sta Tus expenses for a Home away from Home in Ottawa. The Grewats became the first married couple to sit together in the commons when they won their neighbouring rid Ings in British Columbia slower main land in the june 28 election. Neither could be reached for comment yesterday. Their joint housing stipend works out to just More than $3,300 a month to spend on a Condo apartment or House ? and that buys a pretty lofty place to Lay your head in Ottawa. One of the priciest apartment addresses in the City is the Swanky win Fields High Rise near the Federal governments experimental farm where penthouses go for up to $2,500 a month. Its one of the most expensive that i know of said a spokesperson for Home Stead housing which manages the wind Fields. One or two bedroom apartments in the downtown Core can be had for less than $700 per month while luxury executive Homes in the City a South end rent for $2,000 monthly. The Grewats Are a unique Case and so far there has been no official talk about changing the rules governing housing allowances to include married couples. That would be something that would be decided by the Board of internal Economy said Dery. Its the maps who decide. There Are no rules governing married maps just because we Haven to had to have the housing allowance is available to every my who lives More 100 Kilometres from Ottawa. ? Canadian press Alberta has slain its debt Klein billions in surplus used to wipe out red Ink by Judy Monchuk c Algary ? Alberta Premier Ralph Klein declared the provinces debt dead on yesterday after his caucus voted to use billions in projected surplus Money to eliminate red Ink left on the provinces books. I a very very proud to announce that Alberta has slain its debt Klein told a cheering crowd outside his Southern Alberta office after hoisting a giant sign that read paid in full. In fact the final $3 billion is to be paid by March 31, 2005 ? the end of the fiscal year thanks to surging Oil and Gas revenues that have the province looking at a $4-billion surplus. Ment in his governments tenure. The debt which stood at nearly $23 this is what i be always talked billion in 1993 will be paid off to the last big Price tag on Edmonton deluge about Klein beamed. We have reached cent pledged the Premier dressed in a the end of the Rainbow and seen the pot ated because of the torrent. Malls roof collapsed and defended How Cowboy hat and jeans after flipping pan by John Cotter of Gold so to speak. Now we Start a new it is not As bad As we thought it was his staff handled the evacuation. Cakes at his annual Stampede breakfast. going to be said Aaron coops of inter there have been reports of parts of never again will this government or the government plans to consult with Edmonton ? damage was estimate sport a sporting goods store in the the roof caving in but that is not True the people of this province have to set albertan in the fall for their ideas on de in the tens of millions of dollars yes hardest hit part of the giant 800-store he said. Aside another tax Dollar on debt he said How to spend future surpluses. Klein Ter Day the Day after a severe mall. We have a massive Effort to clean surrounded by his Cabinet and caucus. Acknowledged that process will Likely be hailstorm flooded hundreds of Homes it seemed just terrible yesterday. Up the damage from yesterday. All of there is no other jurisdiction in this More difficult than getting albertan to and parts of West Edmonton mall it seemed like the biggest disaster we the wings of the mall will be open. Country that can say its accept a decade of cuts for Long Ter Canada a largest shopping Complex. Have Ever seen in this mall. But we Are everybody worked hard together to finance department spokesman Jerry benefits. Under a Bright Blue sky the cleanup going to clean up the water and we minimize damage. We Are quite Happy Bellikka acknowledged economic discs sometimes Prosperity leaves people continued throughout the City in the should be open this with the Way it turned Ter could throw the Paydown plans off with the impression that you have scads Wake of a deluge that swamped roads mall officials blamed sewer backups elsewhere people in the City a West Kilter but said such a scenario was of Money to spend he said. The Chal basements and cars with up to 150 Mil for the flooding that dumped raw end which suffered the Brunt of the deemed Remote. Lenge is to achieve sustainability Andl metres of rain. Environment Canada sewage into attractions such As the storm worked to clean out flooded based on current trending of Oil achieve a stable officials called it a one-in-200-year Watermark ice rink and other amuse basements. Prices its highly unlikely said Bellikka not everyone was impressed. ments. City officials said More than 500 adding that the province could also use Donna Mcphie heckled the premiership employees used vacuums and Mark Holik the malls chief of Secu Homes suffered some flooding with its sustainability fund to cover any Short during his announcement saying the sponges to clean up their stores As the Rity estimated damage costs would run Calls still coming in. Falls. Provinces books have been balanced on mall opened for business Only 18 hours in the tens of millions of dollars. He Klein who is expected to Call an elec the backs of the poor. After thousands of people were Evascu also denied claims that part of the ? Canadian press Tion As Early As this fall described the Paydown As the ultimate accomplish Canadian press tie health Premium to use study venues sucking resources from vices it will be important to tap by Dennis Bueckert other vital areas like education into their incomes to pay rising says the study by the Institute for health care costs says Mackin Ottawa ? canadians should be research on Public policy. Non finance minister under new required to pay for health care in author Janice Mackinnon rec Democrat Roy Romanow during proportion to How much they use commends extra Revenue be raised the 1990s in the province known the system with tax Breaks for through an annual health premi As the Birthplace of medicare. Good lifestyle choices says a new us that would vary depending on Mackinnon says premiums Are study by a former nip finance a persons income and use of med preferable to user fees which minister from Saskatchewan. Ical services with an exemption May deter people from seeking medicare is unsustainable with for those on Low incomes. Needed help. Current arrangements because As the baby Boomers age and ? Canadian press costs Are rising faster than Rev increase their use of health ser ;