The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
No, readers, this column is not about Clint Eastwood (though he is one of my favourite actors). Rather, it's about economic and other news in our troubled world, which never seems to get better, at least in an economic sense. There are some good things, at least, in the economies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the stabilizing affect of agriculture, especially wheat and other grains. Wheat prices remain high and are expected to do very well this year as the dollar remains well below the US dollar, although demand for animal products is expected to remain low. In Canada, retail sales have dropped significantly, as great job losses Ð 129,000 in December alone Ð are causing many people to stop spending in spite of big discounts. Again Manitoba has done better than other provinces, dropping only two per cent in 2008 compared to 11 per cent in BC and 10 per cent in Alberta. An Ontario-based steel supplier recently cut 500 workers; however, their four Manitoba locations are not affected. But not everything is rosy in the Keystone Province. The famous Asper family's empire is seriously in debt to the tune of nearly $4 billion, and many economists are predicting they may go under. The head of the company downplays the debt and the low stock value, claiming the company is restructuring and makes over $500 million a year in profits. One bright light is that the Aspers' charitable foundation is not impacted and this month will have contributed $16 million to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, the building of which, along with the Floodway expansion, will really help the economy of Manitoba. BC has a serious problem with violent gangs, which are killing each other and innocent bystanders and doing so with machine guns while driving armoured cars. They have moved to other locations such as Kelowna, Prince George and Abbotsford as well as Vancouver. The Liberal BC government has finally acted, adding 168 new officers and 10 new criminal prosecutors at a projected cost of $69 million in three years Ð all while their provincial economy is severely hurting. Premier Gordon Campbell promised to build new jail cells for over 600 more prisoners, and to work with the feds to toughen the Criminal Code. As well, Campbell unveiled a six-point plan to take illegal guns off the street, including shutting down gun retailers who fail to secure their buildings against break-ins. The problem is very serious and the action should fit right in with the Harper government's war-on-crime approach. As we know, the Prime Minister and Justice Minister announced tough new anti-gang legislation in late February to stop gang violence and end the revolving door of gang members going from court to bail and back again. The legislation will be welcomed even in places like conservative Calgary, whose hot economy has been a drawing point for drug gangs and a turf war. Let's hope the legislation works! The good, the bad Ð what about the ugly? How about the situation in Zimbabwe, the former Rhodesia? Robert Mugabe, now 85, and his thug party ZANU-PF have been in power for the past 29 years and have virtually destroyed the country, especially the economy, which was once the breadbasket of Africa. The so-called power-sharing between Mugabe and the opposition is really a sham, as Mugabe swore in 61 cabinet ministers out of only 210 MPs Ð 15 more members than the constitution allows, and stuffed with his party members. Instead of swearing in a white former farmer as a minister, Mugabe had him arrested for treason and he remains in jail. In this country, millions have fled and more than half depend on foreign food aid. There is 80 per cent unemployment, wild inflation, and a massive cholera outbreak. But get this! Mugabe's party spent US $250,000 to celebrate his birthday last month! Could anything be more ugly? Why do the UN and other countries allow this situation to exist? No doubt because of South Africa, which could destroy the government in a day by cutting off trade, and surprisingly no one wants to offend the supposed black-led democratic government. Nothing will change until Mugabe is gone. Let's hope it will not be long! Roger's Right Corner runs Wednesdays.
