The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-10-12, Page 4p,q,G�'Va�R4 —�,r.®' .D' . SIG A!ATM W . A,Y, OM$ER 2,19$3
DAVE
SYKES
As consumers are probably acutely
aware, buying gasoline the days is a
tricky endeavor.
Gone are the days when the driving public
knew what price they were paying when
they pulled into a station to fill up. Today the
price can change by the time it's your tures
at the pumps and in fact, that very scenario
exists today.
Several times over the past year, the price
of gasoline has been on a roller coaster ride
in a competitive game called gas wars. The
wars are fought all over the province and
while it seems that mostly those in other
V , towns and cities benefit from the wars, we
have had occasion to rejoice in the wars
ourselves.
We do not so much try to understand the
wars and the corporate cunning behind
them, as rejoice when it is our turn to
participate.
But, at tunes, the wars have gone too far.
There is a case m point. A few months ago,
a war broke out in a Western province that
epitomizes the lunacy and in_
comprehensibility of gasoline wars in this
country. The prices at all service stations
and gas bars kept dropping and dropping
until the ultimate was finally reached.
Gasoline could be had for free and the
lineups were so long that law enforcement
agencies had to be called in to handle the
traffic problems.
But even though gas prices had bottomed
out to nil, nothing the game wasn't over.
There is always someone who has to go one
step further.
So one enterprising operator began paying
his customers to fill up with his product
which ultimately led police to call a halt to
whole incident when traffic became a
problem.
Such incidents have to lead one to wonder
how an operator can sell his gas for
outrageous prices one day and give it away,
or worse, pay people to take it away, the
next day. Who pays for the losses.
Certainly not the little guy. If the suppliers
can afford to take a loss or give gas away, if
seems to reinforce the theory that the stuff
is over priced to begin with. But the human
spirit is an indomitable one and as
evidenced by the gas wars, people will wait
in' line for hours to get their hands on
bargain. Pay them and the line just gets
longer.
The wait increases substantially. But man
cannot resist a bargain.
Recently, in Toronto, consumers were
rejoicing in the midst of a gasoline war and
prices, to the delight of derelict drivers,
dropped steadily during the day. And the
lineups at the gas bars and service stations
lengthened in proportion to the drop in price.
But then came that fateful moment when
one attendant was asked to restore the price
of his product to full value. People were
waiting in line to fill up with what they
thought to be bargain prices only to be told
the price had suddenly changed. More than
doubled in fact.
It was an angry mob that circled the
beleagured attendant, probably a partetime
weekend kid who undoubtedly did not un-
derstood the complexity of the supply and
demand system, or the sincerity of the lynch
mob.
It's a cruel world, isn't it?
All this came to mind the other day as I
pulled into a service station at the start of a
minor gas war. Of course, I ffdl up just as
they begin or die, never am I in position to
take advantage of price decreases. Gas
wars are for other people.
Just before the attendant inserted the
nozzle, he changed the gizmos inside the
pump. No doubt, increasing the price. I soon
learned, however, that I was the first in line
for a one-tenth of a cent decrease in the
price of gasoline.
I felt rather proud. But, if I had waited
another day, the savings would have been
substantial.
Member:
eiA
Second class
mail registration
number 0716.
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Agriculture is vital
There is hardly a week in the year, it seems, that doesn't
come with some type of designation.
While we certainly recognize the importance of specific
days to honour mothers, fathers or even secretaries, there
is also some merit to the designation of specific weeks.
Recently, a week in September was set aside as Legion
Week, to recognize the achievements of the Legion and its
members across this country. The contribution of the
Legion to the Canadian way of life is indeterminable.
This past week was also one of significance. Agri -Food
week ended on Thanksgiving, Monday, October 10 but was,
designed to focus renewed attention on the agri-food
sector in Ontario.
Living in a rural and agricultural area of the province,
the importance of the industry is all too familiar.
"Many people, both consumer and farmer alike, don't
realize the scope and importance of the agri-food in-
dustry," Ralph Barrie, president of the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture said. "Agri -food week was
designed to show, in a fun and family oriented way, just
how important the agri-food sector is to all of us."
Ontario's agriculture industry injects $11 billion into the
provincial economy every year and employs 20 per cent of
the provincial work force. The basis for this industry are
the 85,000 farmers who work the land in Ontario.
The figures presented to substantiate the importance of
the agri-food industry are staggering. Long a major in-
dustry and backbone of the provincial economy, the agri-
. food industry has served us ?well" ' b,E r
In the Huron County area,- we know all 'too -Well the
importance of agriculture and respect it.
While this is only the second year for Agri -food Week, it
will be held annually during the week preceding Thanksgiv-
ing.
Fitting that it should be held around harvest time and it
is fitting that the industry and its importance and impact
on the provincial economy, be brought to the attention of
the public.
