Whltby Free Press, Wednosday, March 1, 1995. page 7 Controlling spending FirsEt of ail, this is a column that is not about The Federal Budget. That disclaimer out of the. way, let us set the scene for the littie drama that is about to follow. A stormy and dark day it is. Exactly the type of day one wou.ld expect to discuss allowances with a nine-year old. "Erin," 1 say, "It is Urne we had a talk." l l ean it up after 1 finish my homework." "Clean what up? Did'..." "Don't ask. 1 just trying to change the topie." I start again. "Ites about your allowance."9 "You owe me fifteen dollars back allowance. Eight- een on Wednesday. Is today Wednesday?" I clear my throat. 'You've heard about Paul Martin and the Federal budget. How Mr. Martin made sweeping changes across the couântry and redefined the county?" "Right. From coast to coast to coast to coast to coast. 'Don't try to be cute. You know about the deficit? "I know ail about deficits. Deficit is when you spend ail your pay and you can't pay me my lousy three dollar allowance. I take it tis would not be a good Urne to ask for a raise." "Deflhitely not. But about this deficit stuif .. "So the deficit is like the three dollars you go into debt éach week because you owe me my allowance. And the debt is the totai of ail the ailowances you owe me going back as far as hurnan memory can reach. Fifteen dollars." "Ah , humf, hunf, I think you have the principles down right. But whLat your ailowance really is, my dear gi,is a transfer pyet o nwwa trans fer payment is?" pamn.Yu nwwa "I think you just told me. And what you7re thinking 15 that you want to cut my allowance." "No, no no. That's not quite it. What we're doing here is reducýing the role of the federal budget, that s your mother and.me, and giving you the freedoîn to spend y'our share in any way you wish." " I aready do. So far I have chosen to loan it to you, since I had no çhoice. You gonna Welsh on me?" "No ethnic slu.rs, please. No, e're going to bring this wild spending under control. Therefore starting now y ou will receive just two dollars eveiy week. YouYll lave to earn the other dollar on your own." "I think I get it. So starting today you owe me don't rush I haven't got to per cent stuif yet in math .at nine per cent whatever a per cent is, times eighteen dollars, let's see ... hummn, that's a dollar sixty-two extra a week you owe nme. For interest. ."A dollar sixty-two interest a week? Get real! That seunds to me more like a dollar sixty-two a year." "Okay, okay, so 1 don't understand it. But it was worth a try. In addition, I'm demanding that you pay the cash equivalent to me weekly opf tEhe interest ^on the bonds you took out in my narne." "But those are for your education." "Right, you said I gained flexibility to spend as I like. And right now I . e to have that interest in my hot little hand. So put things in -motion before I get moody." r~ ~ w r r w- w - oe j, I ~Y 'v 116TH BATTALION FLAG-RAISING PAR-ADE," MARCH 3,p1916 A' soldier is tking a child out of the middle of Dundas Street as the parade, approaches the Armories, located where the Toronto Dominion Bank is now beside the Cenotaph. This view is looking east on Dundas Street 'from Brock Street. Patriotic parades were a special feature of local activities during the First World War. Whltby Archives photo 10 YEARS AGO7 From the WednesdayFebruary' 27, 1985 edition of.the *A 47-year-old man died in a fire at the Terrace on Bryon Street North. *Whitby's major bantam select hockey team will compete in the'1985 World Cup Bantam Tournament in Finland. *Bill and Marion Irwin reported in The Free Press on their recent tour of North Africa for the Rotary Club. *Former NHL goalkeeper Ken.Dryden told students at Henry Street High School to s tay in echool, when he visited Whitby on Feb. 20. 35 YEARS AGO From the Thursday, February 25, 1960 edition of the WHTIY WEELY NEWS (This issue is missing) 80 YEARS AGO Prom the Thursday, Februar y 25, 1915 edition of the WIHTBY GAZETTE AND 'CHRONICLE " Charles King, owner of the Whitby Tannery, and Warden of Ontario County in 1897, died at Toronto on Feb. 22 at the age of 77. " A "Patriotism and Production Day' was held in Whitby on Feb. 24, sponsored by the Ontario Government. " Construction of the Toronto and Eastern electrie -railway may resume through Whitby in the spring. " Shoemaker John Peel has purchased the J.R. Philpblock at 122 Brock Street South. iL'I a 16. -«Wz La&