EDITORIAL
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Brother,
      can
      you
      spare
      a
      billion?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Ask
      not
      what
      your
      country
      can
      do
      for
      you...
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UST
      ABOUT
      EVERYONE
      KNOWS
     
    

    
     
      J
      the
      story
      of
      Robin
      Hood--
      the
      legendary
     
     
      English
      heroic
      rogue
      who
      stole
      from
      the
     
     
      rich
      and
      gave
      the
      money
      tothe
      poor.
      Errol
     
     
      Flynn’s
      swashbuckling
      and
      Kevin
      Costner’s
     
     
      accent-mangling
      portrayals
      aside,
      there's
     
     
      something
      more
      to
      the
      tale
      than
      archery
      and
     
     
      Hollywood
      heroics.
      It’s
      a
      story
      with
      timeless
     
     
      appeal,
      and
      is
      perhaps
      more
      relevant
      to
     
     
      audiences
      today
      than
      it
      ever
      was,
      as
      citizenry
     
     
      in
      Canada
      and
      throughout
      the
      western
      world
     
     
      complain
      that
      they
      are
      being
      taxed
      within
      an
     
     
      inch
      of
      their
      lives.
      Who
      among
      us
      would
      not
     
     
      have
      cheered
      (or
      at
      least
      been
      hard-pressed
      to
     
     
      suppress
      a
      giggle)
      if
      some
      bow-wielding
     
     
      rapscallion
      had
      plundered
      Brian
      Mulroney's
     
     
      house
      of
      its
      more
      extravagant
      trappings
      and
     
     
      liquidated
      them,
      passing
      the
      profits
      on
      to
     
     
      homeless
      shelters
      or
      food
      banks?
      Certainly,
      it
     
     
      would
      be
      a
      violation
      of
      civil
      rights,
      but
      there
     
     
      would
      also
      be
      something
      poetically
      just
      about
     
     
      it.
      Alas,
      there’s
      no
      real
      justification
      for
      some
     
     
      tights-clad
      vigilante
      plundering
      the
      nation’s
     
     
      well-to-do,
      though--
      that
      would
      be
      taking
      the
     
     
      law
      into
      one’s
      own
      hands.
      That
      is
      the
     
     
      responsibility
      of
      our
      legal
      and
      governing
      bodies.
     
     
      It
      begs
      the
      question,
      though,
      of
      what
      the
     
     
      government
      is
      doing
      about
      the
      fiscal
      inequities
     
     
      in
      Canadian
      society
      and
      how,
      if
      at
      all,
      they
      are
     
     
      attempting
      to
      make
      the
      wealthy
      and
      powerful
     
     
      contribute
      to
      the
      welfare
      of
      the
      country
      they
     
     
      made
      their
      fortunes
      in.
      The
      public’s
      lack
      of
     
     
      faith
      in
      our
      economicand
      governmental
      systems
     
     
      rests
      ultimately
      in
      the
      perception
      that
      the
     
     
      privileged
      few
      are
      left
      to
      grow
      wealthier
      still,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      while
      the
      common
      people
      struggle
      under
      the
     
     
      bulk
      of
      our
      country’s
      financial
      burdens.
     
    

    
     
      This
      sort
      of
      musing
      is
      particularly
      pertinent
     
     
      in
      the
      wake
      of
      the
      new
      Liberal
      government's
     
     
      first
      federal
      budget.
      To
      Finance
      Minister
      Paul
     
     
      Martin’s
      credit,
      this
      budget
      has
      little
      in
      the
      way
     
     
      of
      tax
      increases--
      buta
      number
      of
      tax
      loopholes
     
     
      have
      been
      closed
      off,
      and
      changes
      in
      UI
     
     
      (unemployment
      insurance)
      eligibility
      and
     
     
      benefits
      (coupled
      with
      tough
      cuts
      in
      the
      military
     
     
      and
      public
      service)
      have
      led
      many
      to
      claim
      that,
     
     
      as
      usual,
      it
      is
      the
      “little
      guy”
      who
      takes
      it
      on
      the
     
     
      chin.
      This
      is
      far
      from
      entirely
      true--
      the
      Ul
     
     
      reforms,
      for
      instance,
      contain
      new
      levels
      of
     
     
      benefits
      for
      persons
      of
      particular
      need--
      but
      as
     
     
      always,
      the
      average
      consumer
      is
      left
      wondering
     
     
      how
      much
      the
      rich
      folk
      are
      contributing
      to
      the
     
     
      remedy
      of
      our
      country’s
      economic
      woes.
     
