October 17, 2001

Now That Brick Has Hit Us, What Are We Going To Do?

Next week is Small Business Week in Sudbury. It provides an opportunity for the community to pay tribute to those entrepreneurs who are the backbone of our society - small business owners who are responsible for creating the majority of jobs in the region. During the past several years the political leaders of the City of Greater Sudbury have been patting themselves on the back over the arrival of several major retail outlets in the region - retail outlets which have now made us the shopping centre of the north. We also listen to the applause about the construction of the new Sudbury Regional Hospital and Science North’s Dynamic Earth. At the same time, we are made aware of the thousands of new jobs which have been created in the area, making us one of the major "Call Centres" in the province as well.

Before I get to the point I am trying to make, I want you to read the following story.

"One day a successful executive was travelling down a neighbourhood street going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars as he drove along, when all of a sudden, a brick smashed into the Jag’s side door! He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?"

Building up a head of steam, he went on, "That’s a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please, mister, please. I’m sorry, I didn’t know what else to do," pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." Tears were dripping down the boy’s chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It’s my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up."

Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief to clean the scrapes and told the boys everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you," the grateful child said to him. The man watched the little boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward his home. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Getting back to my point, many "informed" (to use the term loosely) people in the community continue to go forward in their big fancy cars, completely fooled by what they see as good indicators for the local economy. They point out that Inco is hiring up to 600 skilled people next year; opportunities for employment are appearing in the health and education sectors; and the education system in Sudbury will enable young people to become trained in skills needed locally so that they can begin their careers in the area where they grew up. While it is true that there are signs that some of the larger employers will be needing skilled workers, we seem to forget that most of the jobs in our community are found in the small business sector.

NOW FOR THAT BRICK! Regardless of what anyone says, the fact remains that Sudbury has the highest unemployment rate in Ontario; the highest net out-migration of youth in the province; the lowest growth rate in average income; and is the only urban area in Canada with a declining population. None of this is cause for celebration! In fact, the number of people employed in Sudbury has gone down by almost 6000 since last December. Each of those 6000 jobs would have resulted in a minimum of $1000 per month in living expenditures. We have lost $6 million in direct economic activity as a result of the job losses. When you add in the multiplier effect, we have lost about $20 million per month in spin-off economic activity. Inco and Falconbridge may well be hiring, but the hiring will not come close to replacing the jobs lost to date.

Many of our young people want to remain in the north. However, they are witnessing a dismantling of the structure of the city as our small business owners continue to be hammered and are forced to either shut down or lay off staff. The loss of 6000 jobs is a hard pill to swallow for the small business owner who depends on the support of the community consumers. If local politicians continue to promote the expansion of the larger retail and factory outlets which are in direct competition with the small business owners who have worked hard to make a living here for many years, it may be good for the people who remain employed in the region, but what good is it doing if we lose jobs and people have to move out of the city to find work? Now that we have been hit by the brick, will we stop and help or will we just keep on driving until we run out of gas?

Have a good week!

 
 

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