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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-01-03, Page 5.w. skes�Q • • t"rasp-Bough, groan. He Bacheheartb.0rn . hangover - mean. The. holiday Season is over, Alth.,ough there are lingering. Maladies it is time. • to settle into altedious winter routine. But the holdiays were a good time,right? Santa left you an assortment of ',goodies that cap be tucked away.in the 'sock drawer and there was goodtidings and joy to be shared with family and • friends. w. The thing .1 enjoy most about the season are the family gatherings. I am • not certain that my family is an ex,. ceptien but the gatherings, go on for. about 10 days. Any excuse. Breakfasts, dinners, late snacks=it doesn't matter everybody just gets together for a good time. Our family has a tradition of gatherings. But the one that I have ' always looked forward to. was on Christmas Eve. The whole family would assemble for • fine food an assortment of beverages and a visit from Santa Claus. I can remember standing in awe as a. smalluboy when Santa would visit the family, hand out gifts and leave again. Everyone would sing Christmas carols and the children were told the louder they sang the quicker. the old fat fellow would come. So we had to sing our little tonsils off beforeBanta would appear. But one year my illusions were shattered. , The Christmas Eve gathering wasat my house and my cousin, the same age but somew°iat wiser in the ways of the world than I was, told me there really wasn't ' a Santa Claus. He claimed it was just one of my uncles dressed up. •I couldn't believe it of course and Santa arrived as usual and doled out gifts from a large sack. When he left out the front door I sneakily followed, keeping my distance to avoid detection, and noticed Santa we.n.tout the front door and around the SAH • GODERICH SIG'NALSTA.R, THURSDAY, JANUARY 3,1980.4% house to the side door where he went into the recreation room into the basement. • Peering through a window I noticed several of my uncles undressed Santa and the old boy turned out to be anotlker relative. So I found out the truth but I couldn t help but hate my Cousin fpr .shattering the myth. But the children in our —fa-mril still enjoy the visit from Santa. This year was no exception. Except that now I had graduated into a- can- didate for the job and ._reluctantly agreed to be Santa Claus. Dressing Santa isalways a big ritual and several of the men gather to stuff pillows 'and refreshing beverages into the prospective man from the north. Lipstick is• carefully applied to the face, to produce a rosy cheeked effect, and pillows are strategically stuffed for that rounded look. According to two male family membees I was the first Santa to re_ctuire.a pillow in front and one in the rear My -anatomy was the object of = several er el..jQkes as a result.. - • Undaunted., complete with hat, hair', beard, boots and red suit I hauled jay pillow-packed:scant frame among the relatives dispensing with several genuine ho-ho-ho's. In all modesty I would have to admit to being one' of the funniest Santas . in our family in a long time. There was -"^ much merriment and my bells were constantly ringing. •.• Of course, as Santa , my main job was to distribute gifts. Each' recipient sits on SantaYs knee, rings his hells and in the case of the won'ith; plant a hefty smacker on the jolly bby. The kissing was one of the better fringe benefits of the job and I was actually accused of being a fresh Santa. Well now that I have had a taste.,,of the family tradition I kind of took a liking to it. So if anyone is looking for a Santa next year keep me ie mind. _ G.D.C.I. students take a look at the decade ahead We allhave to do BY SHELLEY MUNROE, YEAR4 What is inflation? Inflation is defined as an unstable use in price levels resulting from an increase in circulating currency and a mounting demand for available commodities and ser- vices. To many this definition Three way role would'seem complicated, for ' when 'they- think of inflation, the first thing that comes to mind is high prices. ' • To a minor degree this is true, but, what most people don't understand are the facts that cause inflation. So, the first thing the - average person does, is to blame the Government. • our share to combat inflation during trying times Many 'times the Government May be at fault in some ways due to bad` decisions, but on the whole the Government ,does••.got like to see the country in a financial mess or raise prices any more than the public does. But, the Government is not .all at fault for I believe ithe consumer plays a very important • role in helping to combat this situation. For the last several years we have been told to conserve energy, to drive smaller cars and to insulate our homes, but if appears that most of us would not take the advice we were given seriously. I believe Canada is a great country with great potential and if -the Government introduces good legislation and the people abide by It, we could reduce this major problem somewhat and possibly bring the country back to normal. To lower inflation what must happen isa reduction' in the amount of money people have to spend must occur.. This can be achieved thraug --inteer'e` n rates, increases in mortgages,•u'nem- ®. ',tie economist and government plBut' when etc. is done; '`/ soeone else becomes 13 Y DAVID MUFFITT YEAR4 In Canada today, there. is a •growing, concern in each and every individual_ towards not only a pee,. • sonal financial calm, but also towards a 'collective growth ih terms of, the nation's economy. There arises out of this -concern, a 'stereotype of ,,a Canadian economist; that stereotype has asit s main quality, a pessimistic • outlook towards us ever sue- cessfully achieving this wanted growth. Are our .