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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1986-01-15, Page 4Gno c [640523 Ontario Inc.] Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. P.O. Box 152, P.O. Box 429, Brussels, Ont. Blyth, Ont. NOG 1H0 NOM 1H0 887-9114 523-4792 Subscription price: $15.00; $35.00 foreign. Advertising and news deadline: Monday 4 p.m. Editor and Publisher: Keith Roulston Advertising Manager: Beverley A. Brown Production and Office Manager: JIII Roulston Second Class Mail Registration Pending PAGE 4. THE Cui !LEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1986. Too much 'sizzle' in Canadian economy ALWAYs LocKS. LIKE THAT WI-Igg THE CHRISTMHS BILLS CoME IN ! Much has been made at the beginning of the new year of the surprising strength of the Canadian economy in 1985 and the fact it actually outperformed the American economy in terms of growth of the gross national product last year. Yet Canadians who might have looked at the 1986 in optimism have been hit with a confidence-tester in the very first week as the Canadian dollar dropped to a record low against the U.S. dollar and the government responded by raising interest rates in Canada to double-digit amounts again. It is one of the many contrasting realities that Canadian trade reached record levels at the same time our balance of payments is in trouble because of interest payments on private and government loans and dividend payments to foreign-owned companies. Canadians who had money, went on a spending binge like never before at Christmas at the same time unemployment remained at record levels and individuals and companies in the resource sectors of agriculture, mining and forestry often saw losses so heavy as to put them out of business. What nobody seems to question these days is just how "real" the growth in our economy is. How strong can an economy be that depends lesson production of real needs in life and more on the production of "frills" and gadgets; that depends on selling the sizzle, not the steak, to create jobs. Traditionally economic growth has come from increasing "disposable income" the money people have left over after paying for housing, food and other basic necessities of life. We have now become so efficient in our economy that only a fraction of the income of a family blessed with a solid job, goes to necessities and the biggest bulk is disposable income to be spent on the latest gadgets to become popular. We've seen the fads come and go. Fifteen years ago one of the businesses that seemed to have the biggest future was manufacturing and selling snowmobiles. Today both the number of manufacturers and the number of dealers has shrunk to a fraction of what we had as the fashion wore off leaving only the diehards to buy snowmobiles. Five years ago home computers and computer games were the huge growth industry but many of the companies making them have disappeared just as quickly as they appeared. Computer games were replaced by Trivial Pursuit as the latest fad and now everyone is rushing to invent board games but likely by the time they market them the boom will be over. Fads come and go so fast nowadays that there is no sound economic base for growth in companies producing the product. They're in and out of business before they have time to research and develop any sidelines that might help them diversify. Still the belief in cutting the cost of necessities coninues. Milk producers at the annual meeting of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board in Toronto last week heard from a U.S. expert about a new hormone that will be put in cattle feed that will increase milk production from dairy cows from 21 to 40 per cent. This may keep the cost of milk down to consumers but may drive as many as half the remaining milk producers out of business and Ontario has already seen a drop from 15,000 to 10,000. So what do these formcr farm families do? Get a job in a factory producing the latest gadgets only to become unemployed when the bloom is off the rose? Sooner or later some economic "expert" is going to have to admit that you can't base long-term prosperity on short-term spurts of growth brought on by the latest fads. Just as we did with the oil scare, we're going to have to undergo a massive change in the economy that rewards the basic resource industries, the producers of the things we need every day, instead of squeezing them in favour of gadgets and fads. Anything for jobs The by-word of the 1980's is that anything is acceptable as long as it produces jobs and wealth. That people and even whole countries will sell their souls for prosperity is evident in the reluctance of the European natives to follow the request of U.S. President Ronald Regan to isolate Libya and its deranged leader Moammar Khadafy with a trade boycott. European countries have too much trade with Libya to want to give it up. They have frustrated Mr. Reagan and all those who want to stop Khadafy's sponsorship of international terrorism. by saying they feel an economic boycott won't do the trick. Mr. Reagan shoul know the argument. He's used the same words in resisting pressure to isolate South Africa in an effort to make white leaders there bring justice to the majority black population. His critics are just as cynical that the economic loss to the American economy may have more to do with the decision than anything else. Morality in the 1980's takes a back seat to jobs every time. TUESDAY: Tim O'Grady was watching this television show on the gun problem in the U.S. and says he's figuring on moving down there. Looking at all the Americans killing each other with hand guns, he says, he figures there's a bright future for a lawyer. Seems in 1980 there were something like four people killed with handguns in Canada and more than 11,000 in the U.S. No wonder the standard of living is higher there with all the money made making guns and selling guns and repairing guns and doctors and nurses busy repairing people who get shot up and lawyers defending people who do shoot- ings, Tim says. The Canadian government should see this as a real growth industry, something to give the economy a real kick in the seat of the pants. Ward Black said there was a town down there where they passed a law that said every head of a household had to own a handgun. The way they figured it, he said, it was a civic duty because if everybody could protect them- selves, they would be more self sufficient. Heck, they'd hardly need police...etc. to investigate the shootings when two people standing up for their own rights had disagreements. Julia Flint wondered if the National Rifleman's Association would be lobbying the U.S. government to have guns included in free trade negotiations with Canada. After all, we're being downright unAmerican not allow- ing them to protect themselves by bringing their guns along when they come to the cottage or to do some skiing in Canada. THURSDAY: Hank Stokes was boiling this morning after reading an article in the paper about a new hormone they're going to give There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel's Grill where the greatest minds in the town (if not in the country) gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering Society. Sincenotjust everyone can partake of these deliberations, we will report the activities from time to time. cows to make them produce 40 per cent more milk. "Just what we need," Hank says, "one more great breakthrough in efficiency to put half of us out of business." Billy Bean says the problem with farmers is that they depend too much on government research. Hank was ready to get a little hot under the collar about somebody talking about how much govern- ment subsidy farmers get again but Billy said he didn't mean it that way. "Do you think General Motors would let the government do research for them?" he asked. "Do you think Ford would let the consumers association do research into a new kind of gasoline engine? What if that research showed that they could build a car that would Take the challenge and go smoke-free Weedless Wednes- day, January 22, 1986. This is the challenge on the final day of National Council on Smok- ing and Health. All are urged to join the majority those 70 per cent of Canadians who are SMOKE FREE and undertake what could be the start of a healthier new lifestyle. Following are some survival tips which might help smokers be more successful in meeting the chall- enge of Weedless Wednesday. • Get a group of friends or co-workers to go smoke free with you. Your chance to butt out on 'Weedless Wednesday' • You could challenge another group or department to go smoke free on Weedless Wednesday. Make it a fun day. • Put carrot and celery sticks and pieces of fruit where the ashtrays are usually placed. • Butterless popcorn - without a great deal of salt added - is a nother low-calorie snack that could help you get through the day. • Take a walk at lunch - fresh air and a change of pace will help reduce the craving for a cigarette. Additional information is avail- able by calling the Huron County Health Unit at 524-8301. cost half as much and last twice as long. GM and Ford would be out of business. "But you farmers haven't learn- ed how to protect yourselves. You keep letting other people do research that is in their benefit but not yours. You've got nothing to gain by a cow that gives 40 per cent more milk. I heard the guy on TV admit that you'd be forced to use the hormone just to stay where you were and only the consumers would benefit by this great jump in technology. "Now if you guys paid for your own research like the car compan- ies you could just invent little things that would increase your profit and make you look like you were doing things and not put yourselves out of business."