. .» _ ‘ ‘- ~ 2 - , .‘THE‘UPIEJtl‘SBN. 'Thugsa'av,ll=ebruary."14.3mm“ defies HY Va; I .- . g _ H ,7 I, g a“ ,4, - «claim: ‘ penses that they have. I know theSe are many, and I I personally feel that student loans should be Used for that purpose. I would do_.everything‘in my power to make sure that any abUSes‘would be looked into. - — Q: Unemployment is a great ‘ concern to students. 7 Dues the Liberal Party have any policy on increasing the number of summer jobsand for graduates, permanent jobs? _ ‘ - ~Birt: Again, we come bee and bring in money to put 7 _ towards the debt. Govern- ment can hold spending to the line. I would also like to see looked at, very carefully, the area‘ of government efficiency. ’1 think there is a lot of money wasted in goVern— . ment that could be put to address wouldn ' t by: Jennifer Tweddle be solved. Gerry Birt: has entered the. _‘ political sphere with full The conservative force. Running for the ParFY 1501.311)! Over Liberal Party in Hilleoroughv, eXC1ted lteelf about he has definite ViEMB on ' the debt- don't really various issues; The ‘ think the debt is all that following is an interview important. It has a held on Jan. 28/80 at his large Importance, don't headquarters. ‘ ‘ 9613 me wrong: What ‘ Q: The Conservative Budget 1 they were tIYJ-ng to (10 toward H’Ore‘éfficient was brought down by your Was too mCh too fast,‘ dperation, and the savings _ - _ - — - — party and the NDP. What ~ is your opinion of it? Birt: The Conservative Budget was one of those The.’Conservative Party totally overexcited itself. about the debt. The debt, has a large importance. don't get _me wrong, but what they were trying to budgets that made an election necessary. , The budget was totally unacceptable to the Canadian people. The Conservative Party, when elected, was given a mandate to bring in the best legislation they possibly could for the Canadian people. It seems to me that the goals they set for them— selves in that budget, the measurer's wouldn't x reach at all. r The pro— blems they were trying . do was. too much too 'fast. ’ - debt. That, and other and this, I think, woul have been a very recession- ary budget. It would stifle employment and with that comes all the econ— omic and social problems. Now I firmly agree that we have. to do something to, get rid /of that deficit, but it can be done by a long term program. we 'can perhaps plug loop—holes in our tax laws that will save money \ . WICKER THE ISLAND . CHARLO'ITETOWN‘S LflTLE ' . CHINA'TOWN WICKER FURNITURE, BASKETS, BLINDS AND DRAPES. 7 NOVA SCOTIA PINE FURNITURE, TINWARES, CLASS— WARE GIFT ITEMS, AND THE ONLY HEAD SHOP FOR ' TEN PERCENT STUDENT DISCOUNT .DPEN DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY 10:00 a.m. _ 6:30 p m FRIDAY 10:00 a.m. — 9:00 p.m. . ' ' EMPORIUM 75 Queen Sheet M _ Ya??? measures would be more , acceptable to the Canadian public. There should be a little more selectivity . in taxation. < The 18¢ gallon increase on gasoline is totally unacceptable to Canadians because all it does is increase inflation to the point where people _ in lower incomes cannot afford gasoline. Here ' , in Prince Edward Island they haveto have gasoline to operate their cars. We don't have public transit. Q: University enrollment is declining across the country. Does the Liberal Party have any policy. on attracting students back to universities? Birt: What I would like to’ see is the economy“ stablized and brought to g a mulch more vital point than’it is right now and has been over the past 7 or 8 months. I think by that alone, with opportunities, in the work force» for young people, there would be a. great incentive for them to go to university and to complete their studies. Q: Presently, some student loans are being misused. Would the Liberal Party implement safeguards to 'correct the misuse? Birt: I personally don't go'albng with the idea of students getting student loans if they don't need them. I think Student loans are fOr students who will use them prOperlyn ' If I were elected, I - would make every“ effOrt to make sure that student loans are not spent to buy cars, to buy things that students really don't need at this particular _ ‘ point in their lives. I think student loans are ~ for their education, their ‘ tuition‘ and any. other ex- u‘! :'.. .r u -';~ ‘.,.,,..-.l/~Jr J.’ 4 . a... H; I everybody . xa-need-in the marketr to the business of the econ If the economy gets moving, the Way that the Liberal Party would have it more, and would move it, if elected, an industrial strategy would be used to- create jObs,‘ not only for students, but for _ I think one of the prime and crying needs of this coImunity in ~‘ Hillsborough and Canada as a whole, is jobs for students, but the economy is, the important thing there. That's-the key. Q: ,You said the economy is not moving the way the Liberal Partywould have it move. Could you elab— orate on where the Liberal Party would have the economy go? ’ ' Birt: Well, the Liberal Party would like to see theeconomy‘ as healthy as possible. It would , bring -in measures I to, stmull' ate, theecon’omy, not necessarily. by ~ I stimulating the deficits as has been proposed by the Conservatives, but by allowing small business, the back—bone of. any ’ community, to do'the _ things they. can. do best by not taking them out of existence and by » not making road-eblocks for them in expansion. What we're looking at really is. for more pro- . ' ductiVity from people I we're looking atmore money for people to 'spend‘ and I think by that we do create a' desire and ..,..»+ a,» my: "' . w 1‘.