    

    
     
      Take
      the
      deficit,
      for
      example.
      For
      years
     
     
      this
      has
      been,
      albeit
      not
      without
      just
      cause,
      our
     
     
      country’s
      overriding
      economic
      obsession.
     
     
      Everything
      from
      GST
      revenues
      to
      social
      services
     
     
      eliminations
      has
      been
      laid
      on
      the
      sacrificial
     
     
      altar
      of
      deficit-cutting,
      and
      it
      has
      begun
      to
      look
     
     
      like
      nothing
      short
      of
      a
      miracle
      can
      eliminate
     
     
      the
      national
      debt,
      which
      has
      soared
      to
      well
     
     
      over
      forty
      BILLION
      dollars.
      It’s
      hard
      to
     
     
      envision
      the
      concept
      of
      a
      billion
      dollars,
      let
     
     
      alone
      how
      one
      might
      spend
      it,
      to
      say
      nothing
     
     
      of
      how
      we
      plan
      to
      repay
      it--
      especially
      in
      a
     
     
      society
      where
      we're
      hard-pressed
      to
      support
     
     
      present
      and
      future
      governmental
      programs,
     
     
      let
      alone
      eliminate
      our
      debt-load.
      Federal
     
     
      governments
      have
      been
      flirting
      with
      increasingly
     
     
      brutal
      cuts
      in
      services
      and
      programs
      so
      as
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      even
      begin
      to
      chip
      away
      a
      few
      million
      here
      and
     
     
      there
      from
      our
      debt.
      It
      seems
      almost
      hopeless.
     
    

    
     
      Paradoxically,
      though,
      we
      live
      in
      a
      society
     
     
      where
      individual
      persons
      can
      become
     
     
      billionaires.
      Think
      about
      that:
      billions
      of
      dollars
     
     
      in
      the
      hands
      of
      individual
      people.
      A
      recent
     
     
      survey
      indicates
      that
      there
      are
      about
      thirty
     
     
      bona
      fide
      billionaires
      in
      Canada.
      That's
      at
      least
     
     
      thirty
      billion
      dollars
      (assuming
      they're
      all
      worth
     
     
      at
      least
      a
      billion
      bucks)--
      probably
      about
      three
     
     
      quarters
      of
      the
      money
      needed
      to
      repay
      the
     
     
      deficit,
      in
      the
      hands
      of
      a
      privileged
      few
      whose
     
    
   
   
    
     
      primary
      interests
      are,
      it
      seems,
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      perpetuation
      of
      their
      own
      personal
      fortunes.
     
    

    
     
      It
      is
      those
      who
      have
      the
      most
      who
      seem
     
     
      to
      think
      that
      they
      owe
      the
      government
      the
     
     
      least.
      Take
      the
      Maritimes’
      own
      self-made
     
     
      multimillionaire
      K.C.
      Irving,
      who
      in
      the
      latter
     
     
      days
      of
      his
      life
      sought
      sun,
      sand
      and
      tax-free
     
     
      living
      outside
      of
      Canada.
      His
      story
      is
      by
      no
     
     
      means
      unique.
      Hundreds
      of
      wealthy
      Canadians
     
     
      are
      seeking
      offshore
      tax
      shelters
      in
      ever-
     
     
      increasing
      numbers,
      with
      either
      themselves
      or
     
     
      their
      finances
      taking
      up
      residence
      in
      such
      spots
     
     
      as
      Barbados
      and
      the
      Cayman
      Islands.
      It’s
      the
     
     
      logical
      end
      of
      the
      (North)
      American
      Dream--
     
     
      the
      potential
      for
      unlimited
      personal
      material
     
     
      gain.
     
    

    
     
      Why
      our
      nation’s
      billionaires
      and
      their
      ilk
     
     
      do
      not
      devote
      more
      of
      their
      wealth
      to
      the
     
     
      well-being
      of
      their
      country
      is
      a
      matter
      best
      left
     
     
      to
      their
      consciences.
      What
      one
      does
      wonder,
     
     
      though,
      is
      why
      the
      government
      does
      not
     
     
      impose
      sterner
      taxation
      on
      people
      possessed
     
     
      of
      ridiculously
      large
      amounts
      of
      money
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      they
      cannot
      possibly
      need
      to
      live.
      It
      seem
     
     
      rather
      perverse
      that
      our
      country’s
      respect
      fo
     
     
      the
      sanctity
      of
      personal
      material
      gain
      outweigh
     
     
      the
      moral
      imperative
      to
      ensure
      the
      survive
     
     
      and
      basic
      well-being
      of
      our
      citizenry
      as
      |
     
     
      whole.
     
