Dear editor
I share Jerry Hempler’s frustrations re: Lack of development on the North Island (Jan. 27) and I am sure there are many who share that frustration. Business people, those in retail, need a functional community with people that have the money to buy their goods. I remember a time, long long ago, when we had money but we could not buy anything because there was nothing on the shelf and everything had to go into war production.
Remember the days, you Octogenarians-plus, when in 1940 the USA still had 11,000,000 unemployed and in spite of heroic efforts by their president, they did not know how to solve the problem. Then Madman Adolf starts a war, and everyone was working. (Dying, too, of course.)
When the USA finally entered the war in 1917 – I am speaking of the war that was supposed to end all wars, The Great War! – their government found the money to spend in 20 months as much money as they had during the previous 125 years (and that must obviously include their Civil War).
The problem with economic development is that of the little guy/gal who starts a business very often ends up the loser as only five per cent are still in business within 10 years.
“Dare to be great,” is a slogan I recall from the 60s and 70s. And it would be interesting to do a survey of all the losers. There is one positive side to it though: they have lots of company.
Whatever we do, let’s not sell our oil and coal. Whoever has the energy has the power. Let their corporations come to Canada where the power is and produce here and then we sell the finished industrial products to the world.
Wilhelm Waldstein
Port Hardy