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Opinion Minimum. wag reform- long overdue There's definirety something wrong when many people who work fuît-tome stoli lave betow the pov- erty lone. That's boeh socoelly unecceptable and just plain badi for an economny that neetiu consumer spending to thrêve. Some 534,000 Ontariens work 35 hours or more each week on fast-growinq rotait and service in- dustries, earning the provincial minimum wage of $10.25 an hour. lndeed. wîth annual earnongs under $20,000, these workers woll neyer even crack the paltry officiel 10w- income measurement of S$23,000 a year. This doesn't bode wetl for Ontario. And the Liberal government hasn't helpeti ratters by freezîng the minimum wage for the past three years. The government needs to stop stalîng. To both ai- leviate poverry and oncreese consumer spending, il should move as quickty as possible on minimum wage reform. Il should speed Up the work of te advîsory pael i? set Up on the issue titis summer andi get reedy ta make a substantiel increase on Ontario's minimum wage. The government shoutd hike the minimum wage to et leasr $I1.65 an hour. That woutd dîseppoint ectovosts pushîng for an îm- mediace increese to $14 an hour - the level Chat would brîng earnîngs jus? above the poverxy fine. Bue chat woulti mean a hilce cf atmosc 40 pet cent, a huge burden on many busonesses. The governmene bas ta êgnore the familier wern- ing that minimum wagc oncreases are job killers. In fact glvlng the poorest workers a few extra dollars in their pochets could acîuatly help create jobs, par- ticuleriy when the economny neetis aditional con- sumer spendîng. Unloke meny corporations, low-income workers aren't going to hoard theor extra cash. Instead, i? woll go roght back into local businesses on neces- sary purchases. Andi we aIt know thet when consumer spendong be- gins, job growth ensues. feritage -M atters ln thé, 163 vicm, of Miltion. lookang norïheast front Broute and UMi streets, on the ragha u, the LCNR Station. whvch was mnovcd andi irclcatrd bo Martin Sareet, On the tria t% the PL Rnberg'.on Screw Factont. whîch was the fi-q. birin tthe workt to podtacr %Qtktt hicad % LC% he I >urd Moror (u usaid 7-0 tTceW% ani ren ModetT Fard pro- d(titd l'ie Lit ion- waS mirajor Milton emp1u% ci espctaIIv duning the Gret Depres- -ionn Submarrrd K H-i Tac( %Vlhon andlMilton Histoicda SoIn Leam ail about loc-al Vuunteer opportunlUes this laeekend Ihave written be- fore about how 1 volunteer for an event about vol- uflteenfg. Sutably nameti the Milton Vol- unteer Fair, the annual everar is madie Up of non-profit orge- nizations that have votuntee Karen MkeI opportunities Managing Edator avaitable. The people who attend are frnm ait walks of lite wath a cormon desore wo make a dîfference in their cnmmunity .-and in their own lîvfs. They're seekang te rîghî fit to gîve of their tome and expertise. The members of the commîutee who or, ganîze the fair, including mynitlf knowx volunteers play a vital rade. Have you ever volunteerud? of so, you no doubt know tic rewards. If you havwrt vofunercd w#y tat gmv l a try? Thte benefits include makîng a difference irn someones Ifl, deveioping skiffs, meet- ing new people anti gaining work expert- ence. The Milton Volunteer Fair will be hetti thos Saturctay et thie Milton Sports Cntre (Banquet Roomt, 605 Santa aied Ut.d from 10 a-rn-to, 1 p.m. The event provides volunreef opportuni- ties for ail ages. Hope to sec you there For more information about the fair, sec story on page 23. Kaien Mict i con b. oeached atkmce<afimil- ronconad&anchamp«.an.com or on Twiret @ ChampîonFditrr 555 ktdoetnf Orhtie~ MUOn t L91 5El 90-7&234±- Adwfrsrng Fax 905-876-2364 GamsIkdr 9075-73300 Cktojon:, 905-878-5947« VP -Group Publflhe Sbobs At ff a ii r r am M c i-. 1)o,ýe Wtàb -&, - 1M o. a»a 09~~0 me ain*»gawo o at i SUffta fTh P uth M le urnesi II il o AuIis o* - e<nP mm *wa hu'fcermî r n.vtoiea 7- 't -- -~a~ - - À*rt 11. U.hW. ~