LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- May 29, 2007
The Editor;
Two weeks ago, both local newspapers carried an article about the economy of the Similkameen Valley written by our communal Economic Development Officer, Michael McLaughlin. For me, this article conveyed a most discouraging message for the Valley in general, and Princeton in particular.
McLaughlin, quite correctly, points out that the resource based sector of the economy is shrinking and along with it, the opportunities for resource based secondary industry. He also, quite correctly, notes that industry agglomerates, a fancy way of saying they form clusters, largely for access to resources and convenience of services they communally require. Once you have a sufficient successful core, other industries are attracted and the circle of participation can be expected to grow.
McLaughlin now appears to recognize that Princeton has no existing industrial core to facilitate agglomeration. Drawing industry to Princeton will be a hard sell, he suggests, one to be handled with careful strategy and shrewdness! We need to be astute and cunning to attract business? Strange choice of words! Perhaps enthusiastic and accommodating would be better!
Not long ago we were offered the chance to agglomerate services around a very big local project, but no, we did not want Compliance Energy! Well, that ship has sailed. We need to move on. Unfortunately, McLaughlin appears to have low regard for the natural resource sector and manufacturing. He favours the service industry as the way of the future. McLaughlin suggests that the service industry is the rising economic star. He also hints that one of the growing income sources in Canada is non-employment income from public and private pensions and investments income earned by retired people like me. We older folks, thanks to our growing numbers, are being presented as an economic opportunity; a pleasant change from being seen as a drag on the system.
He concludes his article by asking, What are we going to chase, the shrinking market or the growing market? Good question! Here is how I see it!
By definition, the service industry does not produce goods. It services those who do, and serves the public. The service sector is huge, thanks to the increasing complexity of doing business, and a growing population in need of ever-broadening help and advice. It includes retail and wholesale sales; health care and social assistance, accommodations and food services; professional, scientific and technical services; educational services; finance, insurance and real estate; transportation and warehousing; information, culture and recreation; public administration and defense; business, building and other support service; and other various forms of management. The largest employer within services is wholesale and retail trade, followed by health care and social assistance, and accommodation and food services. Among these, accommodation and food services are the lowest paid at $12.69 on average, so please, stop pinning your hopes on seasonal tourism.
McLaughlin claims that six areas of the service industry have higher average earnings than the manufacturing sector, again probably true. It is not hard to imagine that many of these service providers earn far more than a mere manufacturing working stiff; but how is that relevant for Princeton?
We, no doubt, have a few people from all these service areas among us - and we certainly have more than our share of folks with non-employment income. I fail to see how our service industry and our pensioners can lead Princeton to prosperity. Unfortunately, the service industry agglomerates just like the manufacturing industry. The more people a community has, the more services it can support. Penticton, though not highly industrialized, has the critical population mass to support a large array of services. Princeton, on the other hand, must manage with the bare necessities.
I can not agree that Princeton should ignore its natural resources as a base for future development. While employment in the resource industries has declined through technological efficiencies, our resources and their trade still underlies the creation of true productivity. If there were no goods there would be little need for services. I have heard it said that an economy can not prosper by selling hamburgers to each other. That is not really true. By the time you bite into that hamburger its production has passed repeatedly through many sectors of both, the goods and services industries, all taking profit along the way.
The saying is only true when the only money entering the local economy goes to the very lowest wage earners in the ranks of services.
In spite of McLaughlinıs apparent misgivings, I agree with Monty Raine that Town Council needs set a firm time line for development of the industrial park. Other than eco-tourism, I can not imagine what novel money making service McLaughlin hopes to attract to Princeton.
If such possibilities are real, we should hear about specifics. Promoting Princeton as a retirement haven seems quite unnecessary since this is already the largest demographic group we attract.
There is no real reason to favor one of these economic drivers over another, as McLaughlin appears to suggest. They are not at odds! We may not have a focus for industrial agglomeration at this point, but if we can not offer a home for light industry; we never will have one! The industrial park, promoted with pride and enthusiasm, is still our best hope for economic security - but you can not sell a product if you donıt believe it!
- Karin Green, Princeton
To the Editor,
At the Town Council meeting on May 22nd, Princeton Town Council proclaimed May 31st, 2007 to be Accessibility Awareness Day.
Accessibility is an important issue to many residents of Princeton.
Accessibility is not important just for the elderly and those with physical challenges, but also for their friends and families.
Accessibility is important for many reasons. Our elderly are living more active lives and are living independently longer. Our physically challenged are also living more active, independent lives. Accessibility creates the environment that helps allow our aged and physically challenged to pursue independent, productive lives.
Over the past year, several changes have occurred to help make Princeton more accessible. These changes include improved designated parking areas, the new washrooms at the arena, and the recent sidewalk improvement outside the Legion Hall.
The purpose of Accessibility Awareness Day is to have our elected leaders experience Princeton from a different perspective, to perhaps better understand some of the obstacles the elderly and the physically challenged face in our community.
On this day, Town Councillors in wheelchairs accompanied by volunteers will follow different routes in town and engage in a variety of activities.
This event is not designed to be difficult; we have selected normal, everyday activities to give a real experience, some negative and many positive.
We believe that by noticing the positives, Town Council will better understand how to help remedy the negatives.
Full accessibility will not be achieved in one year, or even in many years.
This year our emphasis will be on moving about the town, accessibility to public buildings, and accessibility to some of our essential businesses, such as banks, pharmacies, and the grocery store.
Town Council has made an active commitment to Accessibility Awareness Day.
You might ask, as a citizen of Princeton, what can I do to promote accessibility?
Perhaps on May 31st during your travels through the downtown area, you can pay special attention to the street curbing, or the small step at the entrance to a store, or the narrow aisles, or ? the list is limited only by your observation skills. And if you observe something negative or positive regarding accessibility, mention it to the party responsible.
In the case of the negative, they might take note and work towards a remedy, and in the case of the positive you most likely will get a smile and a thank you.
Thank you for joining us in trying to meet the challenge of making Princeton an accessible community.
On behalf of the Accessible Community Committee,
- Ken Carlson, Princeton