• economists really doing their jobs? While we' are appalled with the thought of $1.25 for a gallon of gas; disgusted with a ten cent :inerease in the price of beef and are virtually at arms • with an unem- ployment rate that fluctuates between seven and nine percent; we do rarely find ..ourselves looking at the other side of the coin, just• hoW fortunate-we•realy are: For .instance, compare the Canadian Gross 'National Product of 193.87 billion dol'?ars (1977 figures) to,, the Chinese, ;.' Grass Natibria1. Product • of 170 billi,pn dollars (1974 est.): Now, when one takes into consideration that our per . capita average income, for the same period, was more than.. 'thirty-six,- times greater than their per capita average, it's not hard :for us to begin to ,understand how 'fortunate we really are. In Ei.rope for example, gasoline can be inore than three dollars : a art, see what happens BY GERRY.JAMES No one needs to. tell you that the cost of gas and heat for your home is high. It looks as though prices will continue to rise. : ` Finance Minister John Crosbie announced on December 11' that gasoline would rise immediatelyby 18 cents a gallon. The government and Alberta are trying to." agree on a price hike of between $4 to $5 per.- baiis`l•el"'(35•°gatlons)':^ This, boost would generate about $26 billion more in oil revenuesbetween' 1980 and 1985 and would create a, kind of Saudi Alberta. Ottawa wants to increase the price to world levels Mow $25.70 per -barrel versus $13.75 for Canadian oil). There is a ,grgwing dependence, en imported oil ($1.8 Millin last year). Canada im- ported 270,000 barrels a day in 1978 and this could rise to 64',000 barrels per day -by 1985 if there is no • change in our production. Ontario Premier - Bill\ Davis said that a-$4 per - barrel increase and an excise tax would "raid" • • $700 from every household.in..;.Canada. The federal gas tax is "an excuse to raise billions of new tax dollars." ' The price of gas tri' Ontario was about $1.05 per gallon, It is $1.42 in the U.S. (in imperial gallons). Gasoline was about 45. • cents in 1954. With.. the, rise in cost of living the price should be $1.20. This is about what the price will be after the 18 cents tax. By.next year .the price will be $1.39 a gallon and by 1984 gas will hit $2 a gallon. Even with this latest increase the use of gasoline will ,riot go down that greatly. ore people in the cities are starting to ride transits • to work . and more we -ante in the suburbs are forming car pools in which to get to and from work. This shows that some of us are 'trying to curb our use. Ottawa is studying a tax credit incentive, similar to the govern- ment's home insulation program, to switch their oil -burning furnaces to natural gas. The price of oil will be set at 65 per- cent of the world oil price. The government 'is thinking of a proposal to rnix natural gas acid wood chips as a new fuel to be used 'in the forest in- dustry. This would save a large amountof oil. They also plan to .switch the, Maritmes energy use to -'coal from oil. Already in Ontario this year, 19650 homes have switched to natural gas. There is 70 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas in Alberta. If more wells were sunk the total would jump to 150 trillion cubic feet. In the Alberta foothills, 400 trillion cubic feet of gas in the rock can be mined. . It looks like continued price rises and shortages for oil and gas. There is.a continuous shift from the everrising price for heating to natural gas in both Canada and U.S. This is alright as long as we can continue to get natural gas and "not have the price skyrocket after everyone has Converted. I guess we will just have to wait and • see what hap- pens to prices and sup- plies. • • gallon. If there is anyone who • wants to be pessimistic, think about paying three times that of what we pay presently. The story is the same all over the world. There are countless countries' in which citizens `are ear- ning only fifteen or ten percent of . what the average citizen 'u Canada , is making.' Gambia,for example, has a "per capita income of $120., less than one six-.' tiethof Canada's. It's quite justifiable to say, that the pessimistic attitude we . are encased in arose from the system of democracy which allows us the freedom to speak against existing conditions. Without this freedom wrongs would not be righted and new methods of economic growth would not be attempted. What we might tead—taL find redundant or pointless, in the, reports of • broad- casters, 'and critics is in reality a very.small•price to pay so as to ensure the stability of our economy, and ..from this stability create a positive growth. The conclusion that can be reached is simple; we have 'to remain -wary • of changes in our ,economy that affect our day to day lives, this is the job of the critic. We must also analyse , and calculate this change; this is the job of the economist, and we must also react to the change and plot a new course, this is the job of our government. ' . - There is a little bit •sof pessimism in every Canadian, but there is also a dash of idealism in each of us. With these two characteristics we have had and will continue to have a sense of pride in our nation- and without hesitation an urge to create a closer andmore prosperous people, • unhappy and tries to get ' rid of it. • • ' For example;. since interest rates are high, Financia1ne C.