Freedom Flyer 16

Sir: The article in Speaker's Corner, Canada's poor should learn to help themselves (Free Press, Aug. 19) by Rob Smeenk, is by far the finest and most impressive journalistic article I have read in a long time.

I am an independent trucker with an investment in excess of $80,000 in a truck. I, like all small business people, have to work long hours to succeed and remain in business. Many weeks I leave home Sunday morning and return the following Saturday or Sunday and, believe me, the satisfaction of my labor far exceeds the monetary rewards.

Like Smeenk, I am getting sick and tired of people crying for more handouts. I am 100 per cent in favor of government financial support to the aged and handicapped; in fact, I know of many handicapped both physically and menially who, in spite of their handicap, have cleared hurdles and scaled mountains and not only are a benefit to society but are also financially stable taxpayers.

It would appear to me that the wrong people are protesting. It is about time people like Smeenk, myself and the thousands like us picking up the tab told John Clarke and his followers that the free ride is over. When these people are able-bodied enough to march from London to Toronto to protest, why can they not put that energy into the work force?

I would like to say to Smeenk, let's organize a protest march to Toronto to cut welfare payments and put these able-bodied people to work and make them contribute to society and their country instead of leeching.

Unfortunately, as small businessmen we are too busy with our nose to the grindstone trying to meet our bills and pay our taxes; we do not have the time to protest.