PAGE 4, WEUSMy, NOVEMBER i.7. WHITBY FREE PRESS VOlce Of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managlng Edîtor ilie oniy WhItby newspaper Independentuy owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whltby residents. j Thfksmi I byjim SmithI What's a Dollar Worth? Ma-ybe l lbas some(hing to do wltli (le Canadian psyche - an inlieren( beliel (bat some- thlng awfut is bound (o flaten US. Maybe li's nothing more (han an unusually liarsli faIt sending chilIs down our collec- tive spinc. Or maybe it's simply im- possible Io look on the world with good cheer wlien (lie post office is crumbting before our eyes. Whatever (lie reason, (here's no ignoring (the shock whicli bias overwhelmed (the Cana- dian public as tlie dollar plum- mets (o one low af(er anotlier. The s(ate of (lie Canadian dol- lar lias become a national Cal- vary, our own version of (lie Bay of Pigs, (lie sketeton in our closet exposed for (lie world (o see and jeer. Tlie only (hing wrong wl(li (lie sackclo(li-and-aslies rou- tine Is (liai i('s so absurdly un- necessary. Canada may have seen be((er economic tîmes but worse crises have been weatliered comfortably as well. The dollar may liave de- clined but i( certainly isn't down for (lie count. According (o (lie theory of international (rade, a na(ion's currency slldes when (lie coun- try's economic structure sags. This is generally interpre(ed (o mean (hat decline in a curren- cy is Irrefutible evidence (lia( (lie nation Is in trouble on a global scale. According to international (rade theory, (herefore, we're in big trouble. Our dollar went down faster (han (lie Titanlc. The Ias( dine a currency was ba((ered (lis badty, financiers were Jumping front window ledges.. But (tie (heory of interna- d (ouai (radte ignores one of (the most Important elements (liat determine a currency's value - thie actions of international îcurrency specula(ors. Tlie spe- culators are gamblers but you won't find (hem at (lie $2 win- dow of your local race track; (lie big-tlmfe speculaors con- (roi billions of dollars (many of, (hem petrodollars today) that they bicycle from ione cur- rency Io another. If they de- cide Io seil their holdings of dollars, (lie value of (lie dollar lails. If tliey decide (o buy dol- lars, (lie value of (lie dollar goes up. li's flot mucli differ- ent from (lie price of houses: (lie more houses (here are for sale, (lie lower (lie price of eacli tends (o go. These specultors have been ganging up on Canadi, forcing (lie dollar (o dramatic tows. In par(, tliey are acting out of distrust of Canada's economic management. More and more, however, (liey are followlng a pack mentality whicli goes beyond any in- dep(h analysis of our economy. Eventually - (oday, tomor- row or next month - the spe- culators will decide to buy tlhe Canadian dollar again. The dollar wilI rise and our eco- nomy wiIl be recognized as healthy once more. The im- provement witt be due only in part* (o changes in our eoo mic structure. More (o (lie point, (lie value of (the dollar is of relatively hatle real concern. When tlie dollar faits, exporters are help- ,ed, importers are hurt, tlie na- tional balance of (rade lm- proves and more jobs and smnail businesses are created. Tliere's no need for pesslmlsmn -just understandlng. I Think smail" is an editorlal message f rom the Canadian Federation of Independent Busnss©O Summer chîildren's program a success Dear Sir: A Summer Programme was tield ln Ajax for forty mentallyhbandlcapped child- ren whlch lnctuded 15 child- ren from the Pickering area' 14 chilldren from Whltby and' Il chlldren from Ajax. ibis elght week pro- gramme lnvolved cIaiIy swimmlng, hikes, crafts, games and i feldi trips to surrounding arpas of lnterest such as C.isre Island andi Pioneer Village, ibis pro- gramme was possible due to fthe firtanclul support of #*s Municlpallties, the Ministry of Culture and Recreatbon' and parents. We would Mie ta express our gratitude to ail who have given their financl support and to those personatly Involvedi, particularly tlhe student volunteers who providied a happy, healthy and progressive programme for our chlldren. #Than k you. Yours sincereiy, (Mrs) Inez Curi, Osairman, Summer Programme Comttee. By George Ashe MPP REPORT 0F THE HJEALTH COMMIT'rEE On Tuesday, October 17, the report of the Select