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If people carry that spirit they enjoy tonight and tomorrow through to January and the rest of the year, the world indeed will be a better place. We can at least try. The specific areas it examined were: food aid and agricultural development; finance and debt; development assistance; energy and trade. The report plots a course for Canâ€" ada, as a world leader, in promoting soluâ€" tions to the current international economic and political crisis. It offers the challenge to Last week, the final report of the Parliaâ€" mentary Task Force on Northâ€"South Reilaâ€" tions was presented to the country. The Task Froce, was set up in May by Parliament to recommend practical and concrete steps that Canada can take in the current global negotiations between developed and developâ€" ing countries. This year, the Chronicle is being delivered on Christmas eve, a distinction that makes it all the more appropriate to reflect upon the annual festivity in this week‘s editorial. â€" In that sense, it is our hope that the spirit of Christmas will carry over to that fresh beginning in the new year, and that people will really make it count. The hard fact that twoâ€"thirds of our world 6?:5 to bed hungry each night is also part of Christmas news. Just as we have local mechanisms for helpâ€" ing the less advantaged, so nationally and inâ€" ternationally we have agencies to help strugâ€" gling nations with their economic and social growth. The Parliament of Canada has a reâ€" sponsibility here. Christmas is a time of family getâ€"togethers, the exchanging of gifts, reverent church services and uplifting carolling and singâ€" alongs. It‘s a time for parties and festivities and an opportunity to unâ€" wind and relax â€" at least, in between the celebrations. It‘s a time for fellowship and reflection upon the spirit of the Child who was born in a manger in Bethlehem. _ _ And all the activities of Christmas prepare us for that new start in the new year. a time to wipe the slate clean and begin all over again. That‘s where the work begins. A newspaper has to cope with a lot of cynicism, wrongâ€"doings, injustices, petty quarrels, political battles, tragedy and hardship in its dayâ€"toâ€"day function as a chronicler of the world around us. It might make our job less exciting without all the frictions and foibles of the world, but newsmen probably have just as much a soft spot for the good and decent as anyone else. At Christmas the special appeals by the Salvation Army, the Waterloo Young Men‘s Club. The House of Friendship, Church World Service agencies remind us that many in our communities, and beyond. do not apâ€" proach December 25th anticipating good food, gifts under the tree, and the warmth of family reunions. This is perhaps not as pronounced on a community weekly as it is on a daily paper, but even we are constantly reminded that not al} is right in the world. C â€" Keep up the spirit â€" WATERLOO CHRON!ICLE, WEDNESDA Y , DECEMBER 24, 1980 WALTER [ McLEAN published every Wednesday by Fairway Press. a division of Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Record Ltd.. owner 225 Fairway Rd. S.. Kitchener. Ont. address correspondence to Waterioo office 92 King St South. Waterioo. Ont . telephone 886â€"2830 Waterioo Chromicie office is located on 2 nd lby: of the 0 W Sports buiding apposste Watsrioo Square Parung on King Street of in Waterioo Square Open Monday to Fnday 9 00 a m to § 00 p m Editor: _ Phil Jaisevac subscriptions 14 a year in Canada $16 a vear in Ursted States and Foreign Countries Canadians in all walks of life to encourage the awareness and involvement of this country in Northâ€"South problems Food aid should be part of a detailed food production plan. In this plan food aid would gradually decline and assistance for food production would increase. The Government should put greater emâ€" phasis on agricultural research for developâ€" ing countries. The objective of this research is to bring about selfâ€"reliance in food producâ€" tion through increased food output. Until this can be achieved, food aid will have to be supâ€" plied from neighbouring developing counâ€" tries (like Canada) with the ability to proâ€" duce a food surplus. o The Government should commit itself to reaching the .7 per cent target for its Official Development Assistance (ODA ) by 1990. The .7 per cent level for ODA means that the country would be contributing .7 per cent of its Gross National Product to foreign aid. This would mean an increase from the .5 per Canada should demonstrate its "political will""‘ to help developing countries to cope with their acute food shortages by raising its commitment to the Food Aid Convention. Some of the ways in which it suggests this can be accomplished include the following Publisher: Paul Winkler establisheqa 1854 Our role in helping others NURE A POWER: HUNGPY YAHOQ! 'YOUBEA MONEY _ GRIPPING MEF! _ 1 SAip YOVRE SHEIK _ YOUERE AN ANTIâ€" 32 Bucks uS AMMED YAMANI FeDeRrAust Bum! ree mabpe. _ SWEETKART! A larger share of Canada‘s ODA should be given to our Nonâ€"Governmental voluntary agencies to operate small assistance proâ€" jects on Canada‘s behalf. Church channels and agencies like CUSO and Oxfam can be more fully utilized. _ _ _ Canada should encourage projects which use renewable and locallyâ€"available sources of energy. Our onâ€"going development proâ€" jects should implement energy conservation measures as soon as possible. Developing naâ€" And much higher priority ought be given to basic education and the development of the skills of women. Canada is urged to reâ€" duce the number of countries in which it has aid programmes, in order to concentrate on the quality of its assistance to the poorest and most seriously affected countries. The central objective of the Government‘s Foreign aid programme, the report suggests. must be the basic human needsâ€"(food, shelter and medical care) of the poorest people in the developing countries. cent for 1985, announced in the recent Budâ€" get. Today Canada‘s budget aid is $1.2 bilâ€" lon. At the same time, Canada should imâ€" mediately press other industrialized counâ€" tries of the North, and oilâ€"exporting counâ€" tries. to increase their levels of assistance. The Special Joint Committee on the Constiâ€" tution of Canada last week, heard Dr. Franâ€" cis Leddy, National President of World Feâ€" deralists of Canada. His testimony included the following remarks: "I do not know of any other Parliament anywhere in the world that has a Peace Tower ... You walk in and out every day. perhaps not thinking of that Peace Tower Well, ladies and gentiemen, I appeal to you,. do not overlook the overâ€"riding issue which is of concern to all Canadians. to all free men: do put into the Constitution a statement of Canada‘s commitment to world peace and world justice." The Christmas message is one of "peace on earth, goodwill to men."" Canada has an enviable record as a peaceâ€"keeper. My prayer is that 1981 will see new Canadian iniâ€" tiatives in peaceâ€"making. Happy Christmas‘â€" While these recommendations might seem obvious, even cutâ€"andâ€"dried. they represent a breakâ€"through. Their implementation would mean a thorough and longâ€"needed overhaul of Canada‘s foreign ard policy. The Government is urged to increase the number of its Foreign Trade Service repreâ€" sentatives in the expanding markets of deveâ€" loping countries. tions are even worse hit by rising oil prices