    

    
     
      The
      unspoken
      law
      of
      modern
      Nortl
     
     
      American
      economics
      seem
      to
      be
      looking
      ou
     
     
      for
      number
      one,
      and
      in
      the
      face
      of
      glarin
     
     
      societal
      inequities
      it’s
      little
      wonder
      that
      man
     
     
      people
      become
      cynical.
      Citizens
      boast
      self
     
     
      righteously
      of
      tax
      evasion,
      and
      the
      governmen
     
     
      got
      its
      bitterest
      taste
      of
      public
      discontent
      fron
     
     
      Quebec’s
      recent
      cigarette
      tax
      revolt.
      If
      peopl
     
     
      think
      they
      are
      paying
      more
      than
      their
      fair
      share
     
     
      of
      taxes
      for
      less
      than
      their
      fair
      share
      o
     
     
      benefits,
      it’s
      only
      natural
      that
      they
      should
      fee
     
    
   
   
    
     
      alienated
      from
      their
      country.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Civil
      disobedience
      like
      the
      tax-fre¢
     
     
      cigarette
      sales
      is
      no
      more
      justifiable
      than
      the
     
     
      efforts
      of
      the
      rich
      to
      dodge
      taxes,
      but
      both
      are
     
     
      indicative
      of
      the
      selfishly
      vicious
      circle
      that
      <
     
     
      laissez-faire
      capitalist
      system
      can
      be.
      The
     
     
      federal
      government
      should
      work
      harder
      tc
     
     
      ensure
      that
      those
      most
      able
      to
      pay
      contribut:
     
     
      the
      most
      taxes,
      in
      hopes.of
      creating
      a
      fairer,
     
     
      more
      efficient
      tax
      system
      and
      working
      tc
     
     
      erase
      our
      country's
      crippling
      debt.
      We're
      al
     
     
      in
      this
      together.
      If
      it’s
      every
      man
      for
      himself
     
     
      we
      can’t
      expect
      any
      man
      to
      be
      for
      the
     
     
      government.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sean
      McQuaid
     
     
      The
      Poor
      Little
      Rich
      Editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      mi
      peeve
     
    
   
   
    
     
      cade
     
     
      dees
      He
      re
      sf
     
     
      oe
      O
      ee
      U
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ewyelwe
      HUH
     
    
   
   
    
     
      wanes
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Cyd
      Pats
      Pa
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      the
      Panther
      Cage
      Club:
     
    

    
     
      On
      behalf
      of
      myself
      and
      the
      rest
      of
      the
     
     
      U.P.E.I.
      Men's
      Basketball
      Team,
      |
      would
      like
      to
     
     
      express
      my
      extreme
      gratitude
      of
      your
      extended
     
     
      support
      of
      the
      Panthers.
      Your
      support
      not
     
     
      only
      boosts
      team
      morale,
      but
      also
      adds
      greatly
     
     
      to
      the
      overall
      atmosphere
      of
      the
      game.
      Your
     
     
      presence
      helps
      our
      team
      greatly
      in
      various
     
     
      aspects
      of
      the
      game
      and
      helps
      get
      other
      fans
     
     
      into
      the
      game
      as
      well.
      The
      members
      of
      the
     
     
      Panthers
      consider
      you
      a
      valuable
      asset
      to
      the
     
     
      program
      and
      a
      major
      reason
      leading
      to
      our
     
     
      excellent
      home
      record
      this
      year.
      After
      seeing
     
    
   
   
    
     
      fans
      of
      other
      schools
      around
      the
      country,
      |
     
     
      have
      come
      to
      the
      conclusion
      that
      the
      Panther
     
     
      Cage
      Club
      is
      second
      to
      none.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      would
      also
      like
      to
      extend
     
     
      thanks
      to
      Kim
      Griffin
      for
      her
      continued
      hard
     
     
      work
      for
      U.P.E.].
      The
      Cage
      Club
      is
      yet
      another
     
     
      great
      idea
      of
      Ms.
      Griffin's
      that
      adds
      to
      the
     
     
      greatness
      of
      U.P.E.I.’s
      athletics.
     
