O ~ Wednesday. July 10, 1991 - North Shore News

SO CANADA is the second best place in the world to live,
after Japan. According to a United Nations survey, we
have one of the best education and health systems — betier
(and this is the problem) than you'd expect when related to

national income.

The only way to enjoy some-
thing you can’t afford is to bor-
row. And so we borrow. Canada's
national debt is heading for a
whopping $400 billion as each
year we spend about $30 billion
more than we earn.

Not everybody enjoys the good
life. But the lure of easy credit,
both nationally and personally,
makes it easy to live beyond our
means.

I had the occasion to meet
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney at
a reception recently.

“How do you plan to cut
spending, to tell Canadians they
must accept a lower standard of
living if the country is to live
within its means — and still hope
to get re-elected?"’ [ asked him.
He didn’t have a ready reply.

1 don’t think any politician
relishes the challenge of cutting
back. After all, spending pro-
grams traditionally win votes.

Politics aside, we have become
so conditioned tv gratifying our
needs that most of us resist or at
least resent being told we can’t
have something.

Be honest. Would you be
Prepared to wait six months in-
stead of two to three months for
your income tax refund if gov-
ernment spending cuts reduced the
staff at Revenue Canada?

Would you tolerate potholes in
the road that were repaired only
every five years? Garbage collec-
tion every other week? Mail
delivery every other day? A one-
month wait to get a passport?
Longer waits at the Canadian
border? Reductions in the health
care and education systems? Cut-
backs in the unemployment in-

Michael

DOLLARS AND SENSE

surance, welfare, child tax credit,
old age supplement and other
social assistance programs?

You might accept less spending
on education if you have grown-
up or no children. But today's
students are tomorrow's leaders:
we need to make that investment
today for the sake of our coun-
try'’s (and so our personal) future.

Less money for those who can’t
look after themselves? Our society
is based on caring for the truly
needy.

Reduce mail delivery? That's
fine if you get hardly any mail,
but business would certainly pro-
test. Roads in poor shape? That
could produce dangerous driving
conditions, and higher car
maintenance and repair bills.

Every proposed cutback meets
resistance from those affected. We
become accustomed to the level of
services being provided. !f »ou

photo subi

THE WEST VANCOUVER Fire Service Museum and Archives
Society was recently involved in an antique fire apparatus
display at Victoria's Royal British Columbia Museum. The
society has plans to establish a fire museum in West Van-
couver to house its antique fire trucks and other firefighting

memorabilia.

BUSINESS
Getting back to living with

live without electricity or running
water, vou manage. But once the
hydro is hooked up and vou cua
have a flush toilet, (7s iough te
vo back to Hving withaur those
amenities.

Tough — but not impossible.
We all complained and = missed
Saturday mail delivery when ut
was discontinued. But now we
manage with mail only five days a
week.

{It's a maiter of priorities. Make
a fist of aH expenses in order of
priority and trim from the bottom
or tnake other adjustments uanyal
the budget balances.

Who said it’s easy? When times
are good, we spend more and en-
joy the additional goods and ser-
vices we buy. But we should also
be prepared to cut back when
times are bad. That will keep us
from going into debt -— personally
and nationally — and help us ap-
preciate the extras all over again
when times are good.

The only alternatives to cutting
back are more income and higher
productivity, again both personal-
ly and nationally.

You can work (or invest) harder
or smarter so you can afford your

higher expenses. Goverment can
fa4ise faxes —— bur while thar night
aintain the level ot services you
expeer. sou will have less mosties
te spend to maintain the rest ot
yout siaindard at living.
Productmsity can alwass be im-
proved. ft takes dedicated. skilled
managers and politicians to make
yvoverament spending go further.
Getting back to diving within

in our means

our means invelves both cutbacks
and more efficient use of money.

Atrke Gienbs is a Vancouver-
based columnist: and independent
financial adsiver who works with
individuals: fe will answer vour
questions ay space allows in’ his
column — write to Aim c/o North
Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale,
North Vancouver, V741T 2H.

3 YEAR
TERM DEPOSIT

983-3773

Lonsdale Quay
Next to Seabus
North Vancouver
24 Hr. Quote Line 682-4636

E Citizens Trust}

MEMBER CANADA
DE POSTE INSUR A! ORFOR ATION

“T once mislaid my government pension
cheque and did that ever shake me up?”

“Now, with Direct Deposit, my pension
goes right into my account every month.
Automatically.’

Convenience, security and reliability.
That's what Direct Deposic will mean
to people who receive pensions or
allowances from Health and Welfare
Canada and Veterans Affairs Canada.

Direct Deposit makes a lot of sense.
With Direct Deposir, your government
payment is deposited automatically,
right into your account. Direct Deposit
means an end to irritations like delays
or misplaced or stolen paper cheques.

a & Government Gouvernement
ot Canada du Canada

The choice is yours.
Direct Deposit is voluntary. Information
and application forms are available at
most financial institutions or at your near-
est Veterans Affairs Canada office or
Health and Welfare Canada pension
office. Find out more. Then sign up and
enjoy the benefits.

direct
WQsstie You benefit directly.

Canada