Healthier 1ifesty1eg
Canadians could ease the burden on their health care
system over the next 50 years by drinking and smoking
less a Statistic Canada official says.
Doug Angus, chief of research and analysis in the health
division, says if current lifestyle trends continue, in 50
years time the 20 per cent of the population beyond 65
years of age could be consuming 60 per cent of the hospital
resources.
He was commenting on data in the recently released
Perspectives on Health. The document is one of a series of
analytical and research studies by Statistics Canada on
issues and problems of interest to policy makers in health
services.
Lifestyle is a large contributor to the incidence of
disease in Canada, Angus says, and positive changes can
be an important preventative step. While the report
presents no new statistics, it places them in the context of
what effect they might have on the future. Statistics
Canada does not offer solutions, but it can raise questions
for consideration by the public and health policy makers in
the country.
The report noted that one in 20 Canadian drinkers is an
alcoholic and that 11 per cent of Canadian deaths are
related to alcohol. Three in 10 Canadian adults smoke and
drink, and more than 600,000 of these people smoke at
least 23 cigarettes a day and consume 14 or more alcoholic
drinks per week.
The report also notes that sex differences in smoking
behaviour are almost nonexistent in the 15 to 19 year age
group. This does not bode well for the future and certain
traditionally male diseases. especially cancers and
cardiovascular diseases can be expected to become in-
creasingly common among females.
Angus isn't sure if a government can tell people to cut
back or eliminate their drinking or smoking, but it cer-
tainly must consider the social costs of such habits. The
government can provide information and promote
healthier lifestyles for its people.
Such promotion is already having an effect. Almost half
of the population now has a good level of fitness, and
government programs, such as Participaction, have
contributed to this.
Many groups, social agencies or even local
organizations can help you quit smoking, curb a drinking
problem or become a healthier person. Take advantage
of opportunities and promote a healthier lifestyle.
By Dave Sykes
On the rocks
DEAR READERS
SHIRLEY KELLER
Father Joseph Nelligan laid the facts clearly
on the line when he spoke to the annual dinner
meeting of the Ontario Heart Foundation, Huron
County Chapter, last week. He said the biggest
problem people have today - the thing that is
causing all sorts of ailments and sufferings of
mankind - is man's failure to use his head.
Father Nelligan gave the audience an example
of this "modern lunacy". While serving as a
priest in Tillsonburg, Father Nelligan was in-
vited to join several fellows from his parish in a
daily fitness program at the town's new sports
complex. The idea was to get up early enough in
the morning to work out at the gym before get-
ting on with the day's duties.
Their good intentions lasted only one week, he
admitted.
The first morning, Father Nelligan was
collected at his home in a very posh Lincoln.
The group was transported in style the six blocks
to the complex where everyone piled out and
spent the next 45 minutes or so in vigorous
exercises.
After a sauna and a shower, they got back into
the Lincoln and drove to a nice restaurant where
they each had four eggs, bacon, toast, jam and
coffee for breakfast. Then each of the par-
ticipants was delivered home again by Lincoln.
"That's how we think," said Father Nelligan,
pointing to his head in disbelief. According to
Father Nelligan, more lasting good would have
been accomplished if the men had walked the
twelve blocks to and from the complex and had a
piece of fruit, dry whole wheat toast and a glass
of skim milk for breakfast. Much cheaper too.
I knew Father Nelligan was absolutely right ...
and so did everyone else in that room. And I sank
a little lower in my chair as he went round the
room, mentioning this one and that one who was
seriously overweight, knowing perhaps better
than most people the risk to the heart because of
it.
"This group shouldn't have an annual
banquet,'." continued the outspoken priest from
Mount Carmel. "You should have an annual diet.
Or sardines on a shingle."
Reports given at the annual meeting indicated
just how hard the Huron Chapter is working to
alleviate the physical and emotional needs of
heart victims all across the province. Receipts
for the heart fund in Huron County more than
doubled in the past year.
The executive for the new year reads like the
Who's Who of Huron County.
Bruce Shaw, mayor of Exeter, is president.
Don Young of Auburn is secretary. Lloyd Rowat
of Seaforth is treasurer. Directors are Gordon
Baxter of Wingham; Colin Campbell of
Wingham; Stan Connelly of Goderich; Marion
Zinn of Ashfield Township; Irvin Armstrong of
Exeter; Dr. Ray Flowers of Clinton; Wallace
Montgomery of Clinton; and Pat Whalen of
Goderich.
Co-ordinator is Joan Van Den Broeck of
Goderich who has done a tremendous job of
organizing the activities of the group which will
receive its charter soon. I remember early in her
career, Joan spoke to me about Jump Rope For
Heart, one of her greatest ambitions for the area.
Now that project has been taken over by Don
Young who has 1280 students from 14 elementary
schools in the public school system involved.
Remarkable!
