HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1978-10-26, Page 4Page 4
Citizens News, October 26, 1978
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Small business is big
Canada's small businesses are the Iifeblood of
the economy, reports the October Reader's Digest.
More than a million of them employ over six
million people, half the total work force. As power
tends to become concentrated in big corporations,
big unions and big government, small businesses
have much to teach us.
Thousands of ambitious entrepreneurs, mostly
in their 30s and 40s, have in recent years risked
savings and future to wage their own modest war
against unemployment, foreign domination and low
productivity. Their reasons for going into business,
rather than seeking the security of salaried jobs,
are varied But their stories are the same: hard
work, little money at the startand refusal to give
up. .
Small businesses may be one way to repatriate
some of the Canadian economy. Another strength of
small business is their willingness and ability to in-
novate. John Bulloch, founder and president of the
Canadian Federation of Independent Business, es-
timates that more than 50 percent of innovative
breakthroughs come from small business. In addi-
tion, they tend to have excellent labor relations.
High interest rates, government red tape and
taxes rank high among the problems of small
businessmen. Nevertheless, hopeful signs abound.
In September 1976, the government named its first
minister of state for small business.
A month later, the Throne Speech lauded small
business as a mainstay of employment, a source of
innovation and the "economic back -bone of
countless communities throughout Canada". The
present minister, Anthony C. Abbott, last May out-
lined proposals to help small business, including
easier access to capital, more government
purchasing from small business and exemption
from federal sales tax for businesses with annual
sales under $50,000.
He also established a government advisory
telephone service for small business, designed to
help cut paper work and red tape.
Wallaceburg News
Childress' year has merit
We've had International Geophysical Year and
International Women's Year. Now comes the Inter-
national Year of the Child, proclaimed for 1979 by
the United Nations General Assembly.
A batch of printed matter mailed by Ontario's
Secretary for Social Development, in the days when
the mail system used to work, from William Davis
on down intends to go all out to support I.Y.C. so
long as it doesn't cost any tax dollars.
Directed by the premier, the Provincial
Secretary for Social Development, has completed
much of the planning. Margaret Birch says "$4
million has been allocated from the Provincial
Lottery to the Ministry of Community and Social
Services for the purpose of identifying and develop-
ing more cost-effective approaches that will im-
prove the delivery of children's services."
Ingenuity and imagination r
g Y ima g
rather
than ad-
ditional money are the key, Mrs. Birch says. "Our
theme for I.Y.C., `Today is for Tomorrow' reflects
this and urges society to take steps now that will
prevent tragedies in the future."
What can we do as parents and friends of
children? The provincial secretary has written an
appeal for support from all M.P.P.s .in Ontario to
"develop awareness and enthusiasm for Z.Y.C. and
encourage activity on behalf of our children."
Mrs. Birch offers a list of 20 suggestions for
projects, Clubs and organizations are urged to con-
centrate on guest speakers to deal with parenting,
education, daycare and , handicapped children.
Adults are urged to form Block Parent
Associations, offer their services to Children's Aid
Societies, Big Brother and Little Sister
Associations or assist in development of
neighbourhood recreation facilities.
"Make a personal commitment to your own
children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces to set
aside extra time in 1979 for an educational or
recreational experience, e.g.,' trip to zoo, museum,
conservation area or art gallery, camping or spor-
ting events," is another suggestion.
And in keeping with the original intention of the
United Nations to aid children in underdeveloped
nations "Have your school class, office, or club
adopt a foster child in an underdeveloped country."
Encouragement of older
children to
participate
in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Canada — sub-
ject to our comments here in July — could be
another appropriate act for I.Y.C.
Such international years have drawn mixed
reaction in the past. But a focus on the importance
of our children and their problems in facing an un-
certain and sometimes foreboding future should
have far greater merit than the dubious
chauvinism of an international year for women on-
ly.
Lambeth News -Star
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By
TOM CREECF
Not another
crusade
It was a relatively quiet day after the day after
the Citizens News had been put to bed and this area's
other newspaper had hit the streets.
Taking my usual tour to the closest Globe and
Mail box, I pick up Thursday's edition of "Canada's
National Newspaper" and rush back to the office to
delve into the Globe's sports section.
After determining how the Leafs hadmade out the
night before, I turned my attention to the front page
where a nine column headline proclaims "Drea
declares war on waitress nudity, easier liquor licen-
sing."
I say to myself "Oh good gracious, not another
Frank Drea crusade."
Reading on, we learn Premier Davis has shuffled
the deck again with Drea moving to consumer and cor-
-porate relations replacing Larry Gossman who was
switched to industry and tourism. Replacing Drea at
correctional services is London MPP Gord Walker.
During his tenure in his former post, Drea at-
tracted almost as much ink as the rest of the cabinet
combined.
Drea is a personwhom the media loves, because
rarely, are his pronouncements bland. The ex -
reporter for the Toronto Telegram obviously paid
close attention to some of the more verbose politicians
of his time.
Drea told reporters "My personal advice to the
ladies is that they had "better get dressed. I want
clothes on, above the waist, too, all over the province,
I want clothes on the girls. As for pasties, let the
lawyers figure that out."
Later on, Drea when asked how he would enforce
his views, he said "Watch me, watch me ... You were
the people who told me I couldn't make convicts
work."
Let us ponder for a few minutes how a "normal"
member of the cabinet might have made a similar
pronouncement while avoiding the personification and
verbal excess of our friend Drea.
"Gentlemen: Effective today members of the
staff of the Liquor Licence Board which is under con-
trol of my ministry will be required to enforce the
provisions of the Liquor Licence Act more strictly. In
addition I will ask that tavern owners of the province
who now employ topless waitresses to stop the prac-
tide and that if such a directive is not adhered to,
changes in the Liquor Licence Act will be forthcom-
ing. Thank you gentlemen."
If Drea had made his pronouncement in the
"usual" government verbage, I almost positive the
papers of the province would not have given the story
as much coverage.
At least the Free Press had the decency (sounds a
little bit like Drea, doesn't it?) to put the story on the
bottom of page four rather than the front and centre
coverage which the Globe gave to the story.
In terms of publicity Drea, . to use hockey
parlance, is a cherry picker: he stands at red line not
bothering to slug it out in the corners while waiting for
the puck to come his way.
I hope I never see this guy in any of the top port-
folios.
As I write this, the Canadian Union of Postal
Workers are still on the picket- lines while the private
courier services get an increasingly larger chunk of
the mail business.
I read with some disbelief a few of the statements
which the inside postal workers made in interviews
published in the Free Press.
I almost fell off my chair when one of the
Please turn to page 5
Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd.
Member:
Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association
CNA News Editor - Tom Creech
Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385
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