Editor’s Note: 2 : Soe oe
We will be publishing major current statistics with each issue. It isn’t the sexiest reading in the world, but these are the
that determine whether you work or starve. Probably the most important of these numbers are those giving the interest rat
These rates, set by the central Bankers (in Canada, Gerald Bouey), determine whether people can afford to build houses, wh
you will be working, whether you will be able to make your mortgage payments.
Produced: June 15, 1984 MONTHLY STATISTICS
Central Statistics Bureau Current Monthly Average
Year-To-Date
% Change From % Change
Ye From
Units roe Parry Meath rer Amount Year Ago
Prices
CPI—Vancouver 1981=100 May 84 120.9 0.3 4.6 120.0 4.6
CPI—Canada 1981=100 May 84 121.7 0.2 48 121.1 5.0
CPI—United States 1981=100 Apr. 84 113.4 0.5 45 112.7 45
Industry Selling Price Index—Canada 1981=100 Apr.84 113.9 0.5 44 113.0 45
Labour
Unemployment Rate (S.A.)*—B.C. Percent May 84 156 (15.1) (13.7) (14.6) (13.8)
Unemployment Rate (S.A.)*—Canada Percent May84 117 (114) 123) (114) (12.4)
Unemployed (S.A.)—B.C. Thousand May 84 219 38 15.3 203 6.0
Employed (S.A.)—B.C. Thousand May 84 _ 1,181 04 -16 1,18 —08
Labour Force (S.A.)—B.C. Thousand May 84 1,400 0.2 0.7 1,389 0.2
Man Days Lost in Work Stoppages—B.C. Thousand May84 298 58.0 323.2 115.3 1,743.1
Unemployment Insurance Benefits
Paid—B.C. $ Million Mar. 84 128.8 —3.6 —17.7 1365 —66
Average Weekly Earnings—B.C. $ Mar. 84 424.27 1.0 1.0
Wages and Salaries—B.C. $Million Feb. 84 1,850.0 —18 —15 1,866.6 0.6
Production :
Lumber—Cubic Metres Thousand Mar. 84 2,407.6 —23 —129 25122 —06
Pulp—Tonnes Thousand Apr.84 286.7 13,900.2 —24.1 ° 2108 —498
Paper-Tonnes Thousand Mar.84 1258 5323 —208 951 —414
: j ANNUAL STATISTICS
Year Percent Change
Units 1983 1982 1981 82-83 81-82
=] General
| Housing Starts—Urban B.C. Number 18,297 16,853 29,992 86 —43.8
Housing Starts—United States Thousand 1,703.1 ‘1,062.2 . 1,0842 603 —20
Retail Sales—B.C. $ Million 12,1081 11,766.2 11,999.8 29 19
Hotel Occupancy Rate—B.C. Percent 55.2 56.9 70.4
Exports Laden in B.C. $ Million 13,279.6 12,368.0 12,828. 14 —36
Capital and Repair Expenditures—B.C: $ Million 12,340.2 - 13,0469 148813 5.4 —123
Population—B.C. Thousand 2,825.0 2,791.1 2,744.2 1.2 17
INTEREST RATES ~
June 13/84 May 16/84 June 15/83
Percent Per Annum
Canada
Prime Rate 12.00 12.00 11.00
Bank Rate 177 11.72 9.54
Long-Term Government of Canada Bond Yield 13,52 13.65 11.39
Conventional Mortgages—1 Year 12.75 12.25 11.00
—5 Years 14.50 14.25 13.00
United States
Prime Rate f } 10.50
PERCENT OF -
PROVINCIAL POPULATION
ON UIC AND WELFARE
22 21%’
21 Aa
20
19 11% on
18 UIC
17
16
15
14
13
DR ——|
Il
10 10%
9 8% 8% on
8 welfare
7
6
5
4
3
2 3% on
1 | welfare | welfare
Alberta Ontario B.C.

Source: Globe & Mail
April 5/1984

JUSTICE, SOUTH
AFRICA STYLE

In Johannesburg a white who killed a
black outside his house as he apparently
stole 63 cents (49 U.S. cents) of milk money
has been cleared of criminal charges and
praised by a South African judge for per-
forming a civic deed.

Francisco Quintino, aged 56, was acquit-
ted of charges of murder and negligence in
the shooting by Rand Supreme Court. Judge
Irving Steyn said he “deserved a medal for

what he did,” the Rand Daily Mail reported.
—Manchester Guardian, June 3, 1984

6/Lumber Worker/Summer, 1984