Dear Editor

With the recent announcement of a new Canada Child Benefit, I decided to calculate how much of an impact this will have in our Bruce Grey - Owen Sound riding. After all, a big part of this will be "new" money flowing into our community that wasn't there before. This money will be spent by local residents in local stores, and circulated within our community.

So, how much money will be suddenly appearing in our community? While I haven't seen a front pageannouncement of this, it made me think, "What if we considered this, as we would a new employer who suddenly moved to town, promising full time jobs? Would this make the news? What if they were the size of E.C. King or Hobart Food? Would that make the news?"

Since it hasn't, I would like to personally announce that this Child Benefit programme, started by the Federal Liberal Government last month, will have as big or bigger an impact as a new employer coming into the area and paying $7 million dollars annually in local salaries. As with other paid benefits, this money will be spent locally, and will likely have even a bigger effect by being re-circulated.

Although not heavily reported, this is a Federal Liberal response to the poverty in our community and country, poverty that the Progressive Conservatives and MP Larry Miller have continually failed to recognize during his many years in office. So, thanks you Federal Liberals, for recognizing the needs of our many young families.

Robert Hope,

Owen Sound

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