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ho \ dg "--t AeA 3 4 x Ry dg, PSEA CCRT aan pon NA EORL SSA 7 fe a Rena Cock ores 4 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, Jan. 18, 1978 Editorial Comment PYT A ZIPPER ON IT © . GN © Uhy Don's we hh Co by J. Peter Hvidsten | ~ChatterBox AIR CANADA VS AIB Do you consider yourself ignorant? Well, most people, including myself are ignorant of many things, and one of these is the inner workings and policies of large corporate companies. This was clearly demonstrated recently when Air Canada offer- ed its employees free air passes as a Christmas Bonus. Air Canada President Claude Taylor explained the reason for giving the 20,000 free, economy-class air passes to its employees was because they were instrumental in helping the company achieve a profit. Under the circumstances, with Air Canada noted for losing millions-of-dollars every year, maybe in princ- ipal it wasn't a bad idea. © But the initial reaction of the public was one of shock. How could a publicly owned company offer this type of gift to 20,000 people? (Not that we wouldn't have taken the trip had we been egployees). Every calculator mind in the country immediately started adding the cost "out of their pockets' to finance this unbelievable bonus. Even the most docile mind could. calculate that if the average trip cost $300., it would mean ole Claude had given away $6 million of travel benefits to the employees. A staggering figure in the eyes of the public. ' But fear not. When one hand of the government giveth....there is always another to taketh away. That's right, the AIB (Anti-Inflation Board) has slammed their iron-clad fist on Mr. Taylor's desk and squashed his generous gift by him to revoke the passes. Talk about a "Scrooge", the AIB fits the shoes perfectly. It would have been one thing for the AIB to order no further gifts of this type, but to take away what has already been given....tsk, tsk. As in most fairy tales, there is always a happy ending. This is where I will explain the "ignorance" that most of us possess into the workings of such a large company. : It was revealed last week by an Air Canada employee that losing the pass was no real big deal. The employee, who asked his name not be used, said that he was grateful to the president for the offer, but they already get all-kinds of passes as employees of the company. He said "for each year of service (up to five years) an employee receives two passes each year. The two passes are really four, because each pass means travel for two people to any destination and return". To make it more understandable, it means that an employee and his or her spouse can take two trips a year anywhere in the world...free. After five years service each employee is entitled to four passes, and after ten years, they're eligible for five free passes. Each of these "passes" is really a . double pass because it means travel for two people. And to top all of these off, every employee is eligible for a general 'standby ticket". This ticket entitles the employee to an 80 per cent reduction on any ticket to any destination in the world at any time...on a In effect, the bonus free pass was a token gesture by the company to its employees...and really did not amount to a '"'hill-of-beans". As the Air Canada employee states, 'it would have only saved us about $70" on travel to any destination Air Canada flies. Now doesn't a $70 bonus sound cheaper than a "free trip to anywhere in the world". Had Air Canada been a little more careful in the wording of their gift to the employees, there may have not been so much flak raised and the employees might "have gotten their bonus. The government, who are not too accustomed to running a business in the "black", will undoubtedly find some way to spend their profit this year so that they do not have excess money to get rid of next Christmas. They have an uncanny knack for spending. THE TEACHERS AND THEKIDS Members of OTF (Ontario Teachers' Federation) were meeting last weekend in Toronto to discuss the declining enrolment of students in schools, maintain- ing the standard and quality of education and to deal with providing in-service retraining of teacher to allow them to move into other subject areas. 7 The item of most interest will undoubtedly be the "declining enrolment", as just recently a Toronto school has announced that they will be letting a large numbewof teachers go in the next few years due to the enrolment sag. In reality, for the taxpayer, this decrease in enrolment is a blessing. With fewer students in the schools, teachers can be cut, thus lowering the already enormous budget for education. . But for the teachers it is a different story. There are already too many teachers in the province and the declining enrolment is going to add to that figure unless the OTF can convince the government to substantially reduce the size of classes. And that is just what they are going to try and do. In a news release last week the Federation expressed concern over the high number of students in Ontario classrooms. 'Declining enrolment figures should have the effect of lessening the number of students in every classroom. At a time when we have a surplus of trained teachers, let us substantially reduce the size of our classes to enable each child to learn more effectively," says Mr. James Carey, OTF president. It makes one wonder if the Federation, in an effort to justify its existance, is more concerned with keeping its teachers employed, than it is with the quality of education. It would seem logical, with the system now working efficiently, that if they can save the taxpayers 'some money be reducing the numbers on staff, they would not block the move. With a number of teachers retiring, or moving each year, it would not necessarily mean "letting staff go", but instead just not hiring new staff to replace teachers if not required. - Baby seals, again A sure sign for Canadians that spring is not -too, too far away is when the pages of the 'daily press and the nightly TV news reports contain items on the baby seals. h The controversy over the harvesting of baby seals on the ice flows off the coast of Newfoundland. and Labrador has become a Canadian ritual in recent years; building slowly at first and then reaching almost epic proportions when the sealers take to the boats the first week in March. Well, March is still six long weeks away, and the controversy has already started to heat up. Newfoundland premier Frank Moores gathered a team of high priced public relations men, a couple of scientists, economists, and even the director of the Ontario Humane Society. They recently toured several cities in the United States in an effort to sway public opinion away from all the wretched publicity the hunt has attracted in the past couple of years. And while the arguments presented by Mr. Moores and his colleagues were thoughful, well reasoned, documented, and entirely believeable, the whole diea backfired in his face, and instead of casting a better light on the seal hunt and men who take part in it every year, it only deepened the anit-sealing sentiment. The reason for the backfire was a public relations man's nightmare. - It seems that while the media in the States were prepared to cover the press conferences given by Mr. Moores and his colleagues, the network television stations in their infinite wisdom decided to accompany the coverage with file footage of the 'actual harvest of baby seals: complete with sound effects of the club crushing the brain of the seal pups, and their bloodied carcases left on the ice flows after the pelts had been removed. Needless to say, Mr. Moores logical arguments in favour of the seal hunt were complete- ly lost when these rather distressing scenes of the hunt were shown. While the idea in principle may have been a good one, its execution was a disaster, and Mr. : Moores is probably wishing he had stayed home. The point remains that the seal hunt is a highly emotional issue with little meutral ground. Those opposed are not going to be convinced for any reasons that the hunt should continue and likewise those in favour are not going to give it up. What is a little difficult to figure out, however, is why Mr. Moores didn't see this before he set out for the States. He could have saved a little money (the tour cost close to $200,000.) and he would have kept the lid on the emotional issue for a few more weeks, anyway. Now, it's right back on page one, which Is the last place that Mr. Moores and his fellow Newfoundlanders want it. Deserves support The Port Perry Star is on record on more than 'one occassion as being in favour of any reasonable plan to revitalize the commercial core of Port Perry. In the past couple of months a steering commit- tee has been set up by the Chamber of Commerce to lay the groundwork, so to speak, for the preparation of a Business Improvement Area (B.l.A.) A professional company which specializes in downtown restoration planning has been engaged by 'this Sommijies to do a feasibility study and conceptual plan. Much of this Initial preparatory work has now been completed, and details will be presented at a general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to be held in Port Perry February 1. This meeting Is a vital one, and the'outcome could have long-reaching affects on-the future of Port Perry and indeed, Scugog Township. For this reason the Chamber of Commerce Is urging all persons interested one way or another in the concept of a Business Improvement Area to attend. _.. It should be pointed out that if the B.I.A. concept gets approval in principle the Implementation may be spread out over three or even five years. And the costs involved will be carried by those businesses within the designated improvement area. And It should also be pointed out-that any benefits earned through the improvement of the downtown core of Port Perry will be to the advantage of all citizens in Scugog Township. At very least the concept deserves the close attention of all citizens in this community and Township. And it also deserves their support. Other communities have tried it with success. Is there any su% reason why it shouldn't be fried here? ; 9