� .d interre1ationships Willing to cooperate. We've been pretty well off, and now we are, not willing to give up anything it seems, . If a balance between inflation and unem- ployment could be created, the Government could, bring down the amount of money. that it owes and the interest on • the -money .that they borrowed.:The expense ©f, the unemploymert would • go down. Just think,, if half -away measures were followed, • inflation would be -swallowed! To do this one must realize just how big a problem inflation is and one must try to do their part in helping curb it by saving energy, working for a reasonable 'income rather than demanding huge wages and curbing their spending plus all the other things that are suggested to us to help -Frghtinflation: _ " - We • are an oil- con- suming society, we need oil and because of this we have to pay the prices. I believe that -• if .the price of oil is raised the Government could -use, the profit for research of other methods of energy for example solar energy. Sure the increase in price .will effect us now, but in the• long run we will •benefit and probably someday come up with a new energy source and will not be so dependent on oil. b promise andbe a step in the right direction. During these trying titnes I think we are all responsible, in trying to fight ,,inflation and keep A our country's economy in good shape. If we"tighten our belts a bit during these trying times we may not have to strangle ourselves in the future. I-.an-well-a-wareGo ernment has,. have only covered a few its work --Cut out for it areas, but if we just stop these days but'I believe. to think about • how we all have' to` do our serious this problem is, share in helping combat we might start 'to com- this problem.. • borrow and this leads._to the banks having to lower their interest rates. Inflation •seems. to, BY Canada has ever since DARRELL KLOEZE been • modelled on the follow a circular pattern, On July 1, 1867, a First, you come up with a political miracle • oc-• _pis yble solution, °then_ erred, someone or something ' On that day, tWo disagrees and you end.up historically hostile back where you started..peoples, the French and I believe that if the the English peacefully" :.Government could come united to " form the up with a`'bhl•ance bet- Dominion of Canada. ween inflation and >;,•nthusiasm was great unemployment, our for the new country; both problem would be solved. • English and Frerlckli" How can this be . 'Canadians celebrated achieved? with ' such promising By lowering our aims slogans as: "Success 'to and going along with the Confederacy or. halfway measures. We, ,, Bienvenue a la nouvelle the citizens must Be- - San^e" atmosphere of this union. • The many different groups of varied ethnic •origin have been allowed to maintain their iden- tities while contributing., in' their -• own . ways to Canada. From this ,conglomeration of cultures we • have truly become a closely -knit; interdependent family. We are also a strong thriving, democratic and diplomatic middle power with one of the highest standards of living•in'the world. • -• However, upon ' our entrance into.a new decade, Canada •has reached a crucial period in°its development, in the • guise of the so-called 'Quebec Crisis". Quebec's discontent 'with her role in Canada is the culmination of over two hundred' years of English domination since General Wolfe won the battle 'at Quebec City in 1759. For, although English and French Canadians were. theoretically equal • . puts Bigger hole in pocket for 1980 BY TED DOHERTY ' • Like most things in our society, economics is. very dependeniN on- politics, n politics, both national' and international. A change in political ,leaders or in political practices has the potential to drastically affect the economic situation in a country, In Canada's case two recent changes could have a big influence • on the energy situation in 1980. They being Joe Clark's election as Prime Minister and -Ay a to I lab K1 n"ei-n+'-s take-over of power in Iran. Its ridiculous to' think that 1980 will bring us a technological discovery that will solve the present energy crisis antjrduce our dependence on conventional methods like oil and coal. Alter- native methods like nuclear and' solar energy have been suggested as solutions to the crisis but it is unrealistic to -expect these to relieve the problem this coming year. In the long run both solar and nuclear energy must be developed enough to'' relieve the - strain on oil.._bu.t.for'the upcoming • year -Canada must push harder to develop its best energy resource—Conservation. With OPEC threatening ,yet another price •hike later this month, along with cutting back production, the Canadian people can ill -afford . to --wait ---fer �alternat-ive energy solutions to be developed to the point where they can be of significant help. For .at - least the next two years Canada will have to make do with the available energy resources. Even these may not...- 5e available:1' • ... As I've already stated politics plays a big part in bionomics and it could he tht single most important factor in next •• year's energy situation. Prime Minister Clark's° proposal to move the Canadian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has already stirred up commotion. If this change had been obeyed it would have seriously affected the oil imports of Canada. It angered the Arabs to the point that they had threatened•not to sell to Canada Clark's election • as leader of Canada may also affect the energy .crisis in the• waysthat be--ettenpts to solve it. I'm .sure he has his own ideas on the crisis and on conservation. It will be interesting to see if he can 'make a dif- ference. 