Whitby Free Press, 29 Oct 1975, p. 4

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PAGE 4. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1975, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice of the County Town Stopping inflation up to you Inflation is a national problem we've been trying quite unsuccessfully to lick for sometime...but that of course is nothing new. What is new however is the recently imposed wage and price controls restricting wage increases to about 10% and price hikes to cost increases. Labour union leaders are screaming 'bloody murder' and vowing to fight, if not out and out ignore, our governments attempt to curb a seriously spiral- ling rate of inflation. it seems a shame that otherwise responsible leaders of large numbers of people would adopt such attitudes. Surely they must realize that higher wages necessitates higher prices ... and the vicious circle continues. Also it must be obvious that spiralling inflation, and an inevitable depression, can hardly be good for Canada and logic dictates. What's not good for Canada can hardly be good for their union members. Labour blames business, business blames labour, and the balance either have no opinion, blame both, or blame the government for inflation. Very few of us actually blame ourselves...and who else is really responsible. i- used to be that we expected a doctor to drive an Olds 98, or a compar- car, and to live in a home we would dream about owning but never really expect to own. Actually, just owning your own home (after years of saving> made you feel fairly well off. Not too many could afford two TV's (most couldn't affordbonecolour set), much less own two cars. But now, boys and girls barely old enough to drink legally are tooling around in their very own automobiles, many of which are brand new and quite expensive. Many newlyweds are moving into their new homes after ru-turning from their Mediterranean cruise. Even welfare recipients can often be heard saying house ownership is their "right". We have grown so fat in our land of luxury that it seems now everything is our right and if we don't get something we want, well you'd better watch Dut because we' Il strike. Once upon a time if a person wasn't happy with his job or his wages and couldn't make any headway there he would look for something better. After ail doesn't it seem logical that if you don't like a job, or the money they're paying you, you'd go somepace else? (That is if somebody else would hire you) . But it appears the old ambition seems to be a litte lacking these days. If you think you should make the same money as a doctor, well you're free (if you're capable) to go to university for ten years and become one. We often haar people say "so-and-so company made a MILLION dollars profit last year and that's excessive pr9fit"...but nobody ever thinks that possibly it took 20,000 investors a total of 20 million dollars to make that one million dollars profit. Now if you invest a thousand doll;rs, would you think that $50 profit representing a 5% return on your money is excessive? But collectively that million dollars profit sounds like a lot of money. DESPITE the screaning about "excessive profits" and "corporate ripoffs" we don't see anybody selling THE IR OWN houses for any less than they can get. Ironically, THEY don't scream "excessive profits" whey they double their money in three years. If businesses gouge then so do many home owners. How often have you heard people say "I paid $12,000 for my house fifteen years ago, bmt I wouldn't sell it now for less than 60 thousand", "I paid $30,000 three years ago and now I'm asking 60". The government tried unsuccessfully earlier this year to have Canadians impose voluntary restraints. Since then we have had numerous groups demanding exorbitant inflationary wage increases such as 71%. Take the inside postal workers for example who are currently on strike (as if you need reminding), did you ever stop to think that if they get the 51% increase they're asking for it'll cost every man, woman, and child in Canada another $5 a year each? Figure it out: $5 times 20 million people... and that's only one group of employees. We would have been very surprised if the union leaders HADN'T acted as anticipated, after ail they have to try to protect their $30,000 plus a year jobs. We're past the days of 20 hour work days and child labour, and unions deserve the credit for pulling us through the initial problems. But where can they go? The ultimate union contract is a top dollar for no work...but once achieved what would the union's function be then? But more important where would we as a country be? The final decision is up to you, but let your conscience be your guide... pay now or pay later. Happy 9Oth Dais y Lamb! Dear Sir; My Grandmother is age 90 on October 27th. She is in Sunnycrest Nursing Home here in Whitby. Her name is Daisy Lamb. She came over toCanada around 1903 and has lived quite an active life up to her stay in the nursing home 3 yrs. ago. She.had 7 children of her own, has 22 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren and we live here and ail the way through Canada. I didn't know what would be appropriate to buy her for this 90th birthday since she is now a diabetic she can have no cake or chocolates. Everybody else thinks of flowers and things like that. So I thought per- haps a tribute to her in print would be a nice way of letting her know just how important she is on her 90th birthday. Yours truly, Marilyn Rands, 25 Cardiff Ct., Whitby, L1N 5N8 "A sad day for Wity It is an extreme disap- pointment to learn that our Whitby Council was willing to give in to HIGH RISE in and about our town. Mr. Tom Edwards may think that a lengthy court battle would cost, the taxpayers money, but he should give consider- able thought to the cost involved in giving into developer without a fight. The taxpayer will pay in many ways. This kind of development can only bring harm to Whitby. Unfortunately the precedent has now been set, watch for HIGH RISE in the future, they will be springing up all over! It is a treat to enter Whitby from any direc- tion as the absence of High Rise buildings is very noticeable. This lack of High Rise is a definite asset to the town. Sun-Robbing twenty stor- ey buildings do absolute- ly nothing but degrade a community, not only in appearance, but in the life style they portray. The bunching up of people has never been a successful method of housing. The problems created are sometimes larger than the commun- ity can cope with. HIGH RISE does not, necessarily have to be put into the category of the "INEVITABLE". Far too many councils lack the wisdom to see that towns such as Whitby can exist and get along just fine without the HIGH RISE SYNDROME. What we need now is people with some GUTS to tell these developers to pack up their plans and go elsewhere. VVe don't need their fancy high rise buildings or their get-rich- quick rent gouging prec- tises. Yes, I am sorry to say IT IS A SAD DAY FOR WHITBY. J. H. Priest Whitby, Ontario. "Thanks" from minor soccer Dear Sirs; I am taking this op- portunity to personally write to you and extend my thanks and the thanks of all the people in our organization for a job well done in the re- porting of game scores for our 1975 season. We received many favourable comments from coaches, sponsors and parents this year, so you can be assured that your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Again many thanks. Yours trulv. D. Earl Cane, Whitby Minor Soccer Association Mike

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