The Jump Rope For Heart program re-
introduces an old skill - skipping - in a new, en-
tirely motivational manner. Over 600 intricate
rope tricks have been created so far, and are
usually executed in free style manoeuvres and
routines set to the students' favourite music. it
can be an individual or team activity. It is
always fun.
"Rope jumping can be performed anywhere
there is a smooth, level surface," reported
Young to the meeting. "It is an inexpensive
sporting activity. A 152 pound person jumping
rope at 130 times per minute is approximately
the same as running for 35 minutes at five and a
half miles per hour."
And just to make his point that jumping rope
can be a safe activity for any age, Don Young
presented an official skipping rope to Father
Nelligan. It was received by the priest in his
usual good humour.
"The only thing that makes us different from
the guppy fish is our brain," commented Father
Nelligan.
He said a large part of his ministry is simply
encouraging his parishioners - particularly the
children - to come to the full understanding that
God gave man a body and a mind as well as a
soul. To keep body and mind fit, they must be
exercised. In good condition, the healthy human
body and the thinking, probing mind working
together can help man develop to his full
potential for the betterment of society as a
whole.
Heart disease can be prevented in most cases
with a combination of common sense and
exercise. That's very much a part of the heart
foundation's educational material. Most
enlightened people will admit to it being true.
And Father Nelligan believes the same for-
mula will work for other problems. By teaching
people to think straight and to honour their
bodies as God's own creation for man's en-
joyment, many of the needless social ills that
destroy human life and curtail man's pleasure
here on earth, can be avoided. Eradicated
forever.
It's such a simple solution. Such an available
solution. But if you really think it over, you must
know he's dead right.
There is an old Estonian saying to the ef-
fect that some situation or relationship is
like a fire in wet logs - it daces not go out en-
tirely, it smolders and makes smoke, but it
does not quite amount to a good and brightly
burning useful fire.
This metaphor comes to mind whenever
the relationship of the Goderich Town Coun-
cil to its Tourist Committee surfaces. There
is a chronic condition of limping through
several years, sometimes a bit more at
ease, sometimes tensing up again, partly
depending on who has been on or off the
council at a particular time, partly on some
inexplicable individual antagonism and bit-
terness towards the committee on a steady
basis. If the council is now ready to am-
putate, I hope it does not neglect to consult
the patient about the treatment.
At the October 3rd council meeting a mo-
tion was presented by councillors Searls and
Doherty "that the status of the Tourist Com-
mittee be referred to the Organizational
Review Committee for a recommendation
back to council". An interesting sentence
about referring "status" from one commit-
tee to another, but that is not the point.
Councillor Wheeler was the only member to
question the motion; it passed.
The point is the use of some quite eccen-
tric reasoning at the council table. The
stated reason for the motion was that during
the summer the Tourist Committee held no
meetings or no proper meetings with the
necessary number of members present for a
quorum. The authors of the motion, coun-
cillors Searls and Doherty, are council
representatives on the Recreation Board.
The Board had no meetings from the end of
June to the end of September, i.e. three
months. The Economic Development Com-
mittee has not met between May 5th and Oc-
tober llth. The list could go on and on,
because traditionally there has always been
an accepted summer relaxation period in
July ant; August in the formal activities of
councils, other elected bodies and their ap-
pointed committees.
If work is done at meetings alone, does the
Goderich Town Council mean to say that its
members received full payment and Worked
only three quarters of an hour in July and
less than two hours in August, because this
was the length of their monthly meetings?
As to the question of a quorum, perhaps
Coun. Doherty should refresh his memory
by looking at some of the records of the com-
mittee he is chairing. Do two out of four
members constitute the majority necessary
for a quorum?
I do not criticize any of the above; the ex-
amples are necessary only to demonstrate
that the Tourist Committee has been singled
out unfairly. If my tone is sharp, it is
because of my intense dislike of unfairness
and hypocrisy. Surely the people can expect
that the elected representatives handle
public affairs in a fair, honest and decently
businesslike manner, without personal
animosities and private antagonisms.
The volunteers on the committees supple-
ment and enhance a great deal of the work
for which the council members are elected
and paid. It is downright dishonest not to
recognize the nature of this partnership; it
borders on the ridiculous to play the big
boss.
It is saddening that the council members
display such insensitivity and ingratitude.
The Arts and Crafts Festival grew from 50
participants in 1981 to 120 in 1983. Do you
think that this just happened? What about
the tours and other personal tourist services
too numerous to mention within the confines
of this limited space? An expression of ap-
preciation would have been more in order.
Perhaps the council has a far superior
plan in place how its members will promote
tourism directly and more effectively. Let
us hear it without delay. But for goodness
sake - let us call a spade, a spade.
P.S. The Organizational Review Commit-
tee ought to be reviewed, as it duplicates
many of the tasks of the Administrative
Committee.
ELSA HAYDON
ti