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about safey in this work their future cian, ju, schooling ematics are id illusions, hly educatâ€" movies and this type ting jourâ€" makes the ell did not teachers or to publicly e is what 1 during thei res is proba 1 Commn to consult id out why the article is. 1 don‘t peopic ther side oves the about the k Lasso ‘aterioo ivestigation Wls PR Canadians continue to be astounded at banks‘ attempts to justify record profits (over $6 bilâ€" lion last year) as "good for bank customers, good for Canadians". F s More like, good for bank execuâ€" fivu(Whoummiondoflzpny- 4 cheques are growing even faster than profits), bad for everyone else. People also get a bit upset at the neverending stream of service charges that the banks dream < up. They chatge us to transfer our money, they charge us to withdraw it, and they charge us for P'Y*"coflowloamhndmnmw, Not only are most of these charges applied for services that used to be free but, because of minâ€" imum balance requirements, those who can least afford to pay often have to pay more. Service levels are declining as the banks elimiâ€" mbnmiuhruulmuflinm neighbourhoods in cities. When I was a boy (writing that is a sure sign that I‘m getting old), putting ones money into dnbmkwngmylonakeimlaaon savings accounts now average one per cent or less, an amount that is easily cancelled out by â€"monthly service charges. The National Bank, themuflm-ixlmkhthecowmmlmgr savings rates have fallen as the prime lending rate has plumimeted. How, then, do they account for their stubborn refusal to reduce credit card rates in any significant way? reclaimed and redirected at the banks themselves, They‘d better mm'ordnynm like a stone. ::c'ma&gdmamx "You‘d better start swimming or you‘ll sink like a stone, for the times they are aâ€"changing." This terms of lending, the banks also fail to Can a bank help itself? Bm S Broken Windshield * $100 uTo GLass) » BYSTEM ;> L0 San 22 WE WANT TO REPAIR YOUR hldadgiinia i c aa l e sacs.s 21200 0000nnnplbneiveiitntsdaiageiine to Deductible NDP government widened their powers, there are few services that you will ever need that canâ€" not be delivered by them. And, if enough peoâ€" ple take their business to credit unions, the banks might start singing a different tune. Scott Piathowskis columns are also available on the World Wide Web at hitp/twwwionline net/â€"activist. mattress?". Before you do so, you should check out one of your local credit unions. While not perfect, credit unions offer their members a democratic voice and, particularly since the 576â€"1520 or 576â€"5296 1138 KING E @ OTTAWA * a small business. It would be nice to think that l the benefits of the banks‘ record MR profits will be shared with the people who work for them, but experience suggests otherwise. In 1995, when the banks were in profits of merely $5 billion , they laid (primarily women) a pittance and for their fieree opposition to unionization. They also exen a negative influence on the broader econâ€" omy by forcing companies to pursue downsizâ€" ing initiatives that are not in their interest. Who did you think were the mysterious "creditors" that required Canadian Airlines to demand But is there any alternative to banks? Banks would like us to think that there isn‘t â€" witness the previous series of Bank of Montreal comâ€" mdnhmdamhouq.i,. reading "should I just put my money under my (ALL MBURMnCE CO) get credit within ¢ Paul Ide:. hmm back into the Canary Wharf proâ€" jJect. Try getting that kind (or any kind) of credit if you‘re Wcmfigm apply their standards evenly The Reichmanns can walk away from billions in loans {for which other customers‘ end up paying) and Dow‘r sust Beuseve w T1 WboNMipRsnnmemsemmmcess ...