As I was driving to work earlier this month the announcers on the
radio were talking about the economy and how it can effected by local
businesses. All small businesses can have an effect, either positive or
negative on local economy and the greater economy that surrounds it.
I have seen many a small locally owned
business close its doors in my life time, and with the doors closing went jobs
for local people. At the same time the local economy suffers lose whether it is
visible or felt immediately. The more small business that closed their doors,
that were bought up, the local economies suffered as did the local community at
large.
My friends we can all see changes happen
in our towns and cities if the entrepreneurial spirit returned to people. That
spirit would be encouraged if the community supported small local businesses.
Julie and I buy local as much as we can, if it isn’t available
where we live we will get it as close to home as possible. I would rather
support a local business person, even if it means paying a little more than to
buy from a company that has no interest in my local community.
This is why we look for locally made or grown products and items
that show they are “Made in Canada” Our small studio supports the local
economy. We are not a big enough to
change the Kawartha Lakes economy, or the Canadian economy, but if we all
looked to support locally made, locally grown the economy would improve. It is
time that the pendulum swings back from mass production that leads to cheaply
made products that don’t last and don’t employ local people.
I purposely don’t buy made in China, unless there is no choice,
sadly “Made in China” is the case more than I like it to be. We let people know
that what we produce is locally made, Canadian made, even if the base pieces
were not, the rest of the production is Canadian.
Canada was better off when we had local production of the products
in our homes. Canadian made furniture, clothing, and food. It is true, Farmers
Feed Cities!
Relaxing! By Doug Wilkie
At The Cottage. by Doug Wilkie
Two of my paintings, done with locally purchased supplies, from smaller business not globally owned mega business. We would love to grow our little cottage industry studios into a large enough enterprise to open a store front that would be open to hire others, and even make room for people who were of similar creative spirit.
