Huron Expositor, 2009-02-25, Page 4Page 4 February 25, 2009 • The Huron Expo
a
• -a
0 1nion 44 '71=4.7
Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seaforth, ON, NOK MO .
'Buy Canadian' a step
in the right direction
It is no small irony that our neighbour to the
South once made a full-time job of fending off the
'red menace' of Communism and is now quite liter-
ally inundated with products made in China.
Granted,it is a good thing that McCarthyism and
its offspring are gone for good because fear monger-
ing did little more than result in millions of dollars
being spent on weapons of mass destruction.
Still, today it is no small secret that unemploy-
ment lines are growing lengthier because multina-
tional corporations have chosen to up their stakes
and move jobs overseas for the sole purpose of hir-
ing workers for peanuts. Oddly, it seems, it never
occurred to any of those in the head offices that by
doing so, they were creating fewer possible buyers
for their products on their home tax ,
Now, of course, the hens are coming home to roost.
But, all is not lost.
A step in the right direction is to take the bull by
the horns and realize that not only does charity be-
gin at home, but one's first responsibility does, too.
Meaning initiatives like the `buy -Canadian' reso-
lutions being passed in some Ontario cities, like
Woodstock and Chatham -Kent, are a pleasant leap
in the right direction. Not only are workers likely
to be more accountable for the quality of goods they
produce when they're being consumed by their
nei hbours, they are also more apt to sup ort the
en ess community causes that are the bac .one of
strong developing nations, -
As the critics once decried when former prime
minister Brian Mulroney brought Free Trade into
realit.. (something of questionable benefit to a coun-
try o a mere 30 -something million to begin with),
globalism, like Communism, looks pretty good on
paper.
And yet, as the past two decades have shown,
while allowing companies to cross borders has cre-
ated jobs for those in developing nations, it has not
exactly brought consumers the variety, and type of
quality once promised, bather, it's about how low
can the prices go?
Will Canadians be likely to shell out a few more
dollars for goods and services featuring the Made in
Canada label? It's hard to say when there are so pre-
cious few of those things to be found. And yet, many
strong arguments can e made in favour of a better,
level of quality to be found in products and services
that are not fashioned from the cheapest possible
pieces of material and a smattering of glue.
That is why efforts like those being pushed in
ox,e Qntax.o cities are to be lauded and emulated.
The Clinton News -Record
L..
nswering gwesti
a different view on asking th
When I was just an aspiring
journalist still attending" �Ity-
erson University, I found one
of _the toughest assignments
I had to tackle was approach-
ing total strangers and asking
them their opinions about -var-
ious newsworthy events.
The first week of first year,
we were sent out into the city to stop a num-
ber of people for the "man -in -the -street" inter-
view, which we then had to structure into a
story. Our professor told us later that many
students often had difficulties working up the
nerve and it wasn't a rare situation for them
to make up their answers rather than face an
actual person for the information.
While I managed to. complete 'the assign-
ment without engaging in works of fiction, I
continued -for aome time to find it challenging
to make that initial contact with an interview
subject.
During those early days, it usually took me
quite some time to prepare myself - including
pep talks to myself and rehearsals of my ques-
tions before picking up a phone and :making
the call:
With heart racing and palms sweating, I
would listen nervously to the rings while wait-
ing for someone' on the other . end to answer.
And, it , wasn't rare for, me to slam down the
r. phone in a panic once my subject' answered
when, despite my preparation, my mind went
suddenly blank and I became incapab le of
speech. -
r: Thank goodness those were the days before
Call Display or . Caller ID and I
remained an anonymous wrong
number who could try again af-
ter my courage was gathered
once more.
Of course, as the years went by,
Susan£4i-,,.n; . �- my confidence grew and inter-:
Hundertmaviews rarely give me the anxi-
ety they once did - that is, when
I'm the one asking the questions.
Journalists, especially those who work at
newspapers, are usually introverts who avoid
the limelight - and, it's only by ;wearing : the
"reporter hat" that they are able to break out
of their shells.
Last week, the roles were reversed and I be-
came the interviewee when a Globe and Mail
reporter called to question me about a column
I'd written several months ago.
1VIy. first reaction wag one I'm sure many of
my subjects over' the years have experienced.
Simply, . I didn't want to be interviewed and
expose my thoughts and feelings to readers
across Canada.
Afterall, it's- one thing to. have control over
the, crafting and editing of a column which' of-
fers a slice of your personal life to the world..
and.another to offer your rambling off-the-cuff
thoughts to someone else who will sift through
them .and choose which to use in a story.
But, as I _quickly realized how hypocritical
and cowardly it would be to refuse :to do some-
thing I ask of others every day, I agreed.
I quickly gained - an appreciation for the
people I've .e called for an opinion, only -to be
See BEING, Page 6
hi a -
Ron
'ettionb bad
Yoy' I� really
like it! It's
a tot of fun
by D�vid. Locey
What was thatl
last are I'-ve
never heard
that one before.
iftlr
'"`"-
I) CRIlri11ON RATES: LOCAL - 38.05 a year, In advance, plus G.S.T.
SENIORS; - 36.14 a year, in advance, plus
Forei : 38.05 a year in advance, plus $195.00 postage, plus G.S.T.x
•a
tL A: 38.05 a year in advance, plus $99.84 postage, plus G.S.T.
Published weekly by Sun Media at 11 Main St., Seaforth. Advertising Is a
ed on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space
occupied by.the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signa-
ture, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at
'' the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or
services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is
merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor
is not responsible for the Toss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or
other materials used for reproduction purposes,,y,,_t.:1ry�( p_wk( k -
,.�
PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT 40064883
PAP REGISTRATION NO. 7605
For any non deliveries Or delivery concerns please call 519-527-0240.
Your Community Newspaper
Publisher - Dave Sykes .-
Editorial and Business Offices - 11 Main Street., Sea -torah
Thlephone (519) 527-0240, Fax (519) 527-2858
Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, ON, NOK 1WO
Visit our home page at
w ww. sea farthh uronexpos.tor. co m
Canada
QUEIICOlt MEDIA
,•
AWE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THROUGH THE PUBLICATIONS
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (PAP), TOWARD OUR AWING COSTS."
•
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:d
Circulation Department, P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, ON., NOK 1 WO
,.
Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association
& the Ontario Contriumity Newspapers Aspoclatlon
Susan Dundertmaik
Editor f44,-*;:',''
seaforthnews@bowe8net.com
•
Dan Schwab
Reporter
seafortheditonal@bowesr et.aom
Maxwell Bickford
Advertising Rep.
seaforthads@bowemetcom
Dianne McGrath
= Front Office= -4i
sen forthclassifieds@ iowernet.com
4•