1 think for the upcoming year he will have to -introduce certain mo"asures that have -already been used in the - United States like ODD - EVEN gas rationing. ' The Iranian situation may also. have serious side affects on the world energy supply and. particularly that of the Western World, including Canada. However, this incident ends you can be sure that Iran will be less anxious to sell oil to countries like Canada. This again means one •thing -CONSERVATION. A"s we approach the New Year optimists are always predicting a better year. "Maybe things will he better this year. I just hope that most Canadians aren't plan- ning on.a big turnaround in 1980. Alternative energy 'resources just, aren't developed' enough to help lis in the very near future and the supply of the available resources is dwindling. I expect 1980 to be very Smilar to ''79 with a bigger emphasis on conservation and a bigger -..hole in our pockets. partners in • Con- federation, there , has never: .been- any- doubt aboutTiiglish supremacy in Canada. 1980 will prove to be a 'critical year For the Quebec situation. A referendum fora Quebec' "sovereignty association is scheduled_„.. for next Year:' Although. the true meaning of this . ambiguous ” .term . is - ,d_ebatable, the ' referen- dum will gauge the Quebecois' desire for greater powers of self - govern m ent. elf-government-. In . this.: decision, economic considerations will be as important as• nationalistic. ' Although Anglophones are a minority in Quebec, most of the industries and large businesses along the St: Lawrence River are owned by English Canadians, Americans y.. ,and other • foreign • Countries. This constitutes one of Qu-ebec's major weaknesses. For, al already has been shown, these. _companies will be unwilling to remain in a Quebec that has more say in its own affairs, much less 'a Quebec that. is politically independent from Canada. Thus, increasing- its in- dependence will most certainly prove "to be an economic disadvantage for Quebec. Within the next . two years, Rene Levesque, the premier of Quebec, will be forced, to hold an election, the first since the Parti Quebecois came into power. The future of ' Quebec depends strongly on the outcome of this election. A successful 're re - Turn to page 13 • Here I sit on the first official work day of the decade and I come to the shocking realization that some things never change. I had hoped to plunge into the '80s with a surge of newfound enthusiasm and energy. I figured for sure I'd come - back to the old keyboard chuck full of ideas and zippy, little bullets for the old column. ' . So much for the '80s. Moving right along we'll dive into the one thing we all have in common. The weather. .. - - I can't help but be concerned that . somebody, somewhere has been fooling with Mother Nature, and we all know it's not nice to fool with Mother Nature. This shortened winter we've been enjoying has everyone on edge. Doom and gloom ,types are having a ball. . When you meet one seconds after the M, how are you today's are out of the way they'll pop the question.:. "What do you think of this weather?" Personally 'I'll take it and not be worried about what the doom and gloomers tell me is in store. "Yep with the lake- open when she starts. to snow we're going to get buried. That old water will turn everything into snow and it'll just keep - on coming down." . I try to respond with something light. Something like it's well above freezing today, it's not supposed tb snow tomorrow and why worry about next' week. But I soon learn I should be, worried about next week. "Last time we had a winter like this we sure paid for it. Started snowing soon after New Years and kept on coming down until June. Planting was delayed tWo months and what did go in was killed by a July frost." Concerned that I'th soon going to be told the world is near its end•I usually try,to change the subject altogether. A question about the election coming up usually does the trick nicely. • . "Probably won'tbe much of an election. Most -,people won't be able to get out to vote cause of . ,he snow. Probably get .another minority government and get nothing for it except higher taxes." . Beginning to lose •rhy grip I cleverly change the subject again. aEijguring a question about sports would elirrinate this crud about the weather I ask who's going -to win the•prize of the National Football League, the Super Bowl. "Won't be one until spring." Ah I've done it. The response gives the impression the subject has finally been changed, Now I want to find cyst why there won't b'e a Super Bowl, "Winter." is the smug reply. Come on. The Super Bowl is played in Los Angeles, California. Land of fun in the sun. It doesn't snow in California so how can winter delay the Super Bowl. "Pittsburgh is going to win the AFC championship and a berth in the Super Bowl. But incredible storms in -the eastern United, States and Canada will keep- the team from getting to California. -They can't forfeit a game - like that so they'll delay it until the weather breaks, Probably wont get,it in until spring." . Noting the fact that anything I say will be used to predict weather I end the conversation abruptly. "Where you going?" • 'Home while I still can." "Better lay in some extra milk. See those storm clow out over the lake?° P-robably going to snow later today and once it starts to , :x. Lx jerr Seddon •+r� . ' - - -1 itt 3