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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1981, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby r Voice of the County Town Michael lan Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor 'Ie only whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. Published every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography inc. Phone 664-611i I The Free Press Building. 1: Brock Street North, P.(). Box 206. Whitby. Ont. MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor MARJORIE A. BURGESS Advertising Manager Mailing Permit No. 480 Member of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce Some good things are happening The year 1981 will probably go down in Canadian history as the year of continually bad economic tidings. For the most part, this will be a correct analogy. Several events have occured that will prove this statement. Examples are: the six-week long post office strike; an inflation rate of 13 per cent; a dollar that is only worth 80 cents American; in- terest rates of over 22 per cent and a decline in our gross national product. However, these events are on a national scale and most of us do not seem to be directly affected by them. The greatest effect on the individual citi- zen is when he flnds himself paying more for a loaf of bread then he did a year ago. While other tragedies such as factory closings and permanent lay-offs are becoming more and more a part of our way of life there are some good things happening not only in the Town of Whitby, but in the Region of Durham as well. An example of one of the good things that is happening is Regional Chairman Gary Herrema's attempt to get the provincial government to locate a new computer and robotics training centre rn JE OrOR GL0BA. EWS If you believe as I do that how a society treats its artists is a useful index of the degree of civilization you've en- countered, then China comes off rather badly. Not that artists are treated more shabbily than anyone else in China. In fact, they're treated like any other worker, and therein, in my view, lies the trouble. I don't pretend to know agreat deal about the artistic atmosphere in China. On a two week trip you can't really learn much about any- thing. But this is one area in which I'm particularly inter- ested, and I asked a lot of questions. Everywhere in China, we were taken to factories, jade factories, ivory factories, cloisonnee factories, lacquer factories, glass factories. And in all of them there were pattern books in front of the artisans. I shouldn't have been surprised by a painting factory, I guess, but I was. The artists I saw, like everyone else, work an eight-hour day and a six-day week. They produce about 40 paintings each per year. Much of their work, particularly among the juniors, is copied or even traced with watercolor brushes on silk or rice paper. Most of their painting is traditional - not surprising in a country where painting styles have changed very little in hundreds of years. Some of it is experimental, but within some pretty rigid parameters, dictated by the pious convictions of the state. Some of the senior artists paint more or less what they like, but apart from the state, the other great influence on what the factory produces is what sells at commodity fairs. If you accept the thesis that great art is created by great individual skill and courage and imagin- ation, then there wouldn't appear to be much chance for great art in modern China. Individualism is vanity, and there is no room for vanity in this post-Mao period. And so the two great forces on the direction of Chinese art are politics and the market place. I would be happier about that if I could remember much great art inspired by either politicians or consumers. Our own western art history indicates that the influence of politics on creativity has almost never been helpful, and that consumers, God bless us, have almost always been wrong. There are no artists starving in garrets in China, which is good for the artists, but in my view, there isn't much new art either. That's not news, but that too is reality. somewhere in the region. Should the chairman be successful in his effor- ts, then Durham stands a good chance of becoming more prosperous because the centre will not only train people to work in this vastly complex field, but will, hopefully, attract new in- dustries thereby creating new emplo,yment oppor- tunities. The Town of Whitby has not exactly been idle either. The town has been undertaking an aggressive promotion program that attempts to tell potential industrial and commercial citizens of the benefits of locating in this municipality. One small, but excellent, example of this is the announcement that Isomedix will build and operate its new Canadian facility here next year. While the plant will only employ some 20 people it is definitely a step in the right direction. Another recent occurance that will help bring this community and region a step closer to economic recovery is the construction of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario warethouse. The construction of this facility will be undertaken by local' contractors and local labor as much as possible. At least we have been assured of this by the powers that be. When the Ontario Ministry of Revenue moves into its new headquarters building in Oshawa next year it will bring with it new people - people who will both live and work in the region. These people will become part of our economic process and while their impact will not be as great as most of us would like it again it will be a step in the right direction. Although the national economic situation has caused them to slow down their plans, General Motors of Canada will move into the empty Fire- stone Canada plant. While that move is not ex- pected to create many new jobs it will be a boost to the economy of our town. The Town of Whitby is also experiencing good growth in the residential area with new homes being constructed all year round. The biggest plum in the residential pie will be the development of Brooklin and although it has only been approved in princlele, it promises to be a project in which this communify can take pride. The problems on the national scene are real and foreboding, but before we take too much despair we should take a brief look at what is happening in our own community. The Impact of all of these problems is being felt, but that does not seem to be a hindrance to growth at the local level. Perhaps this all has to do with attitude. If a community does not take a positive attitude during times of economic trouble - then the problems will seem to be that much more terrible. A positive attitude creates positive action. The determination to carry on in spite of economic troubles gives us as a community the strength to carry on. Without belittling the seriousness of the problems of high interest rates, inflation and unemployment perhaps it is time to start taking action to solve these problems instead of con- tinually bemoaning them. Good and positive things can and are being done in this time of economic upheaval. It would be worthwhile to note that the vast majority of the working population is employed, the vast majority of our industries and commercial enterprises are still in business and still produc- ing goods and services. It would be fair to say that at the national level a positive attitude is not being taken and in a lot of respects it Is also true of the provincial level. However, here at home things are happening and while the future is not as bright as we would like it to be there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Like we said it all has to do with attitude so let us hope that the positive attitudes being taken at the town and regional levels is infectious. Economic prosperity must be worked for - it does not happen by simply wishing for it. -'q AM