PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1976, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitbys Voice of the County Town Mike1 Thex nn~Iv ithv np nar erinnndeiietlv owned and operated1 ERVING OVER 28,000 READERS (I Burgess, , Publisher-Managing Editor by Whitby residetits for VlIfltfy resicier nt% Assistant Editor - Blake Purdy 1Pullistied cvery Wednesday Commnunity Editor - Brian Winter Con tributing Editor - Jim QuUý' Production Manager - Marje Burgess bM.B.M. Publishing D fiayRobin Lyon and Pliotography lac. Ciassified Ad Manager - Marlene Byron- Circulation Manager - Sharon Lyon Box 206, Whitby. The Free Press Bu*lding Mailing Permit No. 460 121 Brock Street North,1 Whitby, Ontario Phone 66 8-6 11i. 1 ne miluuy uV,.,,,,7 '"-.-y'r' u ilm%.r%,g Controls working, Says Norm Cafik and we agree October 14 marked the first anniversary of the anti-inflation program. Last year at this finie, inflation was increasing at an annual rate of 10.5%. At that time we could confi- dently predict that the 1975 dollar would be worth 50 cents in 1981 and a nickel in the year 2000. Ail sorts of people, especially those who were on fixed incomes, such as pensioners, were being devastated by inflation. Our critics scoffed last year when we said our aur in 1976 was to bring inflation down to 8%. Nonsense, they said; the Government is daydreaming. Economists were predicting that inflation this year would be running at 11% or 12%. October statistics are not yet available, but in September, the inflation rate was 6.5%. Last year, in October, it was 10.6%. These statistics stare our k critics in the face. They can't deny them. They are. in black & white. Their argument is that the anti-inflation prog: is not responsible. The dr, in inflation, they say, is be- cause of a drop in food prices * .and, they add slyly, food prices are not controlled at the farm gate. Our cri tics cannot say simply "food prices are not controlled", because that is not entirely correct, and their argument would be destroyed. We ail know that food prices are not controlled at the farmn gate. The point is, how many of us buy food at the farmn gate? Most of us buy food - but only after it lias been transported, pro- cessed and distributed to retailers across the country. Indeed, 30 - 55%X of the price you and 1 pay for food is accounted for by transpor- tation, processing and distri- bution -- and these are controlle d. The fact that these activities are controlled under the Anti- Inflation Program insures that when farmn gate prices are lower, our prices are lower; it ensures that a slowdown in the rate of increase in wages and other' costs faced by processors and distribu tors are passed on to you and me. Our critics do not want to acknowledge that the Anti- inflation Prograni is working so they conveniently ignore imits price iîîcreases essen- tially by setting ceilings on the profit hriargins that firms are allowed to earn. Most firms have priced their pro- ducts so as to say within the limnits, or have been held within their limnits by market circunistances. For example, somne firms had -higher profits than permitted, and they had to take action to adjust. (Monarch Fine Foods and General Goods were among them). 0f the 500 largest firms in the country, m-ost did not even formîally request a price increase because, after consulting the A.l.B. tlîey learned they would mot allow the full increased sought. Price increases proposed by Gulf, Texaco, B.P., Imperial Oil and Traveller's Insurance Coin- pany were reduced. - Our critics also say profits are not controlled. Yet, profits before taxes in thie first haif of 1976 were up only 5.5% from the first haif of I1975 aiîd the shares of profits in G.N.P. lias fallen over this period fromn 11.3 to 10.3%. Granted, profits in Canada have been consistently higher than in the U.S. since early 1973, but the largest single reason for this lias been the higlier level of econornie activity in Canada. We refuse to ap)ologize for this. - Indeed, the only valid 1part of our crities' arguments is that wages are controlled. But even here, ouir crities convenientlyoverl(>oked the î-nôst inmportant Point: wages arc coîîtrolled bt laors re-al earnings arc higher. Despite the slowiîîg down of noinal wage iin- creases, real earnings have iiicreased 3.6% for the last three-month period over the sarnie period lasI yea,,r. Labour income lias inCrease(l 16.4%~ between the firsi lh.aif of I975 and the saine period this yeýar. In anhloinCiilg (le progranm, a year ag(>, the 1>irme Minister set goals f'or eachi of the thrceycars of the programn. With the end o)f thc first year, it appeare(l that tlie consumrer price index incregascs will nîcet the 8% target. While we cotild not at first predict witlî certainty tlîat the proram wold suAcLceedr, IýrA Agood time to conserve energy Ucar Editor: Thiis year, the people of* Ontario will sl)end an estimiat. ed $7.5 billion on ail f'ormis of* energy. In sshort, we've beeîî spending about $900 annually l'or every man,. wornan and chiild ini the Province on energy. Up to 20 per cent of* th'at couldl be saved thiroughi properly maintained veicleýs, better clriving ha,ýbits, more care fti consuimption prac- tices and properly insulated homes. Thiroughi conservation we could reduce the rate of' growth of* overali energy costs drana ti cally. The Ontario Governmnent lias proclaimied the first week of* November Energy Conser- vation Week in order to increase public awareness of the need to conserve energy. Anl increased public awareness should sfimnulate people to take steps to reduce their energy bills this winter. We hope that the savings that can be made will ultimate- ly add up to a billion dollar reduction in the Province's overaîl energy bill by 1 980. 1 would like to invite your readers to write to you and share their own reasons on hc; w er.crgy conservationi cari be achieved iii everyday situations. 1 hlope that durinig Energy Coniserva.tioni Week you xviii ptiblisfi soi-e 0f the best idleas your readers have on energy Dear Editor: 1 note with interest that Unicef Ontario have declared that- the week of October 25 to 31' is henceforth to be called "Unicef Week", ... a good mnethod of promnoting citizen awareness of the world-wide aid prograrns of Unicef. On behaîf of the Govern- ment of Ontario 1 arn more pleased to wish the members of the Committee well with the 1976 Unicef Week Campaign. Any method of furthering public understand- ing of the enormous problenis UUISCî VLiouii lui personai anac community benlefit. Deîinis R. Tiinbrell Ontario Ministry of Eîîergy Queen's Park Toronto of the tmnderprivileged of this world, and of the efforts of Unicef to teach self-help and dignity through achievement to those who are less fortun- ate in today's society, must be sincerely cornmended and supported. 1 ask my fellow Ontarians to spare a moment during Unicef Week to learn a littie about the dedication and expertise of the Unicef organization. Your co-opera- lion and support will- help a child.in need. WilliamG. Davis, Premier of Ontario. I Send letters to the edi"tor to Box 206, Whitby Support Unicef campaign says Premier William Davis 1