    

    
     
      Once
      again,
      the
      U.P.E.1
      Men’s
      Panthers
     
     
      would
      like
      to
      thank
      The
      Cage
      for
      their
     
     
      unprecedented
      display
      of
      school
      spirit
      and
     
     
      team
      support.
      Your
      presence
      is
      valued
      greatly
     
     
      and
      hopefully
      you
      will
      be
      there
      supporting
      us
     
     
      for
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      season
      and
      for
      many
      seasons
     
     
      to
      come.
      Keep
      up
      the
      excellent
      work.
     
    

    
     
      Sincerely,
     
    

    
     
      George
      Morrison,
     
    

    
     
      Head
      Coach—
     
    

    
     
      U.P.EI.
      Men’s
      Basketball
      Panthers
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Gostedarn
      apathy
     
    
   
   
    
     
      X-Press,
     
     
      |
      am
      writing
      this
      message
      concerning
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      school
      spirit
      at
      U.P.E.I.
      |
      feel
      that
      we
      need
     
     
      more
      promotion
      on
      all
      school
      sports
      and
     
     
      activities.
      Myself
      a
      member
      of
      the
      school
     
     
      rugby
      team,
      |
      feel
      that
      we
      need
      more
      people
     
     
      involved
      in
      all
      of
      the
      activities
      at
      U.P.E.I.
     
     
      High
      Schools
      have
      more
      school
      spirit
      than
     
     
      U.P.E.I.
      and
      that
      doesn’t
      seem
      right.
      University
     
     
      is
      not
      only
      supposed
      to
      be
      academics,
      but
      fun
     
    
   
   
    
     
      also!
     
     
      Bobby
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Want
      somethin
      done,
      do
      youre
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Lately
      everyone
      seems
      to
      be
      complaining
     
     
      that
      the
      students
      of
      UPEI
      haveno
      school
      spirit.
     
     
      Well,
      have
      you
      ever
      thought
      that
      the
     
     
      responsibility
      for
      this
      lies
      on
      your
      shoulders?
     
     
      You,
      the
      student,
      have
      to
      shrug
      off
      your
     
     
      shroud
      of
      apathy
      and
      display
      the
      reality
      that
     
     
      you
      actually
      enjoy
      going
      to
      UPEI;
      that
      you're
     
     
      not
      just
      here
      because
      you
      couldn't
      go
      anywhere
     
     
      else.
     
    

    
     
      So,
      on
      this
      topic
      |
      would
      like
      to
      commend
     
     
      and
      give
      some
      recognition
      to
      a
      group
      of
      UPEI
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [___x.pressmarch
      first
      1994
      page
      10
      __‘|
     
    
   
   
    
     
      students
      who
      try
      to
      crack
      the
      invisible
      wall
      of
     
     
      indifference
      which
      encloses
      us
      when
      we
      are
      at
     
     
      this
      school’s
      basketball
      games:
      THE
      PANTHER
     
     
      CAGE.
      This
      organization
      tries
      to
      inject
      some
     
     
      ‘school
      spirit’
      into
      the
      games
      by
      being
      loud
      and
     
     
      vocal
      cheerleaders
      for
      the
      Panthers.
      Anyone
     
     
      who
      has
      been
      to
      a
      game
      knows
      who
      |
      am
     
     
      writing
      about:
      they
      are
      the
      huddle
      of
      painted
     
     
      guys
      who
      sit
      across
      from
      the
      opposing
      team’s
     
     
      bench
      and
      throughout
      the
      game
      attempt
      to
     
     
      induce
      the
      wave,
      along
      with
      chanting
      for
      the
     
     
      Panthers,
      against
      their
      opponents,
      and
      at
      the
     
     
      referees.
      They
      make
      the
      game
      more
      enjoyable
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _to
      watch
      and
      turn
      the
      UPEI
      fieldhouse
      into?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      loud,
      snarling
      Panther
      den.
     
    

    
     
      Unfortunately,
      with
      the
      home
      basketbal
     
     
      season
      over,
      it
      is
      too
      late
      for
      you
      to
      join
      them
     
     
      at
      any
      of
      the
      home
      games,
      but
      with
      AUAA’
     
     
      approaching
      soon,
      a
      trip
      to
      Halifax
      to
      cheer
      0"
     
     
      the
      team
      would
      bea
      good
      excuse
      to
      get
      off
      the
     
     
      Island.
     
    

    
     
      So
      to
      Jay
      and
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      Cage,
      thanks
     
     
      for
      making
      games
      this
      year
      more
      enjoyable
     
     
      be
      a
      spectator
      at.
     
     
      A
      true
      Panther
      fa"
     
    

    
     
      Scott
      MacDono#