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The Citizen, 1997-12-24, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24,1997. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOU 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. N0G1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil f AJO The Citizen is published weekly In Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year In U.S.A, and $75.00/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 E ditorial i ........ i Joy to the world “Joy to the World” was the Christmas wish of the angels nearly 2,000 years ago. The residents of Bethlehem that night, if they could see the lives we lead in Canada today, would have thought the angels' wish had been fulfilled — and yet there seems to be too little joy to too many people. We are, the United Nations tells us, living in the most fortunate country on earth. We have peace, security, freedom, wealth heyond the belief of a huge portion of the world's population — in short, as close to heaven as humans can expect to get while they’re still on this earth. People seem to be angry and upset about perceived injustices instead of rejoicing in their good fortune. Strangely, it’s perhaps harder to experience true joy in the midst of abundance, than it is amid deprivation and poverty. As we gain, materially, it seems to take more and more to bring us pleasure, to make us feel joy. Our grandparents could find great joy in any toy they received, because they had so few. A Third World child would be more excited about receiving used toys thrown out by a Canadian family, than many of our children are with the latest “must have” toy (remember the fuss over Tickle Me Elmo last year?) The inflation of expectations is evident in viewing two versions of the classic Christmas story Miracle on 34th Street. In the original 1947 version, the little girl, tired of living in the city apartment, asks Santa Claus for a dream house in the suburbs. It’s a nice house, but somewhat modest, certainly by today’s standards. At the conclusion of the movie, they discover the house, sitting empty, and the girl is happy, sure it's hers. In the 1990’s version, the house, when they discover it, is a million dollar mansion with circular drive. Not content with an empty house, the makers of the movie make it a furnished home, complete with decorated Christmas tree and fire in the fireplace. But will that house have more joy than the more modest house? It’s doubtful. We haven’t learned that joy isn't in possessions. It comes from within ourselves. If we make joy illusive, if we always think we need a bigger home or a newer car or a fancier gadget to bring us joy, we're probably not ever going to really experience joy. Living in a blessed land, surrounded by family and friends, we have every reason to be filled with joy this Christmas season — if only we’ll put our lives in the proper perspective. — KR Welcome to the global economy Despite a strong growth rate (on paper anyway), a disappearing government deficit, and regulations rewritten to please international business, Canada’s dollar edged toward record lows this week. The solution proposed by some experts was to raise interest rates to try to attract more foreign investment. Canada, it seems, is being hit because of investors’ concerns about the state of the economy of Asian countries. As a seller of raw materials, Canada could lose because of the financial problems half a world away. With a strong dollar, good economic growth and high interest rates, investors have decided they’d rather send their dollars south of the border. This is terrible news for the Canadian government because we still have more than one million people unemployed, despite the strongest economic growth of any of the western economies. If the Bank of Canada is forced to increase interest rales to keep the dollar from declining, many of the jobs needed to help the unemployed will not be created. The bad side of this is that more and more our well-being as Canadians is beyond our control. Our governments have done nearly everything the international business community has demanded, and its reward is a run on our dollar at a time most experts were predicting a stronger dollar. The good side of this is that perhaps we will see that our well-being is intimately tied up with the well-being of people in countries we’ve tended to ignore in the past. We have been able to live in comfortable abundance at the same time as people live in poverty or even starvation. In a global world, however, we may be forced to be our brothers’ keepers because if they suffer, we will suffer too. We will truly be one world. — KR Oh Christmas tree! Letters THE EDITOR, Winter is now fully upon us, and with it, the holiday season. For many of us, the holiday season represents a perfect time for reflection, family, resolutions and renewal. Each year at this time, since you first elected me as your federal representative, I find that I am compelled to look back over the past year and evaluate my actions, along with the actions and accomplishments of my government. Upon reflection, I must say that 1997 has been one of the busiest years that I have experienced since first taking office in 1993; even if I only reflect upon the events since June. I believe that the June 2 election serves as a fitting starting point for any critique of the year's political happenings. The 36 day campaign was as exhilarating as it was exhausting. Happily, the result was the first back to back Liberal majority government since Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, nearly 50 ago; not to mention the beginning of my second term as your MP. Looking back, I am proud to say that the election was simply the beginning of a series of events that are undoubtedly destined to change the course of our nation's history. The Throne Speech; the Calgary declaration on unity; the Canadian led initiative to establish a global ban on the use and production of anti-personnel land mines; the announcement by the Minister of Finance that Canada will balance its books for the first time in nearly 30 years; and the coming together of world leaders for the APEC conference in Victoria; all provided Canadians with tangible justification to be proud of our collective accomplishment. Indeed, 1997 was a year that granted us the right to celebrate, however it was also the year the nation mourned the tragic loss of Continued on page 6