HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal Star, 1976-02-26, Page 14• P.f*ftODERICH: IONA;L-S 'A'R, TIILIRSDAY, FEBRUARY Il6, 1976
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P As Ottawa unvetled:athe details of its
anti-inflation prog.ra.rn just before
Christmas , a program, designed to
regulate, the earnings -and spendings of
most Canadians u— consumers con-
tinued'to push their way through• the
turns.#yles and rcrowd the escalators of
• the nation's'stores, buying as if there
were no tomorrow. •
in our greed .we..have demanded
more from the system we live under'
than it is.capabte of -producing — high
wages, high profits, more goods and
services and, above all; more gadgets
'and, corriforts than'we can possibly use.
Thework;ethichas become an object
of 'r'dicule. The family is under con-
. Stant assault. Morality is antiquated, if
' not obsolete and evidence of a lack of
self-discipline is everywhere.
In its belated. attempts to restrain
rampant consumerism,the federal
•
government. has attempted to legislate
inflation and greed, out of . existence...
But government controls,at. every level
of our existenceonly serve, too Often.,
to divert. us away from attacking The
sooial sins that are manifested'.. by
greed and waste. ,
Restore some Sense of discipline .in •
'iii areas or our lives;. a discipline
motivated by a sense of. co-operation
and responsibility and we would be in a
better posit un, to attack- the awesome
problems that,are facing us in the last.
half of -the 1970's.
To contini.ie to have all restraints on.
ourlifestyles legislated from above
gives us .no .motivation to do sorrie-
honest soul-searching acid to reaffirm
- man's essential needto practice his
own self-aiscipline and'. constraint. -
The United Church of Canada
Need assurance:
of ` .profit
GORDON HILL
Infla'ti'on has h.a.d•both.good and bad
effects on farmers -in Ontario:g ood for.
those 'who are wanting to' leave the...
profession and find that their. .assets
bring more mpneythan would have
beenthe case otherwise. Inflation has s
had disastrous effects on-'savirlgs,
insurance policies and;, some in-
vestments :which h -ave seriously
declined in value.
'How v much. .money is. needed • to
. provide for. the unknown nuxriber :of
.years ahead? `Particularly,..if, the in-
flation 'rate, continues. of its, present
pace:
For the young farmer with modest
earnings who must make huge:capi•ta.l
payme~nts•for land and Machinery and
livestock •-- what kind of di.ving.
standard .is left? • ` •
No one w.ould.argue that the effects
of, the.: Federal Government's
guidelines must impinge equitably
• .upon.. -us• . all . ,worrkers•, -business,
government and. fanners.'._.`
• By controlling food p,i,ces.al. the-
, chain store, the priceof produce at the
farm gate is- very e`f'fectively con-'
trolled. Retailers and processors have
shown dearly`by their practices .in :the
.
past that their costs are deducted fr'orri
.thefinal price that can be secured
before a bid is made for farm products:
'Canada'sfarm economy is balancing..
on a razor's edge. With too .little
production, prices can rise rapidly, as
'our pork.producers know. On the -other'
hand, tun little• demand -arid-far-ices
• •;plummet, asour beef -calf producers
know q,ui=te well. • .
The" fact is, that Caiada's farm
),(anomy is based to a major extent on
international` supply and demand, and
that means on••intern'ational prices.
To be more ' specific, our"'farrn
-economy is based upon_ the in
ternational grain Market, if our far•
mars can sell their grain for a
reasonable price, they sell. If the grain
cant be sold','then they. fry .to turn it..
into ncome by..feedin_g:it to- livestock,
Thus, :the -tremors of the. international
.grain market -are felt •all -the. 'way
rough our Canadian farm economy.
•id -w• looks as if this: