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de = = 0 0 LO = = e Reflections of a golden age by Mabel M. McCabe Many strange things are happening in the world of business these days. | recall, as many of the older folks do, the days when workman- ship was the watchword of manufacturers. Now it seems that every item one buys has a built in destruct system. It goes off as soon as the guarantee is up. | can remember appliances my mother bought when | was a child, and they are still running and doing their job. What has happened to the craftsmen of our nation? | have one answer to put to you for consideration. Many of the large corporations now use the know-how of their employees until those people are near retirement age, then for no apparent reason they fire them and hire a wet behind the ears youngster. This madness has made many good workers decide it is not worth giving your best to a company who only wishes to pick your brain and then kick you out on the street. Inquire around and you will find many top level managers and company executives out of work in their later years. It has become a sad commentary on the ethics of the big manufacturers and companies. One used to expect loyalty from employers and employees alike. Now that is a commodity sadly lack- ing on both sides. No more can a labourer expect fair play from a company that has only profits as a base of operation. Now it's the norm for these, mostly foreign owned, Corporations to go with the cheapest, not the best. Canada was a place where one could work at a firm for many years and be amply repaid for the hours of labour. Now it is just as in the U.S., where putting a product on the shelf is all that matters. Once they have the money they do not care if the item dies before its time. I'm sure you remember your parents buying furniture that is still in use today. If they bought a wood dining suite it is probably worth a fortune now, and is being used with great joy by some grandchild or great grandchild. Those were master craftsmen and they took pride in their work and made it to last. Have you priced a solid wood bedroom or kitchen suite lately? They run into the thousands. What a pity the good workers are toss- ed away for cheap labour and the good companies go out of business for lack of funds to compete with imitations. I guess the reason the older workers are fired is because com- panies would have to pay pensions to them. The good managers and foremen are in the same category. Where is the owner who used to pay his good men and women with fair play? My dear husband used to say the higher you climb in a company the closer you are to the door. | never dreamed that the situation could get as bad as it is right now. It would be nice to go out and buy something and know you were not being burned. It used to be that way, but now the almighty buck has taken hold of the mentality of every company. One good look at the new houses being built and sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars will show what | mean. No more plaster walls or steel beam construction. They offer the buyer carpeting as they will not spend to lay hardwood floors. If you raise the carpet you see just how cheap they are, it is only plywood under there. With this example to chew on I'll let you think about how the general public is being taken by many of the companies in business today. Oh! Wouldn't it be nice to meet a good old-fashioned company owner again? Viewpoint From page 16 There have been bombings in the United States. Right here at the University of Toronto there have been at least three cases that I have read of where peo- ple involved in animal ex- perimentation have co- incidently had the brake lines of their car inexplicably cut. There have also been several incidents of break-ins at medical research facilities and universities where animals be- ing used in valuable research have been released and equip- ment and data ruined. Miller complained in a recent fund-raising letter that she wanted to apologize for quoting foreign researchers, "but the truth is that, sadly, the Cana- dian research community ap- pears to be lacking people who will publicly stand up for the concerns that are being ex- pressed by many scientists..." No bloody wonder! The Cana- dian research community has been traumatized by the guer- rilla tactics of those who would dry up their supply of animals. And for all of Miller's caterwall- ing that mankind would be just as far ahead in the battle against disease if it had never used animals in experimenta- tion is just a great big crock. And because of these tactics be- ing used by rightists, large sums of money that could be spent on experimentation to save humans are being gobbled up to pay for additional security. As I said, something has gone sadly wrong with what was once a noble cause. I wonder what the animal rightists would choose, should the day come when it was a toos-up between the death of a hampster and that of one of their children. Could be the shoe might be on the other foot. But until then, they will gripe and moan, and be uncaring that it is someone else's child that the death of such a hampster could be saving. You're looking at three winners. Winners in the 2nd Brooklin Cubs basket decorating con- test held last Saturday at Brooklin United Church. The winners, from right to left were: Winners galore! Michael Lavoie, first; Jeff Nesbitt, second and Jesse Rogers, third. After the baskets were judg- ed, they were filled with shiny red apples that the boys distributed around town. Chamber seeks names for If you know of an outstanding stu- dent, business person or corporation in Whitby, the Chamber of Com- merce would like to know too. Until Nov. 10, the Chamber is ac- cepting nominations for the Student of the Year, Business Person of the Year and Good Corporate Citizen awards. These awards will be presented at the Chamber's annual meeting on Nov. 26. Nominees for the Student of the Year must have been in Grade 9 to 13 in the 1985-86 academic year, had a successful academic record and been residents of Whitby during that time. The Chamber is seeking a student who has made an outstanding con- tribution to the Town of Whitby and his or her school, as well as being a good academic achiever. Previous winners have been Anne Ottenbrite and Frank Ignazzitto of Henry Street High School and Anne Johnston and Katherine Dobranowski of Anderson Collegiate. Nominees for Business Person of the Year must have made an 193 QUEEN ST., PORT PERRY (416) 985-7306 ALL LINES OF GENERAL INSURANCE VICTORIA 8 ano cre Since I844 0% 5 Year Annual Interest 10% Semi-Annually Rates Subject to Change without Notice outstanding contribution to the town during 1986 and have been working and/or doing business in Whitby in 1986. They must also be successful in their occupation. Previous winners have been Bill Bonnetta of B and R Transport, Bill Nurse of Nurse Chev Olds, Bob At- tersley of Attersley Tire Service, Mandy Crawford of Boutex Nearly New Shops, Howard Smith of David- son and Smith Accountants, Don and Bev Rogers of Signet Signs and Nigel Schilling of Schilling and Evans, lawyers. Both the Student of the Year and " Business Person of the Year awards are presented annually. The Good Corporate Citizen award is presented only when it is top people of the year deemed by the Chamber of Com- merce that a business in Whitby has demonstrated its good citizenship by making an outstanding contribution to the town or its citizens. Previous winners are Cobi Foods Inc. and Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village. Anyone making a nomination should send the name, address and phone number of the nominee along with all pertinent supporting infor- mation as to why he or she should receive an award, to the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, Box 268, Whitby, Ontario LIN 5S1 before November 10. All correspondence will remain confidential and will be turned over to the selection committee. Brooklin Home Bakery & Delicatessan © 61 Baldwin St., Brooklin 655-4951 oy Better than Grandma's! No Homemade additives or BUTTER TARTS preservatives ... "sinfully rich" ...