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_ The Ottawa researchers did not tackle fluoriâ€" ‘«dated drinking water per se, but looked at the question of fluoride in the environment on the whole. iz It‘s obvious the question of whetherâ€"or not to fluoridate city drinking water has no Clearâ€"cut answer. â€" There appear to be solid arguments both for and against the procedure. m‘m*.mflflhquW..fl-“‘“ mm.m-mm-‘nmmo’u“- Friday 9:00 a.m. to :00 p.m. However, the case presented by very reputable scientists in Ottawa as outlined in this week‘s edition tends to weigh the argument in favor od discontinuing the practice here. In many ways, this is a preferable way of asâ€" certaining what to do about.the specific situation as related to drinking water, because it can be placed in the context of the whole. If what the scientists are saying is true, and we suspect it is, people are facing potential hazards in the amount of fluoride they consume, either through eating, drinking or breathing. The amount of research and doubleâ€"checking that went into the paper by the National Reâ€" search Council indicates a high level of credibiâ€" lity. It is not only the work of two distinguished reâ€" searchers, it is a report screened and given creâ€" dence by a large panel of other scientists from around the world. 6 =. $ ‘ _ The findings of this group cannot be dismissed lightly when considering the ethics posed by inâ€" gestion of fluoride in the city‘s water. News addicts take heart ... the doldrums can‘t last much longer. ks . f As many may have noted, things have been relatively quiet recently on the news front. At least there hasn‘t been much happening locally and, otherwise, there is little of a dramatic, suâ€" spenseful or conclusive nature going on. _ _ This applies provincially, federally and interâ€" nationally. However, look at the agenda for upcoming events. + $ City councils will soon spring back into action, going full gear in preparation for the November elections. = Many are musing about when Premier Davis will call or force the next provincial election. Could it be shortly after the House resumes this fall? Then PM Trudeau will hammer away at bringâ€" ing home the constitution at the next first minisâ€" ters‘ meeting in September. .. ~_Will he attempt to act unilaterally if all else fails? ‘ Over the border, "everyone is anxious to see whether Jimmy Carterâ€" gets his party‘s nominaâ€" tion to run for President again. _ _â€" _ _ â€" And when he probably does, will he be able to overcome actor Ronald Reagan‘s lead in the polls? Meanwhile, something has got to give sooner or later on the fate of the U.S. hostages in Iran. Things certainly have been dull lately, but, as we said, the summer hiatus will soon be over, for better or worse. ~What to do about fluoride Things should liven up soon p_mwmumwn-. a division of Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo Record Ltd.. owner 25 Fairway Rd. S., Kitchener, Ont. address correspondence to Waterioo office: 92 King St. South, Waterloo, Ont., telephone 886â€"2830 subscriptions : $14 a year in Canada. $16 a year in United States and Foreign Countries. August 6, 1980 established 1854 On the last afternoon of this Parliamentary Session. legislation to outlaw loanâ€" sharking and remove outâ€" dated limits on credit union interest charges was passed in the House of Commeons. Bill Câ€"44: ‘"An Act to amend the Small Loans Act and to provide for its repeal and to amend the Criminal Code." requires only Senate approâ€" val before it is given Royal Assent and becomes law. The Senate may be apâ€" proached by the Governâ€" ment House Leader before October 15 as he promised in the House. â€" The Small Loans Act has not been revised in any sigâ€" nificant way since 1956. Over the past several years consumer loan companies have consistentlyâ€" dost money on loans made within the small loans category. i.e. loans of $1500.00 or less. As a result, many citizens whom the Act was intended to protect are either unable to obtain loans of less than $1500.00 or they have to borâ€" row unnecessarily large sums from unregulated sources. They are too often forced to borrow from disreâ€" putable individuals with frightening consequences at WALTER McLEAN The ethics of moneyâ€"lending ‘MARC, BEEN TRYING TO PLAY BALL OUT WesTt â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"G5~â€" * AGAIN, EH ? 7~ collection time The Act applies to all perâ€" sons or corporations. except banks and pawnbrokers, that carry on the business of lending money ‘"‘at interest rates over 1 percent per month on loans of less than $1,500. This includes such finanâ€" cial institutions as credit unions, caisses populaires, trust companies, and mortâ€" gage loan companies. These institutions will now be able to compete on equal terms with the chartered banks in the area of small cash loans. The banks have previously been above competition in this area because of their ability to offer cash advanâ€" ces to creditâ€"card holders and revolving lineâ€"ofâ€"credit schemes. For these reasons, the Progressive â€" Conservative Party welcomes the repeal of the Small Loans Act and indeed Hon. John Crosbie, Minister of Finance at the time, announced his intenâ€" tion to do away with it last Yet, rather than é‘nst reâ€" peal the Act, the Governâ€" ment has provided a compliâ€" cated ‘"antiâ€"usury‘"* amendâ€" ment to the Criminal Code creating an interest rate of 60 percent per annum. _ The effect is presumably to make legal all interest ratesâ€"up to 60 percent. Each province in Canada has staâ€" tutes that provide for the setting aside of ‘"unconsâ€" cionable transactions." The effect of this amendâ€" ment to the Criminal Code is to make conscionable, or legal, interest charges up to 60 percent. As a result of this extremely excessive fiâ€" gure., the Conservative House Leader, Hon. Waiter Baker, secured the promise of the Government to closeâ€" ly monitor the effects of the Bill and review its approâ€" priateness after one year. I agree that we should have legislation which offers consumer protection against loanâ€"sharks and the like. It should be made an offence under the Criminal Code. But there are all manâ€" ner of loanâ€"sharks and this amendment only outlaws those who charge in excess of 60 percent annually, not those who take marketable security and charge ridicuâ€" lous rates on the transacâ€" It is conceivable in highâ€" risk, speculative ventures, usually involving loans of considerably more than $1,.500, that interest rates would reflect the risk to an investor‘s capital. However, it is questionable whether the law of the land should be based on such isolated cirâ€" cumstances. Surely, this amendment to the Criminal Code does not reflect comâ€" mercial reality. An opportunity to protect the lowâ€"income and thrifty individual would seem:to have been missed. More imâ€" portantly, although it will now be easier for police to prosecute loanâ€"sharks, there is insufficient protection for the unwary consumer who, with the best of intentions, can still be trapped by ‘legiâ€" timized‘ unscrupulous inâ€" dividuals. I have checked with the Waterloo Regional Police, the Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and the Bette r Business Bureau, who are at present. not unduly conâ€" cerned. 1 will however be watching this matter careâ€" fully for any loopholes that may arise and be making reâ€" presentations to the Governâ€" ment on behalf of our Ridâ€" at the agreed time of