Committee on Health Care Financing and Costs was released. This Committee was established at the insistance of the two opposition parties following extensive debate in the Legisia- ture over proposed increases in OHIP premiums last Spring. After four months of intensive study, costing the taxpayers approximately $50,000, neither of the two opposition parties have provided even a reasonable alternative to the present system. Members -serving on the Committee on behaif of the Government of Ontario addressed themselves to what was perhaps the key concern expressed in the debatelast Spring, that is the dilem ma facing those persons who pay OHIP premiums direct,' and not through -an employer benefit package, and have a taxable income of slightly over $4,OOo. The Government Committee members suggested a system of tax credits for OHIP to be worked into the present Ontario property tax credit system, which would ultimately assist people in this category, as well as ensuring that those people entitled to premiumn assistance in fact receive it. This suggestion does menit further consideration, but it has flaws hecause such Iow-income people really cannot afford to carry the premiums for a whole year, and then receive a rebate. They require relief on an ongoing basis. will be requesting further study by the Provincial staff on this recommenclation. Both opposition parties, ini one form or another, opted to abolish pnemiums and obtain the necessary funding through the personal income tax. The Liberal Party went even funther in nequesting that the Committee's mandate be extended unil Manch 31, 1M7, and that funther extensive,' indepth studies be conducted. The rationale for this recommentation escapes me considering the lime' and money alneady spent on thîs Committee, with really nothing to show for it. 1 guess thef Liberals feel 'easy come ... easy go' when suggesting spendingt more money on studies and the continuation of the Committee,A a philosophy obviously picked up from thein fédéral counter-a parts.y The New flemucratie Party justiflïed its recommendation for abolisblng premiumsanaud obtaining the necessajy fundingC through thse personal ineonse tâx by statlng that health cane would (lien be financed based on one's ability to pay and (bat this method would 'guarantee that increasing health costs and, hopefully, expanded services, could be met'. No mention was made by the NDP of ways and means to curb the health care costs, and thus reduce the financial burden for the already hard-press ed taxpayers of Ontario. The Government -of Ontario is committed to a policy of keeping the costs of health cane services down. To achievethis objective, the Government is reducing the emphasis on traditional health care institutions such as hospitals, and shifting some' of the financial resources to alternative methods of treatment, such as day surgery, out-patient treatment, home care for people with acute ilînesses and extended care in nursing homes. The suggestion to have OHIP funded through the personal income tax would do nothing to lessen the already tax burdened middle-income earner because in reality it would flot save you money. As welI, any increase in personal income taxes during the present economie peniod is not only ill-advised, but inconsistent with de-inflationary policies. Besides, such action would tend to at least reduce, and penhaps eliminate public awareness of just how much health cane services are costing. The Provincial Governent believes that the very best method of keeping health costs down is (o reduce the strain on the services, which can only be accomplished with the coopenation of the public. Direct contribution by w8y of a premium is sunely the most effective method of encouraging thse frugal use of Ontanio's excellent, and world recognized, health cane facilities. Seniors' bus trip was a luxuýy suite on wheels Dear Sir: EDITOR'S NOTE t would lke to thank our The fotlowing is a thank-driver friend of McDonald's you note from crne of Big Mac Coach for a very, WVhitby's senior citizens whovery wonderful day and particîpated In a recent bus drive through various Inter- tnîp sponsored byestîng places on a wonderful MtcDonald's Restaurants, luxury suite on wheels. and arranged through the Nhitby Seniors Co-operatlng Thank you, Club. o%ýÉ-É.à -à i I 1