r- WHITBY FBEE PRESS. WEDNESDAY,,APUýLi, 18, PAGeS, Wben Monte Kwinfer taika about the norrors of iridexedi penslins, I ofteri wonder wbatF y ather'si-eaction would be. Father grew Up in thaf wonderful era of the fwenfies - hie was 25 when tbe greaf crash came - and tbe moat produc- tive* of his adulf years were speit ti the Depression. Having a job was fhougbt then f0 be security énough. He was ti Detroit wben the crash came. He soon found the lure faded, and like many other native sons returned to southern Onfario and the securify of home. He worked for bis father's lumber company then, and everifually bougbf a truck. 'That truck w'as bis only qualification as a businessman. Soon hie found himself hauling milk, and laterbe earned contracta to ship furntps and a franchise to deliver coal. But we're nof affer a family hisfory here. I mention the cbronology only to show that during the roughest era ti this century, hie was like mariy others of his fime: hie shfowed enferprise and fortifude ti face of adversity. Just paying the bills was sfruggle enou&h. Put away money for retirement? Wonderful, but who could? I the mid-fifftes, father griffed bis teeth and dtd what hie once said bie would neyer do: hie fook a factory job. The pay: lousy - but better than hie had been making on bis own. And steady. Eventually union activista would wmn pension righta for father and bis feilow workers. The ftrsf contracta froze benef ifs at the fime of refirement. Many pension contracta are still like that. . That's why my father retired in 1969 with a pension of $40 a monfh. And when hie died 12 years later, bis pension was stiil $40 a month. If he were alive foday, hie would be 83 -both bis parents 'WITH OUR FEETUP by BilSwan Find the answers lived that long - and he would still be gettirig $40 a month. In the mearitime, stock market prices have doubled, doubled and doubled again. Real estafe prces are eight times wbat they were then. Gasoline whicli cost 39 cents a gallon ti 1971 now costs4i3 cents a litre. A new car wbich cost $3,000 in 1967 now cosfs $18,000. Monte Kjwnter - the person who cari makce indexed pen- sions i Ontario a reality - went on record as saying the cost would be prohibitive. Comparues, he said, would bave to lay people off. Well, maybe some comparues, faced wifh indexed pen- sions, would prefer to close up shop in.Ontarto and move to countries where such laws were. not tW effect. That's because businesses are amoral, and the people who profit by such deals are far enough removed to think they escape the moral stencb. The plain fact is that because of inflation, we need ti- dexed pensions. Some wil try to convince you that inflation is a natural phenomerion, like lightning, and if it strikes you, well, that's the law of the jungle. Nonsense. The causes of in- flation are corporate and -deliberate. Government policy creates the condition for inflation; corporate practices (mergers, takeovers, etc.) fuel it. The poor consumer cornes along at the end, simply trying to keep up. Union leaders, trying to win contracts for their members to keep Up with inflation, are instead blamed for it. Inflation does not createwealth. It redistributes it. A house that sold for $48,5W0 seven years ago ta now worth $115,000. It ta the same house. What bas happened? In- flation has redistributed wealth, bas put. money in the pocket of the owner of the bouse. Wbere did tbat money corne from? .Mostly« it came from other groupa in our society, primarily those wbo don't own property. Or stocks and bonds. I other words, the people who moat need indexed pensions.* The owner of the bouse ta today richer because somewhere some pensioner is poorer. You cannot create something out of riothing. That's why Monte Kwinter should be ouf searching for answers to this ticklish problem, ratber than telling us why answers are difficult. We ail know if is a difficulf problem. Thaf's wby we pay cabinet ministers very good salaries. With very, very good pensions. We expect fhem to earn if. FÀ,Hamre wins Durham East DIE HAMREreiicti a ter wmln1g Liberal Lottery winniers Two Whitby residents, Bob and Karen Smith of Glen Hill Drive, shared $25,000 in the Ontario Lot- t.ery Corporatiofl's instant game, Tic Tac Toe last week. Fornier Town singers wanted Information is wanted from anyone knowing the whereabouts of former members of the County Town Singers. A chance to meet the singera will be offered at the special reunion concerts May 22 and 23. Caîl Margaret Nelson at 668-5469. By BOXANNE REVELER The scene was one of exuberance and optimism for Liberals gathered to select their leader for the Durham East Riding last week. Wben ail was said and done, Durham regional councillor Diane Hamre had claimed the party's nomination at Blackstock Recreation Centre before a packed house of some 600. The 47-year-old mother of four ...and grandmother of two dcfeae Liberal spot in the riding. The north ward of Brooklin and surrounding area will be included in Durham East during the next provincial election, while Whitby south of Taunton Rd. will be included in the newly formed riding of Durham Centre. Both areas were formerly encompassed withtn the Durham West riding. In ber address to the crowd, ::U Hamre stated a large, well- organized team was needed to win an election; a team that was willing .., .. to run immediately; to represent ail of the riding; to make them- selves heard. "I can and will deliver on al those requirements as long as you elect me to do so," said Hamre, "What we need is a positive, work hard, get things done ap- proach .... that's what the people of this riding want, that's what the people of Ontario want." In their opening speeches, both candidates told members that the time was ripe for Durbam East to ICOSTS SOARINGIIe BEFORE YOU REMNEW YOUR AUTO OR HOME J)NSURANCE, CALI AND COMPARE.... Foraà comploe In surance review, cou- and arrange a mutually convenient appolnm.nt ... Of courses thora la no obligation PETER DI LELLO 24 RESOLUTE CRESCENT 666-2090 2 AUTO-HOM E-LIFEý-GROUP-DISABILITY-RRSP become a Liberal riding. "A Liberal Durham East is witbin our grasp. We're tired of being good losers. We're ready to win," said Fairey, recently appoin- ted vice-chairman of the Newcastle-Nortbumberland Board of Education. Her thougbts were ecboed by Hamre, a regional councillor represeriting Newcastle for the past seven years, who added "The next provincial election will see a Liberal goverriment at Queen's Park. Durham East must have a member serving. Tbe time is long overdue for Durham East to have a Liberal member. " And if looks as though Liberals in this area are taking ber comments seriously. According to Liberal membership chairman Bey Grose, membersbip in tbe Durham East Riding for ber party bas escalated from 57 on Jan. 1 of this year, to an impressive 605 as of April 8. Minister of Tourism John Eakins joined ti the meeting and told members there was "a lot of ex- citement brewing i the 'air," and stated that it was a "'new day for the people of the province. " "We need you and want. you at Queen's Park," said Eakins, "We're going to win Durham East and I'm going tn he there along with you. ,' Harold Ransberry, who SEE PAGE 31 INOVTIE ESGNLIETMEWARATDEEM BUER 1 97 UP O 3%"UELELOWG RIELLO HIFINANCINSNCAVAILABLEE MODEN TEHNOOGY HATGIVE AN AVE RAE NULO SALES9.95INQUIRIEFREE 7 DAYS A WEEK A' I. ALE SHOWROOMATEEN ,, . 8:3AM TO 5OPM 313 ALBERTS. OSHAWA **